Olson Marketing

OUR BLOG

Motorcycle Safety: PreRiding Inspection Routine

Before hitting the road, mañe sure to follow a pre-riding inspection routine to catch any issues your bike might have. Keep reading this post by AMSOIL: Olson Marketing in Lincoln, NE, for more information.

Engine Oil and Other Fluids

First, it’s essential that you check your engine oil and other critical fluids to ensure your bike’s best performance. As a part of your motorcycle’s fluid inspection:

Look for leaks: Make sure you don’t have any leaks by looking at the floor under your bike or around your bike’s engine.
Engine oil: Ensure your engine oil is free of dirt and debris and looks clean. If it’s been a year since you last changed it, or you’ve driven 2,000 to 3,000 miles since your last oil change, it might be time to swap it out for a new one.
Coolant: Your bike’s coolant should also be clean and topped off to keep your bike’s engine from overheating.
Brake fluid: This is essential for your brakes' proper functioning, so make sure to top it off.

Your motorcycle will always be ready to go with the right pre-riding inspection routine. Olson Marketing offers the best products for your bike and other vehicles. Call them at (402) 310-6414 for advice from their oil pros, or visit their online store to place an order today!

Chain or Belt Drive

The next step in your pre-riding inspection routine is to check if your chain or belt drive is in good condition for riding. Both belt and chain drives should be lubricated correctly according to your manufacturer’s instructions. That being said, each has different maintenance you should follow.

Belt Drive

Check it for any cracks and ensure it’s lubricated correctly. Also, remember that you should change your bike’s belt every two years or 10,000 miles, but some others might last up to 100,000 miles depending on the model, frequency, and quality of the maintenance performed.

Chain Drive

Lubrication is also essential to prevent wear on the pins and bushings if you have a chain drive. You should also check that the teeth are engaging correctly and have proper tension for a chain drive so it doesn’t loosen while riding. Chain drives last up to 20,000 miles if cared for correctly.

Brakes and Tires

Another essential step in yourpre-riding inspection routineis to ensure that your brakes and tires are in good condition for riding. Check your tires for cracks, bulges, or foreign objects embedded in them. Also, ensure that they’re at the correct air pressure and that the tire’s treads are deep enough to grip the road. For your bike’s brakes, check them for any screeching noises as that could signal issues with the brake pads. Your brake pads shouldn’t be worn and shouldn’t make any noises when breaking. Change these every 10,000 - 20,000 miles to ensure your brakes work correctly while on the road.

Use only top-shelf products like AMSOIL’s Signature Series 5W-30 Synthetic Motor Oil to ensure your bike is in good condition for longer. Call Olson Marketing at (402) 310-6414 for more information, orvisit AMSOIL's online store to see their full range of products.

Battery, Instruments Panel, and Lights

Your bike’s battery is also essential to its proper functioning. Check if it’s charging correctly and ensure it doesn’t have any cracks in the plastic, bulges, or broken terminals. Once you’ve made sure your battery is in good condition, check your instrument panel for any warning signs, usually amber or red lights, that signal an issue with your bike’s engine or other essential components. Next, check your bike’s lights, as this is an essential safety feature your motorcycle has to keep you and others safe on the road. Do a lights test to ensure that they all turn on and aren’t flickering, as that could signal issues with your electrical system.

Exposed Wiring

Lastly, your bike shouldn’t have any exposed wiring as this could cause your components to fail and cause damage to your bike that would be expensive to repair. Ensure all wires are protected from the elements and tucked into where they’re supposed to be. This step doesn’t take much time and could save your bike from a meltdown.

Have the Right Paperwork

As a last safety precaution, it’s essential to carry the correct paperwork when operating your bike. You should always have the correct license to use your motorcycle and any registration paperwork you need for your bike.