| All rubber tires wear down over time, whether | | | | thereby using up more rubber.4. Wheel Alignment - |
| they're on a motorcycle or automobile. However, you | | | | While this problem is not as common on motorcycles |
| want to watch out for uneven or excessive wear, | | | | as it is on cars, it causes uneven tire wear. Any |
| both of which can cause serious problems for | | | | number of things can cause wheel misalignment on |
| motorcycle riders. If you pay attention to the | | | | motorcycles, including getting into a fender bender, |
| following causes of excessive and uneven wear, you | | | | riding over potholes, jumping over sidewalks and |
| will extend the life of your tires and keep yourself | | | | curbs, etc. It is a good idea to have your wheel |
| safe:1. Improper Tire Pressure - We have all heard | | | | alignment checked out at least once a year to make |
| about the importance of maintaining proper tire | | | | sure that a misalignment isn't unevenly wearing your |
| pressure at all times. Improper air pressure in your | | | | front tire.5. Shock Absorbers -- A bad shock |
| tire is a big reason for many tire problems and | | | | absorber can wreak havoc on the handling of your |
| failures. Be sure your tires have the recommended | | | | bike and promotes uneven front tire wear. So make |
| pressure in them at all times.2. Humped Roads -- Most | | | | sure your shocks are in good shape.6. Improper |
| roads are "humped" slightly in the middle or banked | | | | Loading -- The final major problem to keep in mind is |
| away from the center to allow rain and water to | | | | improper loading of your bike, which causes your |
| drain off. However, this hump can have a dramatic | | | | front tire to wear unevenly. Proper weight distribution |
| effect on one side of your motorcycle's front tire | | | | is essential to being able to handle and steer your |
| because the side of the tire closer to the center of | | | | bike safely. Loading down one side of your saddlebag |
| the road will wear faster. There's not much you can | | | | with tools or equipment can keep you from riding as |
| do about this, and it can become very visible if you | | | | vertically as possible, creating uneven tire wear.So |
| ride a lot. So be aware of this phenomenon and | | | | check your tires frequently, and keep these causes in |
| check the left side of your front tire often.3. | | | | mind if you begin noticing excessive or uneven front |
| Disproportionate Cupping -- Cupping is a normal | | | | tire wear. Having the knowledge and taking the |
| phenomenon on rubber tires that occurs when the | | | | proper precautions will not only make you a safer |
| brakes are applied. However, excessive use of the | | | | rider but will prolong the life of your bike's tires.Jeff |
| front brake can produce disproportionate cupping, | | | | Sinason aka Tools - is the owner Being an avid biker, |
| when one side of the tire is more cupped than the | | | | he spends most of his time working on his web site |
| other. Using the front brake will naturally put more | | | | and touring the country. |
| pressure and force on the front tire to make it stop, | | | | |