How to Keep Up With Motorcycle Tire Maintenance
Tires are an essential component of any motorcycle. Tire maintenance is necessary to ensure your safety and the safety of others while on the road. Read on to learn more about tires and tips for motorcycle tire maintenance. If you need a pair of tires for your bike, come visit Timm's Harley-Davidson® of Anderson. Visit our dealership in Anderson, South Carolina, where we're eager to serve you.
Tire Construction
There are four elements to a motorcycle tire. The tire’s tread is what meets the surface of the road or the ground. Smoother treads are designed for street riding, while chunky treads are more for off-roading.
The carcass is beneath the tread, and it’s pretty much the “flesh” of a tire. Steel or fiber cords are banded together in either a radial or a bias-ply pattern. They run from one side of the tire to the other. Radial-ply are tires with these bands running from bead to bead. The tire attaches to the metal wheel through the bead. The bead clings to the wheel to prevent slipping and air leakage when turning.
The full weight of the bike and the rider is supported by the sidewall. The sidewall contains codes imprinted on it to show the tire designation. Both metric and alphanumeric coding systems are used.
Tire Designation
A tire designation tells the following specifics of a tire:
- Manufacturer’s name.
- Manufactured date.
- Name of the tire.
- Height to width ratio.
- Rim diameter.
- Type of tire.
- Tire ply composition.
- Manufacturing materials.
- US DOT identification number.
- Max load rating.
- Max permissible inflation pressure.
- Treadwear, traction, and temperature grades.
Maintenance Tips
Radial tires are ideal for street bikes because they flex more for better grip on the road. Greater weight needs more support, so bias ply’s rigidity makes it a better choice for bigger bikes.
Don’t wait too long to replace old, worn motorcycle tires. When checking the tire pressure regularly, you should also check the tires' tread. You can find the manufacturer’s recommended tire pressure rating inside your owner’s manual. Tires will deteriorate over time even if you don’t ride every day. Five to seven years is the average lifespan of motorcycle tires.
It’s time to replace your tires when you have about 1.6 millimeters or .06 inches of tread left. It's also important to replace your tires in sets. Both tires have been through the same wear and tear, so when you change one, the other one should also be changed.
Your motorcycle’s owner’s manual will have the best information you need to care for your bike. However, if you need more information or are looking to replace your tires, we’re happy to help at Timms Harley-Davidson® in Anderson, South Carolina!