How Long Do Motorcycle Tires Last? A Helpful Guide

Motorcycle tires are going to be a consumable that you will frequently replace on your bike. They can be a fairly pricey commodity, and you will need to plan your purchase and monitor your riding habits to get the most out of your tires from a wear-and-tear point of view and a value for money aspect.

Motorcycle tires will last anywhere between a few months and ten years. However, it is recommended that they should be changed every five years and straight away If any damage is noticed on a tire. How long a tire lasts is determined by the tire compound, riding conditions, how you ride, tire pressure, and your bike’s weight and power.

Other than fuel, tires will be the other consumable for your bike that you will purchase most frequently. Making the right choice of tire and how you ride determines your riding experience and determines how often you will need to replace them.

Mentioning that a motorcycle tire can last between a few months and five or so years is an extremely wide gap.

So, let me explain;

I own a couple of motorcycles and use each one for the different types of motorcycle riding I pursue.

I have a Honda Africa Twin, which I use for touring and days out, and I also own a Honda CB500 X, which I use for my courier business, which includes long rides on the freeway and plenty of traveling around cities.

I haven’t changed the tires on my Africa Twin for about three years, but I have replaced the rear tire three times in the past 12 months on my CB500X. I have had four punctures in the CB’s rear tire, of which only one was repairable, and the others required purchasing a new tire.

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So, you see, motorcycle tires could last just a few weeks to several years, depending on how you use your motorcycle.

How Long Do Motorcycle Tires Last?

There are a great many variables that can potentially affect how quickly your motorcycle tires will wear. For this reason, it is a tough ask, if not almost impossible, to give a definitive number to say how many miles your tires will last.

In my own experience, with different types of motorcycles and different rider styles, all using the same type of tire, the ride, and tire wear rate will vary because the life of the tire is not only determined by what it is made from.

The best I can do is give you the factors that affect tire wear, and you will need to determine which of these factors have a greater or lesser impact on your tire wear for your particular style of riding and the motorcycle you ride.

One thing that is a fact is that front tires will last significantly longer than rear tires. This is because the rear tire carries the bulk of the rider’s weight, any luggage, and the machine itself. The rear tire also receives the driving torque from the engine, which also causes additional wear.

However it is not recommended to keep a tire longer than 5 years even if it has covered only a few miles. This is due to the fact that the compounds which make up the tire break down over time which can cause the tire to malfunction.

Motorcycle Tire Compounds

Motorcycle tires can be grouped into three broad categories, sport tires, street tires, and touring tires. Each of these tires is manufactured with different compounds, or different rubber percentages, which affect their hardness and performance in certain conditions. The compound will also influence the lifespan of the tire.

For more information regarding how motorcycle tires are made please read my other article here

How Long Do Sport Tires Last?

Sport tires are a soft compound tire. They have tons of grip and will allow you to corner so that your footpegs almost scrape the tarmac! You will get great grip and performance for quick pull-offs and any other antics you want to get up to on your bike, such as wheelies, etc.

The downside is that the softer compound of these tires results in a greater wear coefficient, and the tires don’t last long. You can expect a set of sport tires to last on average a maximum of 5000 miles, after which time you will need to replace them to maintain safety.

If you ride hard, you can expect these tires to only last you 2000 miles, and if you ride more conservatively, you could conceivably get up to 8000 miles on these tires.

You should check your tires’ condition each and every time you take your motorcycle out for a ride when you carry out your other safety checks.

How Long Do Street Tires Last?

Street tires are designed to be a crossover tire between the sport and the touring tire to produce a tire with better overall performance but longer wear.

This tire is made with a slightly harder compound rubber than the sport tire. The manufacturers formulate and test these tires to give a good balance between performance and durability.

This makes them perform well when you need to crank the throttle on a pull-off or around a long sweeping bend that you can really lay into and get your adrenalin spiked!

You will not get the same level of performance as you will from a sports bike tire, but if you are using your motorcycle to commute as well, you seldom get the opportunity to really put a sport tire through its paces. So, if you ride a sport tire in these conditions, the stop-start riding will wear down your expensive tires.

Street tires will be an excellent compromise, and depending on how you ride, the conditions in which you ride, and how you take care of your tire pressure, you can expect them to last anywhere between 5000 miles and 15 000 miles.

These tires give you great value for money while compromising slightly on the performance to give a more durable tire.

How Long Do Touring Tires Last?

Touring tires are harder compound tires that are made for the long haul. They are a durable tire made for long straight highways with not much in the way of tight turns or situations requiring aggressive riding.

