How To Repair A Leaking Schrader Valve From Honda Ac Line

Tyres are the most important role on your bike – your sole connexion with the road for the overwhelming majority of the time.

Related: Best tyre pressure gauges

At that place'southward a lot to know about your bicycle'due south boots, though. In this article we've grouped the most important aspects together, then it'southward your one-cease-shop for all you need to know virtually motorcycle tyres.

How to pick the best motorcycle tyres for you
What force per unit area should my tyres exist?
Finding the perfect trackday tyre pressure level
Motorbike tyre sizes explained
Scrubbing in your tyres
How to change motorbike tyres at home
How to check tyre tread depth
How to check tyre condition
Motorcycle tyres when conveying a pillion
Motorbike tyre reviews on MCN

How to option the all-time motorcycle tyres for y'all

Motorcycle tyres all expect black and round, simply you wouldn't believe how much departure there is between tyre genres.

For many the sheer option of rubber out there is bewildering. It's non helped by the fact that just nigh any tyre on any wheel will feel kind of ok, even if it'due south the wrong one.

Lots of riders stick to the tyre they and their friends similar, but they could be missing out, because choosing the right type of tyre is essential to getting the most out of your bicycle and riding.

At that place are basically three types of tyre for the route: sports, sports touring and fast road/track. So there are another two for the circuit: trackday and racing.

On the confront of information technology choosing the right condom seems easy, but what really is the best tyre for you lot and what happens if you choose the wrong 1?

To find out we've gathered all v genres of 17" rubber from a single manufacturer: Dunlop and we'll put them through a number of scientific tests at their Mireval facility in the south of France. These tyre categories are indicative of what'due south available from Dunlop and most other leading manufacturers.

All five tyre genres: the test

A low speed, second gear (on tickover) figure of viii course will reveal how each tyre affects steering effort, a moisture handling class unlocks what happens when the heavens open and high-speed track piece of work will uncover a tyre's potential at the limit. I'g learning the runway every bit the twenty-four hour period progresses and my lap times naturally get faster, so we've included the times of Dunlop's examination rider, who knows the rails'southward every stone and tyre's behaviour as a judge.

The wheel we're using… and its modes

Yamaha R1

We're using a Yamaha R1 as our testing musical instrument, which volition give u.s.a. consequent results throughout our test. Electronics are turned downwards, or off, and then awe don't mask tyre behaviour.

Power way:B
Traction control:1 (minimum)
Slide control:Off
Brakes:Race pads, braided lines with ABS connected.

Genre ane: Sports touring tyres (Example: Dunlop Roadsmart Three)

Dunlop Roadsmart III sports touring tyre

Tyre highlights: Wear-resistant, rain-friendly multi-chemical compound designed. Large grooves for h2o dispersion.
Cold pressures (f/r): 36/42psi
Dunlop test passenger's lap time: ane:23.0
Neeves's lap fourth dimension: 1:thirty.0

Sports touring tyres take evolved to the signal where they're equally happy on trackdays every bit they are touring, in all weathers, all year circular. They're durable and stable, but that comes at the expense of a lack of outright grip and sportiness.

At low speed: As shortly as they start rolling these tyres are ready to get. They give instant confidence, letting y'all steer the bike with pushbike-light ease and keeping on line with the lightest of touches on the bars. These are characters that volition suit virtually every riding status on the road from sub-zero to sunny temperatures.

At high speed: Sports touring tyres aren't designed for the runway, only they actually perform very well. These Dunlops are used by the Honda Ron Haslam Race School on everything from CBR125s to Blade SPs. Forepart grip and steering accuracy isn't too different to the sports tyre, only the rear has significantly less side grip, although at that place'south plenty of feel for when information technology lets get. For route riding grip won't be a problem, but for crisper steering and lighter treatment sportier tyres are the ones to get for.

In the wet: As you'd expect, sport touring rubber is the best in the wet. Compared to all the other tyres hither information technology'southward almost like riding in the dry out thank you to the amount of grip and conviction they give under braking, acceleration and lean angle.

Best for bikes:Nakeds, super nakeds, sportsbikes, tourers, sports tourers, sports adventure and pure gamble bikes.

Most suited type of passenger: Yr-round commuting, all-atmospheric condition riding, touring fan.

Riding type: 99% route-based, just will handle a gentle trackday.

