Harley Davidson Touring: Tires General Information and Specs
Properly maintaining the tires on your Harley Davidson Touring is a major piece of maintenance. Read on to understand more about your tires and what you need to do to keep them running smoothly.
This article applies to the Harley Davidson Touring.
The Harley Davidson Touring runs on two wheels, and your safety are closely connected to these two tires wrapped around the wheels. Most riders pay close attention to fluid changes for maintenance, but they don't pay much attention to the thing keeping their bikes glued to the road. Tires, like most other components on your Harley, needs consistent inspection and maintenance. This guide will shine some light on the proper, easy inspections you can do on your Touring, the best way to go about finding your tire size, and how to detect tire wear. Read on to understand your motorcycle's shoes better.
Tire Size
Tire sizes can make a big difference in how the Harley will ride and feel. Even though you can get away with a slight difference in tire size from the stock size, it's recommended you follow the size in your manual. On your tire, however, you can find the size you need. You can even locate the proper PSI for your Touring on the tire itself. Below (Figure 1) is an example of how the tire specification will look on your tire itself. You can take the number on the tire and order your tire, knowing it will fit perfectly.
PSI
Maintaining a proper tire pressure can save you a lot of money. Improper pressure can cause your tire to wear unevenly and quickly, which will cost you a new tire. Owning a tire pressure monitor is an important part of owning any vehicle with tires on it. The owner's manual recommends 35psi for the tires. Note that a change of weather can affect tire pressure, as it deflates in the cold and inflates in the heat. So be consistent with adding or removing air as needed. A tire leak can obviously cause air to escape from the tire. So if you fill your tire with air and then discover you're still losing air, that's a perfectly clear indication your tire is leaking and needs to be addressed.
Tire Wear
Checking for tire wear should happen whether you're experiencing a problem or not. It's important you pay attention to your tires, even if the bike is riding normal. Get in the habit of checking your tire tread every few weeks. Uneven tire wear could be an indication one of your shocks is faulty. Your tires are equipped with tire bars, which are designed to warn you when the tire is wearing too much. The shorter they get, the closer you are to buying a new tire. Don't drive on a tire that is bald, as you lose traction and risk skidding when braking. The maximum wear on a motorcycle tire is 1mm. Which means if the groves in the tire are less than 1mm, it's time for a new tire. If you're wearing unevenly, inspect other components before purchasing a new tire; a tire should always wear evenly.
Related Discussions
- Tire Size Chart - HDForums.com
- Tire Wear - HDForums.com
- Loading Rate - HDForums.com
