Excessive
Tire Wear
By
James R. Davis
Excessive
tire wear, and/or cupping, is a problem that most motorcyclists experience over
time. Too often this is simply the result of failing to maintain proper tire
pressure. However, this is far from a complete answer.
Cupping
is a phenomena that is absolutely normal! Excessive cupping or excessive wear on
one side of the tire as compared to the other is not.
There
are at least seven causes of cupping and/or uneven wear in the front tire other
than tire air pressure:
-
Most
roads are banked away from the center. Thus, if you ride vertical, the side
of your tire closest to the center of the road wears more.
-
Your
tires 'scuff' when you force a speed change with them. The rear tire scuffs
when you accelerate and when you brake (and every time you ride in a
direction other than straight ahead.) Thus, it tends to have even 'cupping'
as compared to the front tire (which scuffs when you brake but not when you
accelerate.)
-
While
alignment is not usually a problem with motorcycles - it can be.
-
Carrying
an unevenly divided load (all your tools, jumper cable, etc.) in one
saddlebag can result in your riding the bike other than vertical most of the
time.
-
Setting
your TRAC (anti-dive) unequally can easily cause uneven tire wear.
-
If
one of your front shocks is defective you will experience uneven tire wear.
-
Excessive
use of the front brake will result in excessive cupping.
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