How to Choose Dirt Bike Tires

As a dirt bike enthusiast, you want to make your bike the best it can be. The tires are a big part of the way your ride handles overall so it’s important to make sure you get the right choice in this area. Here are a few things to consider regarding how to choose dirt bike tires.

Type of Bike

The biggest thing in how to choose dirt bike tires is finding the right choice for your vehicle type. For instance, the type of tires suitable for a dual bike and a motocross bike are different. You should know the type of bike you have and go from there.

• - A dual bike is one that is capable of riding on both dirt terrain and street terrains.
• - A motocross bike is intended for racing on dirt tracks.
• - An off-road bike/trail bike is meant for riding over tougher terrains.

The type of bike matters a great deal in choosing tires. For example, a motocross bike does more jumping and landing than the other two types, so tires will need extra tread to regain traction and control. If you aren’t sure which category your bike falls into, you can refer to the owner’s manual to see what type of tires they suggest for your ride.

Types of Tires Based on Terrain

Much like the bike type, the terrain denotes the right tire for your bike. The matter of tires based on terrains will stay pretty close to the basic of the bike type, but you should still consider the choices carefully to get the best outcome.

• If you intend to ride your dual bike more on pavement than dirt trails, you will want a softer rubber to cling to the road more but make sure the tread is large enough to still work in dirt. These are usually called soft terrain tires but can also be an intermediate terrain tire.
• For a motocross tires, you want something with the right tread. Tread should create a paddle effect allowing it to quickly and effectively churn through dirt to avoid losing speed or control. These are usually called intermediate terrain tires because while you will mostly deal with dirt, the matter of control and the tricks being performed require a strong tire than your typical soft terrain tire.
• An off-road/trail bike needs tires needs to able to traverse over rocks and tough terrains without a loss of control or speed. A common choice for this terrain is a tire with a knobby or shorter spaced tread with deep grooves to ensure a proper grip and control. This is often called a hard terrain tire because you will be going over rocky terrains.

Remember, the owner’s manual will direct you to the best type of terrain tire for the needs of your bike. When all else fails in choosing tires, always refer to the manual for the best bet.

A Few Things to Look For:

• - Quality. You want to invest in high quality tires from a trusted name on the market. This will ensure you get a long-lasting and high performing option that is right for your needs.
• - Sizing. You should always check the sizing to make sure you won’t have any issues in placing the tires on the bike. You can refer to your owner’s manual on matters of sizing.
• - Tread pattern and groove depth. As mentioned above, these two things are typically a part of the category or type of tire, but you should still check them because different brands will offer different tread patterns and groove depths, and you want to make sure you get the right option for your riding needs.
• - Weight. The weight of your bike is important, especially if you intend to do competitive riding or jumps. You should check the both the weight of the tire before and after proper inflation to make sure you are getting an option that is right for your needs.