Repair / Repairs / Pre-ride check

Repair

Pre-ride check

Rider jobNo special toolsTime: 2 min daily; 10 to 15 min weekly (estimate)

A short check before riding finds most problems that cause roadside breakdowns and crashes: low tyres, weak brakes, a sticking throttle, dead lights, a slack chain. Do the daily check before the first ride of the day. Do the weekly check once a week, and before a long trip or a heavy load.

Stop and do not ride if

  • A brake lever or pedal goes soft or reaches the bar or footrest.
  • The throttle does not snap shut by itself.
  • A tyre has a bulge, a deep cut or is flat.
  • Fuel is leaking, or there is a strong fuel smell.
  • A wheel wobbles or has side play.
  • An electric bike shows a battery warning, or the pack is hot, swollen or smells.

Daily (about 2 minutes)

  1. Tyres: look at both. Squeeze or kick them: both should feel equally firm. Look for nails and cuts.
  2. Brakes: pull the front lever and press the pedal. Firm, with the free play your bike should have. Push the bike with each brake on: the wheel should not turn.
  3. Throttle: twist and release with the bars straight and at full lock. It must snap shut.
  4. Lights and horn: key on. Headlight, tail light, brake light (front lever and rear pedal), indicators both sides, horn. Warning lights come on and then go out as your manual says.
  5. Leaks: look under the bike for fresh drips of fuel, oil or brake fluid.
  6. Stand: side stand springs fully up.
  7. Electric bikes: charge level, charge port cover closed, swap battery locked in (Check swap battery contacts and latch), "ready" shows normally.

Weekly (10 to 15 minutes)

  1. Tyre pressures with a gauge: Check tyre pressure. Tread and damage: Inspect tyres.
  2. Chain slack and lubrication: Check and adjust chain slack, Clean and lubricate the chain.
  3. Engine oil level: Check the engine oil level. Two-stroke oil tank level. Coolant level on liquid-cooled bikes: Check and top up coolant.
  4. Brake pads or drum wear indicator and fluid level: Check brake pad wear, Check brake fluid level and condition.
  5. Cable free play: throttle, clutch. Look for frayed cable ends.
  6. Wheels: spin each, check for wobble and loose spokes (Check and tighten spokes).
  7. Mirrors, levers, footpegs, number plate, panels tight (Check chassis fasteners).
  8. Battery terminals tight and clean (Clean and tighten battery terminals).

Reference values (K-Light 125)

Use your own bike's values. These are for the K-Light 125 only.

Item Value Source
Tyre pressure, cold, front / rear 190 ± 10 kPa / 210 ± 10 kPa K-Light 125 manual, PDF p. 71
Throttle free play 3 to 5 mm K-Light 125 manual, PDF p. 55
Front brake lever free play 10 to 20 mm K-Light 125 manual, PDF p. 61
Rear brake pedal free play 20 to 30 mm K-Light 125 manual, PDF p. 62
Chain slack, upright 20 to 40 mm K-Light 125 manual, PDF p. 61
Brake pad service limit 3 mm K-Light 125 manual, PDF p. 66
Clutch lever free play 10 to 15 mm K-Light 125 manual, PDF p. 69

Watch it done

How-toMotorcycle Maintenance For Beginners - What You Need To Know - The BasicsGas Works ISO · 11:27 · YouTube

Beginner checks: tyres, chain, oil level, lights and battery, all in one list.

Videos by their creators on YouTube, chosen because they show this clearly. Values in a video are for the bike shown; use your own bike's manual.

Problems this repair helps with

Bikes this job often comes up on

500 bikes in the bike directory list this. Check your own bike's manual for its values.

Sources
  • K-Light 125 manual, PDF pages 51, 53, 55, 61, 62, 66, 69, 71
  • MAVCC Motorcycle Mechanic, PDF page 730

Values marked K-Light 125 are for that reference bike. Use your own bike's manual for its values. Text CC BY-SA 4.0, Transitions Lab.