{"id":2555,"date":"2026-02-10T14:32:23","date_gmt":"2026-02-10T19:32:23","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/freedomhog.ca\/?post_type=blog_post&#038;p=2555"},"modified":"2026-02-11T20:37:03","modified_gmt":"2026-02-12T01:37:03","slug":"first-safety-blog-of-2026","status":"publish","type":"blog_post","link":"https:\/\/freedomhog.ca\/?blog_post=first-safety-blog-of-2026","title":{"rendered":"First safety blog of 2026"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<div class=\"wp-block-group has-global-padding is-layout-constrained wp-block-group-is-layout-constrained\" style=\"font-size:clamp(14.642px, 0.915rem + ((1vw - 3.2px) * 0.651), 22px);\">\n<p><strong>Licensing<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Most of us have been riding for many years and enjoy the privileges that come with a full&nbsp;<strong>M endorsement<\/strong>. For those who may be newer to riding, it\u2019s important to fully understand the rules for each license level.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>M1 (Learner)<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>No 400-series highways<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>No passengers<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Must be off the road and parked&nbsp;<strong>\u00bd hour before sunset<\/strong>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<strong>\u00bd hour after sunrise<\/strong><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Zero blood alcohol level<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>M2<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>400-series highways allowed<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Passengers permitted<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Can ride at any time of day<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Still a zero blood alcohol level<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Full M License<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Full riding privileges<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Blood alcohol limits are the same as driving a car<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>That said, I still&nbsp;<strong>strongly encourage a zero-alcohol approach<\/strong>&nbsp;when riding.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Insurance, Plates, and License Expiry<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>If you\u2019ve recently upgraded your license,&nbsp;<strong>check the expiry date<\/strong>. It may not be valid for five years, and you may not automatically receive an email reminder\u2014even if you\u2019ve signed up for notifications.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Before the season starts, ask yourself:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Is your&nbsp;<strong>insurance valid and up to date<\/strong>?<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Was your&nbsp;<strong>plate renewal completed automatically<\/strong>?<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Do you have&nbsp;<strong>any outstanding tickets<\/strong>&nbsp;that could stop an automatic renewal?<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>Remember: it\u2019s your responsibility to ensure everything is current. The last thing you want is to be out riding when an&nbsp;<strong>ALPR system flags your plate<\/strong>&nbsp;and the whole group gets stopped.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>TCLOCKS \u2013 Your Pre-Ride Inspection<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Have you ever heard of&nbsp;<strong>TCLOCKS<\/strong>? Each letter represents a part of the motorcycle you should check before riding.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>T \u2013 Tires (Wheels &amp; Brakes)<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Check tire pressure (when tires are cold)<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Inspect tread depth<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Look for bulges, cracks, or damage<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Check for bent spokes or wheel bearing play<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Ensure brake pads have material left and wear grooves are visible<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Brake lever and pedal should feel firm<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>C \u2013 Controls<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Levers, cables, and hoses move freely<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Throttle snaps back to the closed position<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>No fraying, kinks, leaks, or binding<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Proper routing of cables and hoses<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>L \u2013 Lights &amp; Electrical<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Headlight (high and low beam) working and aimed correctly<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Turn signals, brake lights, and running lights function properly<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Battery terminals clean and secure<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Wiring intact with no damage<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>O \u2013 Oils &amp; Fluids<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Engine oil level and condition<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Brake fluid, coolant, transmission\/gear oil<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Fuel level<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Check for any fluid leaks<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>C \u2013 Chassis<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Frame free of cracks<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Suspension moves freely<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Steering bearings have no play<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Chain or belt tension correct and properly lubricated<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>K \u2013 Kickstand (or Stands)<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Side stand and\/or centre stand retract properly<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Springs and mounting points intact<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Stand does not hang down while riding<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Why This Matters<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Before every ride, these checks can make the difference between:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>A great day riding<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Being stranded on the roadside<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Or something far worse<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>After winter storage\u2014or any extended downtime\u2014this inspection is especially important. The good news?&nbsp;<strong>TCLOCKS takes less than five minutes<\/strong>&nbsp;and can save you time, money, and headaches by catching small issues before they become big ones.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>I\u2019ll include a YouTube video that demonstrates this process.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"\u26a1Complete Guide to T-CLOCS Motorcycle Inspection Checklist for Ultimate Safety\u26a1\" width=\"950\" height=\"534\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/y1_j_49as9s?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Licensing Most of us have been riding for many years and enjoy the privileges that come with a full&nbsp;M endorsement. For those who may be newer to riding, it\u2019s important to fully understand the rules for each license level. M1 (Learner) M2 Full M License That said, I still&nbsp;strongly encourage a zero-alcohol approach&nbsp;when riding. Insurance, &hellip; <\/p>\n<p class=\"link-more\"><a href=\"https:\/\/freedomhog.ca\/?blog_post=first-safety-blog-of-2026\" class=\"more-link\">Read more<span class=\"screen-reader-text\"> &#8220;First safety blog of 2026&#8221;<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":114,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","template":"","tags":[],"blog-category":[],"class_list":["post-2555","blog_post","type-blog_post","status-publish","hentry"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/freedomhog.ca\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/blog_post\/2555","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/freedomhog.ca\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/blog_post"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/freedomhog.ca\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/blog_post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/freedomhog.ca\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/114"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/freedomhog.ca\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=2555"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/freedomhog.ca\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=2555"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/freedomhog.ca\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=2555"},{"taxonomy":"blog-category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/freedomhog.ca\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fblog-category&post=2555"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}