Motorcycle Checklists

From piloting and flight instructing I've come to appreciate the value of checklists and checklist acronyms. The value of these is that it gives you a handle on doing something so that you don't miss important steps. Even when you do something regularily, a slight distraction or break in the routine can make things not happen.

If you haven't been riding in a while, the checklists and acronyms help you recall what you should be doing ... instead of forgetting something important. It can get your mind started before the motorcycle is!

T-CLOCS -- Pre-Ride Inspection

This one is straight out of the MSF's Basic Rider Course

• T -- Tires and Wheels
• C -- Controls
• L -- Lights
• O -- Oil and Fluids
• C -- Chassis and Suspension
• S -- Side stand UP

S'FINEC -- Engine Start

This is a modification of the FINEC acronym which MSF uses. FINEC assumes that you always do a T-CLOCS before starting. However, it isn't realistic -- you start the engine a lot more than you do a full-bore inspection.

• S -- Side-stand UP
• F -- Fuel ON
• I -- Ignition ON (power-on bike)
• N -- Neutral and Checked
• E -- Engine Cut-off ON
• C -- Choke as needed and Crank

EKG-S -- Engine Shutdown

This one I made up on my own. I've watched all too many folks not get a bike shutdown all the way, and didn't want to be in their number when things go wrong.

• E -- Engine Cut-off OFF
• K -- Keys OFF
• G -- Gas OFF
• S -- Sidestand DOWN

Slow / Look / Lean / Roll -- Turning

Straight out of the MSF course, always a good reminder.

The MSF doesn't do a great job on telling you when to start a turn. Check out some riding books for the different types of turns, selecting turn reference, points, etc. This Article refers to Keith Code's Super-Bike school and gives an application of MSF technique using Keith's work as a backstop.

• Slow -- To entry speed for turn BEFORE you enter the turn. Shift down before turn entr
• Look -- Through the Turn. The sharper the turn, the more your head needs to be looking through it.
• Lean -- The bike into the turn with push on inside grip.
• Roll -- on the throttle to keep the bike stabilized in the turn. This DOES NOT means a lot of power, just enough to stabilize the suspension.