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Pre-Ride Inspection
Text Version 1. Pre-ride inspections
insure a trouble free ride and give you confidence that your bike
is A-Ok.
2. Your owner’s manual is the primary source for how your bike needs to be
inspected
before every ride.
3. A pre-ride inspection needs to become automatic and instinctual.
4. Remember T-CLOCS as a reminder.
T = Tires and Wheels
Air pressure, tread, cracks,
dents, loose spokes, bearings, brakes.
C =
Controls
Levers, switches, cables, hoses,
throttle.
L = Lights and Electrics
O = Oil and other Fluids
(Coolant, hydraulic fluid, fuel)
Levels, Leaks.
C = Chassis
Suspension, Drive components (chain belt or driveshaft)
S = Side stand
5. Routine maintenance is more than a pre-ride inspection.
6. Routine maintenance can prevent more costlier repairs later.
7. Your maintenance schedule for your bike is included in your owner’s
manual
Controls
Both hands and feet are necessary in properly controlling your motorcycle.
Primary Controls
1. Handle Bars - The primary control mechanism for your motorcycle is the
handle bars.
2. Throttle - located on the right hand grip and it controls your engine
speed. Roll it
towards you to give it more gas and increase
engine power. It should rotate back to
the idle position when released.
3. Clutch Lever - Connects power from the engine to the rear wheel.
Squeezed to
disengage and let go to engage. Located in the
left hand grip. The function of which
is similar to the stick shift of a car.
4. Gearshift Lever - Found near your left feet. Left side of the
motorcycle. Lift up for a
higher gear. Press down for a lower gear.
The typical gear pattern is 1-N-2-3-4-5-6.
N is for neutral.
5. Front Brake Lever - Found on the right hand grips. Squeeze to operate.
6. Rear Brake Lever - Found near the right feet. Press down to operate.
Note:
. Braking
ratio: 70% front. 30% back. When stopping, 70% of the bike’s weight
is
leaned towards the front
. You should use both front and back brakes to stop your bike in a stable
fashion
. Pressing on the front brakes (right hand lever)
too quickly could cause the bike to go
out of control
. But the front brakes are a necessity since 70% of the weight is there
Note2:
. Bike controls are logically designated from
right and left
. Everything that controls the “going” and
“stopping” of your bike is located on the right
half of the motorcycle
. The throttle and both brakes
. Everything associated with the “gearing” of your bike is located on
the left side of the
bike
. The clutch lever and the gear shifters.
Fuel Supply Valve - Controls the flow of gasoline to the engine. Not
all motorcycles will have one. Some are fully automatic and not accessible
to the rider. For those that do, the manual settings are ( on, off and
reserve ). The reserve position permits acces to a small amount of fuel
which can be used to ride a short distance to a local gas station after the
main supply has been all used up. The fuel supply valve is located under
the fuel tank and operated with your left hand.
Ignition Switch - Is the switch that turns on your engine. Located
near the other front instruments. The positions include On, Off, Lock and
sometimes Park. The lock position allows your keys to be removed and then
locks your steering lock mechanism. The Park position is a lock position
but allows your lights to be turned on.
Choke Control - It basically allows your bike to warm up faster. It
provides an enriched fuel mixture and provides a faster idle. You’ll notice
that your engine is louder than normal on idle. The choke control is
located near the handlebars or near the engine.
Engine Cut Off Switch - Allows you to quickly turn the engine off.
Located near the right hand grips. You may use your thumb to quickly turn
your engine off.
Turn signal switch - Allows cars and traffic to know which way you’re
going to turn. Located on the left hand grip handle bars. Most must be
manually turned off after being set. Some automatically turn off after the
turn.
Horn Button - Operated with your left thumb, it is located near the
left hand grips. It makes a loud noise to alert traffic.
Starter Button - Starts the engine. Located near the right hand grip
with your thumb.
Speedometer - Displays the road speed. Located near the instrument
cluster.
Odometer - Shows how many miles you’ve riden.
Tachometer - Indicates the engine speed. It has a red line that
should be avoided.
Indicator Lights - Give you visual indications or status of your
motorcycle. These include neutral, high beam, turn signal indicators, oil
pressure, side stand down, and others.
Side and Center Stands - These devices support the motorcycle when
your not riding it. Keeps it standing. Usually spring loaded. Not all
motorcycles will have both stands.
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