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T-CLOCK - Safety inspections
By David Dirig

This past week, I went over both bikes and discovered that my rear tire was 10 pounds low. Then, I went out to check the car and discovered that the tread was ruined on the outside part of the tires -- this was partially due to bad alignment but also due to driving the car with under-inflated tires. What does this have to do with GWRRA? Learn from my lesson, and inspect your vehicles often. This applies to your 4-wheelers, but more importantly to your 2-wheelers. If you lose a tire on a car, its bad but not catastrophic. If you lose a tire on the bike, well...... it could be deadly. Nothing can prevent having a tire go out after hitting something, but proper maintenance and inspections can go a long way toward decreasing the chances of a break-down along the road.

Inspections are critical to maintaining a bike and riding safely. This is especially true as we start the riding seasons. After a string of bad weather days, how many of us have jumped on the bike after it sitting in the garage for weeks, and taken it for a spin.

Make a habit of inspecting your bike before you ride it, especially if its been a while since you've taken the bike out. Now if you're like me and you commute on your bike, you don't want to crawl under the bike and check your tire pressure in your work clothes (unless you're a mechanic). But at least once a week, and especially before long rides (if not also during them), you want to inspect your bike to make sure you are in safe riding condition. I would rather find out at a rest stop that I have a nail in my tire than find out at 70mph! How many of you have seen Craig Rush sitting on the curb at a gas station inspecting his tires? While the rest of us are loading up, emptying out, or socializing, I have noticed him several times, with his bike on the center stand going over the tires, inspecting tread and looking for foreign matter in the treads. Better than anything I could write, that's an example of proactive safety inspections.

T-CLOCK is an acronym that describes an overall safety inspection of the motorcycle. While this is a much more extensive inspection than you would make at a rest stop (even for Craig), this will give you an idea of what you should be looking for and checking in most all aspects of the motorcycle to maintain proper operations or alert you to improper operations. Check with you friendly local Chapter Educators for the checklist that covers the inspection called T-CLOCK

T -- Tires and Wheels - inspect condition of front and rear tires (pressure, tread), wheels, rims, bearings, and seals

C -- Controls - This covers the condition of levels, cables, hoses, and throttle

L -- Lights - Inspection of battery, lights lenses, reflectors, wiring, and the headlight reflector and aim of the headlight (right/ left & height)

O -- Oil - Check levels and for leaks in Engine oil, Hypoid gear oil, Hydraulic fluid, coolant and fuel

C -- Chassis - Inspect frame, steering head bearings, swingarm, and suspension

K -- Kickstand - Inspect Centerstand and side stand for cracks and bent parts. Maintain proper tension on springs to keep stand in place when folded up.

The T-CLOCK form has more extensive descriptions of the inspections suggested above. Whether you use T-CLOCK or your own experience with inspections and making sure the bike is ride-worthy, I encourage each of you to routinely go over your bikes or have a mechanic do it for you if you are so inclined. The crucial point is that we have a long riding season ahead of us, and some bikes have been sitting for what little winter we have or are still suffering from last seasons' rides. Before you take off for that next weekend jaunt or cross-country trip, make sure the bike is as ready as you are. It may well be the most important time you spend preparing for your next trip.

Ride Safe and COAST
Concentrate On A Safe Trip
D&D