Before a Long Ride or Drive: A Pre-Trip Checklist
Long trips expose small problems. A pre-trip check the evening before, and a plan for stops, make the journey safer and more relaxed.
The evening before
- Tyre pressures adjusted for load, as the manual describes.
- Oil, coolant and brake fluid checked.
- All lights working.
- For scooters: belt service not overdue; for chain bikes, chain adjusted and lubricated.
- Documents, licence and insurance details with you.
Plan the stops
Fatigue builds slowly and is easy to underestimate. Plan regular breaks, especially on a scooter, where wind and vibration tire you faster than in a car.
Pack for the road
- A basic tool kit and a tyre repair kit or inflator you know how to use.
- Rain gear, even if the forecast is dry.
- Water, and a charged phone with offline maps.
Riding to a game or event
Trips to a match or concert have fixed start times, which tempt people to hurry. Check the schedule early, leave with time to spare and plan parking near the venue. For readers in Taiwan heading to a baseball game, this Traditional Chinese guide to Taiwan's CPBL baseball, covering where games are broadcast and how to check the season schedule (中華職棒直播與賽程) is a useful starting point, and if the weather turns, it also tells you how to watch from home instead.
On arrival
Note any new noises or warning lights from the journey and get them checked before the trip home.
Checked 2026-10-20