5 SIGNS IT’S TIME TO REPLACE MOTORCYCLE TIRES

It can sometimes be challenging to see the wear bars. Harley-Davidson offers tire pressure gauges that feature a tool for measuring tire tread depth, available at your local authorized Harley-Davidson® dealer or online at H-D.com.

2.    Your Tires Are Old

Many factors can affect tire lifespan including weather conditions, storage and usage conditions, load, speed, tire pressure, maintenance, and riding style. Even if older tires appear to be in good shape, the rubber compound can begin to dry out over time, and the internal construction can deteriorate. All riders should regularly spend some time inspecting their tires to pick up on any external signs of aging or wear, such as deformations or cracks in the tread, on the shoulders or sides.

The UV in the bright sun can prematurely age the tires if the bike is usually parked outdoors. Inspect your tire’s sidewalls for small cracks or discoloration that make the tire appear to be drying out.

The date-of-manufacture code on the sidewall of every motorcycle tire will indicate the age of the tire. The code is preceded by DOT (Department of Transportation), followed by a series of numbers. The last four digits are the date code – the first two numbers represent a week, and the second pair indicates a year. For example, a tire with a code of 3522 was manufactured in the 35th week of 2022. Checking this code is important if you are buying a used motorcycle to determine if the tires should be replaced. Dunlop and Michelin, the tire suppliers to Harley-Davidson, recommend that after five years or more of use, tires should be examined every year by a professional mechanic, and replaced 10 years after the date of manufacture, even if they have not reached the legal wear out limit.

The UV in the bright sun can prematurely age the tires if the bike is usually parked outdoors. Inspect your tire’s sidewalls for small cracks or discoloration that make the tire appear to be drying out.

3.   The Tire is Damaged

Rough pavement, potholes and impacting blunt objects can seriously damage tires. Any tear, cut or deformation in a tire should be carefully examined by a professional mechanic. Consider the repair of a punctured tire with a plug a temporary “get home” procedure. A repaired tire loses its speed rating and should be replaced. Harley-Davidson recommends that when riding on a repaired tire, speed should not exceed 50 mph for the first 24 hours after repair, and the repaired tire should never be used over 80 mph.

4.      THERE’S CUPPING OR UNEVEN WEAR OF THE TREAD ON THE TIRE

Tread that is worn unevenly can affect handling and cause uncomfortable vibration. It may also be an indication of another problem, such as an unbalanced wheel, a bent or mis-aligned axle, a damaged wheel rim, a bad wheel bearing or riding with incorrect tire pressure. A professional technician can often diagnose other problems by looking at uneven tread wear.

5.      You Have the Wrong Tires on Your Motorcycle

Motorcycle manufacturers carefully select tires for each model, and those tires are often integral to the performance of the motorcycle. Harley-Davidson only recommends the use of its specified tires in the original size, speed rating, load rating, and construction as the Original Equipment tires.