With the vast range of Motorcycle tyres available today, it can be difficult to choose the correct tyre for your riding style. So here are some of the many things to consider.
Firstly, the style of bike needs to be considered. Sports touring, Superbike, Motocross, track bikes, dual sport or Cruiser. They all have different needs and applications. Dual Sports Motorcycles will require tyres that can be used on road and off-road, while track bikes require sticky slicks for better cornering. And while they may work well on the correct bike, swapping them with each other will likely be dangerous.
Secondly, you will need to evaluate the tyres in each range. Sports touring motorcycles, often get ridden on faster weekend rides as well as longer tours. For this reason, they are expected to have a relatively high edge grip while the harder, centre compounds are needed to survive the longer touring KM.
Thirdly, the selected roads and road condition will play a large roll in tyre longevity. Several thousand kilometers of straight highway usage will cause the middle of the tyre to square off if the tyre is a softer compound.The same distance through winding roads will keep the shape of the tyre longer.
Trying to select a suitable tyre that has all the features, while staying inside your budget can be difficult. Matching tyres to customers is what we do best! So if you have questions be sure to get in contact with us.
sales@discountmotorcycletyres.com.au
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Using a motorcycle with tyres in poor condition can result in reduced performance and increase the chance of crashing. For this reason, tyre should be check weekly and especially before long rides.
Here are some things you should look out for.
Tyre Pressure
Regularly setting the correct tyre pressures will ensure that the tyre performs to it best and wears evenly. This can also help identify a tyre puncture as an unexpected drop in pressure will now seem out of the ordinary.
Tyre pressures will depend on a range of factors such as weight of the bike, Type of tyre, road conditions and temperature. Sometimes getting this perfect for your riding style can take a little time. So if you have any questions about tyre pressures, feel free to contact us.
Reaching the wear limit
All tyres have a tread wear limit indicator built into the tread grooves. These indicators are often located with a small arrow on the sidewall or the letters T.W.I. This is the LOWEST safe tread depth. Because the grooves are needed for water dispersion, using them below this or bald will increase the chances of aquaplaning and accidents.
Worn out tyres can also become thin, resulting in tyre failure and often more susceptible to punctures.
Tyre Age and Condition
Most manufacturers will suggest a 5 year usable life. Beyond that the tyre will become hard due to the drying of the oils in the tyre. This hardening in the rubber will decrease the sidewall flex making a stiffer ride and severely reducing the tire grip.
Leaving a motorcycle in storage for extended periods with flat tyres will cause them to distort and crack at the sidewalls. Tyres with cracked sidewalls should be replaced to avoid complete tyre failure.
Tread Shape and Profile
Stating that tyres should be round would sound pretty obvious. However, typical usage can result in the tyre only being used in certain sections of the tyre. Long distance touring or daily commuting will cause the centre of the tyre to wear faster than the edges. While a tyre only used at the race track typically wears the shoulder through to the edge.
It is for this reason, manufacturers design dual compounds. For touring tyres, the centre is usually harder while the edge compounds are much softer. The theory is the edge compound will wear quicker however the rider will spend far more time in the centre tread, resulting in uniform tread wear.
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