TCLOCS in under 1 minute

[cadd]

This may be a good topic to bring up as the spring will bring a whole new group of riders to the sport. Additionally, it'll serve as a reminder for riders who already have experience, but may have rusty skills since some of us have been off the bike for a few months due to winter.

I'm trying to enhance my TCLOCS check to make it as time efficient as possible. I am extremely anal and I do the TCLOCS check every single time I throw a leg over it for the first time that day.

I hope you can share your method with me...and if I find it more time efficient, It'll incorporate it in my routine.

My situation: Bike is in the garage....deep in there. I usually sit on the bike and walk it backwards near the door before I start the motor.

How I do my 1 minute TCLOCS check:

T - I look at my tires and make a fist and punch them once. Then squeeze them with my fingers. Then throw a leg over and turn the key to the ON position while I walk the bike backwards while I'm straddling it. I usually check my tire pressure once a week.

C - as I was walking the bike backwards, I used the front and rear brakes to stop the bike. So, I know those are good. I also squeeze the clutch lever in to make sure I have good resistance

L - As I was using the brakes in the step above, I look back at the garage door to make sure the brake lights were working. Now, I dismount the bike and walk to the right side of it. This is when I check the turn signals.

O - I squat down on the right side of the bike and hold the bike up vertical by the seat and look at the oil level. I also take a quick look at the frame.

C - I walk back over the left side of the bike and lift the chain up with my feet to check for tension as well as glancing at the frame.

S - I open the garage door, start the bike, put up the kickstand and I'm off. I really don't check my kickstand. Not sure what to check for.

All this in under 1 minute.

Now, let's say I'm at work, and I'm heading out for lunch. I don't go through the check. I just look at the tires as I'm approaching the bike, give them a punch and a squeeze and off I go.

What pre-ride checklist do you guys have?

[Alex]

/moved to riding skills

[csmith12]

I like this thread... I teach this all the time. Then most of the time I feel it's long forgotten.

[alex.s]

heres my routine
1. gear on while walking to the bike
2. key in, battery dead? tap the brake to make sure that stupid brake light hasnt burnt out yet again
3. pull bike out of baxley in neutral, forgetting to use the brake to stop it from hitting the garage wall, examine new dent in garage wall and promise self youll fix it next time.
4. shake bike vigorously to see how much gas you need, wonder why you remember there being more gas in there.
5. look for new oil dropping from shaking the bike... also check to make sure theres oil in the sight. also make sure the chain is still there
6. look at the set of brand new tires on the wall and wonder why you haven't put them on yet... examine old tires... "nah, i still got at least 500 miles before the cords are showing.
7. back in first gear, using the clutch push the bike out of the garage to break things loose a bit. then back into neutral
8. check throttle motion, make sure it returns all the way and theres a tiny bit of play at the end.
9. stick finger in side of bike to push enricher lever on carbs since i dont have the cable or choke lever, start the bike with left hand
10. turn bike back off because i forgot the garage clicker.

[NevadaWolf]

I'm slow, so here's my every now and then, usually on Friday routine.

Start bike
Let it run while checking front and rear tire pressure. Eye ball tread and marvel at Michelins. Eye ball chain to see if it looks ok.
Use garage walls and truck bumper to check headlights, turn signals, and brake. Beep horn for the hell of it.
Brake levers checked above, fiddle with clutch and throttle. Vroom vroom!
Kill bike
Do a massive ritual to the Gawd of gravity to spare me this week's wrath
Pull bike up and look at oil, calculating mileage since I last topped it off.
Been over 1000 miles, add more oil.
Maybe lightly toe chain to see if its normal.

Finish gearing up, push bike out into the driveway, and start bike again.
Turn all gizmos on and get things set up for the trip (tracking, recording, playing)

Close garage door and head out.

[alex.s]

Originally Posted by NevadaWolf

Do a massive ritual to the Gawd of gravity to spare me this week's wrath

you know, its funny. i'm not superstitious or religious by any stretch. but i still have my preride talk with the bike... we come to an agreement about how things will go. there's a little back and forth but we usually wind up making a compromise.

[NevadaWolf]

Mine is mostly "Please don't fall on me while I check the oil." BTDT

[alex.s]

hehe that's why they put the kick stand on the other side

[cadd]

Originally Posted by alex.s

10. turn bike back off because i forgot the garage clicker.

Epic!!!

[Motofool]

Originally Posted by cadd

This may be a good topic to bring up as the spring will bring a whole new group of riders to the sport..........

What pre-ride checklist do you guys have?

Very good topic !!!

Yours is a very complete check routine.
I do something similar only Saturday's.

For everyday rides, and only in the morning, I inspect things that I consider prone to change during a riding day and/or overnight.
Those are checked before removing the bike from the center stand (pre-gen's advantage):
- Tire's pressure (just a foot's kick).
- Oil level.
- Brake, directional and head lights.
- Remaining fuel (via odometer reading: time to re-fuel (plus adding Sea Foam) and to lubricate/inspect the chain if over 180 miles since last re-fuel).

When I arrive (to work or home), I rotate the rear tire and check the whole perimeter for nails or glass or any cut or bump (rear tires get punctured much more frequently than front ones).
I have always done that, trying to avoid being surprised by a flat tire at the moment of departure (normally the most inconvenient for a repair via plug/hand air pump).

Regular maintenance, as well as taking notes and keeping a log book, eliminates a lot of uncertainties, because the things that have been inspected and serviced and that I know that don't vary rapidly in time:
- The cables/pivot points and gear's selector are lubricated and in good condition.
- The rate of stretching of my chain has been normal.
- The steering's bearings, the rear suspension mechanism and the bearings and alignment of the wheels are lubricated and/or adjusted.
- Electrical connectors are rust/corrosion-free, radiator fan is noise-free and all the switches have been cleaned and lubricated.
- Fuel and air filters have been cleaned.
- Brake fluid and coolant are within the admissible range.
- All bolts and nuts have been inspected (oil drain and filter bolts have been safety-wired).
- Brake calipers have been cleaned and there is enough pad material.

Following this system, I have been only surprised by burned light bulbs and water in the carburetor's bowls (after a storm while parked outdoors).
Both things have been easily repaired on-site.