Motorcycle Tire Tip of the Week from Cruiser Customizing

This is the text version of the Motorcycle Tire Tip of the Week video from Kyle Bradshaw aka: manybikes of Cruiser Customizing.

In this tip, Kyle explains the numbers which appear on the sidewall of motorcycle tires. In addition he gives tips and explanation of the following:

Tire Sizing

Common tire sizes are found in Metric, Alpha, and Inch measurements – See Chart below:

Aspect Ratio

The aspect ratio of a tire is the relationship of the tire cross section height to the cross section width. In a tire with an aspect ratio of 80, for example, the height of the tire is about 80% of the tire width.  “Low Profile” tires have an aspect ratio of less than 80 like the example in the video, which had an aspect ratio of 55.

Motorcycle Tire Speed Ratings

For the cruiser segment, speed ratings of H, V, W, and Z are the most commonly seen with max speeds ranging from 130 mph to 150+ mph. See chart for more info:

Motorcycle Construction (two common constructions)

B = Bias (bias belted)

R = Radial

Commonly Used Tire Abbreviations:

Load Carrying Capabilities

Tires offering different load-carrying capacities are available. Remember that running underinflated tire pressures will drastically reduce your load carrying capabilities.  When choosing a tire for your application, consider carefully the following:

• Weight of the motorcycle

• Weight of optional equipment

• Weight of rider and passenger

Front and Rear Tire Matching

Correct matching of front and rear motorcycle tires is an important factor if wishing to obtain optimum performance and handling.

Tire Replacement: When to replace tires?

Most tires have wear bars. When the tire tread reaches the wear bar it is time to replace the tire. If your tire does not have wear bars, always remove tires before they reach 1/32^nd of an inch. Dunlop suggests, if you insert a penny into a grove in the center of your tire, 1/32 of an inch is right at the top of Lincoln’s head.

Tire Repair

Some punctures in motorcycle tires may be repaired. Dunlop recommends only permanent plug-patch repairs of small (less than ¼ inch diameter) holes in the tread area. Never patch or plug the sidewall of a tire. Here are some past videos showing tire repair:

• Plug

• Slime

Tire Pressure and Tire Inspection

Checking tire pressure is the most important tire maintenance function you can perform. Underinflated tire can result in imprecise cornering, higher running temperatures, irregular tread wear, tire fatigue, cracking, and eventual tire failure. INSPECT YOUR TIRE PRESSURE OFTEN.

Work smarter not harder by installing a TireGard from Show Chrome Accessories BBP-13-315

Tip – Before leaving your dealership after then installation of new tires check the following: Tire Direction and Tire Pressure

CAUTION – Remember that new tires are slippery and you must use care then accelerating and cornering until the tires are “worn in.”  50 miles of cautious riding is usually a good rule of thumb.

Take care and Ride safe!

Kyle Bradshaw

Aka: manybikes