Where the Rubber Meets the Road - Touring Tires

There isn’t much about a motorcycle that will affect the feel and handling as much as the tires. Don’t skimp on quality, because it will show up in a shorter life and a rougher ride. Running the proper air pressure is another huge factor in ride comfort and handling. To find the best brands, pay attention to some of the brands used in competition. Buy your new tires on reputation and specs, not on price.

Tires are the only thing between your bike and the road. Not only will they transmit the bumps and irregularities from the road to your body, they also make the difference between effortless touring and attention-demanding driving. Look, if you wanted to concentrate that much on handling your bike, you could spend your time jumping around the dirt tracks. As it is with most pieces of motorcycle touring equipment, the best riding and best performing tires will probably not be the least expensive. But there is another factor in the ride comfort: air pressure.

The amount of air pressure you maintain in your tires impacts your ride in different ways. If your tires are dangerously low on air, they may begin to heat up and eventually blow out (seems backwards, doesn’t it). Keeping your tires properly inflated will also make a big difference in how long they last. Too much or too little will stress the tires and greatly shorten their effective life.

Which brand should you choose for your touring bike? You may opt to stay with the brand and model originally installed at the factory. Or you could decide to upgrade in performance, looks or longevity. Take a look at which brands rise to the top in competition. Ask everyone you meet that rides a touring bike. You may get lots of different opinions, but usually a consensus emerges.

Even after you make the choice, check with your tire dealer to see if there’s a time period or mileage window within which you can return the tires for a refund or exchange. Because once all the opinions are gathered and the research is complete, it still comes down to how they feel on your bike when you are riding it the places you like to ride.