Touring tires are harder compound tires designed to take the heat generated by contact with the road over long periods of time. They take longer to heat up than other tires, but their performance improves as they reach operating temperature.

The harder compound makes them the most durable of bike tires, but you won’t want to throw your bike into a tight corner when these tires are cold.

Touring bikes are also generally heavier than most street bikes or even superbikes, and the touring tires are made to handle the additional weight of these machines.

You can expect touring tires to last more than 10 000 miles, and if you ride on good roads, maintain your tire pressure, and ride conservatively, you can possibly extend this number to about 18 000 miles on the open road.

Touring tires are not recommended for use for commuting in the city. They take too long to warm up to the point that their performance component kicks in, and they get grippy enough to provide good road holding. However, once again, it’s not just a simple case of ‘shouldn’t use these types of tires,’ as this does come down to how you ride the motorcycle.

Other Factors Affecting Motorcycle Tire Wear

The tire’s compound is not the only factor that affects how long your motorcycle tires will last.

Here are the other factors which can have a significant impact on the lifespan of your motorcycle tires:

1. Weight of your bike: The heavier your bike is, the more it will wear out the tires. Don’t expect to get the upper lifespan of a tire if your bike is heavy. The converse is also true; a lighter bike will wear out the tires at a slower rate.
2. Power of your bike: The engine’s size and the torque it produces, especially on pull-off, can impact the wear on the tires, especially the rear tire. The more power the bike has, the more wear on the tire.
3. Road conditions: The conditions of the roads you frequently ride will impact the life of the tire. Sharp stones, sand, and debris on the road can reduce the life of your tire, as can potholes and rough tar on the surface.
4. Tire pressure: Maintaining the correct tire pressure goes a long way to extending the life of your bike tires. Check your bike tire pressure at least once a week to ensure you have the right pressure in the tires. The wrong tire pressure can easily halve your tire lifespan.
5. How you ride: Having fun on your bike is the reason we ride, but as the saying goes, too much of a good thing is not necessarily a good thing! Riding hard all the time will wear your tires out extremely fast and will probably require that you replace your tires two or three times as often as someone who rides more conservatively.
6. Cracking: Large amounts of exposure to sunlight and various other weather conditions can cause the sidewalls and outer tread of a motorcycle tire to crack. Excessive amounts of cracking will mean replacing the tire.

How Many Miles Do Motorcycle Tires Last?

I decided to carry out some further research to determine if any of the manufacturers gave actual milage numbers and picked at random six motorcycle tires to see how tire mileage was dealt with to consumers of motorcycle tires.

I looked at this question as a consumer who would want to purchase a tire that would last the longest time for the type of motorcycle riding I do. I wanted to know how easy it is to find the information regarding how many actual miles the tire manufacturers recommended their tires for.

I know the Revzilla website to be a highly respected and trusted site, so I decided to use them to carry out my research, and this is what I found out:

The six tires I randomly picked were:

1. Pirelli Angel GT II
2. Continental Road Attack 3 Tires
3. Dunlop Roadsmart 3 Tires
4. Metzeler Sportec M7RR Tires
5. Metzeler Sportec M5
6. Continental Trail Attack 3 Tires

1) Pirelli Angel GT II Tires

With a new tread and compound, Pirelli has updated their ever-popular sport touring tires for increased grip and mileage. The Angel GT II tires feature dual-compound rubber at the rear and the new tread pattern provides improved water evacuation for confident handling when the weather turns. 

Features:

• (W)-rated for speeds of 168+ mph
• (V)-rated for speeds of 149+ mph
• Ideal for sport riders looking for increased mileage without sacrificing grip and traction
• Extended Mileage Sport (EMS) tires provide best-in-class for mileage and grip
• “A Spec” tires feature a reinforced, 2-ply carcass
• Improved wet grip
• Tubeless

So as you can see, they list that these tires are extended mileage but do not list any mileage number whatsoever.

2) Continental Road Attack 3 Tires

Confidently charge your favorite tarmac with the Road Attack 3. The RA3 dominates when it’s hot and dry but it also excels in the cold and wet. MultiGrip technology gives you a seamless transition from a harder center to softer sides to eliminate premature wear caused by abrupt compound changes. This is the perfect tire for someone who wants a long lasting tire that performs year round.  

