There’s not much better than meandering through a hot and sticky mountain pass amongst beautiful snow-capped scenery, but it can all be spoilt rotten by poor tyre maintenance.

A check of your tyres should always be part of your pre-ride checks. Tyres should always be cold when assessing tyre pressure.

What should I look for when checking the condition of tyres?

  • Check the air pressures
  • Irregular or uneven wear
  • Signs of cracking, dry rotting or blisters
  • Foreign objects (nails, screws, stones wedged in the tread)
  • Wear below the legal requirement

Prevent your tyres from squaring off

Check the manufactures specification in the manual for optimum tyre pressure

If you are adding a pillion or luggage to the bike, ensure that you adjust your tyre pressure and suspension; again, to manufacturers specification.

By riding with the correct tyre pressure, you’ll use less fuel and increase the lifespan of your tyres.

Prevent your tyres from wearing unevenly

Unless your bike has a single-sided swing arm, chances are you are at risk of misaligning your wheel, and therefore your rear tyre, while setting the chain tension.

We recommend that while using your chain monkey to precisely set correct tension, you adjust your rear wheel position evenly, using the position indicators to ensure that the wheel is moving backwards in an aligned, uniform fashion.

How will I know if something is wrong?

Unusual vibrations or responses from the motorcycle’s handling may be an indication that your motorcycle’s tyre is damaged. Keep the bike upright, riding in a straight line and grip your handlebars forcefully. Avoid sudden movements and come to a steady, controlled stop and inspect it.

If you suspect that you might have a puncture that isn’t visibly obvious, poor water over the tyre, section by section, and look for bubbles or fizzing.

Our recommendation for a puncture repair kit can be found in our Tour Kit List.

Repaired motorcycle tyres

Never repair the same tyre more than once

After the repair, do not exceed 50mph for the first day

A repaired tyre should never be used to exceed 75mph, according to Dunlop.

Which tyres should I buy?

There is no ‘best’ tyre for each motorcycle, although manufacturers will have their preferred suppliers. However there is a best tyre option for you, depending how you ride and what you intend on putting your motorcycle through over the next few thousand miles.

In our experience, the most invaluable resource when choosing a tyre is owner club forums. For most bikes, there are hundreds of threads filled with insights from experienced riders with knowledge of tyres specifically for your bike.

Do I need to replace both of my tyres at the same time?

If you have the money, go for it. You’ll experience optimum grip at the same point in time with a fresh set of tyres, you’ll enjoy the confidence it gives you and most importantly it’s the safest thing to do.

Of course this isn’t always the most economical option, particularly if you are approaching your tyre decision as a commuter biker. In which case, yes it is worth getting extra miles out of your front tyre – just make sure they are the same tyre brand and model.

I’m going touring – should I replace my tyres?

Yes! Changing tyres abroad can be a massive inconvenience. Furthermore, there’s not much worse than finally getting off the motorway once you’ve reached the mountains to find that your tyres are worn and squared off.

Read more:

> When should I change my chain and sprokets?