T-CLOCS Motorcycle Inspection: The Pre-Ride Check, Letter by Letter

Pilots walk around the plane before every flight. Truck drivers do a pre-trip. Motorcyclists have T-CLOCS, a six-letter checklist from the Motorcycle Safety Foundation that catches the small problems (a soft tire, a dead brake light, a loose chain) before they become big ones at 50 mph. A T-CLOCS inspection sounds tedious until you realize the short version takes about two minutes. Here's each letter, what to look for, and a printable checklist in both quick and thorough versions.

What a T-CLOCS inspection covers

T-CLOCS stands for:

The order isn't random. It moves roughly from what touches the road to what holds the bike up, so you can walk around the motorcycle once and cover everything.

T: tires and wheels

Tires are the only part of the bike touching the road, and each contact patch is small. Check:

• Air pressure. Use a gauge when the tires are cold. The correct pressures are in your owner's manual or on a label on the bike, not the maximum printed on the tire sidewall.
• Tread depth and wear. Look for wear bars, flat spots down the center, or cupping.
• Damage. Cuts, bulges, embedded nails or glass, cracks in old rubber.
• Wheels. On spoked wheels, look for loose or broken spokes. On cast wheels, look for cracks or dents in the rim.
• Bearings. With the wheel off the ground, try rocking it side to side; there should be no play.

C: controls

Controls are what turn your intentions into motion. Sit on the bike and work each one:

• Levers and pedals. Clutch lever, front brake lever, rear brake pedal and shift lever should move smoothly, return fully and not be bent or cracked.
• Throttle. Twist it open and let go. It must snap back to closed on its own, with the handlebars turned fully left and fully right too.
• Cables. Look for fraying, kinks or binding. Make sure they don't pull tight when the bars turn.
• Hoses. Brake hoses should have no cracks, bulges or leaks at the fittings.

A throttle that sticks open or a brake lever that comes back to the grip are both "don't ride" problems.

L: lights and electrics

Turn the key on and check:

• Headlight, both high and low beam.
• Tail light and brake light. Test the brake light with the front lever and the rear pedal separately; each should light it.
• Turn signals, front and rear, both sides.
• Horn.
• Mirrors. Clean, tight and adjusted before you move.
• Battery and wiring. Look for loose terminals, chafed wires or corrosion if they're visible.

Being seen is a motorcyclist's biggest safety challenge, so a dead brake light or turn signal matters more on a bike than on a car.

O: oil and fluids

With the bike level (on the center stand, or held upright if you only have a side stand), check:

• Engine oil level using the dipstick or sight glass.
• Brake fluid in the front and rear reservoirs.
• Coolant on liquid-cooled bikes.
• Fuel. Enough for your trip, and no leaks at the tank, lines or petcock.
• Leaks underneath. A fresh drip on the ground is a clue worth chasing down.

Some bikes also have a hydraulic clutch with its own reservoir, and shaft-drive bikes have final-drive oil; your owner's manual lists what your model needs.

C and S: chassis and stands

Chassis covers the bike's skeleton and drive system:

• Frame. Look for cracks, especially at welds, and anything bent after a drop.
• Suspension. Push down on the front and rear; it should compress smoothly and rebound without bouncing or leaking oil from the fork seals or shocks.
• Chain or belt. Check tension (slack is listed in your manual), lubrication and the condition of the sprockets. A belt should have no cracks or missing teeth.
• Fasteners. Look for missing or loose bolts, nuts and cotter pins, especially around the axles and brakes.

Stands finish the check:

• Side stand and center stand should not be cracked or bent.
• Springs must hold the stands firmly up when retracted. A stand that drops while you're leaning into a left turn can lever the bike off the road.
• Kill switch or side-stand switch, if your bike has one, should cut the engine as designed.

Printable checklist

You don't need to do the full inspection before every short ride. Use the quick version daily and the thorough version weekly, before long trips and after the bike has sat for a while.

If you use DMV Permit Prep's Premium study tools, the motorcycle cheat sheet includes a T-CLOCS card, letter by letter, that's handy to pull up on your phone in the garage.

T-CLOCS on the permit test

Many state motorcycle manuals include a pre-ride inspection section, and the knowledge test often asks about it. Typical questions:

• What should you check before every ride? (Tires, controls, lights, fluids, chassis, stands.)
• How should you check tire pressure? (With a gauge, when the tires are cold.)
• What should the throttle do when you release it? (Snap back to closed.)
• Why check your brake light with both brake controls? (Each control should activate it.)

Our motorcycle permit test guide explains the other topics on the test, and our free practice tests include inspection questions alongside riding rules. Once the check is done, the next step is riding well; see our motorcycle riding tips for beginners. And because your gear deserves an inspection too, our guide to motorcycle gear for beginners explains what to look for in a helmet that's still protective.

The official version of the checklist is the Motorcycle Safety Foundation's T-CLOCS inspection checklist.

Frequently asked questions

What does T-CLOCS stand for?

Tires and wheels, Controls, Lights and electrics, Oil and other fluids, Chassis, and Stands. It's the Motorcycle Safety Foundation's pre-ride inspection checklist.

How often should you do a T-CLOCS check?

Do a quick version before every ride and a more thorough check regularly, such as weekly, before long trips and after the bike has been stored.

Is T-CLOCS on the motorcycle permit test?

Pre-ride inspection topics appear on many state motorcycle knowledge tests, often as questions about tire pressure, controls, lights and fluids. Check your state's motorcycle manual for its inspection section.