Determining when to change your dirt bike tires isn’t always as simple as it is for a standard street bike or car. Having good quality, fresh tires is paramount for maximum performance. Good tires don’t just improve traction and acceleration, they also improve braking, cornering, and overall handling of your dirt bike. So how do you know when your old tires need to go?
Ideally we would all be able to replace our tires after each ride, so that we have fresh tires for every excursion. This would ensure that we always have the maximum traction possible, and that we would be able to maximize our performance. However this is not realistic, even for some professional riders.
When to change your tires is largely dependant on how much wear you are comfortable with, and what your budget allows. As the tires wear down more and more, traction is reduced, and you begin to see an impact on performance.
Competitive Racing
If you race or compete in any way, you will want to replace your tires as soon as you see or feel signs of significant wear. Again, some professionals replace their tires after every race, but really what you should be looking for is the wearing of the knobs. You will begin to see a difference in performance once the knobs lose the sharpness of their edges.
Leisure Riding
Alternatively, if you ride for leisure or you only ride a few times a season, you can push the life of your tires. It is not vital to change your tires until you see noticeable wear of the knobs, dry rot, or any other form of damage. In drier weather you may be able to extend the life of your tires further, however when it is wet, it is safest to have new tires.
Make Your Tires Last
You can make the most out of your tires by making sure that you have the right type of tires, tubes, and that they are properly inflated. Replacing both tires at once is also a good idea so that you will have maximal control of your ride, and so that there is no uneven wear.
You should always strive to make the most out of your dirt bike performance, and having fresh tires will allow you to handle that much more. If you race professionally you will want to change your tires extremely frequently, whereas if you just ride on occasion for fun, you can sometimes last a whole season on the same tires. Make sure to inspect your tires before each ride for anything visible, but unless there is substantial wear or physical damage you should be safe to ride.
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