Rental Bike Maintenance
After a Pothole Hit: Checking Rims, Tyres and Steering Before Riding On
About 6 minutes to read
When a motorbike hits a pothole hard, the rider is left with quick questions: is the rim bent, is the tyre cut, has the steering been knocked, and is it safe to ride on? This article gathers what riding handbooks and manufacturer manuals say about crossing road hazards and checking a bike afterwards. The sources are the motorcycle handbook of the Ministry of Transportation of Ontario, Canada (chapter updated 31 March 2026), the operator manual and T-CLOCS checklist of the US-based Motorcycle Safety Foundation (MSF), and Honda’s Click125 and Wave Alpha owner’s manuals. The two handbooks are foreign riding guides, not Vietnamese rules. None of them has a procedure written for potholes as such, so the rim, tyre and steering checks below come from their advice on objects, uneven surfaces, tyres and incidents. The last sections list what the pages do not cover.
Crossing a hole that cannot be avoided
The MSF manual lists uneven surfaces and obstacles among the surfaces that raise crash risk, and names potholes among the road features that may shape a riding plan; it adds that a two-second following distance gives a better view of potholes. Its first advice is to avoid an obstacle by slowing or going around it. If a rider must go over a smaller one, the manual says to approach it as close to a 90-degree angle as possible, slow down as much as possible before contact and keep the motorcycle straight.
Ontario’s handbook treats driving over an object as similar to driving over uneven surfaces and gives three steps: hold the handgrips tightly so the front wheel’s impact does not break the grip, keep a straight course to stay upright, and rise slightly on the footrests so arms and legs absorb the shock. It then says it is a good idea to stop and check tyres and rims for damage after driving over an object.
Pulling over to look
Ontario’s advice on leaving the road applies to that stop. The rider checks that the roadside is hard enough to ride on, slowing right down if it is soft grass or loose sand; checks the mirror and signals, because drivers behind may not expect the bike to slow; and pulls as far off the road as possible, since a motorcycle at the roadside can be very hard to spot. The handbook also describes placing a helmet on the ground near the road as a signal among motorcyclists that someone needs help. That convention is Ontario’s description, and no page says whether it is recognised in Vietnam.
Tyre damage the manuals describe
Honda’s Click125 manual tells owners to inspect tyres for cuts, slits or cracks that expose fabric or cords, for nails or other objects embedded in the sidewall or tread, and for unusual bumps or bulges in the sidewalls. Honda Vietnam’s Wave Alpha manual lists the same signs in Vietnamese: cuts or cracks exposing the inner layer, sharp objects stuck in the sidewall or tread, and bulging on either side. The T-CLOCS checklist adds tread depth, wear, weathering and whether the tyre is evenly seated.
The two Honda bikes differ in construction. The Click125 manual says its rims are designed for tubeless tyres and that repairing a puncture or removing a wheel requires special tools and technical expertise; after a temporary repair with a tubeless kit it sets a limit of 50 km/h until the tyre is replaced. The Wave Alpha manual refers to an inner tube (săm), says to fit a new one with every new tyre, and sets the same 50 km/h limit for riding on a temporarily repaired tyre or tube. Pressure is covered in Motorbike Tyre Pressure for Rental Riders: Read the Manufacturer Label, and date markings in Motorbike Tyre Age Codes: What the Date Can and Cannot Tell a Renter.
Rims, spokes and wheel bearings
For the wheels themselves, the T-CLOCS checklist goes further than a glance:
| Item | What the checklist looks for |
|---|---|
| Cast wheels | Cracks and dents |
| Spoked wheels | Bent, broken or missing spokes; checked at the top of the wheel, a “ring” means OK and a “thud” a loose spoke |
| Rims | “Out of round/true = 5mm”, found by spinning the wheel against a stationary pointer |
| Wheel bearings | Flex the tyre held at top and bottom; the checklist wants no click of free play between hub and axle and no growl as the wheel spins |
| Brakes | Each brake on its own keeps the bike from rolling |
The checklist does not say which of these checks a rider can make at the roadside, and the out-of-round check needs the wheel spun against a fixed point.
Steering, controls, brakes and leaks
Both Honda manuals give a short checklist for carrying on after an incident. The Click125 manual places it under the heading “If You are Involved in a Crash”; the Wave Alpha manual places it under a heading about incidents on the road (Khi gặp sự cố trên đường), in text that also refers to accidents. The steps match:
- Turn the ignition off before assessing the bike.
- Inspect for fluid leaks, oil included.
- Check the tightness of critical nuts and bolts.
- Check the handlebar, control levers, brakes and wheels.
- If continuing, ride slowly and cautiously.
The T-CLOCS checklist gives detail for some of these: handlebars straight and turning freely, front forks with smooth travel, fasteners tight with no missing bolts or nuts, and each brake able on its own to hold the bike still.
Riding on, or not
The manuals do not treat a quick check as the end of the matter. The Click125 manual says a vehicle may have suffered damage that is not immediately apparent and should be thoroughly checked at a qualified service facility as soon as possible. The Wave Alpha manual says the same, describing damage the naked eye cannot see and naming a reputable repair station. If a damaged tyre deflates on the move, Ontario’s handbook describes the signs: heavy steering with a flat front, and a rear that tends to slide from side to side with a flat rear. Broader riding advice is in Motorbike Riding Safety in Hanoi: Essential Tips. On a rented bike, how to report a hit and who arranges an inspection are questions for the shop.
What the pages leave out
No page has a procedure written for potholes: Ontario covers objects and uneven surfaces, the MSF manual mentions potholes only as a hazard to watch for, and the Honda checklists sit under crash and incident headings. No page gives a speed or depth at which a hit becomes dangerous, a visible sign that a rim is bent, or a way to check rim trueness without spinning the wheel. No page says what to photograph or note for a shop, who pays for damage, or how any of this applies to rented bikes in Vietnam. The 50 km/h figure is the limit both Honda manuals set after a temporary tyre or tube repair, not a speed for riding after a pothole.
Sources checked
- Ontario MTO Motorcycle Handbook: Dealing with emergencies
- MSF: Motorcycle Operator Manual
- MSF: T-CLOCS pre-ride checklist
- Honda Cambodia: Click125 owner’s manual
- Honda Vietnam: Wave Alpha owner’s manual
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