[Jimbo]

Load-Carrying Capabilities
Tires come with different load-carrying capacities. Read your owner's manual. It will list accessory restrictions and a motorcycle's load capacity. The maximum load figures are also molded on the tire sidewall. Before a trip, determine the total weight of luggage, equipment, and rider(s) to be added to the motorcycle. Be careful not to under-inflate tires which will reduce the bike's load-carrying capability.

Trailers can also cause extreme tire stresses and overloads that can cause irreversible damage and result in sudden tire failure and accidents. Most tire manufacturers do not recommend the use of trailers and will not warrant tires used on bikes fitted with trailers.

This Load Index Table will tell you how many pounds a tire can handle depending on its index rating. This load rating is often stamped on the side of the tire or you can consult your trusty owner's manual.

Breaking in New Tires
Give yourself a little time to get used to the way your new tires perform. When worn tires are replaced with differently patterned or constructed tires, they are not going to ride the same.

When new tires are fitted, give them a break-in distance of at least 100 miles. That means avoid revving the engine up to maximum power, don't tilt too far leaning into a turn or blast into corners. This gives riders time to get the feel of the new tires, to find the edge, and will give them ample opportunity to find the best road grip for a range of speeds, acceleration and handling use. After your first big ride, check and adjust the tire's inflation to recommended levels after it has cooled for at least three hours.

Off-Road - A new dirt tire can be toast in 100 miles. The break in period for off-road is as quick as your learning curve can handle. You still need to be careful at first and get used to some of the grip qualities and handling characteristics so that you don't overestimate the available traction.

Take Care of Your New Tires
These are not your tires' friends:

Sunlight - Tires stored in direct sunlight for long periods of time will harden and age more quickly than those kept in a dark or dimly lit area.

Oil and Gasoline - Prolonged contact with oil or gasoline causes contamination of the rubber compound. Wipe off any oil or gasoline immediately with a clean rag. This warning applies to corrosives or non-rubber compatible liquids as well. Avoid cleaners or dressings like Armor All. These may degrade the rubber and remove ozone cracking and weather-checking resistance. If you've got raised tires with sidewalls, white stripes or raised white lettering, which are common on cruiser motorcycle tires, use a mild soap solution to clean them up and then rinse with plain water.

Always seek expert inspection of the tire after plunking a curb, pothole or whenever you run over something hard. If a bulge appears, or if tire pressure decreases, don't ride on it. Take it in and have your local dealer check it out.

How to Read a Tire
With all the numbers and letters on the side of a tire, it's easy to get confused, so here is the basic breakdown of what each one designates.

Metric Designations
130/90 - 16 67 H
130=Tire width (mm)
90 = Aspect Ratio (90%)
16 =Rim Diameter (in.)
67 = Load Rating
H =Speed Rating

Alphabetical Designations
MT 90 - 16 Load Range B
M=Motorcycle Code
T=Tire Width Code
90=Aspect Ratio (90%)
16=Rim Diameter (in.)
Load Range B=Load Rating

Inch Designations
5.00 H 16 4PR
5.00=Section Width
H=Speed Rating
16=Rim Diameter (in.)
4PR=Casing Strength (ply rating)

Speed Ratings
If you're going to be stuffing the saddlebags for a long trip or plan on taking your honey on a nice road trip, the added weight is going to change the handling characteristics of your bike. Luckily, the good people at the International Standards Organization (ISO) have researched how much pressure needs to be in a tire when a bike is carrying extra weight and provides riders with the results of their findings in the form of the ISO Load/Speed Index.

This code, when present, appears after the size marking. The code is made up of three characters-- two numbers and a letter. So, if your tire is stamped like this - 130/90 - 16 67 H - then the Load/Speed Index is the 67 H. The two-digit number is a code for the maximum load carrying capacity of the tire. The letter is a maximum speed rating and lets you know the highest speed at which the tire may be used safely with a full load when the maximum listed tire inflation pressure is used.

Sometimes tires won't have the Load/Speed Index listed at the end. They sometimes use the letters below stamped in between the width and the wheel diameter. The following table lists the speed ratings for each category of tire. The speed rating means that when a tire is pumped up to the maximum inflation pressure when carrying a load, the tire will perform safely up to a designated speed. The amount of pressure that needs to be in the tire, the maximum load that specific tire can handle and the highest speed you can travel at safely on that tire is stamped on the sidewall for you. You just need to know how to understand the code. Click this link to see a list of speed ratings.

A couple of quick notes... Certain "V" or "VR" rated tires may have a speed capacity greater then 149mph (240kph). Check with your local tire distributor for maximum speed information if your motorcycle exceeds this speed capability.

Tires also come with a Z or ZR rating. These are high-performance tires built for speed. When they are pumped up to the max, the tire is will roll safely with the maximum marked sidewall load at sustained speeds in excess of 149mph and up to a speed determined by the tire manufacturer when installed on a specific motorcycle. Again, check with your local tire manufacturer to get these numbers.

And don't think that putting on a tire with a higher rating will upgrade your bike's performance. When a motorcycle manufacturer decides on the tires for a particular model, they make sure that the speed rating of the tire meets the maximum speed capability of the motorcycle. If you fit higher speed-rated tires, there is a good chance that you will sacrifice some other performance aspect such as mileage. This being the case, it is usually best to stay with the speed rating of the original tires.