Genre 2: Sports (Instance: Dunlop Sportsmart 2 Max)

Tyre highlights: Silica-rich multi-compound for moisture performance and sporty profiles for easy steering.
Common cold pressures (f/r): 36/36psi
Dunlop test passenger's lap time: one:21.4
Neeves's lap time: one:26.nine

Lighter, gripper and quicker steering than sports touring tyres these are designed for more off-white-conditions riding and occasional trackday use, but still won't let yous down when yous get caught in bad weather.

At low speed: These take the same neutral steering grapheme as the sports touring tyres, just take a few moments longer to come upwards to temperature, but in that location isn't much in it. They give our R1 examination bike a lighter, more agile and you lot've guessed it, 'sportier' experience at the bars.

At high speed: Sports tyres are generally lighter than sports touring tyres (they don't have such a meaty layer of long-life rubber) and more rounded profiles for quicker steering. The R1 is easier to film through corners and the front has impressive grip. It'southward still easy to unhook the rear with the commencement tap of throttle, but once you're driving the rear tyre digs in hard.

In the wet: Again, these sports tyres have a like feel to their touring counterparts in the wet. Ultimate grip and confidence isn't quite every bit high, but they don't leap any surprises or eye in the mouth moments.

Best for bikes: Nakeds, super nakeds, sportsbikes, superbikes and sports take chances bikes.

Well-nigh suited type of rider: The more spirited, sporty rider.

Riding blazon: A and B route blasting and the occasional trackday.

Genre iii: Fast road/track (Example: Dunlop Sportsmart TT)

Dunlop Sportsmart TT fast road/track tyre

Tyre highlights:Front structure and profile identical to racing tyre. Limited grooves for maximum dry grip.
Cold pressures (f/r):30/22psi
Dunlop examination rider's lap time:1:19.0
Neeves'due south lap fourth dimension:i:23.6

Sandwiched in between sports and route compound trackday safe this tyre genre has enjoyed a renaissance over the past yr with riders fitting them to nakeds too as sportsbikes They're superb on road and truly capable on rails.

At low speed:The first stage of our exam with these tyres sets the scene and show how this genre of tyre manage to combine the best $.25 of road and rails tyres. They're neutral handling, but now the steering starts to feel on the heavy side compared to the sports touring tyres.

At loftier speed:Where the sports and sport touring rubber have similar characters, save for rear grip, now performance leaps up a level, knocking on the door of pukka trackday tyres. No tyre warmers are needed, just later on a lap they're good to go. Front end grip and turning is sublime and you accept to exist ultra ambitious on the throttle at total lean to get the rear to move.

In the wet:You'd never believe a 50/50 road/rail tyre would be then capable in the moisture, simply it is. It's one of the surprises of the test. In fact some Dunlop endurance teams utilize the TT as a racing intermediate in drying track conditions, which shows its truthful versatility.

Best for bikes:Fast nakeds, super nakeds, sports and superbikes.

Almost suited type of rider:Quick rider on road and track

Riding blazon:Fast roads and serious track action

Genre iv: Trackday (Example: Dunlop GP Racer Slick D212)

Dunlop GP Racer slick trackday tyre

Tyre highlights:Race-derived construction, multi-compounds and profile. NTEC rear allows depression track pressures for maximum grip and stability.
Cold pressures (f/r):xxx/17.v
Dunlop test rider's lap time:ane:nineteen.0
Neeves's lap fourth dimension:one:22.nine

Dissimilar racing rubber, trackday tyres don't need tyre warmers to work, won't suffer from heat wheel degeneration and operate in a wide track temperature window. Like these Dunlops many are available in treaded or slick versions.

At low speed:Although these are all the same road tyres (the treaded versions, obviously) and don't need tyre warmers for employ, these take harder, endurance racing-type compounds and accept longer to come up to temperature. Bars need a firmer input to keep the Yamaha on course to stop it sitting up and going straight on.

At high speed:Loaded with the grippy grapheme of the fast road/track tyre, these let you corner that chip faster, beg you lot to let go of the brake earlier to rush in quicker and get on the throttle harder. Unlike race rubber this type of tyre works in a wide track temperature window and don't degrade through continual heat cycles.

In the moisture:Slicks on a wet rails is a recipe for disaster, but treaded road compound trackday tyres volition be ok in the wet at slow speed, simply don't generate the heat to give you the grip of more route-focused rubber.

