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MOTORCYCLE TIRE TIPS
MOTORCYCLE TIRE SAFETY INFORMATION
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Any tire, no matter how well constructed, may
fail in use as a result of punctures, impact damage, improper inflation,
overloading, or other conditions resulting from use or misuse. Tire
failure may create a risk of property damage, serious personal injury
or death. To reduce the risk of tire failure, we strongly recommend
you read and follow all safety information contained in this brochure.
Bridgestone/Firestone recommends periodic inspection
and removal of any imbedded objects by a qualified service person.
Serious personal injury or death may result from a tire failure.
Many tire failures are preceded by vibration, bumps, bulges or irregular
wear. If a vibration occurs while riding your motorcycle, or you
notice a bump, bulge or irregular wear, have your tires and motorcycle
evaluated by a qualified service person.
It is not often that a properly maintained
tire will "blow out" while you are riding. More commonly
if air is lost, it will be gradual. If you do experience a blow
out or sudden tire failure, the following information should be
helpful: When the failure occurs, slowly decrease the amount of
throttle, hold the handlebars firmly, and steer to maintain your
lane position. Once the motorcycle has slowed and is fully under
control, apply the brakes gently. Gradually pull over to the shoulder
and come to a stop.
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Always keep the motorcycle
manufacturer's recommended air pressure in both tires. This is an
important requirement for tire safety and mileage. Your motorcycle
owner's manual will tell you the recommended cold inflation pressure.
On some motorcycles, the recommended front and rear tire pressures
will be different. Your local motorcycle dealer will be able to
point this out to you.
| Riding
on tires with too little air pressure is dangerous. Your tires
will get overheated. This can cause a sudden tire failure that
could lead to serious personal injury or death. |
Under inflation may also: 1) damage the tire leading
to tire failure. 2) adversely affect vehicle cornering. 3) reduce
tire life. 4) increase fuel consumption.
| Riding
on tires with too much air can be dangerous. The tires are more
likely to be cut, punctured, or broken by sudden impact. Serious
personal injury or death could result. Consult your owner's
manual for the recommended inflation and other tire information. |
Never inflate a tire unless it is secured
to the motorcycle or a tire-mounting machine. Inflating an unsecured
tire is dangerous. If it bursts, it could be hurled into the air
with explosive force resulting in serious personal injury or death.
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| In order
for your new tire(s) to provide optimum performance, tires should
be ridden very cautiously for the first 100 miles in order for the
tread surface to be "Scuffed-In" and work properly. Directly
after new tires are mounted, sudden acceleration, maximum braking
and hard cornering must be avoided. This will allow the rider to adjust
to the "Feel" and handling characteristics of the new tire
and for the new tire to be "Scuffed-In" correctly in order
to achieve optimum grip level. |
TIPS FOR SAFE TIRE INFLATION
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- Check your tire air pressure at least once a month and before
long trips. Be sure to use an accurate pressure gauge.
- Check your air pressure when the tires are "cold."
The tires are "cold" when your motorcycle has been ridden
less than a mile at moderate speed or after being stopped for
three or more hours.
- If you must add air when your tires are hot, add four pounds
per square inch (4 psi)(28 kPa) above the recommended cold inflation
pressure. Recheck the inflation pressure when the tire is cold.
- Never release air from a hot tire in order to reach the recommended
cold tire pressure. Normal riding causes tires to run hotter and
inflation pressure to increase. If you release air when your tires
are hot, you may dangerously under inflate your tires.
- If your tires lose more than two pounds per square inch (2 psi)(14
kPa) per month, the tire, the valve, or wheel may be damaged.
Consult your local dealer for an inspection.
- Use valve caps to keep valve cores clean, clear of debris and
to help guard against air leakage.
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| Riding
your motorcycle in an overloaded condition is dangerous. Overloading
causes excessive heat to build up in your tires. This can lead
to sudden tire failure and serious personal injury or death
while the tire is overloaded or at some later date. |
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- Consult your motorcycle owner's manual for
the motorcycle load limits and proper tire inflation that applies
to your motorcycle and tires.
- Never exceed the maximum load rating stamped
on the tire sidewall of your tire or the maximum vehicle load
rating, whichever is less. Before a trip, determine the total
weight of luggage, equipment, and rider(s) to be added to your
vehicle.
- Never exceed the accessory restrictions and
motorcycle load capacity found in the owner's manual, or the maximum
load molded on the sidewall of the tire.
- Pulling trailers behind your motorcycle is
not recommended by Bridgestone/Firestone as trailers may contribute
to motorcycle instability and overload.
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| Riding
on damaged tires is dangerous. A damaged tire can suddenly fail
causing serious personal injury or death. Have your tires regularly
inspected by your local dealer for damage. |
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TIPS FOR SPOTTING DAMAGED TIRES
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- After striking anything unusual in the roadway,
ask your local dealer to demount the tire and inspect it for damage.
A tire may not have visible signs of damage on the tire surface.
Yet, the tire may suddenly fail without warning, a day, a week,
or even months later.
