Metric Tire Sizes: (Most Common Motorcycle Tire Format)The first number (180) is the width of the tire in millimeters.The second number (70) is the aspect ratio,which is the height of the sidewall. …The third number (16) is the rim size. …The letter between the second and third numbers,either R or B will tell if you if the tire is Bias Ply or Radial. …

How to tell if motorcycle tires are good?

When To Replace Motorcycle Tiresa) Tread Depth. To ensure that you don’t guess the expected lifespan of your motorcycle tires,manufacturers often add wear bar running across the tire tread.b) Age. As a general rule,the lifespan of your motorcycle tires should not go over and beyond five years. …c) Cracking. …d) Punctures and Cuts. …e) Loss of Pressure. …f) Odd Feeling. …g) Inflation. …

What do the first three numbers on a tire mean?

P – the tire is for P-metric passenger vehicles (regular cars,SUVs,light duty pickups of – ton load capacities).No letter – a metric-sized tire (in the US,mostly for SUVs and vans).LT – the tire is for light trucks (some SUVs,medium and heavy duty pickups of -1 ton load capacities).More items…

Do motorcycle tires last longer than car tires?

Moto tires do not last very long compared to car tires, and the faster or more aggressively one rides, the tire life is shortened proportionally. Moto tires are sold according to the expected use. Touring tires are expected to last the longest, but are the least forgiving when it comes to traction, because the harder rubber tread doesn’t stick to the road as well.

How to read Numbers on tires?

What Do Tire Numbers Mean?Type. Letters that stand at the beginning of the series are to inform the tire type. …Width. The next three-digit series – in this case is 215 – is to show how wide the tire is in millimeters. …Aspect Ratio. …Tire Construction. …Tire Wheel Diameter. …Load Index. …Speed Rating. …

What do Your Tires Say?

Now that you know how to read a motorcycle tire take a look at your bike and make yourself comfortable with the exact size and dimensions of your ride. It can be beneficial to know tire-speak next time you need to balance them or get a new set.

What is the first number on a motorcycle tire?

First Number. The first number inscribed on a motorcycle tire is there to indicate the width of your tire in millimeters. This width is measured by way of a straight line through the tire. It goes from one edge of a motorcycle tires tread to the other side.

What does 130/90 mean on a motorcycle tire?

In other words, the larger this second number is, the taller your motorcycle tire will be. For example, a tire that is written 130/90 means that it has a width of 130 mm and it is 90 percent as tall as the given width. When you calculate 90 percent of 130, that means it is 117 mm tall.

What is the difference between a smoother tire and a thicker tire?

Generally speaking, smoother tire tread will grip better on even, slick, and dry services. While thicker or chunkier treads are better for off-road conditions. There are various patterns designed for streets that perform best in wet and slippery weather. Many off-road tires also are available in a vast array of different surfaces, ranging from packed down soil to loose sand.

What is the carcass of a motorcycle tire?

Your tire carcass is essentially the body that is underneath the tread. In the case of motorcycle tires, they can be bias-ply or radial. This refers to the way the carcass of your tire is designed. In radial tires, reinforcing belts run from a bead on one side to the bead on the opposite side across your tread.

How much does a retreaded tire cost?

Generally, the prices will range roughly from $70 to $160. Some shops charge for installation of the tire, some don’t, and many will charge a small balancing fee. Retreaded tires can cost around 30 to 50 percent less than brand new tires.

What does the third number on a tire mean?

The third number on your tires indicates, more simply, the rim size or the circumference of your wheel. So, if the number is 18, that means your tire rim is 18 inches. A tire with a 16 as the third number has a rim size of 16, and so on.

How to find tire speed rating?

To find the maximum load and inflation pressure, you’ll need to check the sidewall of the tire. A speed rating also has a letter code, and that is immediately after the width and aspect ratio. It’s part of the three-digit load/speed index. This is on the tire, immediately after the complete size designation. A Z-rated tire has no maximum speed — this rating is for more than 149mph. Check out this table to see what letters correspond with what speed ratings:

How to measure width of bike tire?

Width is measured in a straight line from the furthest point on one sidewall, across the tread, to the furthest point on the opposite sidewall. If there is any question whether or not a larger than OEM tire will fit your bike, youre encouraged to call Tech Service.

