When You Should Replace the Tires on Your Street Bike

Knowing exactly when you should replace your motorcycle's tires can be a question that does not have an exact answer and is case by case. Often times, depending on the type of riding you do and how often you ride your motorcycle can help you determine how often or when you should change out your tires. A common misconception about motorcycle tires is that they are designed to last as long as car tires and that is not the case. Motorcycle tire rubber is much softer than car tire rubber because hard tires are more likely to slip and slide while softer tires grip the pavement. We will go over some tips and tricks to know when you should replace the tires on your motorcycle.

Reading Tire Tread:

Reading your tire tread is an easy way to see how far along your motorcycle tire life is. Most motorcycles have wear indicators cast into the rubber tread grooves. These grooves are located in the center of the tire. That raised segment indicates the manufacturer's lowest amount of tread to remain safe. You could also use the “penny trick”. With the penny trick, you’ll need a penny, flip the penny upside down so the president is facing upside down and place him in the grove of the tread. As long as part of Lincoln’s hair is still covered by some rubber, your tires are at a decent thickness.

Inspecting and Maintaining Tubes:

Tire tubes become just as worn down as a tire. Not all motorcycle tires require tubes depending on the rim you may have but if you do, it is important to remember to change them out over time. Tubes can stretch over time and if you don’t change the tube out when changing to a new tire, the tube could crease. It is also important to make sure you have the right size tube for the right size tire.

Don’t Mix and Match:

Once you have chosen a particular brand or tire (so-long as it is the proper fitment for your motorcycle) it is important to try and keep the same brand, style, or construction. Consider that tires work best as a matching pair and mixing your tires could cause some an imbalance and affect the performance of your motorcycle. Because the rear tire on a motorcycle wears out much faster than a front tire does, we’d recommend buying two rear tires so you don’t throw out a good front tire.

Tire Age Matters!

Tire age most definitely matters. Even if you have tires that have never been mounted but have sat around for a few years you should still consider whether it is a good idea to use them. Depending on the wear of a tire they have a lifespan of 5 years and should be replaced by that time. As we mentioned before, motorcycle tires are made with soft rubber and also are made with chemical compounds that give tires their “stickiness,” and these chemicals evaporate over time, leaving the rubber hard and brittle (a process called “outgassing.”) You can find your tire age by checking the sidewall for the date stamp, a four-digit code inside a rectangular box. These indicate the week of the year, and then the year, that your tire first popped out of the mold. So a date stamped “3507” would read as the “35th week of 2007.

PSI:

Making sure your tires are at the correct PSI is essential to maximizing the lifespan. It can be very easy to overinflate or underinflate. Luckily, this issue can be easily solved with a tire pressure gauge. Be sure to check the tire pressure at least once a week or especially before a long ride. No matter how old or new your tires are, tire pressure checks are a must. Try to check PSI when the tire is cold, inflating while the tire is heated can cause the inflation pressure to increases, which will give you an inaccurate reading.

Tire Defects:

As obvious as it may sound to replace your tire if it has any defects we still want to mention this. Tire defects may not be so obvious in the beginning so it is important to actually go in and look for them especially if your bike feels strange or funny. A very easy to spot issue is cracking along the sidewalls. Uneven wearing on the tire could be a result of something being wrong with the bike's body like a good and a failed shock. Be sure to give your tires a look and don’t be afraid to investigate if something looks off.

Side Walls:

Knowing what all of the numbers and letters that are on the sidewalls of your tire may sound complicated but we can break that down for you. Misreading or not knowing what these numbers mean may cause you to buy the wrong tire or maybe have at the wrong PSI so here is a little chart for you.

Conclusion:

Remember that your tires are a super important part of your bike. Taking care of them will help them take care of you when you are on the road. As we mentioned before, motorcycle tires are not meant to last as long as a car tire because the rubbers on each tire are designed differently. Take all of these tips into account when checking your motorcycle tire and debating on whether it is time to replace them, you can always check in with a local dealership and have them professionally inspected. Happy riding!

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