- Inspect your tires for cuts, cracks, splits
or bruises in the tread and sidewall areas. Bumps or bulges may
indicate a separation within the tire body. Have your tire inspected
by a qualified tire service person. It may be necessary to have
it removed from the wheel for a complete inspection.
- Inspect your tires for adequate tread depth.
When the tire is worn to the built-in indicators at 1/32nd inch
(0.8 millimeters) or less tread groove depth, or the tire cord
or fabric is exposed, the tire is dangerously worn and must be
replaced immediately.
- Inspect your tires for uneven wear. Wear on
one side of the tread or flat spots in the tread may indicate
a problem with the tire or vehicle. Consult your local dealer.
- Inspect your rims also. If you have a
bent or cracked rim, it must be replaced.
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Riding
on an improperly repaired tire is dangerous. An improper repair can
cause further damage to the tire. It may suddenly fail, causing serious
personal injury or death. To be safe, go to your local dealer for
proper tire repairs.
Before having a tire repaired, tell your local dealer if you have
used an aerosol fixer to inflate/ seal the tire. Aerosol fixers could
contain a highly volatile gas. Always remove the valve core outdoors,
away from sources of excessive heat, flame, or sparks and completely
deflate the tire before removing it from the rim for repair.
- Never repair a tire with less than 1/32nd inch
(0.8 millimeters) tread remaining. At this tread depth, the tire
is worn out and must be replaced.
- Never repair a tire with a puncture larger
than 1/4 inch (6.4 millimeters) in diameter. Such tires cannot
be properly repaired and must be replaced.
- Repairs of all tires (radial and non-radial)
must be of the plug and inside patch type. Using plugs alone on
any type of tire is not a safe repair.
- Never repair a tire with a puncture or other
damage outside the tread area. Such tires cannot be properly repaired
and must be replaced.
- Any tire repair done without removing the tire
from the rim is improper.
- Tubes, like tires, should be repaired only
by a qualified tire service person.
- Never use a tube as a substitute for a proper
repair.
| A
tire's speed rating is void if the tire is repaired, retreaded,
damaged or abused, or otherwise altered from its original condition.
Thereafter, it should be treated as a non-speed-rated tire. |
Speed should not exceed 50 mph (80kph) in
the first 24 hours after a repair is made and the repaired tire
should never be used at speeds above 80 mph (128 kph).
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REMOVING AND REPLACING TIRES ON RIMS (TIRE MOUNTING)
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Always stand well clear of any tire mounting operation.
This is especially important when the service operator inflates
the tire. If the tire has been improperly mounted, it may burst
with explosive force causing serious personal injury or death.
Removing and replacing tires on rims can be dangerous.
Attempting to mount tires with improper tools or procedures may
result in a tire explosion causing serious personal injury or death.
This is a job for your local dealer or other qualified tire service
location only.
Serious personal injury or death can result
from:
- Failure to select the proper tire and rim. The tire must match
the width and diameter requirements of the rim. For example, when
mounting 16-inch diameter tires, use only 16-inch diameter rims.
- Failure to inspect both the tire and rim. The
rim must be free of cracks, dents, chips, and rust. The tire must
be free of bead damage, cuts, and punctures.
- Exceeding the maximum bead seating pressure. The tire service
person must never inflate a tire beyond 40 pounds per square inch
(psi)(276kPa) to seat the beads. Be absolutely certain beads are
fully seated before adjusting inflation pressure to the level
recommended for vehicle operation.
NEVER MOUNT PASSENGER CAR TIRES
ON MOTORCYCLE RIMS.
Mount only "tubeless" tires on "tubeless"
rims when the rim manufacturer recommends this fitment. Some rims
require tubes. A "tubeless" tire must be installed on
a "tube type" rim when the appropriate tube is inserted.
Do not install non-radial tubes in radial
tires. Insure that the tube marking matches the radial tire marking
before installation to rims that require tubes.
A new valve must be installed on the rim each time a worn out motorcycle
tire is replaced.
Never put flammable substances in tire/rim assemblies at any time.
Never put any flammable substance into a tire/ rim assembly and
attempt to ignite to seat the beads.
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All motorcycles should be equipped with the tire
size specified by the motorcycle manufacturer as found in the owner's
manual or manufacturer's website.
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FRONT AND REAR TIRE MATCHING
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| Riding
your motorcycle with an improper mix of radial construction
tires with bias or bias-belted construction tires is dangerous.
Your motorcycle's handling characteristics can be seriously
affected. You could have an accident resulting in serious personal
injury or death. Consult your owner's manual or your local dealer,
for the proper tire replacement. |
- Mount tires marked " Front Wheel"
on front positions only and tires marked "Rear Positions"
on rear positions only.
- Never mix Radial construction tires with bias
or bias-belted construction tires.
- Some motorcycles may be equipped with Radial
tires. Consult the motorcycle manufacturer before equipping replacement
Radial tires to insure the proper specification and combination
for your motorcycle.
- A new front tire equipped on a motorcycle
with a worn rear tire may cause instability.
