Pre-trip checklist

I'm gearing up for my first big trip on the Viffer, about 400 miles round trip. The bike was fully serviced about 500 miles ago, but is there anything I should check before hitting the road? I already plan to clean/lube the chain and check tire pressure.

 

double check all your lights:
low beam and high beam
brakes front and rear switches
turn signals...

 

May want to stash a 1/2 pint of Jack Daniels under the seat.
You know.......just in case.

 

^^ good idea... a couple of weeks ago my headlight (low and high) went out for no apparent reason, but before I could see what was wrong, it came right back on. No problems since. Any ideas what the problem could've been and what I can do if it happens again?

 

...too bad i'm not 21 :wink:

 

bad switches. happened on my nighthawk last year. it was a 93... 6 years newer than yours, so it sounds like its about time. i just replaced the left and right hand controls, with new oem from bikebandit. your probably going to want to replace the wheel bearings front and rear too, if they havent been replaced yet.... preventative maintenance...

 

Is there a sign that the wheel bearings are going out?

 

Could be a sticky starter switch. The starter switch kills the lights while starting the bike. Mine was sticking just enough that it wouldn't come out enough to let the lights turn back on. A little lube in the switch and I was good to go. Hope it's that easy for you. Enjoy the ride

 

Go around one time with a wrench, allen wrench and some sockets and make sure everthing tight.

 

make sure you have a basic toolkit, some fuses, and a length of insulated wire, and duct tape !

Check that your cooling fan kicks in as it should by 2/3 temp scale....if not rig up a manual switch.

If you need any advice while you're travelling, post up on this site.
Good Luck.

 

wheel bearings

there are a lot of signs:
headshake at certain speeds
abnormal noises
excessive play in the wheels...

 

I haven't noticed any of those so I should be good to go! (at least for now)

 

is that a 400 mile trip you are going on or 4,000 mile trip?

 

200 out, 200 back.

 

Now days I just make sure I have a cell phone. When I rode Triumphs I carried a few tools, but not many. Now I don't carry any, maybe when I put in my new fuse box I can free up a little room and start carrying the tool kit again. JMO.

 

completely forgot about that one... very important. you dont want to be stuck in the middle of the 18 mile stretch, getting eatin alive by mosquitoes hoping someone will pull over....

 

DON'T leave home without duct tape!

 

bring some fix-a-flat or one of those thing you stick in the tire........not a patch...shit i cant remeber...be safe out there

 

it's a 400 mile ride,you guys are all acting like it's dakar for christ sakes. it's a day trip. he'll be fine, just check the tires, oil level, fill it with gas and ride.

 

i always have basic tools, various types of tape, zip ties, tire plug kit, pump for filling the tire, tire gauge, bungee net, disc lock, cable lock, kickstand plate, flashlight, and a AAA card.