Features:

• Performance oriented pattern design for better drainage in wet conditions
• Wet grip optimized compound
• TractionSkin mold release-free manufacturing virtually puts an end to tire break-in
• MultiGrip temperature controlled curing of the tire during the production process creates harder center and softer, grippier sides
• Eligible for Continental’s free 3 year roadside warranty

This tire description has the phrase ‘This is the perfect tire for someone who wants a longer-lasting tire’ but does not list any mileage numbers.

3) Dunlop Roadsmart 3 Tires

Motorcyclists are often used to compromise. A tire that is good in the dirt suffers on the tarmac, a bike that can turn a nine second quarter mile will take far longer than that to pull a U-turn and a sport-touring tire will either last a long time or it will be fun. We rarely end up with everything our little hearts desire. If you are a sport-touring rider, those days just might be behind you. The Dunlop Roadsmart 3 Tires provide excellent wet weather grip, thanks to Dunlop’s Interconnecting Groove Tread technology, yet also provide great handling, excellent longevity and a confidence inspiring feel thanks to their MultiTread compound. 

The revised front tire profile and rayon ply carcass provide precise handling and feedback. Additionally, far less rider input is required for steering, which means your comfortable sport-touring rig will ride more like a chiropractor-pocket-lining supersport. Dunlop’s iGT design lends the Roadsmart 3s an aggressive look, but it is not just for aesthetics. Interconnecting grooves ensure consistent tire wear and promote top level performance until your tire’s final days, even in inclement weather.

Features:

• Entirely revised rayon ply carcass and front profile requires less steering input and provides precise handling without sacrificing Roadsmart’s trademark confidence inspiring feel and feedback
• Interconnecting Groove Tread (iGT) provides excellent water evacuation while promoting even tire wear
• MultiTread compound with tri-polymer blend and high dispersion silica mix provides increased mileage and wet weather grip
• MT compound and iGT design work together to ensure top level performance for the life of the tire

This tire description lists ‘excellent longevity’ and informs that it ‘provides increased mileage’ but gives no actual mileage numbers at all.

4) Metzeler Sportec M7RR Tires

The Metzeler Sportec M7 RR is engineered to empower riders with a sporty riding style who use their motorcycles in all conditions, weather and temperatures. The M7RR is derived from Metzeler’s experience in Road Racing, including the Isle of Man TT and the Metzeler Ulster Grand Prix and features completely new profiles, structure materials, compounds and tread pattern.

We all know roads are not always perfect like race tracks, we have to face unexpected wet patches, debris, temperature drops or uneven tarmac. For these uncontrollable variables, Metzeler has introduced a new concept of water drainage and contact feeling thanks to dual-compound on the rear tire combined with Interact technology and high silica compounds.

Tread Pattern Design

The longitudinal grooves are interrupted by compound bridges to increase the thrust in acceleration, enhance stability of tread compound and improve wear regularity. These bridges also keep the grove wide open when in contact with the tarmac, ensuring water evacuation. In the lateral groves, depth decreases gradually towards shoulder area to increase compactness and lateral thrust when turning at maximum lean angle on dry tarmac; their width on the other hand, increases towards shoulder area to guarantee efficient water evacuation at higher lean angle.

Compound

For the Sportec M7RR, Metzeler has develop a compound capable of generating chemical and mechanical grip. The development target was to extend the sporty behavior from the ‘perfect or ideal conditions’ of dry warm temperature and regular asphalt to those sudden and unpredictable situations that we all actually encounter when riding on normal roads: wet spots, leaves, temperature drops, debris, holes, etc. Therefore Metzeler developed a totally new family of compounds with high to full Silica (SiO2). 

The rear tire is Dual-Compound with a 40%-20%-40% layout. The shoulder strip has a 100% silica content that provide chemical grip on both dry and wet surfaces, supported by a harder compound in the substrate that grants the highest levels of stability and steering precision when cornering. This same ‘base’ compound exists in the central portion of the tread which covers approximately 45mm in width (with slight difference between sizes) and assures an elevated mileage capability.

Profile

The main function of the profile is to influence the handling behavior of the tire. The profile of SPORTEC M7 RR Tires are directly derived from those used in the Road Racing activity by Guy Martin and other road racers. This profile provides an immediate dive into a lean from the upright position and agile handling for quick direction change.The shoulder portion is flatter, providing a 5% larger footprint which provides better grip and trajectory precision when leaning. Sidewall height is also increased by 3mm, providing more torsional-flexibility that increases the tire traction in accelerations and out of the turns.

