Change Motorcycle Tires

How Often do you Have to Change the Tires on a Motorcycle? Motorcycle tires last, on average, about five years. However, some may last even less due to wear and tear or the constant weather changes to which they are subjected.

Therefore, it is always important to make sure that, regardless of the average time they usually last, we check that they are in perfect condition so that they do not ruin the performance and traction level of our motorcycle.

If this were the case, it would be dangerous to ride it. To this end, it is advisable to perform a weekly inspection to check their condition, the depth of the treads, and any signs of unusual wear. It is also recommended to check tire pressure twice a month.

Such is the importance of tires in this type of vehicle that, at Mototechno, we want you to know what the compelling reasons are why we should replace the tires with new ones. Read on!

How Often Should I Change the Tires on a Motorcycle?

Earlier, we said that motorcycle tires should not be used after five years. Now, how do we know if we are not exceeding that time? Well, it’s very simple. To check the age of the tires, just look at the sidewall to find out the date of manufacture.

Look on the sidewall of the tire for the acronym “DOT” and check the series of numbers following it. However, look for the four digits in this series of numbers, as they indicate when the tire was manufactured. Of these four digits, the first two represent the week of manufacture, and the last two represent the year of manufacture.

Let’s say the last four numbers on the tire sidewall are 3621. This simply means that your tire was manufactured in week 36 of the year 2021. Then divide the number of weeks by 4.3 to determine the month of manufacture.

36/ 4,3=8.3772

This means that the tire was manufactured in August 2021. Finally, you will need to subtract the manufacturer’s date from the current date to get the exact age of the tire. In this case,

August 2021 – December 2022= 16 months have passed since it was manufactured. To change this tire, you will have to wait a little over three and a half years.

In addition, if you want to know more information about the tires of your motorcycle, you can also find additional crucial data on them, such as width, height, and even the size of the rim.

See more: How to Install Heated Grips.

Reasons to Change Tires and How that Affects their Service Life

You should replace your tire when it reaches its expiration date, but this is not always the case. Sometimes you may be forced to change your tires before they reach 5 years old due to a number of reasons that we share below:

• The tire has a puncture. If this is the case, it should always be replaced by a professional mechanic.
• The legal limit of tread wear has been reached.
• The tires show signs of aging.
• The tire is damaged (deformed or visible beads, tread rubber peeling off or deforming, damage by oils or corrosive substances, or scratches on the inner sides).
• The tire shows an unusual wear pattern.
• You have the wrong tires for your vehicle.
• Inflation and pressure.
• Change of season.

In addition, aspects such as how much you ride, how fast you ride, the type of motorcycle, riding style, road surface, or the load you are carrying are also key to determining the life of a tire.

Should you Always Change Both Tires?

No, you should only change the tire that has reached the age limit, has tread wear, or has any other defect that we have described above.

In most cases, the rear tire wears faster than the front tire. This is quite understandable since this rear tire sends all the engine power to the road, carrying more than half of the bike’s weight. Moreover, experienced riders confess to changing the front tire with every other rear tire change.

It is also advisable to change the tires if one of them is a different model or brand. And the fact is that riding a motorcycle with tires of different models/brands can lead to strange problems in the handling of the motorcycle.

If you have any doubts after reading this article from Mototechno, we recommend that you always seek the advice of an expert. As specialists in the sector, we offer you a technical service in which more than 35 mechanics work to manage revisions and solve breakdowns. Contact us!