Motorcycle tires can be the one thing to keep the motorcycle from skidding down the road during wet weather. They can also keep the ride smooth and make handling the motorcycle easier and more effective. There are two different types of construction in motorcycle tires.

The first construction of motorcycle tires is bias ply motorcycle tires. Bias ply motorcycle tires are made up of nylon or rayon cords are overlapped. Heat is generated by a flexing action. The problem with this is that too much heat can quickly wear out the tire and decrease the performance. These tend to have tall sidewalls and a rounder profile.

The second construction of motorcycle tires is radial construction. The plies on this type of motorcycle tires runs at 90 degree angles and creates less heat. Tire pressure is really important to these motorcycle tires and the sidewalls are flexed easily. These tend to have shorter sidewalls and wider and a flatter profile.

The next part of the motorcycle tires to consider is the tread patterns or sipes. Both the bias ply and the radial constructed motorcycle tires have different tread based on what they are used for. Tires meant to ride in rain would have more tread grooves then the motorcycle tires on a motorcycle not meant to ride in the rain. Based on this, a touring motorcycle’s tires would have more grooves then the sport bike because the touring motorcycles are meant to ride in the rain while the sport bikes are not. Sports bikes need all the traction they can get, therefore, tires for a sports bike would have less grooves to allow the tire greater traction.

There are different factors that affect motorcycle tires to wear. Softer compounds wear quickly but have better traction. Motorcycle tires that are made of harder compounds wear slower, but have less traction. This is why manufacturers use a combination of harder and softer compounds in making tires.

The top reason for motorcycle tires to wear prematurely is underinflation. Underinflation causes tires to be harder to handle but also increases wear. Sometimes the tire manufacturer’s suggested inflation is different from motorcycle manufacturer’s suggestions. Always follow the motorcycle tires manufacturer.

Another factor affecting the wear of the tire is the style of riding. Cruisers tend to wear out rear tires first because more weight is on the rear tire. Those who have more aggressive riding styles and who use the front break more would wear out the front tire first.

Motorcycle tires tend to be more expensive then car tires, but this is because the engineering of motorcycle tires has to take into account the horse power and stress forces on the motorcycle tires. In addition, there can be nine different compounds in motorcycle tires.

Seeing the hundreds of different motorcycle tires manufactured can be confusing in the search for perfect motorcycle tires. Once you know what your motorcycle’s particular needs are, it is much easier to narrow down the possibilities. Look at construction, tread grooves, wear patterns and inflation suggestions to keep the motorcycle tires in the best possible condition.