How to Inspect Your Motorcycle After an Accident

Unfortunately, motorcycle accidents are fairly common. Most just involve coming off at a low speed when going around a corner, but there’s always a risk of damaging yourself or your motorcycle when you have an accident. That’s why a motorcycle inspection afterward is so important to ensure that you haven’t done damage to the vehicle that could lead to further accidents.

In this guide, we’ve provided a motorcycle safety inspection checklist and guide to your motorcycle inspection to give you a rough idea of what you should be looking for when an accident happens. How can you be sure that your motorcycle is safe to ride again?

Motorcycle Safety Inspection Checklist

You can deal with the motorcycle inspection cost and take it to a pro. If you are likely to need a motorcycle accident lawyer then a professional report on the state of the vehicle will be useful. You might also need some advice on a motorcycle safety inspection at the roadside which you can do yourself. Here are a few basic inspections to make.

Roll your vehicle. Check that there are no noises when you roll your bike back and forth. Crunching sounds or rattling might be an indication of bigger issues as a result of a crash.

Tires. Check the tires on your motorcycle, if the tread has been compromised or there are now cuts and gashes within the tires then it might be dangerous to ride the motorcycle afterward.

Bike Controls. Can you turn normally? Is your clutch still allowing you to control it as normal? Are your foot controls still effective? A visual inspection can help with all of this. You need to be able to control your bike as normal.

Brakes. Check your brakes when you have had an accident, this means inspecting brake lines and reservoirs to ensure the fluid is flowing, and you can also check by applying the brakes while rolling the bike forward. The damage will make it harder to squeeze the caliper so this is a good idea to check. Also, the rotors may be bent, so check these for signs of damage.

Lights and Signals. You need to be able to show others your intentions on the road and your lights and signaling controls might be a very dangerous aspect of your motorcycle to break. Check they are all working before you even think of using the bike.

How Long Does a Motorcycle Safety Inspection Take?

This is a difficult question. Many people are wondering what the motorcycle inspection cost will be and this relates directly to the time a mechanic will need to spend on the vehicle. In a lot of cases, you need to get a motorcycle professionally inspected regardless of what has happened to it. Unless you are 100% confident with your roadside assessment of the state of the bike, a professional will be the best way to ensure you get your vehicle passed as roadworthy. Don’t take any risks.

Most motorcycle safety inspections take 1-2 hours in total. This is enough time for a professional to work out whether or not the bike has any risks or whether it might need to be repaired.

Repair vs. Replace: Which is Better

Once you have had an accident, you might have the decision of whether to repair or replace the bike altogether. Alternatively, you might have to make a decision on whether to repair or replace individual parts. This is a decision to make on a case-by-case basis and with the help of a professional. If you have just dented a wheel, replacing the whole vehicle is unnecessary, and replacing the wheel might be overkill, too. You might be able to get it repaired.

This is something to seek professional advice on.

If your bike is in a seriously bad state after an accident, it might be considered a “write off”. This can make the insurance process more complex. Basically, a write off is when it doesn’t make sense for you to spend the money required to fix the bike. It would be cheaper to replace the bike altogether.

When are Parts on a Crashed Motorcycle Replaced, and When are They Repaired?

The repair process for a vehicle often involves the insurance companies, who need to make an informed decision on the value of the repairs. If the vehicle or the parts within are going to cost as much to repair as a new one, or even if they cost nearly as much, upon the motorcycle inspection it could be decided that the best bet is simply to replace the vehicle. Insurance companies might pay out the value of the motorcycle rather than put it through rigorous repairs.

This is another reason a motorcycle inspection is so important. Obviously, it is vital that we understand whether or not the vehicle is too badly damaged to be used, but it is also important to work out the costs involved and whether it is worth it. There is no point in spending $8,000 repairing a bike that only cost $6,000 in the first place.

How badly a motorcycle is damaged is the key to whether or not repairs are going to be worth it, or if the vehicle needs to be written off and replaced altogether.

In the immediate aftermath of a minor accident, you might be able to perform some of the inspections yourself to see if the bike is safe to take to a garage. If not, it is important that you find a professional, or get your bike towed to safety for a proper inspection. If it is deemed that the motorcycle has been damaged, it is then important to consider the damage for insurance purposes. Insurers might have a lengthy process to try and establish whether or not a motorcycle is salvageable.

The important thing is to always be cautious, and never drive a motorcycle you have any doubts about, as this can risk further accident and injury. You are responsible for the condition of your bike.

Author’s Bio

David Martin is a marketing executive and paralegal assistant for Motorcyclelawyerla.com. He has established himself as a prominent author in personal injury matters. In his free time, you can find him playing golf in the public courses.