Advice on Motorcycle Gear and Tires

Riders might consider it entirely reasonable to spend 40,000 Baht on an exhaust system, a 8,000 Baht on levers and rearsets, electronics and aesthetics, and yet we see more cheap and inappropriate tire fitted to sportsbikes than ever before.

We regular get asked for advice about tire choices, and in return we hear the phrase 'yeah, but they're a bit expensive' in most of those exchanges. In most cases it seems that most international known tire brands are apparently too steep in price.

The same people are happy to fork out 11,000 Baht for small accessories to change the look of the bike, 6,000 Baht or more on stylish luggage options, and seemingly think that a 4,000 to 6,000 Baht helmet is going to protect them. And I'm not kidding if I say that I saw people riding motorcycles, which cost over 240,000 Baht, wearing a motorcycle helmet you can buy for 200 Baht at the local supermarket.

Anyway, it's amazing how people can buy an impressive 'bigger', 'powerful' and 'faster' motorcycle and skimp out on safety gear and fitting the best tires. It should be so simple 'You can't cut corners if it comes to safety gear and tires.' The discussion why we need to wear safety gear is told so many times I will not want to address it right now...

Most motorcyclists forget how essential good tires are for a motorcycle, tires are a rather crucial part of ditch avoidance, and keeping you safe...

Surely, every riding moment involves at least one of the two tires being in contact with the round? Certainly where it really matters – in the corners – your tires are barely less important than whether you're conscious, or not. And yet it's pretty obvious that, for many, a new set of tires is a difficult purchase; something to be bemoaned and resented, like it's another form of tax payment. It's odd phenomenon, but the cause can probably be traced back to two simple but destructive forces. The first is OE tires – the ones that were fitted with when your motorcycle was brand new.

Owners often believe, as I did two decades ago, that benevolent manufacturers choose the very best tires, so that you, the buyer, will experience their motorcycle in the best possible light. Indeed, some motorcycles even come on tires specially developed just for that model – so they must be the best, mustn't they?

No, manufacturers specify tires based on cost and contractual obligations, not ultimate suitability. When a tire has been 'specially developed for this motorcycle', it usually means it's cheaper, less technically advanced, and less capable than the aftermarket tire bearing the same name. Almost no motorcycle currently on the market is supplied on tires that you shouldn't ask the supplying tire dealer into replacing.

The other root of cause is sadder. It's a simple matter of experience. If you've never ridden on a seriously capable set of tires, then you have nothing to compare experiences to. And that's a real shame, because you deserve to understand what your motorcycle is capable of.