What to check to minimise the chances of equipment failure and breaking yourself.
The acronym which many people find easy to remember is POWDERS, which stands for:
P = Petrol
- Is there sufficient fuel for the journey? There’s nothing worse than having to remove all your luggage 5 minutes after setting out on your annual trip.
O = Oil and lubricants
- Is the oil level in the sump OK?
- Do all the control levers and cables operate smoothly?
- Does the choke – lever (if appropriate) operate OK?
- Brake and clutch levers and throttle operation can also be checked.
- In the case of chain driven machines, is the chain lubricated and is it properly adjusted?
- Is the brake fluid level OK?
W = Water/Coolant
- On some bikes it is no easy task checking the coolant level, but many do have expansion tanks that show the levels when the engine is cold.
- If it is low on coolant what is the cause?
- Walking around the bike, have a look underneath.
- Are there any puddles of water or oil? If so, where has it come from?
- It may be nothing serious, but it is better to check it out at this stage than to have hot oil or water sprayed all over you, or the back tyre.
D = Damage
- Make sure that nothing is loose or hanging off, make sure that all panels are firmly secured and there are no obvious signs of damage to items such as the wheels, headlight or mirrors. Even exhausts and footrests have been known to work their way loose.
E = Electrics
- Do the headlights and stop/tail lights work?
- Are the indicators working along with the repeater light on the dashboard?
- Does the horn and the headlight flash work? What about the engine kill switch?
- Do all the panel lights illuminate that you would expect to illuminate?
- Does everything work with the engine running as well as with it off?
R = Rubber
- Not only does this include the obvious such as tyres, but also items such as footrest rubbers and handlebar grips.
- Checking the tyres is not just about making sure that they are set at the correct pressure, but ensuring there is a minimum of 1mm of tread that will last the length of your journey.
- Also check for signs of cracking or any foreign bodies, which could affect your safety.
S = Suspension
- Covering both the front forks and also the rear suspension. Again, check that there are no leaks and that everything looks and feels as it should do.
There are also items that would be worth checking that have not been mentioned such as fork seals, ensuring that there is no oil around the stanchions, if you have panniers fitted, are they securely fixed to the bike, are your mirrors secure? Even things we take for granted, like is the seat located properly on the frame?
These simple additional checks can usually be carried out as you walk around the bike.