How many years do motorcycle tires last


How long do motorcycle tires last

Motorcycle tire age

Before they leave the manufacturing floor, tires are dated. This sets their lifespan in motion. You can determine how old your tires are by checking the Tire Identification Number (TIN) on the tire sidewall. The last four digits tell the week and year of manufacture. For example, 0221 represents the second week of 2021.

A common recommendation by industry insiders is to stop riding on motorcycle tires more than five years old. The new tires you buy, however, could already be a few years old. If you purchase tires from a reputable supplier that stores them correctly, it’s potentially safe to ride on them longer.

Motorcycle tire life beyond five years

Some manufacturers will tell you that you can ride on tires until they’re 10 years old. So, five or 10? Even if your motorcycle tires look good to you after five years from the date they were manufactured, have them inspected each year by a tire professional. Motorcycle tires never last longer than 10 years. If your bike’s tires are older than this, you need to replace them.

Tire tread

Manufacturers cut grooves called rain sipes into street tires to disperse water on the road and provide traction. If you look at the edge of the tread on the motorcycle tire sidewall, you’ll find tread wear indicator (TWI) markings. At the TWI, you’ll find a raised bar across the tire in the rain sipes. When the tread has worn down to be level with that bar, your tires are worn out. Order new ones now.

Check for motorcycle tire defects

Make inspecting your tires part of your routine, pre-ride motorcycle safety inspection. Motorcycle tires are vulnerable to wear and abuse from the road surface. Pull over and check your tires if you hit a pothole or run over debris.

Here are some tire defects you need to look for:

  • Cracks, fractures, and cuts: Cracks on the sidewalls or in the rain sipes or tread develop when a tire is aging out. Fractures could indicate the tire is failing. Cuts come from impacts on the road. If you see any of these, replace that tire.
  • Punctures: Running over a nail or other sharp object can puncture the tire tread. A thin puncture in the tread might be pluggable. View this repair as a temporary solution so you can get to a shop and replace the tire. You cannot repair a sidewall puncture.
  • Inflation and pressure: Motorcycle tires need to be properly inflated when cold. Consider the load the bike is carrying when inflating. Riding with a passenger or heavy luggage requires a higher cold pressure. Never exceed the maximum pressure indicated on the sidewall.
  • How the bike handles: If you notice a change in how your motorcycle handles, it may indicate your tires are wearing out. Abrupt sensations when cornering or braking or vibration on smooth straight pavement are signs of advanced tread wear. Inspect the tires or have a tire professional inspect them.

Don’t leave yourself unprotected if the unexpected happens on your next ride. Review your current coverage and get a free motorcycle insurance quote today.

Check the tire mileage

It’s important to record your motorcycle’s mileage when you have new tires mounted. This gives you a starting point to track tire lifespan. Many riders expect to get the same mileage from each set of new tires, but tire life factors change over time. Experienced riders also consider factors like logging more two-up touring or track-like days in gauging their expectations and replacement plans.

Think about motorcycle storage

How you store your motorcycle will also affect how long your motorcycle tires last. Exposure to the sun ages tires, as do temperature extremes and fluctuations. Generally, storing your bike in a garage will lengthen your tires’ lifespan. When you bring a motorcycle out from storage, it’s time to check your tires’ age and perform a careful inspection.

Choose to get new tires

Your motorcycle tires connect you to the road—which is why it’s dangerous to try and get the last possible mile out of your tires. When the tread nears the wear marks or looks like it’s wearing unevenly, or your tires are showing signs of aging, it’s time for a new set.

You have many choices of motorcycle tires. Stay with your motorcycle manufacturer’s recommended size and don’t mix brands or types on the front and rear. Your best bet is to change both at the same time. A rear tire may wear out first, but a new set will give you better handling and may make your motorcycle feel new again.

Tires are the second-most frequently incurred expense in motorcycle maintenance after oil changes. While quality tires aren’t cheap, they’re worth it considering what rides on them. To discover more ways you can help protect your bike—and yourself—get a free, quick quote from Dairyland® today.

Till next time, ride safe!

 

The general information in this blog is for informational or entertainment purposes only. View our blog disclaimer.

How Long Do Motorcycle Tires Last?

Did you know that your motorcycle tires have a shelf life?

Table of Contents

The average motorcycle tire lasts for five years. However, some motorcycle tires might last for less than five years because of constant wear and tear or changes in weather. Your motorcycle tire might not last long because of a puncture or because it has become damaged. To check the tire’s age, look at its side wall for its manufacturing date. 

This is arguably the most valuable motorcycle safety advice; old, worn-out tires significantly affect the performance and traction level of your bike on the road, making it dangerous to ride.