Best for bicycle:Sports and trackday bikes

Almost suited type of rider:Dedicated circuit head

Riding type:UK and European trackdays

Genre 5: Racing (Instance: Dunlop D213GP PRO)

Dunlop D213GP racing tyre

Tyre highlights:Different compound options to suit track temperature, conditions and race length. Crave a high tyre temperature to work correctly.
Pressures (f/r):30/14.5psi
Dunlop exam passenger'due south lap time:ane:eighteen.0
Neeves's lap time:1:21.6

Racing tyres operate in such a narrow window they only make sense for competition on a racing wheel. They need tyre warmers to work properly and the rut kept in them in employ and will tear to shreds if y'all utilise the wrong chemical compound.

At low speed:This test demonstrates perfectly why race tyres are pointless on the road. Without the heat they demand to work properly all our R1 wants to practise is sit up straight and it takes a big effort to keep it on line around the figure of 8. Unless you can ride hard enough to keep temperature in tyre-warmed competition condom, they'll be worse than road tyres on the street in every way. Fitting race scrubs might wait cool, merely they'll never work besides as y'all call back.

At high speed:For just a 2nd, or and then, improvement over trackday rubber, race tyres are finicky beasts to manage. They need tyre warmers to work properly and to exist able to gear up the correct force per unit area. Unless you cull the right compound for the rails temperature they'll tear and degrade badly through rut cycles, and then not the best choice for trackdays. They're also good for a road bike on road suspension, so you lot can't go the best out of them. Only a professional racer will ever get close to the exploiting the grip they offer.

In the wet:Forget it.

Best for bikes:Fully-prepared race machine.

Most suited type of rider:Racer

Riding type:Contest

How to check motorbike tyre pressure

Checking your wheel tyre pressures on a weekly ground is a really skilful habit to become into.

Not only will you ensure that your handling stays sweet, merely simply crouching down to cheque pressures and condition of the prophylactic will help yous spot whatever other adjustments that may exist needed to the chain or brakes.

Motorcycle tyre pressure tips

Tyre pressures should always be checked when the tyres are cold. As a rule of pollex, tyres are considered cold when they oasis¹t been used for 3 hours or have travelled for less than a mile.
Petrol station gauges are amend than they used to be, but there's no substitute for your own gauge, either digital, or the pencil type (and don't forget to supervene upon the valve cap). If the tyre seems to be losing v-x% a week, bank check that there isn't a pocket-sized leak from the valve itself. Get some spit on the tip your finger and draw it across the valve so that information technology forms a picture. If it starts to bubble up you know y'all need to replace the valve.

Finding the perfect trackday tyre force per unit area

Finding the perfect trackday tyre pressures

A trackday is a great opportunity to test tyre pressures to detect the optimum. Road tyres take to work from the minute they commencement rolling from the garage, when they are cold, so industry communication is to check the pressures when they are absurd.

How long they have to get absurd after a ride takes depends on the ambient temperature, merely a good dominion of thumb for a typical British summertime 24-hour interval is about 45 minutes.

When it comes to the bodily pressures, our recommendation is 36psi front, 42psi rear for road apply, dropping four psi front and rear earlier you start caning it on the track.

Don't forget to go return to route pressures at the terminate of the day, especially if you lot're riding domicile from the trackday.

Motorbike tyre sizes explained

A common question effectually the size of your wheel's tyres is what the numbers and messages actually mean. For example, what on earth does "120/seventy ZR17 M/C (58W)" refer to?

Let's break it down into its elective parts. The first role is the tyre'south width in millimetres, so it's 120mm broad. The side by side bit is the aspect ratio, meaning its acme expressed equally a percentage of width. Here it'southward 70% of 120mm, or 84mm alpine.

It'due south the tyre's speed rating and type of construction next, so ZR refers to the speed rating Z (capable of being ridden above 149mph) and the construction blazon R (radial). The 17 refers to the diameter of your bicycle in inches, so 17". M/C simply denotes a motorcycle tyre.

Finally, the 58W is the speed rating and load alphabetize respectively. "W" means it's rated for a maximum speed of 270km/h at its correct pressure level and under load, while "58" tells the states it'due south rated to comport up to 236kg.

Head here to read the tabular array showing the speed ratings and load index.

Scrubbing in motorcycle tyres

How to scrub in your motorbike tyres

Wondering whether you need to scrub that new set of boots in? The answer's yes, despite modern engineering.

Jim Worland, Metzeler United kingdom Director, told MCN: "There's a big misconception that tyre moulds accept a release amanuensis and that needs to be worn off before the tyre will showtime to grip. That's non the case with our tyres, the moulds are highly polished and the tyre comes out easily.

