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Tyre safety tips

“Look after your tyres and they'll look after you.”

Fact: the only things connecting you and your motorcycle to the road are your tyres. And while it's all too easy to ignore your tyres, they can only give you their best if you take a little time to look after them properly.

Motorcycle

Frequently asked questions

Can I fit a front tyre on the rear and a rear on the front?

Avon would not normally recommend this fitment. If you do this however, due to the way tyres are manufactured, you should reverse the tyre’s direction of rotation if you fit a front tyre on the rear or a rear tyre on the front of your bike. During tyre manufacture, a length of tread rubber is wrapped around the carcass and joined together with an angled bevel type joint. This joint is orientated so that as the tyre rotates, this joint stays shut. As the rear tyre provides drive and the front tyre provides braking, the joint is made one way for the rear tyre and the opposite way for the front. Fitting incorrect tyres could cause potential MOT/insurance issues and may affect the bikes handling capabilities.

What track pressure should I use?

Track pressures for 3D Ultra Xtreme are:

Recommended Hot pressures using tyre warmers:

Front - 32-34psi

Rear - 26-28psi

Cold pressures (no tyre warmers):

Front - 30-32psi

Rear - 24-26psi

What Scooter pressures should I use?

28 front and 30 rear is good for the smaller scooters and 30 and 32 for the bigger scooters would be a good suggested psi.

Do I need to run my tyres in?

Yes, when new m/c tyres are fitted, they should not be subjected to maximum power until a reasonable 'running in' distance has been covered. 100 dry miles (160km) is the recommended minimum. Tyre should then be visually examined and their inflation pressure re-checked before riding.

What is the age limit of Motorcycle Tyres?

The British Rubber Manufacturers Association advise tyres should be used within 6 years of manufacture. The tyre should then be removed after a total of 10 years. Avon recommend tyres should be used within 5 years of manufacture. The tyre should then be removed after a total of 7 years.

Why does the front tyre appear to be running the wrong way?

We call this Inverted Front Grooves. We have done a great deal of testing and research on tread patterns and found the front tyre is better run in the opposite direction to the rear. The front tyre has to deal with braking forces and the rear wheel with drive forces, which are basically opposite forces. This may make the front appear to be running the wrong way round but in wet tests, we have found that the footprint is not long enough for water to channel very far through the grooves, it just needs to be expelled sideways quickly. By running the tyre as we do, we significantly reduce irregular tread wear. This means that even when the tyre is half worn, it is still putting down the correct amount of rubber on the road. Tyres run the other way round suffer from stepped and irregular wear which reduces their footprint and effectiveness in the wet quite dramatically.


If you check out any of the latest sports radial tyres from any of the other main tyre manufacturers, you will see they are all starting to do the same.
See IFG, (Inverted front grooves) section here.

What pressures should I use on my classic bike?

Due to the modern materials used in the construction of these tyres, we normally recommend 25-28 psi front and 28-34 psi rear.

What Tyre pressure should I use when riding with pillion/passenger?

We would recommend increasing pressures by 1-2psi front and 2-3 psi rear.

How do I measure my rim width and what does each WM represent?

To measure your rim width, measure inside of rim flange to inside of opposite rim flange.


WM1-1.6"
WM2-1.85"
WM3-2.15"
WM4-2.5"

Can I mix tyre construction front to rear?

Yes, but only to the combinations below:-


Front                              Rear

Radial                             Radial

Bias                                Radial

X-ply                               Radial

Bias                                 Bias

X-ply                                Bias

X-ply                                X-ply

How many miles can I expect to get out of my tyres?

This is difficult to answer as riding styles, torque etc. all contribute to tyre wear. As a rule of thumb:


Supersport               3,000 – 4,000 Miles

Sport                        4,000 – 5,000 Miles

Sport Touring           4,000 – 8,000 Miles

Cruiser                     7,000 – 15,000 Miles

X-ply                         7,000 – 15,000 Miles