2008 Manual of Motorcycle Sport - Motorcycling Australia

as quick as possible. If you can, plan ahead to make
sure there is ample parking for your group.
ride ready…on- & off-road
The Motorcycle Safety Foundation recommends
you do a short pre-ride check before every ride. To
help you remember the checks, the MSF came up
with the acronym ‘T-CLOCK’, which stands for:
• Tyres,
• Controls,
• Lights,
• Oil,
• Chassis and
• Kickstand (Sidestand)
These are simple, easy-to-access items that
anyone who rides on or off road should be able to
identify and check. Doing the checks should only
take a few minutes, but, depending on what you
find, they could be the most important few minutes
of your life.
tyres and wheels
Since tyres are where you and the road or trail
meet, they’re the most important things to check. A tyre
problem can affect handling—sometimes severely.
Start with the pressure in both tyres. The only
accurate way to check tyre pressure is when they’re
cold, as they heat up quickly on the move, raising
the pressure. Read your owner’s manual or check
the tyre sticker.
While you’re down there, make sure you’ve got
plenty of tread. You should have more than 1.6 mm.
Remove foreign objects that may have lodged in the
treads, and make sure there aren’t any cuts in the
tyre. A scuff is nothing to be worried about, but if it’s
a deep scratch or a crack, you might want to have
it checked.
Are your rims free of dents? Are your spokes tight
and straight?
controls and cables
A snapped throttle or clutch cable can leave you
on the side of the road or stranded in the bush, so
check ‘em. Operate anything connected to a cable
and make sure that the levers feel smooth and there
are no tight spots.
Apply the front brake and push the bike forward.
The brake lever should feel firm and not come back
so far it touches the handlebar, and the front wheel
should not move. Check the rear brake, too.
lights
enjoy the ride
Seeing and being seen are two great ways to
avoid crashes on the road or trail, so making sure
your lights work is essential. Do the high and low
beam work? Does the tail and brake light come on?
Check left and right indicators, front and rear. Lastly,
don’t forget your horn.
oil and fuel
Running out of fuel sucks, and since many
motorcycles don’t have fuel gauges, it’s a real
possibility. Pop the cap and visually check the
fuel level. Make sure your fuel tap isn’t on reserve
which could leave you with a nasty surprise if you
roll to a stop thinking you’ve still got fuel in reserve.
Keeping track of fuel can be as easy as resetting
the tripmeter every time you fill up.
Running out of fuel can be inconvenient, but
running out of oil can turn your bike into an inert
display of public art. Even new bikes can use
enough oil to cause a seizure, so check it before
every ride.
chassis
Though adjusting the suspension may not seem
to be critical, different loads can cause any bike to
feel quite different. Did you adjust the suspension
before carrying a friend? Has your bike been sitting
in the shed for the past six months?
Sit on the bike and rock it, making sure that
everything moves smoothly and relatively slowly.
If the front or rear end behaves like a pogo stick,
a trip to your trusty mechanic should be in your
immediate future.
If you have adjustable suspension, remember
to read your owner’s manual and adjust it for the
load you’ll be carrying and the type of riding you’ll
be doing.
sidestand (kickstand) and centre stand
Stands are handy little items—they can be what
keeps your motorcycle off the ground. Make sure
they’re not cracked or bent. Check the spring or
springs. Are they in place, and do they have enough
tension to keep the stand(s) safely up?
Don’t forget to look at the engine cut-out switch,
if so equipped.
If everything’s in place and operating properly,
you’re done, and right to go. Enjoy your ride.
2008 RIDERS’ DIVISION MANUAL