What You Need to Know About Your Motorcycle Tires

There are certain things that everyone should know about their tires and the type of tires their motorcycle uses. They must know how a tire is made, how it should be taken care of, how it needs to be put on and taken off, how to deal with minor problems that arise, and the necessary steps that need to be taken to ensure a safe ride.

There are certain things that everyone should know about their tires and the type of tires their motorcycle uses. They must know how a tire is made, how it should be taken care of, how it needs to be put on and taken off, how to deal with minor problems that arise, and the necessary steps that need to be taken to ensure a safe ride. These things are not difficult to learn, if you''ve the time. In fact, they''re listed below. Know what size of tire is appropriate to your bike. This is determined by many factors, but most of all by your wheels'' rim width and diameter. Tires cannot be wider or narrower than the originals that came with your motorcycle, they have to be the same width, and they have to be the same diameter. Otherwise, they will make your bike handle incorrectly, which can lead to an accident.

Know what is the right amount of pressure for your tires, and know as well that air pressure will get higher as the tire''s temperature goes up. So, for instance, if you are riding in winter, and you pump air into your tire when it is at ambient temperature, there will potentially be a great change as the tire heats up due to the friction of riding. So you will need to check your air pressure as needed, to make sure that it doesn''t exceed the maximum level advised by the manufacturer. Also, never let air out of a hot tire, or ride around on a tire that doesn''t have enough air in it. This can ruin your tires or cause you to get into an accident.

Know how your tires are wearing. Keep an eye on the wear indicator in the tire grooves, which will let you know when you need to get new tires. If at any point on the tire the indicator is level with the surface of the tread, it is time to get a new tire.

Know what the valve is and how it works and make sure to use valve caps to keep air from escaping and dirt from entering your tires.

Know how to warm-up your tires. Tires don''t handle or perform as well when they are cold, and cannot be rushed to temperature. When you first start up your motorcycle, take it easy, warming tires gradually until they are fully tempered. Then they will perform best, and most safely.

Know that the proper way to break-in your tires after warming them completely is to break them in with 25 miles or 50 kilometers of riding. This will gradually wear away a layer of tread and leave a fresh skin on your tires.

Know some basic repair techniques. This will save you hours and headaches when a problem happens. And, if all else fails, know the number of an expert repairman to use should the need arise.

Gregg Hall is an author living in Navarre Beach, Florida. Find more about this as well as custom wheels at www.vintagewheelsplus.com