"When you starting time riding on a new tyre, information technology's not just the contact patch that needs bedding in, it'southward the whole structure. In that location are a lot of components including the steel chugalug, aramid fibres, nylon, rayon, silica, carbon black, oils and a complex mix of elastomers.

"And so at that place is how the tyre is fitted on the rim, ensuring the beads are properly seated. It'due south a running-in procedure similar to a new bike and it'due south important to get the construction working in harmony with the wheel and giving the rider conviction-inspiring feedback.

"One thing that can impact your tyre's initial performance is how it'due south been stored at the dealer or warehouse, as extended exposure to UV light can affect the compound operation."

How to change motorcycle tyres at dwelling house

Learning how to change your own tyres means that yous're complimentary to have advantage of some of the amazing, mail guild tyre deals on offer. That said, changing tyres at abode is a fairly physical task and the larger the tyre, the harder the task becomes.

Fat 190 and 200 section, strong carcass sports tyres can leave you sweating and swearing, wishing yous weren't such a tight arse and had taken it to the local dealer instead. And you also take to make the initial outlay on fitting paraphernalia such as bead billow, balancer, levers and soap.

Then yous take to work out what to exercise with the quondam tyre once you've removed information technology, because they won't take it down at your local household recycling middle, which ways if you're annihilation like me, they'll end up being piled up in the corner of your garage for all eternity.

Here'due south MCN'southward pace-by-step guide to changing motorbike tyres at habitation:

Stand for activeness

Put the bike on a suitable stand that volition allow the wheels to exist removed safely. Apply paddock stands, a swingarm pivot stand up, or your bike's centrestand, and tether if necessary. These devices give much more safe than simply propping the bike up with a jack, which could exist easily knocked equally you wiggle your wheels free.

Pop the valve

Earlier you remove the wheel, cheque the tyre you're about to fit is the correct type and size. Remove the wheel and make a notation of the wheel rotation, as it'due south often not so obvious once the wheel is out. Place the wheel on a surface that won't harm the finish. Undo the dust cap and so use a valve key to remove the valve.

Break the bead

You lot will need a mechanical bead billow to forcefulness the tyre off the rim. Utilize pressure as close to the rim every bit possible to focus the force on the lowest part of the sidewall. Deploy enough forcefulness and the bead will pop of the rim and into the well of the tyre. Rotate the cycle and progressively push the rest of the tyre off the rim.

Push and shove

Flip the cycle over and utilize the bead breaker on the other side. With the tyre now off the rim on both sides, at present'southward the time to utilise a bit of technique. The tyre volition take a tendency to sit back on to the rim, so you demand to button the tyre into the well of the cycle using your hands and knees prior to levering. Information technology's tricky and adequately strenuous.

Lever it off

Place a rim protector at 12 o'clock and another next to it. Holding the tyre off the bead with your knees, insert a lever between the rim and protector, place another 3in away. Utilise pressure to the get-go lever until the tyre flattens, then do the same with the other. Continue around the tyre.

Whack it!

With one side free, insert a lever under the outside of the bead still on the wheel and, using a thick cloth or rag for protection, lever it over the rim. Strike the edge of the tyre close to the rim with a prophylactic mallet to knock the tyre off. Have care as sometimes the wheel can be spat out by the tyre.

Push information technology on

Make clean the within of the wheel, particularly the area where the tyre seals. Lube the bead of the new tyre with tyre soap then offer information technology upward to the wheel, making sure the rotation is correct. Place the tyre on the rim and push button on and away from you, using the almost strength nearest you. Every bit it pops over the rim, slowly transfer the force to the furthest edge and information technology volition popular on.

On your marks

With i side of the tyre on the rim, look for a yellowish dot stamped on the sidewall, this indicates where the valve needs to be. Spin the tyre on the rim until the valve lines up with this marker. Doing this will help reduce the number of wheel weights needed to balance the wheel, and will also human action as a reference to see if the tyre has spun on the rim.

Lever on and inflate

Beginning to lever the tyre on using two levers at once, and use your knees to keep the dewdrop abroad from the rim. If the tyre becomes extremely hard to lever it'southward possible the dewdrop will need pushing off the other side. Inflate the tyre with the valve core removed. When the tyre has popped on both sides of the bicycle, fit the valve and set the correct pressure.

A fine balance

Place the bicycle on the balancer with the dust cap fitted. Remove any stickers and old wheel weights. Spin the wheel, when the bike settles the low-cal spot will be at 12 o'clock, clean this expanse of rim and utilize a weight. Turn the wheel to the three o'clock position and if it doesn't motion the cycle is balanced. If it still creeps effectually, add or remove weights as necessary.

