If you are about to go out for a ride on your motorcycle, there can be many things that can dissuade you from doing so, such as the cleanliness and the fuel of the bike, but one thing is that you should never go out with are worn tires.
If you have been wondering how many miles do motorcycle tires last, you will be surprised to know that the average motorcycle tire can last anywhere from 3,000 to 15,000 miles. You should expect your tires to last at least 5 years if you take good care of them in terms of years.
Many other factors can affect how many miles the tires can last, which is why in this article, I will talk about everything you need to know that affect how long your tires last and how you can make them last longer.
How Long Should You Expect From Your Motorcycle Tires?
The tires of every motorcycle will not always do the same amount of work. Some motorcycle tires will get much less use, while others will travel long miles.
Regardless of how many miles the motorcycle tires may traverse, there will be cases where a set of tires, which traveled much more than another set of tires, will be in much better condition than the set of tires, which only traveled for a handful of miles.
Many factors can affect how many miles your motorcycle tires will last, and there are various signs that your motorcycle tires have reached their limits.
While I will discuss the factors which affect motorcycle tires later in the article, here, I will talk about how many miles you should realistically expect from your motorcycle tires and when you should think about getting new tires.
1. Miles Based On Driving Style
I would personally classify that there are three main driving styles that people usually follow when driving a motorcycle:
- Safe driving
- Moderate driving
- Aggressive driving
Safe driving is the best regarding how long your tires will last. Since you are not speeding and generally going slow, you should be able to achieve more than 10,000 miles and sometimes even 15,000 miles depending on other factors.
This paves the way for moderate driving, which is neither too fast nor too slow. This is generally the style that most people adopt when driving their motorcycle and takes a good chunk of your tire’s overall health.
You should expect around 5 to 10 thousand miles when driving a motorcycle at moderate speeds. Finally, you have aggressive driving, which is mostly frowned upon and is something you should avoid unless you are in an emergency.
This type of driving takes the most toll on your motorcycle tires. You should not be surprised to see your motorcycle tires giving out less than 5,000 miles before having to be replaced.
I recommend that beginner driver stick to a safe driving style while people with experience adopt a good one. You should only drive aggressively if you have to.
2. Signs Your Motorcycle Has Reached Their Maximum Mileage
With all this driving, it is easy to lose track of when you first started using these tires and how long they have been in use. This can make it difficult to judge how long your motorcycle tires will last further down the line.
Luckily for you, there are various signs and tells that show you if your motorcycle tires are close to or at the end of their lifespan.
These signs can include:
- Cracks
- Cuts
- Fractures
- Punctures
- Wear and tear
- Handling changes
As you use your tires more and more, you will see that the side walls of the tires will begin to develop cracks. This is a sin of an aging tire.
Fractures will show that the motorcycle tires are failing while cuts do not necessarily tell whether your tires have been through a lot, if a tire has a lot of cuts; it generally means that it has traveled a lot of miles.
The more miles you travel with your motorcycle, the more likely your tires will have a chance to get punctured. This is a problem you should get fixed immediately.
As the motorcycle tires begin to wear out, you will notice that the motorcycle itself is becoming more difficult to handle.
3. When Should You Replace Your Motorcycle Tires?
If you see that your motorcycle tires are developing these signs or are outright showing them, you should start to consider finding new replacements for your motorcycle tires.
As you will soon see, under the stress of the various factors that can affect the health and lifespan of tires, it is a good idea to change your tires every 10,000 miles generally.
If your tires are in good condition, you should consider bumping that number up to 15 or even 20 thousand. It should be known that there is no set mileage where you should change your tires.
While some tires may be fully worn out by 10,000 miles, others may still have some life in them, which is why you should replace them only when you think they are below the legal wear limit or if they show major signs of damage or aging.
Factors That Can Affect Your Motorcycle Tires Lifespan
This part of the article is the most important as it now only affects your motorcycle tires life expectancy.
It will also give hints as to how you can preserve the integrity and health of your tires so that they can last much longer in the future.
Each of these factors will have a different amount of change on the lifespan of the tires, but it should be known that all of them are important.
Some of these may be fully in your control and can be actively changed or avoided, but others are beyond one’s control, and you will have to bear with them or avoid driving your motorcycle entirely.
1. Quality Of Tires
The higher your motorcycle tires will provide, the lower their durability will most likely be. This means that depending on the type of motorcycle you have and the tire it uses.
Those tries will last a different amount of miles. Take for instance, touring motorcycle tires which are made specifically for heavyweight motorcycles and long-distance traveling.
They will last much longer than the tires of, let’s say, a racing motorcycle which generally does not make it past the 5,000-mile mark.
2. Weather And Environments
These factors are directly out of our control and are significant factors that can affect how long the motorcycle tires will last.
Higher temperatures will bring more heat onto the tires, which will result in them getting a better grip on the road but will also cause their lifespan to reduce.
On the opposite hand, if you are driving in cold weather, if there has been snowfall recently, you may experience ice and other hazards when driving, which can lower the lifespan of the tires.
This moves us on to the next topic of road conditions. If you have a rough road with a lot of loose rocks and stones, then you can expect a lot of wear and tear on the tires of your motorcycle.
3. Storage
You cannot expect your tires to stay in good condition forever. From time to time, you need to make sure they are properly maintained and cleaned so that they can last for much longer.
This starts with proper storage of the tires themselves. All of this is regardless of whether you keep them attached to the motorcycle or not.
If you leave your tires out in the cold snow or in the rain, they will be subjected to a lot of wear and tear over time.
You should make sure that all the tires are properly stored and kept away from any harsh weather or hazards that can lower their lifespan.
Tips To Make Your Motorcycle Tires Last For More Miles
Here are a few tips and tricks that you should follow if you want to make sure that your motorcycle lasts as long as it can and live a full life.
- Regular Inspections: Regular maintenance and inspections are a good way to boost the lifespan of your motorcycle tires. You should conduct regular inspections every 5,000 miles to fix any issues and defects.
- Good Riding Habits: If you have a habit of heavy breaking and speeding, then you should make efforts to rid yourself of these bad habits and adopt better driving habits so that you can see a boost in your tire life.
- Repressuring And Aligning: Along with regular maintenance, you should have your tires filled with air and rotated every 5,000 miles. You should also have their alignments adjusted. All of this will result in a good increase in tire lifespan.
- Avoiding Harsh Roads: If you have the choice, you should try your best to avoid rough and harsh roads. This will prevent excess wear and tear on the motorcycle tires and will also improve the experience of riding your motorcycle.
Conclusion
The answer to how many miles do motorcycle tires last does not have a definitive answer as there are many factors that can affect how long the tires themselves will last.
The average range you should expect your regular tires to last is from 3,000 to 5,000 miles, and if you are fortunate enough, 10,000 miles or more.
If you make sure to follow everything that is written in this article, you will be able to identify how long your tires will last and apply different methods which can extend how long they last to make sure that they live a full life.
I am a passionate blogger who wants to spread my interest in motorcycles. Fueled by my love for motorcycles, I provide readers with valuable insights and updates on motorcycles’ informative and engaging topics and document the latest happenings in the biking community. Despite my hectic schedule, I can provide these blogs, which involve regular trips to the gym and sports like mountain biking and BMX. I am usually available most of the time, so be sure to join me on my journey of motorcycles and bikes! I appreciate a quiet and simple life and am always eager to interact with my readers to provide helpful information on my blog site.
