Picking out the right motorcycle tires for your ride is no easy task for the novice or new rider! With all the choices of manufacturers, sizes, and models you can end up with a migraine in a hurry! Your often times going to want to wonder why there are so many choices but that is the easy part to explain. It is because no two riders are identical by habit, style, or location so you will have a lot of variables.
The best bet is to decide what kind of riding you do. Are you a commuter? Do you like to play more than anything? Or are you simply one who is always trying to do everything with only one bike to ride? If you have some idea of what it is you want to do with your bike on a general basis your decision making process will be made a lot simper and more concise!
When shopping for motorcycle tires the best bet is to stick with a stock size tire for the front and back. You can sometimes vary these a little but when you do all kinds of problems can pop up from clearance issues, bead seating on the original rim, or even suspension and handling woes! A big fat back tire can look cool but if you are not one to deal with sourcing a wider swing arm/rim, offset sprocket or belt spacers, and handling variances I would recommend forgetting about. If that is not an option then do your self a favor and research it before you buy.
Asking around to people in the industry can clarify what is and isn't possible for a given machine. You can also find out how expensive it will be to get that custom fatty look on the back of your bike. Bigger motorcycle tires may not cost a lot more but the installation cost at the end may be a real shocker when you have to throw extra parts at it just to make it work!
You may also be perplexed by the wide selection of manufacturers on the market today. A lot can be said of each of them and I won't go into great detail except to say that previously I had run only Dunlop on my bike but am switching to Bridgestone for this year.
My reasoning is simply because I want to try something different. I haven't had any bad experience with the other tires just that I really like Bridgestone for their technological prowess and have been wanting a pair. In any event if you do not have a preferred manufacturer you may be best off sticking with the original one you had as long as the previous performance of the motorcycle tires was up to your expectations. Cost is always a factor in everything we do but I would keep in mind the old adage that you get what you pay for. When you only have to tiny little contact patches keeping you off the tarmac it is not advisable to skimp here!
Different models of tires is where the head spinning can really occur and I suggested you have some idea of how you ride because that is what makes this so much easier. A lot of sport bike riders want the fanciest stickiest track tires out there. Most of them rarely run on a race track and on the street they barely ever get the full performance potential of there investment. This is where being honest with yourself pays big dividends.
I ordered a set of Bridgestone BT-021 tires because truthfully I don't think I have ever had my sport bike at full lean yet and have no time to take it to a race track in the near future. This is going to be a better set of motorcycle tires because they are a sport touring tire which offers a longer wearing compound than the Qualifiers I have now and will warm up faster and stay warm at street legal road speeds. Some of the racier track day models available will offer superior traction but at the cost of wear/mileage and warm up time. Some race tires will never warm up on the street because you need to ride at a break neck pace constantly to keep them warm and sticky. With out that warmth the tire is actually less able to adhere to a road surface than some of the other sporting or sport touring compounds making them less safe! Again, ask people who know in the industry and you will be a lot further along than finding out the hard way!
Another factor can be where you ride. If you ride in extremes think about that and decide accordingly. An example is if you live in an area with heavy rains or travel long distances. Some tires have vary little tread which looks cool and racy but will lead to hydro planning in the wet. Travel a lot or simply get rained on every day? Your chances of riding in a down pour are high and you may want to consider a tire with more tread grooves in it.
After all is said and done and you have gotten your tires installed there is one last thing to remember. Get your tires broken in on the first few rides before trusting them as much as the last pair that used to carve corners for you. New tires should be ridden with care for the first time or two until you have had them gradually worn in. For more info on this visit mototiresonline.com. This site has specialized in motorcycle tires and has some useful postings. Now you can fully enjoy your ride with a new set of motorcycle tires and any destination, you are ready to ride into the sunset!
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