Tips. 6 signs that mean you should change the tires on your bike

Replace your tires now!

It’s a simple question: When should I change my tires? There is no specific rule indicating the moment, mile or kilometer when you should replace your tire. However, there are some signs that give us some clues that the time has come to get some new ‘shoes’.

Below, we will check out the top 6 signs that it’s time for a change in your life!

Exceeded service life: Worn out wheel

Tires have a telltale on their tread to indicate that the maximum wear limit has been reached, at which point you must replace the tire with a new one. Otherwise, you may be subject to a penalty in some jurisdictions or, worse, lose grip and be setting yourself up for some very unsafe driving conditions.

Flat tire puncture

It is not very common, but it is the most aggressive damage that a tire can have, since it makes it lose air and pressure extremely fast. When we notice that we have had a puncture, we can apply a temporary solution, thanks to an anti-puncture kit. This allows us to use the motorcycle exclusively to go to a garage, where a professional must carry out the pertinent revision. There are cases in which a repair can be carried out, but we must count on the loss of rubber qualities. Otherwise, the most advisable thing to do is to replace the damaged tire with a new one. In fact, punctures located on the sidewall cannot be repaired. If you are riding on some Continental Tires in the USA and Canada, you have the added benefit of 3-years of flat tire road assistance: regardless of the tread depth. This program was designed for this type of scenario and is a great piece of mind when you are miles from nowhere.

Visible tire damage

Beyond the age of the tire, the rubber may have suffered a lot in its useful life (little use, extreme use, wrong pressures, continuous exposure to the sun, humidity…). An external and general check of the tire can help us to detect this type of deterioration or even a more specific defect or damage that would force us to replace the wheel.

Uneven tire wear

The tire tread shows unusual wear in its different zones (center tread, sidewalls and lateral shoulders). We can also find deformations and steps that are not normal. It is a strange situation, so perhaps you can consult the warranty of your motorcycle tires and the circumstances under which you can claim.

In addition to replacing the tire immediately with a new one, a professional mechanic should check other elements that may have caused this irregular wear, components such as suspensions, balancing or brakes to rule out that it is a problem of that tire.

Tires not suitable for the use of your motorcycle.

In addition to selecting the right tire size for your bike, you should mount tires that are the most suitable for your riding style and for the use you are going to give to your bike. Going to extremes, we can’t expect our bike to go well on a circuit-riding TKC 80 or that we ride on a hard trails and come out ‘alive and kicking’ when we have ContiSportAttack 4 tires on our bike…

Remember that Continental has a tire guide for your bike, where you will find the most suitable and compatible tires for your bike model.

Listen to your taste!

If you don’t feel good with the tires you have, but the tires and the rest of the components are OK… try others! It is essential that you feel confident and comfortable with your tires, so it is often a matter of taste, not only between different brands, also within the brand itself. For example, a rider on a large-displacement naked bike may prefer to ride the ContiSportAttack 4 instead of the ContiRoadAttack 3 or vice versa. What is your favorite tire?

Find out more about the Continental Flat Tire Assistance Program