When you’re on a motorcycle, your tires are all that stand between you and the pavement. While you’re likely to spend more time focused on other aspects of motorcycle maintenance, it’s still important that you routinely inspect the condition of your tires and do everything possible to ensure they remain safe for when you hit the road. Otherwise, you might be making a hasty call to your insurance agency in Corydon, IN—or worse, end up with a nasty injury!
Here are just a few tips for making sure your motorcycle tires are safe.
- Get a pressure gauge: Keep an eye on the pressure of your tires and make sure you keep them inflated within an acceptable range. It’s a good idea to purchase a high-quality pressure gauge; they are relatively inexpensive and will be very useful for tracking the air pressure in your motorcycle tires. You can purchase a simple analog pressure gauge for your travel kit and a fancier digital gauge for your garage toolkit. Electronic gauges take up a bit more space but will give you more accurate readings.
- Inflate your tires: Your owner’s manual will contain information about the recommended tire pressure for your motorcycle. Regularly check your pressure and inflate the tires to that recommended range. If the pressure is too low or too high, it will cause uneven wear and might cause safety and handling issues. Keeping the pressure within the proper range will make it safer to ride your bike and will create more efficient operation. It might be a good idea to stick on the higher range of what the manufacturer recommends just to be on the safe side, especially if you tend to go a while before checking the tire pressure.
- Add air: When inflating your tires, it is best to use dry air or nitrogen, although the latter is much more expensive. Your tires should be fine so long as the air you put in is dry. Make sure you do not have any issues with humidity in your air compressor—this is something that could quickly cause problems in your tires, as well as in your air compressor itself.
- Adjust suspension: You customize your ride a little bit by adjusting your suspension. This isn’t necessarily possible for all bikes, but if it’s possible for yours, it can be a good alternative to messing with your tire pressure to give you the feel you want when you’re on the road.
- Use good driving habits: Maintaining good, safe driving habits is another way you can extend the life of your motorcycle tires and keep them in good condition for as long as possible. Taking hard corners, speeding or riding the brakes can all cause premature tire wear, which can result in you needing to replace the tires sooner.
Keeping your motorcycle tires in good condition will ensure that your bike is safe for riding, minimizing the risk of accidents and injuries. Want to learn more about motorcycle maintenance and how motorcycle safety affects insurance rates? Contact our insurance agency in Corydon, IN!