Superlative tools for irresolute your tyres at home

Bead breaker (£61) – this robust Abba bead billow works by applying downward force per unit area on to the bead of a tyre and helps take the effort out of popping a tyre off the rim. Information technology works with tyres upwardly to 200 department.
Tyre levers (£xv) – same principle as the spoons you lot used as a kid when changing your wheel tyres, but motorcycle levers are a bit more robust and characteristic shaped ends to dig under the bead. They unremarkably come in a kit including plastic rim protectors.
Wheel balancer (£96) – a basic stand featuring a choice of dissimilar sized spindles which residuum on roller bearings. This Abba balancer is accurately welded to ensure it stays true at all times. Cheaper versions are available from as trivial as £30.
Valve key (£2.50) – only the ticket for extracting that pesky little valve. All bikes and cars use a Schreder-type valve which features a threaded cadre at its heart. This tool will unscrew the core, and information technology's very satisfying to use.

How to bank check motorbike tyre tread depth

This is not how to check your motorbike's tread depthThis is not how to check your motorbike's tread depth

Too as inflating them correctly, the Police says that the grooves of the tread pattern must have a depth of a least 1mm throughout a continuous ring measuring at least three-quarters of the breadth of the tread and round the entire outer circumference of the tyre.

As quite a few bike tyres have grooves that don't extend beyond three-quarters of the latitude of the tread any groove of the original design must have a minimum depth of at least 1mm.

That's the absolute minimum and 2mm is when we'd alter our rubber as the tyre's profile will have contradistinct past then.

Purchase yourself a tread depth gauge at your local automobile accessories shop.

How to check motorbike tyre status

How to check your motorbike's tyre condition

Regular close inspection of a tyre is important, as cuts weaken the tyre's structure and may be deeper than you think.

Conveying a pillion or baggage can pb to tyre damage. Refer to the owner's manual for correct tyre pressures with a load. If this isn't bachelor, a practiced tip is to add 3psi to both tyres until the correct figure can be obtained from your dealer.

Buying a secondhand bike is stressful, and worrying nigh the status of the engine can mean missing out on other areas – tyres are arguably as important as the motor. Check the tyres are in practiced nick, especially on older bikes with original tyres – tyres perish if left in sunlight or if they take come into contact with fuel or oil.

A punctured tyre can exist temporarily repaired every bit long as the puncture isn't likewise big (fingernail size penetration) and is on the treaded area only – never ever on the tyre's sidewalls. Any repair (sealing mousse or internal mushroom patch/plug) must be treated as temporary and the tyre replaced asap. The running speed of the wheel must also be reduced as heat can weaken the repair. Repairs should non be carried out to tyres of over speed rating 'Z' (149mph – about 600cc bikes and above) – how would you feel if your secondhand GSX-R's unknown repair blew out at that speed? Larger holes shouldn't be repaired as the inner carcass is more likely to have been damaged.

A leaking (Schrader) tyre valve core – detected past placing spit on top of the valve to see if information technology bubbling up – can exist cured by tightening the core with a valve fundamental (to a higher place left). Supervene upon the core or valve if it yet leaks after tightening. Too note that hot air expands, so the core might just leak when the tyre is hot and the air pressure level within has grown.

Valve caps are important to retaining air inside a tyre – any flash, contemporary caps that don't have a rubber-sealing ring inside them should exist thrown away. Why? The seal prevents dust from inbound the valve core, causing it to stick. It might also cease all the air from escaping in 1 hit if the valve core works loose.

Although tyres are made to exacting standards, there is always an imbalance betwixt a new tyre and the rim. An unbalanced tyre will crusade vibration and accelerate tyre habiliment. Balancing by use of weights is all-time left to dynamic auto balancers as they tin can detect exactly which part of the rim needs added weight.

Motorbike tyres when carrying a pillion

Riding pillion on a motorbike

A lot of bikers don't carp irresolute their tyre pressures for when they carry a pillion, merely it is advisable to do so. If you have it handy, refer to the possessor's manual for correct tyre pressures for carrying pillions. If you don't have the manual handy and so it's best to add 3psi – 5psi to account for the actress weight.

Motorbike tyre reviews by MCN

Pirelli Angel GT 2 – ultimate all-rounders
Dunlop SportSmart Mk3 – accept your cake, and consume it
Continental ContiTrailAttack three – impressive feedback and grip
Bridgestone S22 – you won't go far incorrect plumbing fixtures a fix