Evaluate how well Motorcycle Tires meet your needs and compare to competing products
If you've completed step one you've identified what you need in motorcycle tires and you've learned about the different features of motorcycle tires. While you were doing your research, you probably started the process of determining which features - and thus which type of motorcycle tires - will best meet your needs. Now you are going to continue that process, but in greater detail.
In this step you will
evaluate the motorcycle tires available on the market to determine how well they meet your personal needs and establish, by a process of elimination, an initial short-list of contenders. Then you will compare these short-listed motorcycle tires to find out which ones stand out from the competition.
Evaluate how well tires meet your needs
Your priority at this point in your evaluation is to find the available motorcycle tires in the market that best meet your needs. You can save a lot of time during this activity by quickly eliminating any motorcycle tires that are unsuitable because they don't meet your key requirements. For example, if you have a limited budget for this purchase then you can ignore any motorcycle tires that clearly exceed your price limit.
When it comes to cruisers, the emphasis is almost always on appearances first. Cruiser tires will come in a lot more variables than the standard black with white walls or slim white wall lines that will help to complement the design. The width of the tire will also help to complement the appearance of the cruiser; slimmer tires are used on skinnier bikes, fat boys on the big attention grabbers.
Tip: White walls on tires look best when the motorcycle has a lot of chrome and leather in the makeup. The white helps to balance the appearance.
Width helps to provide stability to the motorcycle, especially on turns. Faster bikes will typically have greater width in the tires, as this will enable them to corner more efficiently. Sports bikes, for example, have one of the highest width ranges available on bikes, between 120 and 180mm. This allows the rider to go into and come out of corners without losing too much speed. Some cruiser tires are also incredibly wide, but this is more for appearance than performance, although street racing choppers certainly use the width to increase racing performance. Off road bikes don't use as much speed as the emphasis is on getting through terrain, and so the tire width is not as large.
Speed codes are another indicator of which tire is best for your bike. Most tires designed for highway vehicle come with a speed rating of H; this is the only rating available on tourers as well as standards and cruisers. Sports bike tires, however, come only with ratings of W or Z; the tires are capable of doing over 240 km/hour. Clearly, these tires are meant for racing as speeds this high will get you more tickets than you can count.
Tip: Higher speed capability tires are always more expensive than other types, so if you aren't racing, don't bother going for these models. They might be nice to have, but it's like owning a piano that you never use.
Treads are one of the most important parts of any bike; the depth of the tread will help the driver maintain balance under wet conditions. Off road motorcycle tires have the greatest range of tread depths by far; these tires are meant to deal with any conditions, including biking in deep mud. The really deep treads also tend to be self-cleaning, so that mud does not accumulate and compromise performance. Tread depths of up to 30mm are only really needed for deep bogging conditions; depths between 10 and 15 are suitable in most cases, and almost all off road motorcycle tires will include knobs for greater grip. Lower tread depths are used in sports bikes; keeping more rubber close to the road means a lot more speed.
Tip: There are tires available that are treadies, specifically made for racing. These have no traction at all on wet surfaces, and should never be used for normal road driving.
Tread depth is particularly important when buying used tires, or when determining when it is time to get new tires.
The load capacity of each tire is also specific bike to bike. The rear tire will almost always have a greater load capacity than the front wheel, as it supports the weight of the engine and a greater portion of the weight of the driver.
Tip: Heavy cruisers and loaded touring motorcycles need a rear tire with a high load capacity.
When you were considering your requirements in motorcycle tires it's likely that you singled out certain factors such as tire type, tread pattern, performance ratings and cost as being of major significance. As with so many other products, the more features offered, the higher the price.
