A Beginner’s Guide to Motorcycle Tires

There isn’t any other part on a motorcycle that is of more importance to rider safety than the tires. After all, if your bike’s tires give out when you’re at highway speeds, you could be in for some serious trouble. It’s best to just avoid this altogether by investing some of your time in choosing the right set of tires and properly maintaining them.

Tire Anatomy

Bike tires are generally described by four basic parts: tread, sidewall, bead, and radial. The tread is the part of the tire that provides grip and touches the ground. The sidewall supplies support and cushioning, the bead makes an airtight seal against the rim, and the radial is the metal that runs the circumference of the tire and gives it strength. Tires are made from metal radials surrounded by rubber that’s made hard through a process known as vulcanization.

Types and Sizes of Tires

Motorcycle tires come in a wide variety of shapes and sizes, from knobby dual sport tires that are designed to grip gravel and sand, to smooth, hard commuter tires that offer excellent gas mileage. Superbike tires are often quite wide to give superior grip and acceleration. Any given bike will have one style of tire that it was meant to use, but you can sometimes have options in what tire you end up putting on your bike. For example, you might choose touring tires that are extremely durable and designed to take the beating of lots of miles.

Replacing Your Tires

Motorcycle tires usually last between 10,000 and 15,000 miles. Keep this number in mind as you regularly check your odometer. One way to think about it is that this is the approximate amount of riding one does in a year of using a motorcycle as a mode of daily transportation.

Of course, there are many other signs that it’s time to change your tires, too. Give your tires a regular visual inspection and look for any signs of foreign objects stuck in them. A piece of metal may not immediately cause a blowout or flat, but it can be a ticking time bomb, and if it cuts through the radial on your tires, you won’t be able to patch the tire. If you ride hard, make sure to pay attention to the wear patterns. If you get below about 20% tread, it’s time to get new tires.

We hope that this guide to motorcycle tires has been useful. If you are still looking for a ride, be sure to get in touch with us at Hideout Harley-Davidson in Joplin, MO. We have a wide selection of motorcycles for sale, so it will be easy for you to find the perfect bike. We welcome all our patrons visiting us from Springfield, MO, and Rogers, AR.