Choosing the right Motorcycle Tyre.



RoadSafety Tips and Advice


Getting a new set of tyres for your motorcycle can be a bit of an investment and it’s one we all need to deal with from time to time. What kind of tyres to select, how to take care of them and understanding all you need to know about them before you buy is an area few of us ever take the time to research. Instead we trust our motorcycle dealer, or word of mouth. It’s time to do that research and with all4bikers help we can educate you about your motorcycle tyres.



Air Pressure.



Simply put, most people don’t maintain their tyre pressure with any regularity and typically run below the recommended p.s.i. levels. Before every rideout of any significant distance, check your tyre pressure, it goes without saying that you should refer to your bike manual for the best pressures for your bike, or off the side of the tyre if one exists, remembering that added weight, may require different pressures.



Online vs. Store Bought



Think you’ll save money by buying your tyres online? Think again. Unless you plan to mount those tyres yourself, you won’t be saving any money at all and in most cases you’ll end up paying more. Once you arrive at a motorcycle dealer or shop and ask to have your internet bought tyres mounted, you’ll most likely be paying the hourly rate to have the mounting done which negates your online savings. In addition, any reputable motorcycle dealer would decline from honoring the manufacturer warranty and won’t sell you their own warranty if they have one internally. The only thing they’re selling you is fitting time.



Tyre Warranties.



There are two types of warranties for tyres. A manufacturer warranty and a store-bought warranty. Some manufacturers warranty all their tyres, others only cover some models. Find out before you buy and get the details about what is covered and length of coverage.

Some dealers offer a dealer-bought warranty which can be a good way to go, but be sure you understand the details before you buy. Is the warranty transferable to your next buyer? How much tread wear is eligible before the warranty is null, and so on.



What is Free Mounting?



Free mounting comes, normally in two forms. Off the bike, or on the bike. If your dealer offers free mounting be sure you know which type. Off the bike simply means you remove the wheels from your bike and take them to the dealer to get the tyres mounted for you to put back on your bike. On the bike means bring the whole bike in and they will take care of everything.



Model Development



Some tyres are designed before a model actually hits the market, others after. Some manufacturers take data from other after market tyres, so that they can improve on an already existing tyre. So when selecting a tyre consider this if you’re going for the most advanced technology available.



Traction vs. Mileage

When it comes to choosing a tyre, consider if you want more traction or more mileage out of that tyre. Sifter rubber provides better traction, but won’t last as long. The opposite is true on a firmer rubber compound.



Tyre Age.



Tyre age plays a factor. As years go by, rubber tends to harden and the traction that a new tyre once had is gone. If your bike was sitting for 5 years in the garage, you probably want to consider tossing those treads, even if they only have a few miles on them.



Changing Air Pressure



Understanding air pressure is an art. More pressure when you’ve got a load, less when you’re mixing off-road travel into your adventures. Less pressure when it’s raining gives you more traction, use more pressure when it’s dry. It varies greatly from bike to bike and tyre to tyre as to just where you want your pressure each time you ride. Ask around, talk to others, call the manufacturer and study up.



No matter what you hear, there is no out and out BEST tyre on the market, depending on your bike, riding style, even location, all play a factor in how good a tyre performs. Most tyres do there job, but it pays in the long run to study up and get the best tyre that suits your needs.



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