Do you do a pre-flight check before every ride?

Stephen W.

Stephen W.

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If this has been posted before please tell me and I’ll remove this. I snipped this photo from another sight. I didn’t want to give the rider or poster anymore grief than they’ve got so far but…

The poster explained that this was his fiancé’s bike. It just happened to be the one time he was watching as she was leaving for work. Yes, good that HE caught it but VERY BAD that she didn’t do a pre-flight check and was riding away on this bike in this most unsafe condition. Lucky she made it home after her last ride.

I always did a before check, again at every stopped and a final walk around before putting the bike away when I got home. I also always did a thorough hand wash making sure I touched and checked every part of the bike. Yes, fairings off, every time.
 

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T-Clock is a sticky. That bike is a shocking example of why some routine is important. I don't do the full T-clock routine every time but some key items get a quick once over before I mount the bike.

Wingboy

Thread 'T-clock (Pre trip Inspection Routines)'

Wow there's a lot of new riders on the site this year.Maybe we should make a sticky for this check list for them.It could help elimanate a lot of repitious reposts. Ride safe noobs,learn slowly. Ric.

T-CLOCK Inspection Item What to check What to look for Check-off
T - Tires and Wheels Front Rear
Tires Condition Tread depth, wear, weathering, evenly seated, bulges, imbedded objects F R
Air pressure Check when cold, adjust to load/speed F R
Wheels Spokes Bent, broken, missing, tension,
check at top of wheel: "ring"=ok--"thud"= loose spoke F R
Cast Cracks, dents F R
Rims...
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Nope. I do a wiggle check on things once or twice a season. However, most years I am the ONLY person that touches anything on my bikes. And that photo is a good example why
 
My guess is that the last person to adjust the chain or replace the rear tire didn’t torque the axle nut properly. After much riding with no regard for routine checks/maintenance the axle nut backed off and disappeared. The axle then started to walk its way out and once it cleared the right hand adjuster that also was lost. With the adjuster gone the rear wheel was free to move and cocked to the left under acceleration. This caught the license plate which started to wear away the tires center section. You can see the bottom of the plate matches the curve of the tire and it may have held the tire in that cocked positon. But still the rider should have noticed that the bike was dog tracking.
 
Before each ride I do a quick circle check looking at the tire condition and anything that looks loose or missing. I look on the garage floor under the bike for any fluids and check the oil level in the sight glass as well. I'll check the tire pressures every couple of weeks, which is about every third ride.
 
Take every post you see on social media with a grain of salt, most posts are created for engagement, not fact.
I have seen this image going around and find it hard to believe "it just happened".

As for the real question, I check tire pressure, chain lube, and oil level before leaving home.
 
sburns said:
Take every post you see on social media with a grain of salt, most posts are created for engagement, not fact.
I have seen this image going around and find it hard to believe "it just happened".

As for the real question, I check tire pressure, chain lube, and oil level before leaving home.
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Check tire pressure with a gauge or poking it with your finger? After a new set of tires is mounted, I will check with a gauge often until I trust they are holding. After that, I use a gauge much less often (before long rides) and do the terribly unscientific poking them with my thumb test before each ride.
 
I ride enough that I’m at-one with my bikes., meaning I’ll almost always pickup any change in handling, performance or sound.

I don’t check every ride, but I do one if I’m heading out for a day ride.

I keep up on maintenance and have visual pressure caps for my tire pressure.
 
GreyGhost said:
Check tire pressure with a gauge or poking it with your finger? After a new set of tires is mounted, I will check with a gauge often until I trust they are holding. After that, I use a gauge much less often (before long rides) and do the terribly unscientific poking them with my thumb test before each ride.
Click to expand...
Compressed air nozzle has gauge built in. Never tried finger before, should I?? 😅
 
sburns said:
Compressed air nozzle has gauge built in. Never tried finger before, should I?? 😅
Click to expand...
Thumb test is notoriously inaccurate. On many bikes, getting a Guage on has you bending the valve stem and I don't like to put that many bending cycles on them as it can cause them to crack. I don't have a useful roadside repair for a cracked valve stem.
 
GreyGhost said:
Thumb test is notoriously inaccurate. On many bikes, getting a Guage on has you bending the valve stem and I don't like to put that many bending cycles on them as it can cause them to crack. I don't have a useful roadside repair for a cracked valve stem.
Click to expand...
Ah interesting, never thought about it.
HD has a tire pressure gaget with and extension to avoid bending the stem, I thought it was interesting at the time, but now that you mention this, it's seems right. With spokes on these wheels it's hard not to move the stem.
 
timtune said:
What are these exactly?
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I'm guessing these (or less likely but also possible, the more expensive and more accurate bolt on tpms that macdoc uses).

c3b8ab05-7cd8-41ea-822d-8ab24047e9bd.2f2bb345c13188a7cb8f2f267da95f74.jpeg
 
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