Dollars
One of the most expensive maintenance (and safety!) items on a bike is tires. A full set of tires with installation can run anywhere between $300 and $600. Higher performance tires are stickier and have shorter lives. Touring tires are not necessarily less expensive, but last longer on heavier touring and cruiser bikes than their performance-oriented cousins.
Duration
How long should a motorcycle tire last? This is a multifaceted question: it depends on the compound of the tire, the kind of riding done, the weather in which the tire experiences "break in," the weight of the bike, the air pressure run and so forth.
Front tires tend to last longer than rear tires. Consider this: the output of the engine forces the rear tire to turn against the road, whereas the front tire merely rolls along. The friction generated by the rear tire is much greater, causing a shorter lifespan. This is partly why automobiles require tire rotation on a regular basis: it maximizes tread life by spreading out the wear across all the tires; Motorcycles have no such option.
Generally speaking, a Goldwing (800 lbs) will get 3,000 to 4,000 miles out of a common rear tire. My FJR (600 lbs) gets between 6,000 and 12,000 miles out of a tire. My old Nighthawk (400 lbs) could probably eke out 20,000 miles from a rear tire.
Destruction
This is an example of a tire ridden waaaaay past its useful life... Pictured is a Yamaha Roadstar with 6,000 miles on the factory (original!) tire.
The technician noted that
- The metal cords were showing,
- The center of the tire (for where the bike is ridden most - upright) had no tread left and
- The tire was under-inflated by more than fifteen pounds!
In short, this is a dangerous tire condition!
- The cords help provide the structure and integrity of the tire. So if the mechanism that maintains the structure of the tire begins to wear, the tire could lose structure (dramatically deflate = blowout) and result in personal injury and damage to the motorcycle.
- The lack of center tread reduces useful traction on most street surfaces as it cannot handle surface irregularities like rocks and small animals. Nor can it push water out of the way. Loss of traction due to water (hydroplaning) will result in personal injury and damage to the motorcycle.
- Finally, low tire pressure in a motorcycle tire causes heat buildup, tire deformation and possible catastrophic failure (hey, that blowout thing again!).
When prompted, the owner confessed to the bike handling poorly. However, he was "outraged" that the tire didn't last longer! He was more concerned about the tires warranty than his personal safety. Most riders for that style of motorcycle/tire combination get 4,000 to 5,000 miles. That he survived the 6,000 on this one is a testament to good fortune (and embarrassment to this inexperienced rider). Hopefully, he left a little bit wiser (and with a fresh set of tires!)
Detection
With experience, a rider can detect a pressure loss of a few pounds. Normally, I can tell down to about two pounds loss on the FJR... But the best (and safest) policy is to check tire pressure regularly, particularly if your rides are farther in-between.
Legally, tire tread depth must have at least 2/32", though you may want to replace them earlier if you intend to do a longer trip. Having both tires changed at the same time will give the bike a "fresh" feel and improve handling. Using two rears to a front results in poorer handling during the duration of the second tire and a less enjoyable ride. Replacing one tire at a time is less convenient and less satisfactory.
Final Thoughts
So you will replace motorcycle tires much more frequently than on a car or truck. If you ride 3,000 miles a year on a heavyweight bike, this could mean an easy $500 in tires every other year.
Think bikes are cheap? Think again!
References:
Dunlop Tire Tips
Wikipedia: Radial Tires
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