What is bias ply tire?

“Belted” means fiberglass, Kevlar or aramid fiber belts, which has added strength and load capacity. But, if a tire does not have (R), then it is bias-ply, which means that it has multiple, overlapping rubber plies.

What are the factors that determine the size of a motorcycle tire?

There are five main aspects to determining the ideal motorcycle tire sizing: width, aspect ratio , speed rating , tire construction and rim diameter. Let’s take a look at each:

What is an inch tire?

These tires do not have an aspect ratio designation marking. The cross-section tire height is 100% of the width. An inch-sized tire is bias-ply construction and is not belted. However, these are being phased out and are not used on newer motorcycles.

What is metric tire?

Metric. Metric tires are most commonly used and can work for sport bikes, cruisers, touring bikes and others. If there is no speed rating, the “M” will precede the metric size. After the speed rating, there will be a “B” or “R” to indicate if it is belted or radial tire construction.

What is the alpha size on a motorcycle?

The Alpha size designation is most often used for touring motorcycle tires. Even if a tire doesn’t have a“B” designation after the speed rating, it could be belted.

What does 3.25H-19 mean?

Another thing to note is that these tires are not belted and are of bias-ply construction. An example is 3.25H-19. 3.25 symbolizes the width, H symbolizes the speed rating, and. 19 symbolizes the rim diameter in inches. The aspect ratio, though not indicated, is 100% meaning the height of the tire is 100% the width of the tire.

What is the metric system on a motorcycle?

Metric System. This system measures the size in millimeters. It is the most commonly used system for motorcycle tires, which is a set of three numbers and letters implying the width of the tire, the aspect ratio of the tire (ratio of tire ‘s height to the width) and lastly the rim size given in inches. Immediately after the speed rating, you will …

What is 50 aspect ratio?

50 = aspect ratio which is the percentage of the height of the tire to the tire’s width,

What does M mean on a motorcycle tire?

M is used to denote that the tire is a motorcycle tire

What does 90 mean in physics?

90 denote the aspect ratio. In this case it is 90%

What is the letter that precedes the speed rating?

A· The speed rating is usually preceded by letter “S”

Motorcycle Tire Sizes Rim Width Chart

British motorcycle rims (Triumph, BSA, Norton etc.) are marked with a letter and number designation. This is helpful to know what tires you can mount on your rim based on the manufacturer’s specs.

Common Motorcycle Tire Sizes Chart

The following chart shows some common tire sizes, including their width and the diameter. Very handy when choosing which tire will fit your bike, or which motorcycle rear fender to buy to fit the tire you want to run on your new build!

Todd Muller

Todd Muller is known for his experience and knowledge of motorcycle mechanics. His specialties include Triumph and Harley-Davidsons, and he has helped thousands of people around the world with everything from how to wire their custom bike to rebuilding an engine.

Why are pointy tyres better?

Another benefit of a pointy tyre is that it will give you a greater contact patch when leaned over and on the edge of the tyre, promoting higher lean angles and faster cornering speeds.

What does the first number on a tyre mean?

The first number indicates the width of the tyre in millimetres, taken from the widest point of the tyre.

What is a B tyre?

Belted (‘B’) – A belted bias tyre starts life as a normal bias-ply tyre, then stabilizer belts are placed on top of the existing plies at different angles. This improves performance over non-belted, bias-ply tyres (also called cross-ply). If it has neither of these letters, it will be a bias-ply tyre. 17.

Which tyres are more pointy?

However, some manufacturers such as Bridgestone and Dunlop are known to be more pointy than other brands like Metzeler and Pirelli. As hinted to above, the pointier the tyre, the quicker it is going to feel like it wants to turn in. A 180/60 tyre for example is going to give you a quicker turn rate over a 180/55.

What does the number in brackets mean?

The number portion of the characters in brackets represent the load index of the tyre, which specifies the maximum load the tyre can carry. To find what weight this number corresponds to you will need to refer to a load index table.

What does a Z rating mean?

It indicates what speed the tyre is capable of being taken over. In this example ‘Z’ means that the tyre is suitable for speeds over 149mph. However it doesn’t tell us the maximum tolerable speed for the tyre; that comes later in the code in brackets.

What does R mean on a tyre?

