What are the causes of teething and irregular wear of motorcycle tires?

Why did my new tires wear out so quickly? – this is a question that many motorcyclists ask themselves. Driving style, tire defect or technical fault of the motorcycle are often blamed for this phenomenon. Are these suspicions correct?

What are the causes of teething and irregular wear of motorcycle tires?
Published by MD | 05 September 2023

Teething is a bad sign

If you notice that your tires are wearing in a "suspicious" way, react as soon as possible. Tire teething is a very common phenomenon. It is caused by irregular abrasion of tread segments. As a result, characteristic "teeth" are created, which can be felt by running your hand over the tire. There are many causes of teething. Most often, the air pressure in the tires is too low or one shock absorber is faulty, which causes uneven operation of the motorcycle suspension. Frequent driving with a heavily loaded rear end, e.g. due to luggage, may also lead to teething. To avoid this, check the tire pressure from time to time and check the quality of the oil in the front fork telescopes. If there is not enough of it or it is old, tire teething becomes very likely. Moreover, when replacing a tire with a new one, it is worth changing the oil and seals in the front suspension of the motorcycle, if some time has passed since the previous one.

Everything works, but the tire is teething

In the past, directional tires and tires with deep tread were considered susceptible to the teething phenomenon. Currently, manufacturers select patterns and compounds to prevent tire teething. Directional tires may actually have teething, but only at the end of the expected mileage, after 2-3 years of use. If you notice disturbing symptoms after several thousand kilometers, the motorcycle is in good working order and the tires are properly inflated, it is likely that the tire has a manufacturing defect. You can advertise such a product.

Irregular wear

Teething is just one example of unusual tire wear. In addition, uneven abrasion of one part of the tread may also occur. The cause of this phenomenon, similarly to teething, is often caused by too low tire pressure. According to other diagnoses, wear of one part of the tire more than others may indicate incorrect wheel balance, damage to the rim or the inside of the tire. Interestingly, the reasons do not always lie in the motorcycle. The poor condition of the road surface (potholes and ruts) on which you often ride your motorcycle can also lead to uneven tire wear. Some people attribute this to the driving style, e.g. frequent braking on a locked wheel. Regardless of the reasons for irregular wear of motorcycle tires, it unfortunately results in the need to replace them with new ones.