Buyz123 has created a checklist containing examples of major features; you can work from this checklist when evaluating how well various tires meet your personal needs:
Features Checklist
Cruisers
- Width - 3.15 to 9.85 inches
- Load index/pounds - 48 to70/536 to 983 max load
- Speed rating - H, V, Z
- Appearance - white wall, slim white wall
- Safety technology - tubeless, spiral belt
- Strength - steel belted
- Tread Width - 0.12 to 0.24 inches
- Tread Depth - 0.19 to 0.39 inches
- Endurance features
Sport
- Width - 4.72 to 7.08 inches
- Load index/pounds - 58 to 73/520 to 805 max load
- Speed rating - Z,W
- Appearance
- Safety technology - silica compound
- Tread Width - 0.18 to 0.28 inches
- Tread Depth - 0.19 to 0.31 inches
- Endurance Features - Dual aligned compound
- Strength - Kevlar belt
Touring
- Width - 5.11 inches
- Load index/pounds - 63 to 67/600 to 677 max load
- Speed rating - H
- Safety technology - uni-directional pattern
- Tread Width - 0.19 to 0.2 inches
- Tread Depth - 0.23 to 0.31 inches
Standard
- Width - 3.93 to 5.51 inches
- Load index/pounds - 57 to 70/507 to736 max load
- Speed rating - S.H
- Safety technology
- Tread Width - 0.16 to 0.22 inches
- Tread Depth - 0.19 to 0.39 inches
Off-road
- Width - 3.14 to 4.72 inches
- Load index/pounds - 33 to 64/254 to 617 max load
- Speed rating - M, J
- Safety technology - tread blocks, self cleaning
- Tread Width - 0.11 to 0.20 inches
- Tread Depth - 0.39 to 1.25 inches
There are a lot of features listed here, and some of them may not be relevant to your particular requirements. So, work your way through the list and assess how each of these features impact on your motorcycle tires needs. You can then create a personalized checklist of the features you really require in motorcycle tires.
Once you have finished evaluating the motorcycle tires available for sale in the light of your personal needs and arrived at a short-list of 'possibles' you are ready to progress to the next stage. This involves comparing the motorcycle tires one-on-one in order to find those that really stand out.
Evaluate how well Motorcycle Tires
compare with competing Motorcycle Tires
Comparing the items on your interim short-list, one to another, is an important part of the purchasing process - we all want to buy the best product we possibly can. So once you have established a short-list of motorcycle tires that meet your needs it is time to evaluate how well they compare in fine detail. This way you can assemble a select list of motorcycle tires that stand out from the crowd.
Questions to ask yourself:
Which tire on my short-list has the best quality for its price?
Which tire has the best ratings (heat and speed) for how I will use it?
Does the tire come with a warranty for a certain number of kilometers or years?
What kind of reputation does the manufacturer have among enthusiasts?
Which tire seems of the highest quality?
Which tire best meets my needs ?
By answering these simple questions, you are actually eliminating motorcycle tires that aren't absolutely right for you. This is an excellent time - if you haven't done so already - to evaluate how well your short listed products measure up in the following areas: Physical Quality, Warranty Conditions and Accessories & Extras.
Physical Quality
Regardless of the method you use when purchasing the motorcycle tires, you need to find an opportunity to examine the product to evaluate how well it is made, and to check that it is truly suitable for you and your purpose. This is the time to examine the quality of the materials, and how well the tire is put together. Check the assembly - is the tire solidly constructed? It's also important to examine the tire from the perspective of ease of use. How easily is it fitted? Is it easy to maintain? Make sure the tire fits your bike physically, and that it is manageable - some tires look great on paper, but unexpected problems will show up when you finally get your hands on them.
Physical Inspection Checklist:
- Materials - quality, appearance
- Assembly -held together securely
- Solidly constructed - stable, no loose components
- Size - appropriate for surroundings and purpose - fits user correctly
- Appearance - well finished
- Easy and safe to use
Warranty Conditions
Similar products may be available with significantly different terms and conditions, and you want to get the best deal you can. Parts and labor are often covered under separate warranties, for different time periods; sometimes there can be a significant difference in the warranty offered with one model compared to that offered with the next model up. It is particularly important to investigate any conditions that might void a warranty, such as if you use different batteries to those recommended.
Warranty Checklist:
- Duration - check the specifics
- Parts, Labour
- Exactly what is covered
- Exactly what is excluded
- Conditions or actions that may void the warranty
Accessories and Extras
When evaluating similar products, it is a good idea to include accessories in your assessment. You need to be clear about exactly what accessories are necessary to run the product to its full capacity, and whether these are included with the purchase. What other facilities are required - do you need new wheels or rims, for instance? What about having the tires fitted and balanced?
Accessories Checklist:
- Accessories - included or extra cost?
- Compatibility issues - will it work with your existing wheels or rims?
- Registration - what are the time frames and costs?
- Internet access - is this necessary?
- Contracts or Service Plans - conditions, penalties, costs
- What else will you need to fully utilize this product?
Once you've worked through the Evaluation step you will have a final short-list of motorcycle tires that meet your needs and stand out from competing products on the market. It's time then to move on to the third and final step: Purchase.
Video Links
Buyz123.com Research Links:ReviewReviews of various motorcycle tyres