Features:

• Sporty Handling: the combination of profiles derived from the Road Racing activities with high stiffness structures delivers an extremely agile handling for a sporty riding style on all roads
• Grip in all Conditions: 100% Silica compounds combined with a special tread pattern gives the SPORTEC M7 RR the unique capability to keep the sporty riding style in cold weather, wet roads and greasy and grimy tarmac surfaces
• Extended Mileage: 20% more mileage compared to the SPORTEC M5 Interact and dual compound construction on rear sizes allows the use of a specific material on the central slick portion of the tread pattern to increase abrasion resistance and extend the mileage capability

So these tires just listed the following:

‘improve wear regularity‘ and ‘Extended Mileage: 20% more mileage compared to the SPORTEC M5′ but no actual mileage figures.

So I searched for the Sportec M5 to make a comparison, but unfortunately, Revzilla didn’t have any in stock at the time, so I had a look on the internet and found them at Tiremarket.com

This is the information tiremarket.com had on Sportec M5:

Metzeler Sportec M5 Interact Tyre Overview

The German tyre manufacturer, Metzeler, is famed to produce top-notch motorcycle tyres. It is one of the oldest and one of the most respected two-wheeler tyre manufacturers in the world. The company was founded back in 1863 and initially made all kinds of tyres from bicycles to automobiles. However, 1979 was the year when it finally became more committed to making tyres for two-wheelers. In 1986 Metzeler was acquired by Pirelli and is currently headquartered in Milan, Italy. Needless to say, a lot goes into developing Metzelers with the prowess of Pirelli. In India, Metzeler got widespread praise from the masses after it was made available with the smash-hit KTM Duke 390 when it was launched. And, we are going to talk about the same tyre that was made available in the Duke 390, which goes by the name of Metzeler Sportec M5 Interact.

Metzeler Sportec M5 Interact Tyre Compound

The M5 Interact uses a very smart mix of the rubber compound for the tyre. Since the tyre is meant for sports motorcycles, the tyre has to keep note of both straight-line acceleration and high-speed cornering. For this purpose, the M5 Interact gets a hard compound for the central part of the tyre to optimize straight line acceleration and also the mileage. On the other hand, the shoulder part of the tyre composes of a softer compound to offer maximum levels of grip during cornering. The tyre also uses a balanced silica and carbon black mixture to aid in quick warm-up and better wet-weather handling.

Metzeler Sportec M5 Interact Tyre Construction

The M5 Interact is a radial type tyre with a tread pattern optimised to enhance road grip and high-speed handling. The tyre gets a “Greek π” tread pattern, which aids in effective water expulsion even on high lean angles. The deep channels on the tyre’s ‘slick-tyre-like’ tread aid in better grip under wet conditions. It uses Metzeler’s trademark “Interact” technology, which employs a variable steel string winding tension with 5-zones designed to deliver different grip levels for different surfaces and riding characteristics. The high tension makes sure that the tyre compound stays in place, whereas the low tension zone (between edge and crown) creates more flexibility along with increased energy absorption. Then there’s the area of even higher tension (edges) to make sure maximum and uniform pressure of the contact patch.

Metzeler Sportec M5 Interact Tyre Performance

The Sportec M5 Interact is a high-performance street tyre and is ideal for supersport and sports motorcycle. However, it can also be used in entry-level performance bikes such as the KTM Duke, Kawasaki Ninja 300, and others. The enhanced combination of silica and carbon black allows the tyre to get ready for the business within no time and offer superior grip. The 5-zone tension areas from one shoulder edge to the other helps the M5 Interact deal with varying riding angles and conditions.

The central crown is made of a harder high tension compound and offers straight-line stability along with the desired mileage. Tilt the bike to any of the direction and the softer low tension compound kicks in to offer maximum grip while cornering. The edges again are made of high tension compound so as to offer strength to the edges and prevent them from collapsing during steeper lean angle. The tyre has loads of grip and offers shorter braking distance even while high-speed cornering. It also improves the acceleration and cornering speeds of the motorcycle it’s been fitted to. Therefore, it is safe to say that the Metzeler Sportec M5 Interact is an impressive track tyre as well.

Metzeler Sportec M5 Interact Tyre Fuel Efficiency

Thanks to a stiffer compound present on the crown of the M5 Interact, the fuel efficiency of the tyre is quite impressive. However, while cornering the softer compound enables maximum grip and the fuel efficiency figures drop drastically. But, since the Metzeler M5 Interact is a high-performance tyre, it is not justified to expect exceptional mileage figures such as from a street focused tyre.

Metzeler Sportec M5 Interact Tyre Warranty

The M5 Interact is available with a 4-year standard manufacturer warranty. The warranty agreement covers replacement in case of any faults arising due to workmanship and manufacturing defects.

