GOEZCheck motorcycle tire pressure with a gauge when the tires are cold, and set it to the values in your owner's manual or on the label on the bike, adjusting for a passenger or luggage. Check it regularly and before every trip, replace tires before they reach the wear indicators, and look at their age as well as their tread.
Your tires (or tyres) are the only parts of the bike that touch the road. Correct pressure and healthy rubber affect grip, braking, handling, comfort and how long the tires last. Checking them takes two minutes and a gauge.
What tire pressure should my motorcycle have?
Use the values the manufacturer gives for your bike. You'll usually find them:
- In the owner's manual
- On a label on the swingarm, chain guard or frame
Front and rear pressures are usually different, and many bikes list separate values for riding solo and with a passenger or luggage. The maximum pressure printed on the tire's sidewall is the tire's limit, not the pressure to ride at.
How to check motorcycle tire pressure
- Check them cold. Before you ride, or after the bike has stood for a few hours. Riding warms the tires and raises the reading, so a warm check misleads you.
- Remove the valve cap and press the gauge firmly onto the valve.
- Compare the reading with your bike's value.
- Add air or let some out, then measure again.
- Refit the valve cap — it keeps dirt and moisture out of the valve.
Carry your own gauge. Gauges on fuel station air lines can be inaccurate, and you'll always compare against the same tool.
How often should you check?
Tires lose air slowly even without a puncture. Check regularly — weekly is a good habit — and always before a long trip, after the bike has been stored, and when the weather turns much colder.
Passengers and luggage
Extra weight compresses the tires and suspension. If your manual gives a higher pressure for a loaded bike, use it whenever you carry a passenger or luggage, and adjust the suspension preload too. Underinflated tires on a loaded bike run hotter, wear faster and make steering feel heavy. Packing for a tour? See our motorcycle camping guide for how to load the bike.
What wrong pressure feels like
| Too low | Too high | |
|---|---|---|
| Steering | Heavy, slow to turn in | Twitchy, nervous |
| Grip | Tire can squirm and overheat | Smaller contact patch |
| Comfort | Soft, wallowing | Harsh over bumps |
| Wear | Faster, more on the edges | More in the centre |
Don't wait to feel it. Measure.
Tread depth and wear indicators
Tires have tread wear indicators (TWI): small raised bars inside the grooves. Their position is often marked on the sidewall with a small triangle or the letters "TWI". When the tread wears down level with these bars, the tire needs replacing.
Each country also sets a legal minimum tread depth, so check the rule where you ride. But don't treat the minimum as a target: grip in the wet drops as the tread wears. Also look for:
- Cuts, cracks or bulges in the tread or sidewall
- Nails, screws or stones stuck in the tread
- Uneven wear, like a flat centre or cupped edges
- Fine cracking in the rubber, a sign of age
How old is my tire? Reading the DOT code
Rubber ages even when a tire isn't used. On the sidewall, look for the code starting with "DOT". The last four digits show when it was made: the first two are the week, the last two the year. For example, 2324 means the 23rd week of 2024.
Tire and bike manufacturers give their own guidance on maximum age. An old tire with plenty of tread can still have hard, less grippy rubber, so if you're unsure, ask a tire specialist.
Bedding in new tires
New tires can feel slippery at first: the surface is smooth from manufacturing and may carry a release agent. Ride gently for the first stretch, as the tire maker recommends:
- Avoid hard acceleration and hard braking
- Lean gradually more as the tire scuffs in
- Be extra careful in the wet and on cold days
- Check the pressure again after fitting
Replacing tires? Fit the size, type and load and speed ratings your manual specifies.
What to do about a puncture
- If you feel a sudden change — wobbling, the bike pulling, heavy steering — ease off the throttle, avoid hard braking, keep the bars steady and stop somewhere safe.
- Tubeless tires can often be plugged at the roadside with a repair kit for tubeless tires. Treat it as a temporary fix: ride gently and get the tire inspected by a professional.
- Tube-type tires need the tube patched or replaced, which means removing the wheel or tire.
- Sidewall damage generally can't be repaired safely; the tire needs replacing.
Carry a repair kit that suits your tires and a way to inflate them. Both are on our motorcycle trip checklist.
Make it a habit
Check pressure and give the tires a quick look while you're checking the chain — our chain maintenance guide covers that — and before you head to a twisty road from our motorcycle routes. Good tires matter most in corners: see cornering techniques. GOEZ records the distance of every ride (ride tracking), so you can see how far you've gone on a set of tires.