Motorcycle tire care and maintenance: part three-tire and wheel care and performance
By Fred Kreider - Jan 23, 2006

Properly assembled and installed tires and wheels could mean safe riding and will increase the length of wear from your tires.  Here are some of the things to look for while operating your motorcycle, while inspecting the wear of your tires and wheels and while caring for your motorcycle.

There is a new tire break-in period:
Replacements of worn, differently patterned or constructed tires will not react or feel the same as what you have become accustomed to. When new tires are fitted, they should not be subjected to maximum power, abrupt lean-over or hard cornering until a reasonable run-in distance of approximately 100 miles has been covered. This will permit the rider to become accustomed to the feel of the new tires or tire combination, find the edge, and achieve optimum road grip for a range of speeds, acceleration and handling use. New tires will have a very different contact patch and lean-over edge. New tires, mixing a new tire with a worn older tire, and mixing different pattern combinations require careful ride evaluation and handling.

Spokes:
Inspect spokes and replace any broken spokes and tighten any loose ones. Broken or loose spokes transfer additional tension to adjoining spokes, creating the potential for further spoke failures. After tightening or replacing spokes, be sure that the wheel rims run true.

Both broken and loose spokes may cause wheel wobble, thus accelerating tire wear, and could cause instability.

Load Carrying Capabilities!
Tires offering different load-carrying capacities are available. Consider carefully the weight of the motorcycle, the weight of any optional equipment and whether it will carry passengers. Remember, the load- carrying capability of the tires is also reduced by under-inflation. It is possible to overload a tire even though it is the size specified by the motorcycle manufacturer. Consult your Motorcycle Owners Manual for load parameters and recommended pressures for your tires.
•  Never exceed the accessory restrictions and vehicle load capacity found in the Motorcycle Owner's Manual.   Before a trip, be sure to determine the total weight of luggage, equipment, and rider(s) to be added to the motorcycle.  Adjust the load accordingly.

Trailers attached to your motorcycle may contribute to motorcycle instability, tire stresses and overload. Such stresses and overload can cause irreversible damage resulting in sudden tire failure and accident. Some tire manufacturers recommend that you not attach trailers to your motorcycle and do not warranty tires used on motorcycles that pull trailers.
•  Sidecars should not be fitted unless approved by the motorcycle manufacturer.

Minimum Tread Depth!
Excessively worn tires are more susceptible to penetrations. Always remove tires from service before they reach the tread wear indicator bars at 1/32 of an inch tread pattern depth remaining. Worn/unworn tire combinations and worn tires used in wet conditions will increase handling challenges.

Sunlight, Oil and Gasoline!
Prolonged storage resulting in tire exposure to direct sunlight for long periods of time will harden and age more quickly than those kept in a dark or dimly lit area.  Similarly, contact with oil or gasoline, and other chemicals, causes contamination of the rubber compound, making the tire unsuitable for use. Wipe off any oil or gasoline immediately with a clean rag.

Do not use any tire that has been exposed to oil, gasoline, corrosives or non-rubber compatible liquids.

Storage Exposure to Extreme Heat and Ozone!
Try to avoid frequent and varied extremes of temperature during storage.

Do not keep tires next to radiators or sources of heat. Tires subjected to these conditions will age more quickly than those stored in a cool, constant environment.

Do not store tires where electric motors are present. The high concentration of ozone will accelerate tire aging.

Sidewall Treatment!
Use a mild soap solution to clean sidewalls, white striping or lettering, and rinse off with plain water. Never apply any other material, cleaners or dressings, to enhance sidewall appearance. These may degrade rubber and remove inherent ozone cracking/weather checking resistance.

Wheel Inspection and Replacement!
Bent wheel rims and bent or cracked cast wheels should be replaced immediately.

Bent rims may cause wheel wobble, bead unseating and, in the case of tubeless tires, gradual air loss. Sudden wheel failure may result from the use of cracked cast wheels. Be aware of these conditions and their consequences.

Wheel Alignment!
Be sure to align the wheels each time the rear wheel is removed or the chain or belt is adjusted. Each revolution of an incorrectly aligned wheel can scuff off tread rubber, reduce tire mileage, and impair steering and cornering.

The primary source of information contained in this article is Dunlop Tire.