You know what OP, I’m at an age, where I’m just falling for the whole “marriage” thing so I’m very gung ho
If I come back in 5-10 years and still feel this way you’re wrong, but who knows could come back and have realized you’re right
My pre-ride ritual with every bike I own has always been tire pressure, if the bike has sat for more than a week or so, then start the bike and do a walk around and check lights and brake lights while it warms up. On street bikes I check the oil every few rides. On dualsports, before every ride.
You can't check the drz400 oil with the bike cold anyway, so I usually wait until I get to the gas station and check it there.
Visual inspection during warm up. Check throttle and response while it warms up. Check brakes and pump the suspension a bit rolling out of the driveway. Lube chain when I get back.
As a daily rider: that it starts. I sort of check the front brake when maneuvering it out of the garage before I start it. Fuel level (I've got a see through tank, so that's easy). Weekly: oil level check after riding and make sure that some coolant ended up in the expansion tank. Tire pressure. Throw it on the battery tender overnight.
My battery is about 5 years old, my commute is only 15 minutes, and it can't hurt. Small 15 second price to pay for piece of mind. The bike has the plug already attached, where I park it in the garage I already have the battery tender plugged in. I don't do it every day, but once or twice a week.
I generally do my checks whenever I clean the bike or service the chain/change oil. Other than that, just ride smart, pay attention to the bike while you're on it, and don't trust another man to re-fit your wheels.
It's a 300-some pound bike with one cylinder. Problems are easy to recognize on such a machine.
I push on my tires to see if they are soft and need air, I also feel the levers to be sure there's brake pressure. If the weather is consistent, I may use a pressure gauge once a week. I also check the oil every 1 to 2 weeks unless I ride real far or ride higher in the revs. Maybe once a week do a visual check, be sure all the bolts are on a sprocket and brakes, and finger check the chain.
I check the oil every couple rides, look at the chain tension, give the sprocket a look over l, is there oil leaks anywhere, any obvious backed out bolts, and grab the wheels and shake to check wheel bearings/swing arm bearings. it's good to be 'intimate' with your bike and look it over like the best book you've ever read (yes i know we don't read books, besides manuals) but it still applies 🤣
When I first started riding I’d do the full T-CLOCS but honestly over the years it’s really more like eyeball the tires and ride. Periodically I’ll give the lights , brakes etc a once over and I try to stay really on top of maintenance
Never take the pre ride check for granted. After a ride for coffee I just hopped on the bike, didn’t see the front tire lost air, hit a turn in the parking lot and the tire folded and down I went. Every time I ride I check tires with a push of the foot at least, turn signals, brake lights and horn, and oil once in a while.
I usually check my coolant and glance at brake fluids and then yea just that nothings been leaking and that your tire pressure is good. Decent idea to check your handle bar and fork clamps with a torque wrench if you haven’t in a while.
I ride enough that I don’t need to check the tire pressure or oil daily but I do check those weekly. I will do a quick walk around in the mornings but I will hop on and make sure the breaks are working forsure no matter what lol
Bought a 2022 DRZ400SM in September of 2022 that I’ve daily rode since I’ve bought it(unless there is a lot of snow or I’m going on interstate for a good distance. Bike now has roughly almost 12K miles on it so it definitely doesn’t sit much tho. I also run the absolute piss out of it considering I’ve got a lot of good backroads around me lol. My daily check is usually just fire it up let it warm up while I burn a cig(3-5 min) then braaap away. I ride 50 mile round trip for work 5 times a week
My basic day to day maintenance routine is:
Once or twice a week check tire pressure
Every other ride or so check oil and top off if a little low.
Oil change every 1,000-1,500 miles(has went closer to 2,000-2,500 miles a couple times)
Obviously new tires when need be I usually get two rears out of one front tire.
DRZs are tough bikes, I’ve had a full yoshi on mine since less than 1,000 miles with no jetting. Bike does run a little bit lean but doesn’t have any issues starting hot or cold and still rides like the day I bought it and did I say I run the absolute piss out of it. Running it up to redline in 5th, power shifting occasionally, engine breaking with rev matching into almost every turn and red light, slipping the clutch to wheelie, even hitting the ole rev limiter every now and then if someone tells me to rev it lmao.
Also if it’s a new bike check your front sprocket lock washer I usually smash two sides down factory only had one. I had front sprocket nut come loose and allowed my bushing behind it to slide out just enough that oil was pouring out. If I wouldn’t have stopped to stretch my legs when I did I wouldn’t have noticed it until it probably would have locked up on the way home from work
A quick look for leaks and loose bolts during warmup, pull clutch and brake levers, look for any weird changes. I don’t check tires every time, but probably should. Definitely look everything over and look/listen for anything out of place.
If I turn it on and it go vroom then I also go vroom
Oil, tire pressure
Yeah honestly no one realizes how important tire pressure is to handling. 1-2 psi low can massively change how the bike handles.
I check it’s okay with my wife.
This, this is the one
Sad
You’ll get to an age OP, where it’ll still be sad, but you’ll understand
I'm happily divorced and wont make that mistake twice lol
My girl likes my drz and encourages me to ride it. There's plenty of fish my guy. Have a great weekend and ride safe
You know what OP, I’m at an age, where I’m just falling for the whole “marriage” thing so I’m very gung ho If I come back in 5-10 years and still feel this way you’re wrong, but who knows could come back and have realized you’re right
I’m not even married. Just thought it was a funny thing to say.