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| Riding
at high speed is dangerous, and can cause a motorcycle accident,
including serious personal injury or death. |
- Regardless of the speed and handling
capabilities of your motorcycle and its tires, a loss of control
can result from exceeding the maximum speed:
(a) allowed by law or (b) warranted by traffic, weather, vehicle,
or road conditions. High-speed riding should be left to trained
professionals operating under controlled conditions.
- No tire, regardless of its design or speed
rating, has unlimited capacity for speed, and a sudden tire failure
can occur if its limits are exceeded.
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Never use race only tires on public roads. Race
tires are constructed in such a way that they are very unstable
under normal street riding conditions. These tires also require
higher operating temperatures for proper performance. These temperatures
cannot be obtained within legal speed limits.
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Do not use a tire on the road that has been subjected
to motorcycle dynamometer testing. The stress from this process
may result in tread compound degradation and possible tire failure.
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Some tires bear a letter "speed rating"
designation indicating the tire's design speed capability. This
speed rating system is intended to allow you to compare the speed
capabilities of tires.
When purchasing or replacing speed-rated tires, make sure to:
(a) use the rankings in the chart below to compare the speed ratings
of all the tires, and
(b) follow the motorcycle manufacturer's recommendations, if any,
concerning the use of speed-rated tires.
To avoid reducing the speed capability of the motorcycle, replace
a speed-rated tire only with another tire having at least the same
speed rating. Remember, it's the "top speed" of the "slowest"
tire on the vehicle, which cannot be exceeded without risk of tire
failure.
The letter symbols and corresponding
design speeds are:
| Speed-Rating
Symbol |
Speed Category* |
| J |
Up to 62mph (100
km/h |
| N |
Up to 87mph (140
km/h) |
| P |
Up to 93mph (150
km/h) |
| S |
Up to 112 mph
(180 km/h) |
| H |
Up to 130 mph
(210 km/h) |
| V (with service
description) |
Up to 149 mph
(240 km/h) |
| W |
Up to 168 mph
(270 km/h)*** |
| Z (with service
description) |
Over 149 mph (240
km/h)** |
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* In laboratory tests that relate directly
to highway speeds.
Reminder: Actual tire speed and performance capability depends on
factors such as inflation pressure, load, tire condition, wear and
driving conditions.
** Although no upper limit speed is specified here, the indicated
tires nonetheless have limited rated speed capability. Call 1-800-367-3872
for a referral for more technical information.
*** Any tire with a speed capability above 149 mph (240 kph) can,
at the tire manufacturer's option, include a "Z" in the
size designation (120/70ZR17). If a service description IS NOT included,
the tire manufacturer must be consulted for the maximum speed capability.
If a service description is included with the size description,
the speed capability is limited by the speed symbol in the service
description.
These speed ratings are based on laboratory tests
under specific, controlled conditions. While these tests relate
to performance on the road under those conditions, remember that
real-life driving is rarely identical to any test conditions. Your
tire's actual speed capability may be less than its rated speed,
since it is affected by factors such as inflation pressure, load,
prior alteration or damage, driving conditions, alignment, wear,
vehicle condition, and the duration for which high speed is sustained.
A tire's speed rating becomes void if the tire is repaired, retreaded,
damaged or abused, or otherwise altered from its original condition.
Thereafter, it should be treated as a non-speed-rated tire.
The tire's speed rating designation appears on the tire sidewall
with the tire size.
Examples: 120/60ZR17 55W - 140/70V18 67V
In these examples, the "Z" and "V" respectively,
are the speed-ratings ("R" indicates that each of the
example tire sizes are radials).
The "55W" and "67V" in these two examples are
called "service descriptions."
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| Spinning
a tire to remove a motorcycle stuck in mud, ice, snow, or wet
grass can be dangerous. A tire spinning at a speedometer reading
above 35 miles per hour (55 km/h) can in a matter of seconds
reach a speed capable of disintegrating a tire with explosive
force. Under some conditions, a tire may be spinning at a speed
twice that shown on the speedometer. This could cause serious
personal injury or death to a bystander or passenger and extensive
motorcycle damage. Never spin a tire above a speedometer reading
of 35 mph (55 km/h). |
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Regularly inspect the spokes of your motorcycle
wheels. Broken or loose spokes may cause wheel wobble, which can
lead to instability and premature tire wear.
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TIRE AND/OR VEHICLE STORAGE
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| Tires
and/or vehicles should be stored indoors in a cool dry place
where water cannot collect inside the tires. The tires and or
vehicles should be placed away from electric generators and
motors and sources of heat such as hot pipes. Storage surfaces
should be clean and free of grease, gasoline, or other substances,
which can deteriorate the rubber. Improper storage can damage
your tires in ways that may not be visible and can lead to serious
personal injury or death. |
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Use a mild soap solution to clean sidewalls, white
stripes or raised white lettering, and then rinse off with plain
water. Never apply any other materials, cleaners or dressings to
enhance sidewall appearance. These items may degrade rubber and
remove inherent ozone cracking and weather checking resistance.
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