With this in mind, you'd want to know exactly how old your tires are so that you can replace them on time, regardless of tread wear.

How Old Can Motorcycle Tires Be and Still Be Safe?

The reason why tires come with an age limit is that the rubber components used to make them tend to deteriorate with time.

To be precise, the rubber compounds will oxidize with continued use. This leads to hardening and, thus, increased brittleness and reduced flexibility.

See Also: Best Motorcycle Tire Repair Kit Reviews

Since oxidization is a developing process, these tires come with an age limit—regardless of whether you use them or not.

How Often to Replace Motorcycle Tires?

Now that we have stated that you should not use your motorcycle tires after they hit 5 years, you might be wondering how you can check the age of your tires.

It's simple; all the information you need to determine your the age of your tires is written on the sidewall.

Check the sidewall of your tire for the acronym "DOT" and check the series of numbers that follows it.

Focus on the last 4 digits of these number series as they'll help you uncover when your tire was manufactured. Of these 4 digits, the first 2 represent the week of manufacture, and the last 2 represent the year of manufacture.

For example,

Let's say the last four numbers on your tire sidewall are 3517. This simply means that your tire was made on the 35th week of the year 2017.

Having deciphered this info, grab a calculator and divide the number of weeks by 4.3 to determine the month of manufacture.

35/4.3= 8.1395

This means the tire was made in August 2017.

Now subtract the manufacturer date from the current date to get the exact tire age.

In this case:

August 2019 - August 2017= 2 years.

For this particular tire, you'll have to replace it in August 2022, so you'll have to wait for around 3 more years.

Remember that the sidewalls of these tires also provide you with additional crucial info on the tire's width and height, and even the rim size. This will come in handy when looking for a tire replacement.

IMPORTANT: If you go shopping for tires from a dealer today and come across a tire that was manufactured last year, it's still considered new. BUT… keep in mind that the safe limit for all rubber tires is 5 years from the manufacturing date. This is the period after which the rubber compounds cease being reliable.

Rule of thumb: Replace your motorcycle tires when they hit their 5th birthday, even if they still appear to be in good working conditions.

For How Many Miles / Years Do Motorcycle Tires Last?

You need to replace your tire when they hit they hit their expiry date.

But this isn't always the case.

Sometimes, you might be forced to change the tires before they hit 5 years due to a number of reasons that we're going to share with you below…

  • Your tire suffers a puncture: if your motorcycle tire gets a tire flat or puncture of any kind, consider replacing it asap. You should only use the puncture kit to help you reach the nearest mechanic to get a new tire. Riding with a punctured tire can be a risky affair.
  • Tread wear: the tread on your tires plays a significant role in improving grip on all surfaces and pushing away water. If this tread starts wearing, therefore, your bike becomes dangerous to ride. If your tires reach the legal tread wear limit (which is 2/32" (or 0.8 millimeters) of tread depth), you must replace them.
  • Tire gets damaged: regularly inspect your tires for damages such as dry rots. If you notice any cracking along the tire sides, you should also consider replacing your tires immediately.
  • Unusual wear pattern on your tire: we also advise you to inspect the side profile of your tires. If you notice that the tire has assumed oddly square shape (or anything less than round), this means they have suffered enough tear and wear, and it's time to replace them.
  • Change of season. There are tires that you use in winter especially if the weather gets quite extreme in your part of the world, and make sure to change them out when summer comes along.

Should You Always Replace Both Tires?

Not really.

You should only replace the tire that has reached the age limit, has tread wear, or has any other defects we have outlined above.

If you notice any physical damages on both tires or they're over 5 years from the date of manufacture, only then should you consider replacing both of them.

In most cases, the rear tire wears out faster than the front one. This is quite understandable given that this rear tire sends all the engine's power on the road, taking more than half of your bike's weight.

Most seasoned riders confess to changing the front tire with every second rear tire change.

In case you're switching to a different model or brand of tires, then you might consider changing both the front and rear tires. Riding a bike with tires of different models/brands might result in strange handling issues.

Tips for Keeping Your Tires In Good Shape For Long

Frequently replacing your motorcycle tires before they reach the recommended age limit can take a toll on your finances.

