Common Motorcycle Tire Wear Patterns

An interesting article on tire wear patterns where the author argues that the front tire of bikes ridden in the U.S. and most other countries show more wear on the left side of the tire, while front tyres ridden in the U.K. and other countries that still mandate riding on the left side of the road should show more wear on the right side. The author goes on to discuss rear tire wear and "cupping". Some interesting points.

http://www.rattlebars.com/valkfaq/tirewear/

[WildBill2566]

Sorry it reads like BS to me.

The idea that in the UK we travel further around right hand bends than left hand bends is rubbish. Even if it were true for one given bend, one would have to assume that all the bends you travel around are the same, which they are not. The only difference would be the practice of some to hoon round and round roundabouts in an effort to get a knee down. In this instance if done often enough it would affect the tyre wear pattern.

I have never noticed a difference in tyre wear from one side of my tyre to another.

[BaZa®]

Have to agree with you WildBill, BS, the only significance that I can see is that some riders are more comfortable leaning the bike over one way more the other. I tend to scrap my right footrest more than my left.
But have NEVER had any visible wear on that side.
Still I only get about 7-K out or my rears and 12 ish on the front.
There again I am that Pizza delivery boy you see dashing about....

[Rob the Dog]

Hav'nt read the article, but could it be the camber of the road that wears the tyre on different sides in different countries ?

[SJC69]

Un-even tyre wear is often a symptom of a chassis problem, i.e. poor set up, wheel alignment, shock absorbers etc.

[sue_M]

I just aim for really thin chicken strips!

[Gray]

Interesting article Ursa. He has got a point about Right and Left hand bends. On a given Left hand bend in England the inside is of a shorter radius and is with the camber whilst the opposite is true if going the other way, but my tyres wear evenly on the sides with most of the wear in the centre. Is this due to taking sharper radius bends a bit slower than longer radius bends? Anybody else think that something is a bit odd with the Valkyrie's front tyre. Look at the angle of lean that would be associated with that wear. 45 degrees plus? and it's down to the canvas on the side with tread left in the centre. Signs of a very serious scratcher (on a Valkyrie?) or possibly grossly under inflated tyre. Mind you he does talk of 1G plus sideways forces when cornering. I'm no engineer but wouldn't cornering at over 1G involve leaning at more than 45 degrees.

Sue, what's cooking got to do with it?