Breaking in new motorcycle tires (2024)

FAQs

Do you need to break in new motorcycle tires? ›

Even though Continental's TractionSkin technology contributes to greater safety on the first ride, it is necessary for the rider to condition the tires for the demands of high-power motorcycles by loading them moderately and evenly during the break-in period, thus preventing tire damage.

Michelin suggests that riders start slowly and use gentle acceleration and braking and low lean angles to bed the tyres in, gradually increasing the demands on the tyres until you become accustomed to the performance of your new tyres in conjunction with your motorcycle and to fully scrub off that 'new tyre' look ...

Breaking in new tyres is an important step, regardless their type, if you want to get the most out of them later on. Once broken in, the tyres will give you a better riding experience.

How do I break in new tires? Focus on easy, gentle driving – smooth acceleration, braking, and cornering – for the first 500 miles. This will safely prep your tires for regular performance. After this amount of use, lubricants and other substances used in the manufacturing process will have completely worn off.

Drive Slow Figure-8's

Find a parking lot and make slow turns, counter-leaning your body to increase the turn angle of the motorcycle. This is the safe way to scrub in the edges of your motorcycle tires. Barreling into a corner and hoping for the best is not.

Tyre manufacturers advise riders to ride cautiously for at least the first 100-125 miles on a new tyre. This means riders should not accelerate suddenly and harshly, should not apply maximum braking force or corner hard.

To abrade the surface of the tyre and help it to achieve its optimal gripping and handling capabilities, you should drive gently for the first 150-200 miles after having your new tyres fitted. During this time, you should try to stick to dry roads and only drive at a medium speed.

Breaking in the Tires

Your goal should be to rough up more of the tire's surface area, which helps increase traction over the tire's circumference. After cornering slowly for a while, you can increase the lean angle to ensure all parts of the new tire are textured by the road.

For road usage

Gradually increase the demands on the tyres until you get used to their performance. We recommend at least 100 km for this process.

During the break-in period of your new motorcycle, you should avoid hard acceleration, hard braking, and quickly hitting top speeds. Instead, focus on taking it slow and easy. This will allow your bike to gradually adjust its components and will ensure that everything runs smoothly.

Do new tyres need breaking in? ›

Breaking in new tyres allows them to become accustomed to the road and adjust accordingly. This process will make your tyres perform better, so they achieve optimal grip, ensure longer tread wear and keep you safe.

Go easy for the first 500 miles

About 500 miles of easy driving (accelerating, braking, cornering) will allow the lubricant to wear off safely and completely. Also, tires are made of several layers of materials including rubber, steel, and fabric.

New tires may produce a different (or more) noise than the previous tires due to different tread patterns and tire compounds. Brand-new tires also may need a few miles to "break in." The wider the tire, the larger the tire's contact patch on the road, which can increase the road noise.

New tires can feel slightly different from your old ones, but they shouldn't necessarily ride rough.

Take It Slow

During the break-in period of your new motorcycle, you should avoid hard acceleration, hard braking, and quickly hitting top speeds. Instead, focus on taking it slow and easy. This will allow your bike to gradually adjust its components and will ensure that everything runs smoothly.

Motorcycle tires should be kept balanced at all times to keep drivers safe.