Is it essential to break the tyre in if you have new tyres, or will it be ready to go, and I can ride normally?
There are differing opinions on whether you need to break in a motorcycle tyre. Continental tyres say they are ready to go! You should ride 100 miles to get to know your new tyres, even if they are the same brand as your old ones.
How long do motorcycle tyres take to break in?
It varies. The weight of the rider, the motorcycle’s weight, the riding you do.
It makes perfect sense to break in new tyres. New tyres will ride differently from worn tyres, so what you have become used to has changed in an instance.
Are you breaking your tyres in? It’s more like becoming acquainted with the new tyres rather than breaking them in.
Having said that, it can be the case that new tyres, especially tyres for cruisers and non-performance motorcycles, can have a coating that helps the tyre release from the moulds.
So, again ride for 100 miles, become acquainted with your new tyres and maybe ride like you would as if the road surface is wet.
This should be enough time to scrub off the surface coating on the tyre surface.
Do motorcycle tyres need to be broken in?
It seems as if broken is maybe the wrong word. New tyres will handle differently to worn tyres; even if you are swapping like for like tyres, the new tyre will perform differently.
Become acquainted with the ride of the new tyre and ride for 100 miles. After this time, you will have a good feel for the characteristics of the tyre.
Whenever you change to new tyres, take it easy. New tyres tend to be a little slicker for the first dozen miles or so, so treat the tyre as if you are riding in the rain.
It’s all common sense.
How do you break in new motorcycle tires?
If you look at the label on a new tyre, it says don’t accelerate hard, avoid maximum braking and don’t corner hard for the first 100 miles.
Follow these rules and break in your tyres as the manufacturers suggest. This will give the tyre a chance to scrub the rubber and produce more grip.
Do tyres need to break in?
To all intents and purposes, yes, they do. Tyres need 100 miles of gentle riding to scuff the tyre surface. This will give a more mechanical grip.
New rubber can be slick in and slippery. If you look at the wear pattern of a tyre that has covered only 100 miles, the tyre will be rough, which helps the tyre to adhere to the road and give more traction.
Become familiar with new tyres. Never take off and ride hard until you know how your tyres will perform.