Summer affects our lives in general and, of course, it also affects our motorcycles and their tires. Precisely as the tires are a vital part in the behavior of the motorcycle, and are also responsible for transmitting, on the one hand, all our commands to the asphalt and, on the other, transmitting the sensations from the road to us, we must take into account that their behavior varies.
And yes, the heat makes it necessary to keep different issues in mind before getting on the motorcycle because they affect its usual characteristics and, therefore, they can affect the functioning and reactions to which we are accustomed.
The first thing that is sometimes difficult to assimilate is that without touching anything at all, the internal air pressure of our tires increases. And we don’t just mean running, it also affects the environmental conditions that surround us. So as the air inside the tire expands, the contact surface with the asphalt is reduced, which influences the behavior. In general we will have less grip and less stability. The good thing is that it is easy to solve, as well as checking the cold pressures when the heat starts and adapting them. By the way, if you change altitude during your vacation the pressure will also vary.
But be careful, this does not mean that we have to lower the pressures below what is recommended by the manufacturer. This is a mistake. In the design of the motorcycle, summer temperatures have already been taken into account, and how much the pressure increases as a result. If we lower the pressures because we think we will avoid overpressure, and we are surprised by a summer storm, the tire will cool and we will be well below the recommended pressure. The tread will be deformed, the water channels will close and we will have a greater risk of loss of grip and aquaplaning.
Another thing you have to keep in mind is that with the heat we will generally be exposed to less grip. In addition to the pressure issue itself, the higher temperature can cause it to end up overheating. If that happens, and even more so if the tire has some wear, we will also have less grip both in acceleration and, more importantly, in braking.
Why is it more important? Because when emergency braking is performed, this lack of grip increases the meters we need to stop, meters that sometimes do not exist. With the rear tire it can be managed much better both manually and with electronic aids.
In summer there is more temperature inside and outside the tire
This increase in temperature not only inside the tire but also on the outside and on the asphalt underfoot, can cause premature wear in extreme situations and with especially soft compounds. This would happen especially in the tread, being much less common in the sidewalls as long as we are rolling on the road and with the correct pressures.
Last but not least, we must take into account the risk of suffering a burst, especially if we do not have the correct pressure and it is very low, we are carrying a load or the speed is excessive. Currently this is unlikely to happen due to the technologies used by top-level tires, but it is something that can happen if we add cuts in the cover generated by the “magnificent” state of our roads to these previous factors.
In any case, all these risks are solved with observation and foresight. It is necessary to check not only the pressures but also the condition of the tires, avoid carrying more weight than strictly necessary, have a smooth and less demanding ride and, although this is something that cannot always be done, ensure that when parking the motorcycle it is left in the shade.
Not only will your tires thank you for the latter, but also your buttocks when you get back on the bike.