Metzeler Sportec M5 Interact Tyre Speed Rating

The M5 Interact is available with ‘H’ and ‘W’ speed rating, which means the tyres can safely operate at 210 kmph and 270 kmph, respectively, at the maximum permissible loads. These are very impressive ratings and a clear indicator of the performance these tyres are capable of.

Metzeler Sportec M5 Interact Tyre Competitors

The German motorcycle tyre is stacked against Michelin Road 5, Pirelli Diablo Rosso III and Continental Sport Attack 3. All of these tyres are worthy competitors, however, have certain pros and cons over each other.

Verdict (not my verdict Article please continue reading)

The M5 Interact is a very capable tyre, both on the street and on the racetrack. The tyre provides increased stability in a straight line while making sure that the motorcycle doesn’t compromise on fuel efficiency. The tyre also provides tremendous confidence while cornering, enabling the rider to attack the corners at increased speed with every lap. However, the soft compound of the tyre does restrict its life and it burns out pretty quickly compared to the majority of other offerings in the segment. Nevertheless, when it comes to outright performance and grip there are a very limited number of tyres that can challenge the M5 Interact.

As you can see there are no milage figures listed so apart from the fact that there is a section that says it burns out pretty quickley I cant make the comparisson to the M7 tire because neither has any milage figures quoted.

The M5 description mentions ‘also the milage’ and ‘the desired mileage,’ but no information exists for actual mileage numbers.

I can only gather from the Revzilla website information that the M7 will last longer than the M5, but mileage-wise it’s still a mystery.

Continental Trail Attack 3 Tires

The Continental Trail Attack 3 Tires are an improvement over the ever-popular Trail Attack 2 Tires. Featuring a new, optimized tread pattern, the Trail Attack 3 tires provide improved traction on dry and wet surfaces. With confidence inspiring ground-feel and linear handling characteristics, the Trail Attack 3 Tires are best suited on your large ADV rig for long miles in all weather conditions.

Features:

• Advanced adventure touring/dual-sport tire for large capacity bikes
• Engineered to meet the demands of today’s modern powerful, high performance adventure touring/enduro machines
• 0° steel belt construction on the rear tire delivers superior stability and comfort even at high cruising speeds and high loads
• MultiGrip compound offers high grip in all wet and dry conditions combined with excellent mileage for long trips
• EasyHandling technology provides improved ground-feel and linear handling characteristics
• TractionSkin tread surface allow for a quick warm-up and limited break-in period
• Eligible for Continental’s free 3 year roadside warranty

So from the information about the attack 3 tires, all I can see is ‘excellent mileage for long trips’ and ‘for long miles in all weather conditions’ but no actual mileage figures.

My Conclusion

In many situations, when riding your motorcycle, the difference between staying upright and coming off your bike can be your tires’ quality. Don’t compromise on the quality of your tires for the sake of price.

Always put the best tire on your bike that you can afford and put on the appropriate type of tire for riding that you do the most.

If you can’t help yourself and have to ride at full throttle everywhere you go, then put on a sport tire. But otherwise, a street tire is generally appropriate for most city conditions and will give you good wear and tear ratio to performance.

If you are going on a road trip, replace your tires with an appropriate touring tire for your bike to get the best wear over an extended time on the road. Just remember to warm up the tires over a few miles before pushing the performance.

I have learned a lot by carrying out my investigations to answer how long a motorcycle tire lasts. There is no definitive answer to the question, so you will have to carry out research of your own when purchasing new motorcycle tires.

Ask as many questions as you can and explain to the tire company what type of riding you do the most and how you intend to use your motorcycle. This will help them to advise you more precisely.

Over the years I have been purchasing motorcycle tires, I have found that the many reputable companies selling tires do have your best interests and want to sell you a tire suitable for your riding style and motorcycle

Motorcycle tires are a consumable product that has to be replaced time and again. The tire suppliers know this. Suppose they can help you pick the right tire for your personal needs and give you correct and valuable information to help you make the right buying decisions. In that case, you will become a valued and repeat customer revisiting them time and again.

It is in their companies best interests to give you all the correct information.

If you make sure that you are dealing with a reputable company, which you always should do, you will be able to trust the information they pass onto you, which will give you many happy miles on your motorcycle.

Happy riding!

Related Reading

Do Motorcycle Tires Have To Match? A Useful Guide

Why New Motorcycle Tires Are Slippery And What To Do.

Source:

revzilla.com

tiremarket.com