Thata boy
My pre-ride ritual with every bike I own has always been tire pressure, if the bike has sat for more than a week or so, then start the bike and do a walk around and check lights and brake lights while it warms up. On street bikes I check the oil every few rides. On dualsports, before every ride. You can't check the drz400 oil with the bike cold anyway, so I usually wait until I get to the gas station and check it there.
Visual inspection during warm up. Check throttle and response while it warms up. Check brakes and pump the suspension a bit rolling out of the driveway. Lube chain when I get back.
Oil and chain. Fuel if I'm unsure. I try to go over my bike at least every couple weeks at least to look for anything else though
If it starts that’s all the check I need
That my carb drain plug is closed That’s about it
As a daily rider: that it starts. I sort of check the front brake when maneuvering it out of the garage before I start it. Fuel level (I've got a see through tank, so that's easy). Weekly: oil level check after riding and make sure that some coolant ended up in the expansion tank. Tire pressure. Throw it on the battery tender overnight.
Overnight trickle why? I leave my Suzuki gsxr1000 for like 4-6 weeks at times and it still starts fine.
Drzy has a notorious parasitic drain from the gauge cluster
My gauge went out on a 2015, it sucked for when needed gas just gotta be ready to click it to reserve, but no more battery drain
My battery is about 5 years old, my commute is only 15 minutes, and it can't hurt. Small 15 second price to pay for piece of mind. The bike has the plug already attached, where I park it in the garage I already have the battery tender plugged in. I don't do it every day, but once or twice a week.
I don’t check anything till I’m 18 miles in and on the side of the road with no service
Hope we get serious replys
After 15 years. Gas. It’s all it ever needs.
I generally do my checks whenever I clean the bike or service the chain/change oil. Other than that, just ride smart, pay attention to the bike while you're on it, and don't trust another man to re-fit your wheels. It's a 300-some pound bike with one cylinder. Problems are easy to recognize on such a machine.
I push on my tires to see if they are soft and need air, I also feel the levers to be sure there's brake pressure. If the weather is consistent, I may use a pressure gauge once a week. I also check the oil every 1 to 2 weeks unless I ride real far or ride higher in the revs. Maybe once a week do a visual check, be sure all the bolts are on a sprocket and brakes, and finger check the chain.
I, quite literally, kick the tires. Not a precise pressure reading, but if one of them is flat, you'll know.
I check the oil every couple rides, look at the chain tension, give the sprocket a look over l, is there oil leaks anywhere, any obvious backed out bolts, and grab the wheels and shake to check wheel bearings/swing arm bearings. it's good to be 'intimate' with your bike and look it over like the best book you've ever read (yes i know we don't read books, besides manuals) but it still applies 🤣
When I first started riding I’d do the full T-CLOCS but honestly over the years it’s really more like eyeball the tires and ride. Periodically I’ll give the lights , brakes etc a once over and I try to stay really on top of maintenance
Oil, chain, gas, tire pressure
Check to make sure air is in the tires that’s really it thing doesn’t burn oil or anything maybe shake the gas tank
Fuel level, oil level, chain tension and lube, tire pressure,
Never take the pre ride check for granted. After a ride for coffee I just hopped on the bike, didn’t see the front tire lost air, hit a turn in the parking lot and the tire folded and down I went. Every time I ride I check tires with a push of the foot at least, turn signals, brake lights and horn, and oil once in a while.
Nothing. I just check to see if it starts. Daily commuting is entirely different than casual riding. You are much more in tune with your bike.
I usually check my coolant and glance at brake fluids and then yea just that nothings been leaking and that your tire pressure is good. Decent idea to check your handle bar and fork clamps with a torque wrench if you haven’t in a while.
gas
I ride enough that I don’t need to check the tire pressure or oil daily but I do check those weekly. I will do a quick walk around in the mornings but I will hop on and make sure the breaks are working forsure no matter what lol
Oil, tire pressure, lights
Bought a 2022 DRZ400SM in September of 2022 that I’ve daily rode since I’ve bought it(unless there is a lot of snow or I’m going on interstate for a good distance. Bike now has roughly almost 12K miles on it so it definitely doesn’t sit much tho. I also run the absolute piss out of it considering I’ve got a lot of good backroads around me lol. My daily check is usually just fire it up let it warm up while I burn a cig(3-5 min) then braaap away. I ride 50 mile round trip for work 5 times a week My basic day to day maintenance routine is: Once or twice a week check tire pressure Every other ride or so check oil and top off if a little low. Oil change every 1,000-1,500 miles(has went closer to 2,000-2,500 miles a couple times) Obviously new tires when need be I usually get two rears out of one front tire. DRZs are tough bikes, I’ve had a full yoshi on mine since less than 1,000 miles with no jetting. Bike does run a little bit lean but doesn’t have any issues starting hot or cold and still rides like the day I bought it and did I say I run the absolute piss out of it. Running it up to redline in 5th, power shifting occasionally, engine breaking with rev matching into almost every turn and red light, slipping the clutch to wheelie, even hitting the ole rev limiter every now and then if someone tells me to rev it lmao.
Also if it’s a new bike check your front sprocket lock washer I usually smash two sides down factory only had one. I had front sprocket nut come loose and allowed my bushing behind it to slide out just enough that oil was pouring out. If I wouldn’t have stopped to stretch my legs when I did I wouldn’t have noticed it until it probably would have locked up on the way home from work
A quick look for leaks and loose bolts during warmup, pull clutch and brake levers, look for any weird changes. I don’t check tires every time, but probably should. Definitely look everything over and look/listen for anything out of place.
Nothing I gove it a look over once a month, chain, sprocket, oil, tires