Gear, Bike & Looking Ahead · Motorbike

Motorcycle Controls and Pre-Ride Checks: What to Check Every Time You Ride

Quick facts
  • Check your bike before every ride: safety begins with your machine.
  • Tyre tread must be deeper than 1.5 mm all over. Less is illegal and very dangerous.
  • Check tyre pressures when the tyres are cold.

Know your controls

The handbook shows the main parts of a motorcycle and reminds you to read the owner's manual for your own model. The clutch lever is on the left. The rear brake pedal is on the right. Scooters are built differently, so some details will not match.

A motorcycle seen from the front: mirrors, hand levers and grips, switches, instrument dials and fuel tank. Find each one on your own bike and check what it does in the owner's manual.
A motorcycle seen from the front: mirrors, hand levers and grips, switches, instrument dials and fuel tank. Find each one on your own bike and check what it does in the owner's manual.

The pre-ride check

Controls

  • Front and rear brakes should each stop the bike on their own when fully applied.
  • Clutch and throttle work smoothly, and the throttle snaps shut when released.
  • Cables are oiled, with no kinks or broken strands.

Tyres and chain

  • Pressures are correct. A sticker on the bike (maybe on the swingarm) and the owner's manual list them.
  • Tread is more than 1.5 mm everywhere, sidewalls have no cracks or bumps, and the tread is free of cuts, nails and cracks.
  • If your bike has a chain, it should be lubricated and correctly tensioned.

Mirrors, lights and horn

  • Clean and adjust the mirrors before you set off, never while moving. You should see just past your body and as much as possible of the traffic beside and behind you.
  • Lights and indicators are clean and working, and the indicators flash brightly.
  • The headlight is aimed correctly (not too high or low) and both low and high beams work.
  • The tail light works, and the brake light comes on with both the hand and foot brake.
  • Test the horn.

Fuel and oil

Check the fuel level and avoid riding with the tap on reserve unless necessary. Check the oil too: if it drops too low the engine can seize, which may cause a crash.

Check yourself too

  • Are you wearing the right gear? See what to wear.
  • Are you fit to ride, not tired and not affected by alcohol or drugs?
  • Is your mood right? Riding while angry or highly emotional can make you careless or aggressive.

Based on The Victorian Rider Handbook (2023, Department of Transport and Planning) and the VicRoads motorcycle pages. This guide covers Victoria: other states and territories have different rules, and rules change from time to time, so check vicroads.vic.gov.au for the latest.

Quick answers

What should I check on my motorcycle before every ride?

Brakes, clutch, throttle, cables, tyre pressure and tread, chain, lights, indicators, horn, mirrors, fuel and oil, then check yourself and your gear.

What is the legal tyre tread depth for a motorcycle in Victoria?

The handbook says tread must be more than 1.5 mm all over the tyre. Less than that is illegal and very dangerous.