Luckily, you can observe the following motorcycle tire maintenance tips to ensure your tires stand the test of time:

  • Inspect both your motorcycle tires before any ride to ensure they're in good working condition for a safe ride. Look for tread wear and cuts, cracking, or foreign objects chipped onto your tires.
  • Check the pressure of both tires and ensure they're periodically inflated before you ride your bike, under-inflation can cause the rubbers to create excess heat which leads to a tire blowout. Likewise, riding with overinflated tires can cause your tires to get easily punctured, cut or broken by sudden impact.
  • Where you ride your bike can also affect the tire's longevity. For instance, excessive exposure of tires to sunlight has been shown to cause dry rot. Riding in a parking lot of full of rust nails can cause damage to your tires
  • Whenever you change tires, take time to break in the new ones. Ride the first 100 miles cautiously to ensure proper break-in and extended excellent service. Say no to hard cornering, sudden acceleration, maximum braking, etc. with your new tires.

How Long Do Motorcycle Tires Last: Conclusion

Motorcycle tires have a maximum age limit of 5 years, after which you should replace them, even if they still look perfect. Past this period, the rubber components used to make them tend to harden, making them feel brittle and less flexible.

But you don't always have to wait for the expiry date to replace your tires. Regularly inspect, and if you notice any punctures, cuts, damages, tear and wear, etc., you should consider changing the tire, even if the 5-year period isn't over.

Regular (and proper) tire maintenance can go a long way in helping your tires serve you for longer, avoid frequent replacements, and save you money.

Service life of tires

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Sale of moto tires is temporarily suspended due to lack of information from manufacturers about current prices.
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  1. Consumer disputes over the age of the tire have not subsided for several seasons. When purchasing motorcycle or scooter tires, we are often asked the same question: “Is the rubber fresh?”. If they hear in response: “Week 45 of 2017”, not to mention 2016-15, they say in disappointment: “So old?! We would like "fresh".

    Let's take a look at the myth of "old tires" together.

    To begin with, let's define the understanding of the terms used: warranty shelf life, tire aging and tire life (service life).

    1. Shelf life - a certain period during which the product, subject to the established rules of storage and operation, retains all its properties.

    According to the legislation of the Russian Federation GOST 5652-89 "Pneumatic tires for motorcycles, sidecars, motor scooters and mopeds Specifications" p.p. 5.2. Guaranteed shelf life of tires - five years from the week of manufacture; tires 2.50/85-6 - four years from the week of manufacture.

    Five-year storage periods are set not because the tire will deteriorate after that, but because, by law, the manufacturer does not have the right to establish a shorter warranty period.

    Thus, with standard storage of tires in a warehouse for up to 5 years, according to their technical characteristics, they can be considered “new”.

    Moreover, in the technical specifications of tire manufacturers, there is no concept of “warranty shelf life” at all. For an illustrative example, see below:

    2. What is tire aging? Tire aging is the physical state of the tire, which is determined solely by the conditions of storage and use. For example, if a new tire is mounted on a parked scooter or stored near a transformer (ozone is detrimental) or a radiator, it is natural that the sidewalls of the tire will develop permanent cracks, which will impair its performance and ability to hold pressure.

    A new tire has a preservation layer that wears off after 300 km, and only after that does the rubber begin to “dry” (“age”).

    The age of tires during standard storage is an insignificant, non-determining factor that should not be taken into account when buying them.

    The tire is considered old and must be replaced when the legally or technologically permissible residual tread depth is reached in at least one area. The legislation of Russia in accordance with the Decree of the Government of the Russian Federation of October 23, 1996 No. 1090 (as amended on December 24, 2018) “On the rules of the road”, “SDA of the Russian Federation, 5. Wheels and tires”. 5.1. The residual depth of the tire tread pattern (in the absence of wear indicators) is no more than: for vehicles of categories L - 0.8 mm; for vehicles of categories N2, N3, O3, O4 - 1 mm; for vehicles of categories M1, N1, O1, O2 - 1.6 mm; for vehicles of categories M2, M3 - 2 mm (category L - motor vehicles, including: mopeds, motorbikes, mokiki . ..).

    For comparison, the permissible residual tread depth in Germany is 1.6 mm, in France, Great Britain and the USA it is 1.0 mm.

    3. What is tire life? This is the operating period specified by the respective manufacturer. As we can see in the graph above, Michelin tires have a lifespan of 10 years if the recommendations for storage, speed intervals, loads and an annual tire inspection by a specialist after 5 years of operation are followed.

    The British Rubber Manufacturers Association recommends purchasing tires within 6 years from the date of manufacture, respectively, with subsequent operation for 10 years (the paragraph uses information from the official website www.avontyres.com/en-gb/contact.

    English manufacturer tires Avon recommends purchasing a tire within 5 years from the date of manufacture, respectively, followed by 10 years of use.0006

    From the above it follows that the life of a tire should not be confused with the process of its aging and storage. That is, the tire of 2016 purchased in 2019 is N O V A Y.

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