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Tyres are one of the most important elements of a motorcycle. They provide traction and grip to prevent you from sliding. They cushion the imperfections of the road to give you a better ride. There are a few basic things that every motorcyclist should know about tyres.
Scrub-a-dub-dub
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So many manufacturers...
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Motorcycle tyres do not grip properly until they are scrubbed in. There are 2 reasons for this...some manufacturers use a substance called a release compound to stop the tyre's rubber from adhering to the mould. Some other manufacturers use a process of curing/ moulding a tyre that brings certain slippery substances to the surface and they need to be evaporated and scrubbed off before maximum grip is achieved. The second reason has to do with the tyres actual surface. A tyre will grip more readily when its surface has been roughed up (on a small scale). The best way to scrub tyres in is carefully. Take it very easy for the first 40 miles or so but you can scrub most tyres in within 2 laps at the track. Just don't tip in hard until they're warm and slowly increase the lean angles with each corner.
Is bigger better?
Not necassarily...all motorcycle tyres are designed
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...so many choices
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to fit and work within a cetain width rim. Fitting them to a wider or narrower rim deforms the profile of the tyre so if you fit a wide tyre to a rim that is not suitable, you might actually end up with less grip. The contact patch of the tyre is dictated by tread profile, not tyre width. If you have a 5.5 inch rim, you should not fit a 190 section tyre. If you have a 6 inch wide rim, you could fit either a 180 or 190 wide tyre. A 190 will steer slower than a 180. There are some exceptions though. Tyre manufacturers can compensate for this by making wider tyres steer faster by giving them a higher profile.
People are often mistaken in thinking that a wider tyre feels better simply because they go from a worn out tyre to a brand new one which has the correct profile, that is not flat spotted in the centre.
Tyre pressures
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Rubber scallops at high track temps
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Make sure to check your tyre pressures regularly, at least every 2 weeks or so. They have a huge effect on the handling of your bike. Manufacturer's recommended pressures is normally good for the street but cross reference that with your bike's Owner's Manual's recommendations as well.. That figure normally hovers around 30 psi or so. For the track, normally a few psi less is optimum. Always check your tyre pressure before every track excursion.
The final contact
Lastly, do not skimp on tyres. Personal preference but I always try to stick with the 4 major tyre manufacturers: Michelin, Dunlop, Pirelli and Metzeler. Evaluate the tyre of riding you do (racing/ track riding, sport-riding, touring, cruising, etc.) and buy the appropriate type of tyre. Tyres provide traction not only to propel you forward and grip the road when you lean into a turn but they also allow the bike to stop quickly. Those two relatively small contact patches are all there is connecting your motorcycle to the road so buy the best tyres you can afford for the type of riding you do.
Keep the rubber side down...
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Shawn H. Ooi is a resident of Los Angeles and has been riding motorcycles for over 14 years. He has owned many makes and models of motorcycles and his current ride is a Ducati 748. Shawn is also one of the owners of Moomba Cyclesports Inc., which specializes in suspension set-ups and race-tuning. Moomba Cyclesports also provides regular service & maintenance and does parts & motorcycle apparel sales. He can be reached at shawn@moombacyclesports.com or at (626) 618 0385.
Photo credit: Shawn Ooi
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