Basic inspection advice - avoid the easy mistakes

Always start to examine a motorcycle from far away. I always check to see if the front wheel has the same vertical angle as the rear. Are things in the centerline as they should be, headlight, saddle, mudguards, etc. as viewed from the front or rear? When on the center or rear stand, does the rear tire clear the ground by and inch or two? Is the front carb the same type as the rear one? Are the wheels of the same type? Generally, are the things on the left side of the motorcycle the same type, color, etc. as those on the right side? All of this may sound too basic, but mistakes like these are easy to make. Only after you have studied the bike from afar should you move closer to worry about details.