Harley Safety Check
Bob LaRosaDescription
A pre-ride Harley safety check is always important, especially after a thorough service where many areas of your motorcycle have been taken apart/serviced or adjusted.
During a service, there are many areas of your motorcycle you will be paying more attention to (inspecting) that may be typically overlooked, but don’t forget about your daily pre-ride checklist before setting out on the road.
This should include, but not be limited to:
Fuel lines/fittings
Never hit the road without, first, performing a pre-ride Harley safety check. With only two wheels beneath you; nothing can be overlooked. A final inspection is the last step in every service/repair and the first step before every ride.
We covered a lot of ground servicing the Ultra Limited. Engine oil and filter, transmission fluid, primary fluid, front fork oil fluid. Did a number of checks, including the rear pulley, including front brake pads, rear brake pads, belt deflection. We pretty much covered from end-to-end, service-wise, on the Ultra Limited. Last few things need to be addressed to make sure that the service is what I consider complete. Very important part is tire pressures. Check the front, check the rear, make sure the valve stem caps, our Schrader stem caps, are in place. Before I take for a test drive, I want to make sure all the electrical functions are working correctly. I'll take a moment. Turn the ignition on. Just verify that I do have good strong front brake lever. I also have rear brake light functioning from the front brake lever. Same applies to the rear brake pedal. Make sure I've got brake light. Make sure all my running lights are in good working order. That includes front running lights and the billet turn signals and the front fender tip lamp. I'll check signals left and right. I'll check high low beam function making sure the indicators working correctly in the tachometer face. This point I'm not going to check my fluid levels. When I did the service, I know I put in an adequate amount of fluid. Maybe not to the full mark hot or full mark cold, depending on your preference where you like to check your fluid level. But I've put in an adequate amount where I can start the motorcycle, take it for a test drive. Come back after my test ride, I can check all my fluid levels when they're at operating temperature. This point all I want to do is make sure the motorcycle's in neutral. I'm going to start it, let it warm up. I'll get a set of riding glasses. I'll go do my test ride or test drive. Make sure everything's functioning correctly. Come back, check the fluid levels. This motorcycle's considered serviced correctly.
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