Right now, as I write this, it's close to the beginning of motorcycle season in the Chicago area. We have a shorter riding season than our riding buddies in warmer climates, so there's a certain sense of urgency that's common to riders up here. We feel like we need to get out and do as much riding as possible during the comparatively short time we have, you know?
It's completely understandable, but that urgency is probably also a strong reason why some of us might skip over the safety checks we know in our heads should be done. If you took a Motorcycle Safety Foundation Basic RiderCourse or other similar rider training, you know exactly what I'm talking about. Remember T-CLOCs? If you don't, click that acronym for a link to the MSF's outline of exactly what it is, and what it entails. Don't worry; this article will still be here when you've familiarized yourself with the concept.
If you have vague memories of it, or you remember it in full, then you probably also recall that the very first letter in that acronym stands for "Tires (and Wheels)". That's how important those things are to your pre-ride safety inspection checklist; they're the very first thing that the MSF mentions that you need to check.
For many of us in the northern part of the US, Memorial Day weekend is the first big riding weekend of the year. So, since more of us are out on the roads than there probably have been earlier in the year, it's not super surprising that you'll read about more crashes happening during that weekend.
One crash with injuries that was reported by the Minnesota State Police involved a rider who crashed their bike after their rear tire blew out. They were wearing a helmet, and there was no alcohol involved; the crash was purely marked down to the tire blowout, which is totally understandable. The rider was treated for their injuries, which weren't serious. Thankfully, the rider should go on to ride another day.
Now, we don't know the state of that rider's tires when they went out for a ride. As we've discussed numerous times, and as most riders know, there's a certain level of inherent risk that all of us riders know and accept whenever we go out on our bikes.
But at the same time, there are steps you can take to mitigate your risks. Here's what you need to know about checking your tires, which you should ideally do before every ride, and definitely do if your bike has been sitting unridden for a long time, like over the winter.
Visually inspect Your Tires
How does the wear level look? Do you still have lots of good tread left, or have you worn them down in places so they're practically slicks, or can you see the bands? If they're significantly worn, have any strange bulges, or have any foreign objects embedded in them (a stray screw you rolled over, a weird pointy rock, a big piece of broken rebar, et cetera), you should address that issue appropriately before you go out.
Some punctures can be filled, then tested to make sure they're not leaking air (the soapy water trick is simple, inexpensive, and works well), and the tires reinflated to the appropriate pressure for short-distance, hopefully non-intensive riding. In other words, doing lots of high-speed highway riding isn't a good idea if you have a tire patch installed, but you should at least be able to get the bike home.
You can use your judgment about the type and frequency of riding you do, as well as whether you have the money to buy a new tire right now. But ideally, you should probably at least think about getting a new tire soon, and maybe a full set if both of the tires on your bike are getting on in age.
If you see cracks in the sidewalls, that's more commonly seen on older tires (which may, in turn, have come when you purchased older bikes). That's also not good, and you should start looking into replacement tires if you really want to get out and ride that bike.
Don't Just Eyeball Tire Pressure; Use A Gauge To Check It
Now, just to be clear here, I've been guilty of this from time to time, too. I've been so impatient and just needing to get out on my bike that I've convinced myself I can just squeeze the tire with my hand, note that it feels pretty firm, throw on my gear, and then go do whatever it was I wanted to go do.
It's not the best practice, and I'm the first to admit it. But I'm human, and imperfect, and so are you. So together, we can be better if we try, right?
My hands don't have a PSI gauge, and neither do yours. Unless you're holding one in one hand while you read this on your phone in the other; in which case, fair play to you! While you're at it, check the state of the valve and valve core, too; there can sometimes be leaks there, too.
Check your bike for its tire pressure recommendations (there should be a sticker that gives this information), and be sure to check both front and rear tire pressures when the tires are cold. If they're low, fill them up. If you've gone through some significant temperature changes lately, they could read a little high (though that's not super common). In the event this happens, you can let out a little bit of air before you go out for a ride.
Obviously, the rules will be different if you're doing off-road riding, since you might wish to lower the PSI in some situations. Do so at your discretion, but also be sure to monitor how much air you've let out so the bike is doing what you want on that terrain. Don't overdo it.
Take A Minute To Look Over Your Wheels, Too
The wheels and the tires go together, and are crucial to the performance of any bike you ride. If the rim is badly bent after a bad run-in with a curb, the bead might not seat properly, and the tire might not hold air. For obvious reasons, that's a situation you need to rectify before you go for a ride.
What's the condition of the wheels otherwise? Are your spokes straight, bent, or maybe even loose? Are any missing? If so, these are issues you need to critically assess before you go out for a ride. Minor damage that isn't structural is probably okay. But if you see major damage to your wheels that could affect the bike's handling (or the tire's ability to hold air), you'll need to fix it before you can go out for that first ride. Please know that our thoughts are with you at this difficult time while you wait for your parts to come in.
