Motorcycle Tyre Maintenance and Inspection
As riders, we all know that motorcycle maintenance is a necessary part of the riding experience, and a well-maintained motorcycle is always a pleasure to ride. Just like the mechanicals of a motorcycle need to be looked after so that a motorcycle can run for a long time and stay trouble-free as well, motorcycle tyres too have their own needs when it comes to maintenance. Here are a few things you should keep in mind when it comes to your motorcycle’s tyres.
Look at them often
Inspection is the first way to make sure that your motorcycle tyres are running fine. Don’t be afraid if you are new to it, as with time, you will be able to spot the issues before they become a real problem. What you do need to be doing is, taking a look at your tyres after every ride. It’s okay to skip very short rides in the city when you are riding on roads you know really well, but otherwise, make sure you visually inspect your tyres after every ride. This way, you can spot punctures early, and odd patterns on the tread can also warn you of problems with the motorcycle, such as alignment or suspension patterns.
Check tyre pressure often
This can seem like a task at first, but the more meticulously you check your tyre pressure, the better life you will be able to squeeze out of them. Always check pressures every second or third day, and by a rule of thumb, don’t let a week pass without checking your tyres. Motorcycles that are often ridden with low pressure wear out other parts quicker than just their tyres, which will only serve to increase your maintenance bills. A poorly inflated or even over-inflated tyre can also ruin the handling of a motorcycle, so watch out for that. If a motorcycle suddenly starts to act weirdly in turns, tyre pressures could be the potential problem.
Check tread once a month
A tyre is a consumable, so it is going to wear out. Therefore, there is no use in running on worn out tyres as one day; you will have to change them. It is not at all recommended to ride a tyre past its recommended tread depth. You can find the recommended tread depth as small rubber marker in the grooves of a tyre. Once your tyre has worn down to the marker’s level, it is recommended to change them. Running tyres past that point makes them more susceptible to punctures and other failures.
Use the right tyre
It is recommended that you use the right kind of tyre for your motorcycle. Using sport tyres on an ADV will never give you the best results, and the vice-versa is true as well. Also, using a larger tyre than the one a manufacturer recommends is also a recipe for disaster. It can adversely affect the handling characteristics of a motorcycle, leading to unnatural handling scenarios. It’s therefore always best to stick to the recommended tyre types and sizes for a particular motorcycle.
Also Read: Five Basic Safety Tips All Motorcycle Riders Should Follow!
Don’t use tyre polish on the tread
When you clean your motorcycle, most people make the mistake of putting tyre polish on their tyre’s tread. The tread of a tyre created friction so that you can have grip. Putting tyre polish on that simply works to reduce that grip. Your motorcycle might look nicer with freshly washed and polished tyres, but that polish has the potential to seriously hinder the motorcycle’s handling. Stick to the body panels when applying polish on a motorcycle.
