How to choose motorcycle tires for your riding style

To choose motorcycle tires, first match the size, load rating and speed rating your bike's manufacturer specifies, then pick the tire type that fits how you ride: sport for spirited canyon riding, sport-touring for commuting and miles, cruiser-specific for heavy bikes, and 50/50 or 90/10 dual-purpose if you leave pavement. Replace them based on tread, damage and age, not just mileage.

Tires are the only part of your motorcycle that touches the road, and two small contact patches handle all your braking, accelerating and cornering. Picking the right tire is less about finding a "best" brand and more about matching the tire to your bike and how you actually ride.

How to choose motorcycle tires: start with your bike's specs

Before thinking about riding style, confirm what fits. Check the owner's manual, the swingarm or frame sticker, or the sidewall of your current tires for:

• Size: for example, 120/70ZR17 front and 180/55ZR17 rear. The numbers give section width in millimeters, aspect ratio and rim diameter in inches.
• Load and speed rating: never go below what the manufacturer specifies.
• Tube or tubeless: tubeless tires on tubeless rims are common on modern bikes. Spoked wheels often need tubes.
• Construction: bias-ply or radial. Mixing types front to rear is not recommended unless the manufacturer says it is approved.

Stick with the recommended size unless you have a good reason and a professional's advice. Changing size alters handling, speedometer accuracy and clearance.

Tire types by riding style

Riding style	Tire type	What you gain	What you give up
Sport and canyon riding	Sport or sport-touring radials	Grip, steering feel, cornering confidence	Mileage, cold-weather grip on softer compounds
Long-distance touring	Sport-touring or touring	Long life, stability, wet grip	Some sharpness in turn-in
Cruiser	Cruiser-specific bias or radial	Durability, good life on heavy bikes	Ultimate cornering grip
Daily commuting	Long-wear sport-touring	Mileage, wet performance	Peak grip
Dual-sport / adventure	50/50 or 90/10 dual-purpose	Off-road capability	Pavement grip, tread noise, wear
Track days	DOT race-compound or track tires	Maximum grip	Life, cold and wet usability

Not sure which row fits you? Pick the one that describes most of your miles, not your best day on the bike.

Sport and canyon riding

If you ride hard on twisty roads, look at sport or sport-touring radials. Softer compounds grip better but wear faster. Dual-compound tires put a harder center for straight-line wear and softer shoulders for lean angle.

Touring and commuting

If you rack up miles, a sport-touring or touring tire is usually the best fit. These tires use harder compounds and deeper tread patterns for life and wet grip. Many riders are happy to trade a bit of ultimate grip for several thousand extra miles and predictable behavior in the rain.

Cruisers

Cruisers carry weight and often have wide rear tires. Choose tires built for the bike's weight and size, and keep a close eye on rear wear because cruisers tend to squander rear tires faster than fronts.

Dual-sport and adventure

Dual-purpose tires are labeled by how much of your riding is on dirt, such as 90/10 or 50/50. The more off-road capability, the more compromise on pavement: longer braking distances on wet roads, more noise and faster wear. Be honest about your split before you buy.

Track days

Track tires and race compounds are designed for heat and are not suitable for cold or wet street use. If you also ride the street, run a separate set or a track-capable street tire and follow the manufacturer's guidance.

Compound, tread and weather

• Softer compounds give more grip but wear faster.
• Harder compounds last longer, and may take longer to warm up.
• Tread patterns channel water. Sport tires often have less rubber-to-road tread than touring tires, but modern designs vary a great deal.
• Cold weather reduces grip on every tire. Ride gently until the tires warm up, especially on sport compounds.

If you ride in heavy rain regularly, look for tires marketed for wet performance and read independent test results from reputable sources.

How to read the sidewall

Find the DOT code, a series of letters and numbers ending in four digits. The last four digits show the week and year of manufacture. For example, "2423" means the 24th week of 2023. Tires age even when not used. NHTSA notes that some manufacturers recommend replacing tires six to ten years after production regardless of tread, because you cannot see aging by looking. Some motorcycle tire makers say sooner, so check yours. Our guide to reading a motorcycle tire date code shows how to find the date on a used or old tire.

When to replace tires

Don't rely on a single rule. Check for:

1. Tread depth. NHTSA says tires are not safe and should be replaced when tread is worn to 2/32 inch (about 1.6 mm), and legal minimums vary by state. Many riders replace sooner because grip falls well before the limit, particularly in the wet. Use the wear bars in the grooves.
2. Squared-off center. Highway riders flatten the center of the rear. That reduces lean-angle grip even if tread remains at the edges.
3. Cracks, cuts or bulges. Sidewall cracks, dry rot, bulges and punctures are replacement items.
4. Cupping or flat spots. Irregular wear can point to suspension or balance problems.
5. Age. Old rubber hardens.

Pressure and care

Correct pressure matters more than most riders realize. Check pressure cold, at least every week and before long trips (NHTSA suggests no less than monthly for any vehicle), using the figures on the bike's sticker or in the manual, not the maximum printed on the tire. Adjust for load when the manual says so. Under-inflation overheats the tire and slows handling. Over-inflation shrinks the contact patch. Tire makers also stress not overloading the bike, so account for rider, passenger and luggage weight. For a full walkthrough, see our guide to motorcycle tire pressure.

New tires have a slippery mold release coating and need a gentle break-in, usually a few dozen miles of gradual lean and braking. Follow the tire maker's instructions.

Costs

Prices vary by size, brand and type, but a typical street tire commonly costs roughly $100 to $300 each, with premium sport and adventure tires costing more. Mounting and balancing often adds around $25 to $60 per tire at a shop, and rates vary by region. Our breakdown of motorcycle tire replacement cost covers what drives the total. Using a shop that works on your bike's wheels, especially with ABS tone rings or TPMS, is worth the cost.

Mistakes to avoid

• Buying on price alone from an unknown brand
• Mixing very different front and rear tire types
• Fitting race or track tires for everyday street use
• Using old tires from a sale rack without checking the DOT date
• Forgetting to rebalance the wheel, or reusing an old valve stem on tubeless wheels
• Ignoring uneven wear, which can point to suspension or alignment problems your regular maintenance schedule checks should catch

When to see a mechanic

Tires are safety critical. A shop that handles motorcycle tire service can mount, balance and inspect them correctly. To find one nearby, start with our motorcycle repair directory, for example motorcycle repair shops in Denver. Stop riding and get a professional opinion if:

• You see a bulge, cord, deep crack or a nail or screw in the tread
• The bike wobbles, shakes or pulls to one side
• A tire loses pressure repeatedly
• You find uneven or cupped wear
• You are unsure about fitting, balancing, or torquing the axle and need to remove the wheel

Fitting a tire correctly requires the right tools and experience. A bad mount or an unbalanced wheel can cause a crash, so use a trusted shop if you are not equipped to do it right.