CMA HeartBeat January 2022 | Page 13

SAFETY TIPS

SAFETY TIPS

By MIKE Phillips
TIRES may be the most crucial safety feature on a

TIRES motorcycle . Bikes ride on a foundation built on tires just as a house sits on a solid foundation . Christians have a solid foundation in Christ . Jesus talked about the need for a solid foundation in Luke chapter 6:48-49 . Jesus spoke in a parable about a man who hears his words and acts on them . “ He is like a man building a house , who dug deep down and laid the foundation on rock . When a flood came and the torrent struck the house but could not shake it because it was well built . But the one who hears my words and does not put them into practice is like the man who built a house on the ground without a foundation . The moment the torrent struck that house , it collapsed and its destruction was complete .” The torrent for a rider is a loss of traction . Loss of traction is made worse by old tires , worn tires , cold tires , and under or overinflated tires . Tires are the foundation of our bike . Make sure that the foundation is built on solid ground .

I spoke with Warren Sherman , a service manager for Pig Trail Harley Davidson , in Rogers , Arkansas . Warren checks many bikes that come to the shop for repairs after a crash . Unfortunately , Warren said , “ At least half the bikes that come into the shop after a crash have unsafe tires . Most of those tires have worn-out tread . Some tires are so worn that the steel belt is showing . Other tires are severely under or overinflated , which causes them to lose traction , and some tires are many years past their manufactures
suggested safe use date .”
Tire manufacturers recommend tires should be replaced every five to six years regardless of wear . There is a manufactured date , a four-digit number , on the sidewall of a tire . The first two numbers are the week the tire was made , and the last two are the year it was made . For example , a tire with the number 1821 was made in the 18th week of 2021 .
Tires dry out and oxidize with age . Aging causes tires to become hard and brittle , thus providing less traction . Some riders say they go for more than five years on tires without a flat . That may be true , but they also have less traction , and traction is the most important feature a tire provides . It is ok to replace front and back tires at different times since they may wear out at different rates . For example , I get about 8,000 miles on a rear tire and 10,000 on a front tire before the tread is worn out . At that rate , I get a new set of ties about every six months , so the age of tires is not a concern . Warren recommends riding easy for the first 50 miles on a new tire . Try not to make quick stops or sharp turns while letting the tire break-in .
Tire pressure is another area to monitor . Underinflated tires cause excessive heat on the tire and lead to a blowout . Overinflating can cause a tire to become harder , making it more likely to suffer a puncture or cut . Cold tire pressure is defined as the tire pressure at 68 * outside air temperature , and the vehicle has not been ridden for 3-4 hours . Tire pressure changes as the outside temperature changes . Heat causes higher pressure , and cold causes lower pressure . The air in a tire heats up as
the vehicle is ridden , causing pressure to increase when ridden and decrease when parked .
Low air pressure does not always mean less air in the tire . Riders checking their tire pressure on frigid days find the pressure low . However , the same amount of air may still be in the tire , and pressure will come back up as the tire heats up . Adding air is good , but it may lead to overpressure in the tire . Recheck it in a few hours and adjust if necessary .
Warren said , “ There are pressure gauges that you can attach to tires and give a digital readout on the dash or handlebars as the bike is being ridden . Most of these will not read if the pressure is over 50lbs . They will read low in cold weather then change slowly as the tires warm up . Do not use this gauge while inflating the tire . The gauge may have a delay in reading the new pressure , leading to overinflation .”
Tire pressure will be different for different tires and bikes . Check the owner ’ s manual for proper settings . Pressure may need to be changed when carrying passengers or loads . A rider should check the tire pressure before each ride or after several hundred miles on a long ride .
The foundation of your house should be built on solid ground . The foundation of your life should be built on Jesus . The foundation of your bike should be built on good , safe , reliable tires . All three foundations will keep you safe from the torrents that come our way . Check your foundations regularly , and never get tired of relying on those foundations .
CMA
Mike Phillips is a certified Motorcycle Safety Foundation ( MSF ) instructor in Arkansas .
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