R. The ‘R’ represents the construction type of the tyre. When you see ‘R’ on a tyre it means it has a radial construction . Here’s a brief explanation of radial tyres and the other most common construction type:

Why are motorcycle tires marked front and rear?

Some tires are marked with "Front" or "Rear" to help indicate at which end of the motorcycle they should be mounted. Some tires are universal and can be run at either the front or rear and in these instances there will most likely be two arrows on the sidewall indicating front and rear.

How long do motorcycle tires last?

If tires are stored correctly by the reseller and taken care of properly once on your motorcycle they can last longer than five years.

What do the markings on a tire tell you?

All these markings can tell you a wealth of info such as what’s the fastest speed the tire should be ridden up to, how much weight can the tire be subjected to, the direction of rotation (most tires indicate this), when the tire was manufactured, and obviously, the size of the tire.

What is the difference between alphanumeric and metric?

Metric and alphanumeric tell you the same information just in slightly different ways. Metric uses all numbers for the tire measurement while alpha numeric uses a combination of letters and numbers. In both instances the width is measured in millimeters (mm). Metric tire measurement.

What is alphanumeric tire?

Alphanumeric tire measurement. Metric and alphanumeric tires are pretty much the standard with metric mostly used across the board. You’ll typically see alphanumeric on OE Harley-Davidson tires or replacement Harley tires. Metric and alphanumeric tell you the same information just in slightly different ways.

How long does it take for Avon tires to break down?

Avon born on date. There are no federal guidelines in regards to tire aging, however, some tire manufacturers suggest replacing tires after five to six years.

What are the dimensions of a tire?

Let’s start with the sizing info first. There are three main measurements you’ll see on a tire: the width , aspect ratio, and rim diameter. The width is the overall dimension as measured from one edge of the tire to the other. The Aspect ratio is a percentage in relation to the height of the sidewall as compared to the width. Rim diameter corresponds to the rim size the tire will fit on and is the measurement of the inside of the tire.

Is Tire Size Important?

The tires must fit your vehicle perfectly for proper operation. The first issue with improperly sized tires is the appearance. When you put on tires that are too small or too large for your vehicle, it isn’t going to look right.

What is a radial tire?

A radial tire means that the layers run radially across the tire. Numbers 15: This number is the inner diameter in inch, or other words, what size of rims this tire fits on. In our example, this tire says it is a 15-inch tire, which means that we need 15″ rims.

What is load index?

The Load Index describes the total max weight that the tire can handle when it is fully inflated. The higher the load index rating, the more weight it can handle. You need a tire load index chart to see the exact numbers.

What does the letter P mean on a tire?

Letter P: The first letter at the beginning tells us which type of tire we have. In this case, we have a “P”, which means that it is a Passenger car tire. This means that it is made to a certain standard in the USA. You can also find the letters “LT” which means that they are designed for light trucks. If you find no number at all here, it means that the tires are made in Europe. Euro-Metric tires do also have different load capacities.

What does 55 mean on a tire?

For example, a tire size of P225/55 R15 tire, the 55 means that the height is equal to 55% of the tire’s width.

Who is Magnus from mechanicbase?

Magnus is the owner and main author of MechanicBase. He has been working as a mechanic for over 10 years, and the majority of them specialized in advanced diagnostics and troubleshooting. Certified Automotive Diagnostic Technician.

What do the numbers mean on a dirt bike tire?

Let’s take a typical dirt bike tire size and break the numbers down, one by one.

Other important information on your motocross tire

You may see a DOT rating. A DOT rating lets you know that the tire is legal for use on the road in the USA. Most dirt bike tires are not street legal, and will state “Not for use on the highway”. If you are in any doubt as to whether a tire is road legal or not, you should check with the manufacturer.

Finding the balance point on a dirt bike tire

Many manufacturers will mark a tire at the balance point. The balance point is where the tire is at its lightest. As rotational forces amplify, things can get crazy. If you have ever seen a washing machine spinning with an uneven load, you will understand.

Why are dirt bike tires categorised Soft, Intermediate (Medium) & Hard?

These categories are related to the terrain you ride on, and the compound of the tire. When we talk about a soft tire in motocross, we are referring to the condition of the ground, not the rubber. A “soft” tire is a harder compound.