HAVE YOU CHECKED THEM LATELY!

Motorbike tyres that is!  Soooo I booked my beautiful motorbike, the 2013 Harley-Davidson 1200cc XL, into Sunshine Coast Harley-Davidson  for a service and a check over the other day cos it was still playing up. If you read my last blog on “The Keith Buckley Memorial Tunnel Run”, then you will know about my surging bike. Anyway it was still not right even after I put the special fuel stuff in the tank. Thankfully they found the problem and it was the regulator.

Anyway back to the tyres… The ever smiling Rick looked at me and said “you need a new back tyre”. I was surprised because I am normally careful with my tyres, but when I thought about it, it was then I realised and thought, WHEN WAS THE LAST TIME I CHECKED MY TYRES????

You need to check your tyres EVERY time you take your bike out. You don’t know if you picked up a slow puncture from your last ride, you don’t know if the pressure is low. There are so many reasons to check them. Your safety, if not your life depends on the tyres being in good condition!

I did some research and came up with these nuggets of information in what to look for.

First of all, this is what is underneath the rubber of a  motorbike tyre.

CREDIT: SHUTTERSTOCK

5 Signs That Indicate You Need To Change Your Tyres!

1.  Wear –

This is the most common sign you need to change your tyre. The manufacturer has put wear indicators which looks like little triangles or bumps at the bottom of the main grooves. Once the wear gets down to this level, then the tyre has reached it’s legal limit and you need to replace the tyre. Not only is it illegal to ride on an over-worn tyre but the grip and performance is drastically reduced, especially in wet weather.

     CREDIT:  SHUTTERSTOCK

2.  Unusual Treadwear –

If you find the wear of the tyre threads localised in certain places, this can be the result of a mechanical problem such as worn shock absorber, transmission or a balance issue. Get a professional mechanic to check it out. Riding on incorrect tyre pressure can also be to blame.

3.  Cupping or scalping of the front tyre –

This is when the tyre gets worn out along the length of the tread and once this has happened, can affect handling and stablility. Scalping can also mean poor suspension, so get it checked out when replacing the tyre.

4.  Splits, cuts and punctures –

Tyres are durable to withstand heaps of bumps and lumps, but of course sometimes they get a puncture.  To me, if a tyre has had too many punctures or has cuts and splits in it, then it makes sense to change it. Who wants to risk a blow out? If you do develop cracking along the sidewalls (commonly known as dry rot), the tyre needs to be replaced immediately.

   CREDIT:   SHUTTERSTOCK

5.  Age –

I read in a few articles that we shouldn’t be riding on tyres over 5 yrs old. I had never heard of that one, but I guess it makes sense. Over time and use, tyres become hard and brittle due to the oxygen interacting with compounds in the rubber. This is a process called oxidation. I remember when I bought a 1998 Triumph America. It had 6,000 kms on the clock and was in awesome condition as it had been sitting in a garage for I don’t know how long. The tyre tread was fine, but the rubber was hard as rock so I had to replace both tyres. What a difference in riding! There is also a date code in an oval stamp on your tyre’s sidewall. The numbers represent the week and year of manufacture.

CREDIT:  SHUTTERSTOCK

CONCLUSION

 1.   Tyre pressure should be checked cold every time you go riding because as soon as you start riding the tyres warm up and the internal pressure rises. When you check your tyres and they are already warm from riding, you get a false pressure reading. 

2.   Look for cuts, damage, unusual wear, impact damage, cracks, know the age of your tyres by checking the date on the side wall of your tyre.

3.   Don’t just check the tread, also check the side of the tyres and the rim.

LOOK AFTER YOUR TYRES!

Conditions of storage, inflation pressure, speed, load, the way you ride and climate are all factors that play a part in the life of a tyre and your safety depends on your motorbike tyres being in good condition.

As Rick said to me, your life could depend on it. Well actually he said “if you had kept riding on this tyre for much longer you would have died”! Same thing really, but he certainly made his point and I WILL be checking my tyres regularly.

Oh and don’t forget when you get your new tyres you should ride cautiously for the first 100 km’s or so until the entire tread surface gets scuffed up. 

• Tyre manufacturers use a release compound when making tyres in order to be certain they will come out of the tyre mold and it is an oilyish substance.  
• Some tyre manufacturers will put an additional coating on tyres to help prolong their “shelf-life”.  Also an oilyish substance.
• Lubes are used in the process of getting tyres on and off the rim.

Just pays to be cautious!

Blown Tyre – Check this link here  to read what you should do if you do ever get a blown tyre.  It could save your life.

Righto, I am off now to scuff up my tyre now the rain has temporarily stopped. So have a great weekend, but before you do, check those tyres!

Stay Upright

LJ