BLT or BOLTS Lifesaving Motorbike Safety Checks

Before setting out on any journey check your bike to ensure it is roadworthy and legal. 30 to 45 seconds is all it takes but could save your life!

Daily
B Brakes check both front and rear brakes before setting off.
L Lights check low and high beam, the tail light and brake light operation, a quick toot on the horn, plus all the indicators.
T Tyres, a quick kick will show they are hard.
All of this can be done whilst you are warming the engine, as you should always let the oil flow around the engine before moving off.

Weekly
B Brakes, check the fluid level in the sight glass of the master cylinder, it will go down as your brake pads wear, which is easier to see than a physical check of the pads themselves. If you have drum brakes and the lever starts coming back you can adjust the brakes by turning the nut on the end of the cable.
O Oil, check the oil level on your bike with the dipstick or through the sight glass. It is worth remembering that it is beneficial to change the oil before the manufacturers quoted time. I reckon every 600 mile for a 125 cc engine, it works really hard.
L Check the lights work properly. Do you have any panel lights out? Do you have a spare for the headlight or tail light? Both are easy to replace, and we advise to carry spares.
T Tyres, check the tyre pressures according to the manual, but a ball park figure of about 30psi is often normal. Check the tyre treads depth. The legal limit is 1mm but think about changing it at 2mm. The tread pushes the water out from under the tyre to give you traction, so let it do its job. The tread should be at least this 75% across the tyre 360 deg. around. No splits or nails.
S Steering, check that the steering moves freely side to side, that there are no cables hindering it, and that it does not feel loose or notchy, as this indicates bearing wear.
S Suspension, put some weight on the front and then the back, see the suspension moving properly and then check there is no oil around where the shiny shaft goes into the seal. A weeping suspension can leak onto the brakes, and as everyone knows, oil and brakes do not mix.

Simple checks that take seconds every day and a few minutes every week but can make a massive difference to your safety.