Ducati Monster Forum

Pre-Ride Checklist - by Joe "Wolvie" on 6/2/2003

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Don't beat yourself up too much. Checking to see if every nut and bolt is torqued down correctly is not part of any pre-ride check I've ever performed.

A good habit to get into is just the basics, but keeping the bike clean is a very good way to get to know where everything is and spot any possible problems such as loose hardware, leaks, etc.

For those of you that have your pilot's license, this is going to sound familiar. I've adapted it from my pre-flight check and found it works VERY well for motorcycles. Note that I do this every time I'm first taking the bike out...but I don't get this involved every time I stop for a few minutes the same day. This may seem a bit involved but trust me...you will finish it faster than you can read it. Go out and try it once. I guarantee you that you will find it easy, intuitive and efficient.

Start at the left side of the bike near the seat and walk counter clockwise. Here are the things I check. It takes about 2 minutes, tops...

1) Left handgrip. Mirror, grip, switches, clutch lever. Touch every piece to insure it's solid and operates. Check level of clutch fluid.

2) Gas cap. Press to make sure it's closed.

3) Engine left side. Touch all the wires and make sure the plugs are in place correctly. Ensure wires aren’t loose, frayed or otherwise a problem. Make sure you don't see any leaks. Grab footpeg and shift lever to ensure they are tightly fitted.

4) Chain & Rear Sprocket. Make sure the chain visually has the right tension and that the sprocket teeth look OK.

5) Rear Wheel (L Side). Inspect left side of tire for wear and FOD (Foreign Objects &/or Debris). Make sure left muffler is tight.

6) Rear of bike. Grab taillight and rear fender/mudguard. Make sure they are tight. Check condition of taillight and directional lights for cracks or loose fitting. Check to make sure seat is latched down tight. Check tire treads and shape of rear tire.

7) Rear Wheel (R Side). Grab rear caliper to ensure its tight. Run a finger over front and back of the disk to ensure its smooth and not grooved. Check brake line fitting. Check level of rear brake master cylinder. Inspect right side of tire for wear and FOD. Make sure muffler is tight. Check tire pressure and ensure that the valve cap is on the tire valve.

8) Engine Right side. Touch all the wires and make sure the plugs are in place correctly. Ensure wires aren’t loose, frayed or otherwise a problem. Grab footpeg and brake lever to ensure they are tightly fitted. Make sure you don't see any leaks. Carefully tilt the bike towards you and check oil sight glass level.

9) Engine Front. Check oil-cooler condition and oil line fittings. Inspect front exhaust header fitting.

10) Right Handgrip. Mirror, grip, switches, brake lever. Touch every piece to insure it's solid and operates. Check level of brake fluid.

11) Front wheel (R Side). Check for fork seal leaks. Grab caliper and ensure it’s tight. Check brake line fitting. Run a finger over front and back of disk to ensure its smooth. Inspect right side of tire for wear and FOD. Check tire pressure and ensure that the valve cap is on the tire valve.

12) Front of bike. Check condition of headlight and directional lights for cracks or loose fitting. Check for cracks in front flyscreen and front fender. Check tire treads and shape of front tire.

13) Front Wheel (L Side). Check for fork seal leaks. Grab caliper and ensure it’s tight. Check brake line fitting. Run a finger over front and back of disk to ensure its smooth. Inspect right side of tire for wear and FOD.

14) Start bike from the saddle. Do a full lock to lock movement of the handlebars. Make sure they don’t hit anything and that they move smoothly. Also, while moving them back and forth, listen to the engine. If you hear a change in the idle speed, you may have a pinched throttle cable.

15) While the bike is warming up, check all lights and electric components.

Again, this sounds really long but I bet that you can do it the first time in about 2 to 3 minutes. Once it becomes routine, it will take you about a minute. Get in the habit of actually laying fingers on the wires and parts of the bike. Something can look fine to the eye, but the fingers will reveal a lot more.   

very good write-up, thanks

Sounds easy and quick,i like it. [thumbsup]

That's a great checklist!

Working from it, I made an abbreviated version that I can print and trim to credit card size.  One could laminate it and pop it in a pocket (or tank bag map pocket, or aerostich forearm pocket, or tape to a beam in your garage) as a reminder.

I'll leave it posted here for a little while, in case anyone wants a copy:

ftp://ftp.egi.com/pub/users/trenner/pre-ride_checklist.pdf (ftp://ftp.egi.com/pub/users/trenner/pre-ride_checklist.pdf)

Cool!  I downloaded a copy.  Thanks!

You forgot the mag check  ;D

Heh.  Do that in the house.

thanks for doing this

You forgot the bleed air leakdown test and the anti icing switches to OFF.  [cheeky]

When I had my Harley, I used to clean it constantly because of all the chrome etc. but I was doing this exact same thing, checking everything and every area mechanically at the same time. My riding buddies used to tease me about cleaning it so much and then I explained what I was also doing at the same time. They got into the habit of a pre-ride clean up and check and they never bugged me about it again after they started finding loose nuts and wires.

Great post with awesome details!