6.1 Pre-Ride Checks, Setup and Controls

6.1 Pre-Ride Checks, Setup and Controls

Quick Answer: Before every ride, inspect the motorcycle (brakes, clutch/throttle, cables, cold tyre pressures and tread over 1.5 mm, chain, lights/indicators/horn, mirrors, fuel and oil) and yourself (protective gear, fitness, attitude). Know the standard control layout: front brake = right hand lever, clutch = left hand lever, rear brake = right foot pedal, gears = left foot. Set posture with arms slightly bent, wrists low and knuckles high, knees on the tank and feet on the pegs.

Control skill starts before the engine fires. The Victorian Rider Handbook treats a short, systematic check and a correct riding position as non-negotiable parts of low-risk riding. Knowledge-test questions often ask which control does what, what must be checked cold, or why a worn tyre is unsafe — not how to rebuild a carburettor. Learn the checklist and the layout cold so exam answers and real-world habits match.

Why pre-ride checks matter on a motorcycle

A motorcycle has two contact patches roughly the size of your palms. Any defect in tyres, brakes, chain or controls has a larger safety effect than the same defect on a car. Learners also ride LAMS machines that may be new to them; cables, lever free play and tyre condition can change ride-to-ride. A two-minute walk-around catches faults that would become a slide, a failed light check, or a stop-start stall in traffic.

Treat the check as a routine, not a once-a-year service. Do it in the same order every time so you do not skip items under time pressure.

Vehicle checklist from the handbook approach

Tyres: cold pressure and the 1.5 mm rule

Check pressures when tyres are cold (before a long ride or after the bike has stood). Heat raises pressure and can hide under-inflation. Under-inflated tyres heat more, wear badly, and reduce the already-small contact patch. Over-inflation can reduce the footprint and make the ride harsh and skittish. Use the figures on the swingarm, under-seat label or owner’s manual — not a guess from a car tyre chart.

Victorian roadworthiness expectations align with more than 1.5 mm of tread across the tyre tread. Below that depth, water cannot clear as effectively and wet grip collapses. Replace worn tyres; do not rely on “just one more short trip.”

Chain care in brief

A dry, overtight or sloppy chain can hop, snatch or break. Lubricate as recommended, wipe excess that would fling onto the tyre, and set free play to the maker’s range with the bike supported as the manual states. A seized link is a pre-ride fail — fix it before you ride.

Lights, signals and mirrors

Learners must ride with the headlight on at all times. Confirm it works before departure, along with the brake light (front lever and rear pedal both should illuminate it where dual switches are fitted), indicators, and horn. Dirty or mis-set mirrors reduce scanning effectiveness; clean glass and adjust so a slight head turn covers blind spots without twisting your whole torso off the bike.

Control layout you must know for the test

Typical motorcycle controls (standard Australian/right-hand-traffic layout):

Exam trap: Do not swap front brake and clutch. Cars train many people to think “left foot brake”; motorcycles put the rear brake under the right foot and the front brake under the right hand. Mixing this up under stress is a common learner crash contributor. Say the layout out loud until it is automatic: right hand brakes the front; left hand clutches; right foot brakes the rear; left foot changes gear.

Some machines have linked or combined braking systems, and some have ABS. Still learn the basic lever/pedal map first. Never invent ABS behaviour for every learner bike — many LAMS motorcycles have no ABS; technique still matters.

Setup: seat, levers and posture

Seat height and reach

You should be able to put both feet down or at least one firm foot when stopped, depending on training advice for your height and the bike. If the seat is too high for control at a stop, discuss options with your trainer (lower seat options, different LAMS model). At speed, both feet belong on the pegs — not dangling.

Lever adjustment

Set clutch and brake lever reach so you can cover them with fingers without stretching or locking the wrist. You need enough free play that the clutch fully engages and the brake does not drag, but not so much that you lose progressive feel. If your hands are small, lever span adjusters (where fitted) are safety equipment, not cosmetics.

Riding posture

Handbook-style posture cues for road riding:

• Arms slightly bent — absorbs bumps and allows fine steering inputs; locked elbows transmit every jolt and reduce control.
• Wrists low, knuckles high — keeps the wrist neutral on the throttle so you do not accidentally roll on power when braking or hitting a bump.
• Knees lightly against the tank — stabilises the bike and frees the upper body to steer and scan.
• Feet on the pegs, balls of the feet ready for rear brake and gear changes, toes not hanging where they can catch the road in a lean.
• Head up, eyes well ahead — posture supports scanning, not staring at the front mudguard.

Sit on the bike before every session and reset posture after stops. Fatigue and cold make riders hunch; correct it deliberately.

Rider fitness and attitude as part of the check

A perfect machine cannot compensate for a rider who is exhausted, emotional, unwell, or under the influence of alcohol or drugs (learners: zero BAC — see the impairment chapter). Ask: Am I calm enough to ride? Did I sleep? Am I rushing? If the answer is wrong, delay the ride. Protective gear must be worn and fastened — helmet, hi-vis for learners, and recommended jacket, pants, gloves and boots.

Scenario thinking for the test

• Question style: “Where is the front brake operated?” → Right hand lever (not left).
• Question style: “When should tyre pressures be checked?” → Cold, to manufacturer’s figures.
• Question style: “Minimum tread depth idea for safety/roadworthiness?” → More than 1.5 mm across the tread.
• Question style: “What else is checked besides the machine?” → Rider gear, fitness and attitude.

Summary for study

Pre-ride discipline is Domain 2 roadcraft, not optional workshop theatre. Inspect brakes, clutch/throttle, cables, cold tyres (pressure + tread >1.5 mm), chain, lights/horn, mirrors, fuel/oil, gear and self. Map controls: front brake right lever, clutch left, rear brake right pedal, gears left foot. Set levers and posture (bent arms, low wrists/high knuckles, knees on tank, feet on pegs). Arrive at the knowledge test able to list the checklist and point to each control without hesitation — the same habits keep you upright on Victorian roads.