How To Tell If You Need To Replace Your Motorcycle Tires | MC Garage

Your tires are the only things connecting your motorcycle to the road, so it’s critical that they’re in good condition. Do you know what factors determine when a tire is toast? In this video from the MC Garage, Senior Road Test Editor Ari Henning will explain the three main reasons your tires might need to be replaced.

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Tread, sidewalls, beads, tires appear pretty simple, but there’s a lot going on under that smooth black exterior. Your tires are the only things connecting your motorcycle to the road, so it’s critical that they’re in good condition. You already check your tire pressures regularly (you do, don’t you?), but how often do you inspect your tires to make sure they’re roadworthy? And do you know what factors determine when a tire needs to be replaced?

In this guide from MC Garage, we explain how to tell if your tires need to be swapped out for fresh rubber. Wear is the most common reason, but damage and age can also be grounds for replacement, and we provide examples of each scenario. Knowing how to inspect your tires and replacing them at the right time is critical to both safety and performance, so get educated!

Check The Wear And Wear Pattern On The Tire
Wear is one of the most common reasons to replace a motorcycle tire and it is the simplest to diagnose. Some tires are marked with the letters TWI (tread wear indicator) and if it is flush with any part of the tire, then it is time to get a new one. Also, within the tread, there will be bars molded into the tire. When these bars are flush with the outer layer of the tire, it is time to change them.

A simple trick to determine if you have enough tread on your tires costs a cent. Taking a penny, place it inside the tread of the tire. If you can see the top of Abe’s head, then you should be replacing your tire as soon as you can. Even if the tread is not worn to the limit, it might be worn unevenly. The most common type of wear for the rear tire is when it becomes “squared-off,” developing a flat spot in the middle. For the front, look for uneven wear on either side of the tire, which is called cupping or scalloping. While you should replace your front tire ASAP, you should also dial in your suspension settings, or service the system, because scalloping is a symptom of something being amiss with your suspension.

Check For Tire Damage
Although it should go without saying, before every ride you should check your tires for proper inflation and any damage. Any damage to your tires is a cause for concern and could lead to a blowout, which can be catastrophic. If you do have a repairable puncture, go ahead and follow our guide on how to plug a motorcycle tire or how to permanently fix a motorcycle tire. If you need to replace your tire, you can also follow along on our handy how-to replace your motorcycle tire.

Know The Age Of Your Tire
Even if your tires have more than enough tread and there are no punctures or tears, your motorcycle tire may be too old to ride on. Most motorcycle tire manufacturers claim that the lifespan of a tire is around five years because the oils in the rubber will evaporate, drying out and hardening the carcass of the tire. This results in a tire more susceptible to damage and cracking, and losing its grippy properties. Do you know how old your motorcycle tire is? Well, its manufacturer date is molded right into the sidewall, displayed as a four-digit code. The first two digits are the week of the year it was made, with the last two numbers representing the year.

There you have it! If your motorcycle tire has one of the symptoms listed above, it is time to research and shop for a replacement. Remember, your tires are one of the most important parts of your motorcycle, and keeping them properly inflated will help prolong their life. Stay safe!

[InvisieMoto]

You can tell how many takes it took to do the intro by how many bites were in the toast...

[VeeFour]

that date stamp is a handy tip. good one.

[JJovich]

Fun fact: The Dot code can also be three digits, which means the tyre was produced before the year 2000! The new four digit system was introduced after that.
If you wonder why that's useful; my brother purchased a CB250 from 1998 that had completely original tyres on it. DOT 498. That means nobody had bothered to chance the tyres on that bike for 22 years! They were OEM. (Original Equipment Manufacturer)
One advantage was that at least the rims were still in absolute pristine condition.

[mrchilled]

i checked my tyres last night after seeing this video and went and got new tyres today after seeing my tyres are dated 2012 now the ride is a lot better and feels more smooth over all types of asphalt

[mnsoans]

Can you please show us an example of a worn tire using the TWI as a reference? I didn't quite understand that bit, sorry.

[oldninjarider]

Love MC Garage, great info and how to tips as well as cool tools. I have just found my front tire cupping because it was causing a mild vibration through the handle bars. Watching a previous episode of MC Garage, I learned the vibration could be due to front suspension or tire issues. It was my front tire. I also bought the Chain Slack measuring tool and spiral 360 degree chain cleaner and the rear sprocket/chain alignment tool because of MC Garage. I like to do as much of my own maintenance as possible and you guys do a great job to showing how to accomplish the tasks. Good lighting, clear audio and easy to follow instructions. Thanks again.

[Mr.LightMode]

Awesome video. I didn't quite understand the part regarding the tread wear indicator. I didn't see a triangular symbol on the video. What exactly will we see along the TWI region that you pointed to if our tires have too much wear?

[HaPea]

You know how your tires are toast....take 3

[Hawokki]

How can I tell MY tires are toast?
Because there are fibers coming out of the rubber. It's very close to explosion.

[BananaMana]

Just changed my tires yesterday. 14000km on a tire manufactured in 2009, don't worry they were only on a 50cc scooter. It feels so much better with new rubber.

[asrdni]

I got a used Bajaj Pulsar RS200 year 2018 model. It had the stock MRF front tire on it, while the owner changed the rear tire. It took me 2 slips in the rain, both being totally mentally harming to me (even though my bike is equipped with ABS for front and back), before I realized it needed replacement. Turns out the tire was manufactured in mid 2017 (5 years old and counting). After my first slip in the rain, my other goofy rider friends reassured me that it isn't the tire that was problematic even after they inspected it and even though I complained from it too, cuz they only judged based on tread wear only without giving importance to rubber condition (huge mistake, especially with hard compound tires).

Tires can save or end your life.

[MadScienceHacksTV]

OMG you look and sound like the guy from athleanx... you're just younger

[garrymaynard]

I’m joining in to thank you for your video! I’m getting my licence and my ‘new’ 09 bike is sitting in the garage until I can ride it. I just checked my tires and they are still original! A low mileage bargain had an unexpected surprise. I’ll be getting them replaced. Great tip.

[vintagebikes]

Great tips. I had a Honda ST1100 with 8 year old tires, Front and Back tires cupped a bit. Replaced both. The instability in corners with cupped tires present a very real risk to the rider, as you say.

[dmartin]

It be so corny if they actually featured toast in this it is

[astifcaulkinyeras]

You forgot to mention that you should inflate your tires to the PSI indicated in your manual or frame sticker, not to what it says on the tire.

[faziwuzy]

How do i check the wear on my toast though?

[tomanycooks]

this is by far the best moto Chanel.
I've learnt so much

[Ghostrider-]

Great video, great info, quick watch. Thank you for posting.

[grampabadger]

I was once the Parts Manager at a BMW motorcycle shop. I would have old guys come in griping about how quickly the tires on their touring bikes would wear out. I asked one how many miles he had on the tires and he admitted he was trying to get 30, 000 miles out of them! Those tires had fabric showing and he was planning to try and make a 500 mile trip on them. I eventually found the BMW specs on tire wear and gave him a copy. He gruffly accepted the paperwork and left. He was back the next morning to get new tires on his LT.