Top 10 Best Motorcycle Tires

When you are looking for new motorcycle tires, it’s important to remember that the performance and handling are only as good as the tires you put on your bike. And, depending on how you use your bike, different tires are better for different features. Some tires are better for riding on dirt roads than paved roads, and it’s important to know the difference before you purchase your tires. When you are replacing worn out tires, or are looking to improve your bikes performance, make sure to know what your motorcycle specifications require out of a tire, and find one that meets all your needs. Here are a few reviews to help you find the perfect tire for your motorcycle.

Parts of the Tire

Tread

One of the most important parts of any tire is its tread. The tread is also the easiest for consumers to consider as you can actually see it, and there are a lot of different tread patterns to choose from. You will need to consider how the motorcycle will be used to determine the type of tread that is required.

Carcass – The tire’s backbone which lies just underneath the tread. It is made of fiber or steel that runs from bead to bead. Also, each tire will have either a bias or radial ply, each have distinctive traits. A bias ply is laid at an angle, and the radial ply is laid side to side.

Bias Ply – These have stiffer sidewalls, and are generally standard on touring bikes and heavy cruisers. They work well when carrying passengers or luggage.

Radial Ply – These tires disperse heat well, increase the life of the tire, and improve the overall wear. Their sidewalls are also less stiff than bias ply, so they can better contour the road, and improve the surface area to the tread.

Bead – This is where the tire mounts onto the wheel, and where steel cords are placed to make a close fit on the wheel.

Sidewall – This is where a lot of the handling and load support of the tires is determined. Depending on the sidewall design, this will help you decide if the tires are right for the type of riding and handling you need.

Tube Types

If your bike has a tube type of tire, remember it’s necessary to change the tube every time you get a new tire. If you have a wheel that requires a tube tire, it will not work with a tubeless tire. The bead will not seal well, which can cause leaking. It’s simple to figure out the right tube size if you know your tire size.

Ratings

Michelin Commander II Reinforced Motorcycle Tire Cruiser Rear 5 stars 150/80-16 $143.39

CONTINENTAL MOTION Tire Set 4.5 stars 120/70zr17 Front & 180/55zr17 Rear $156.75

Kenda K671 Cruiser ST Rear Tire 5 stars 130/90H-15 $69.88

Kenda Kruz K673 Motorcycle Street Rear Tire 5 stars 170/80H-15 $94.72

Kenda K270 Dual/Enduro Rear Motorcycle Bias Tire 4.5 stars 510-17 71C $58.88

Shinko 244 Dual Sport Front – Rear Tire 4.5 stars 4.10-18 $47.88

Michelin Pilot Road 4 Touring Radial Tire 5 stars 120/70 ZR17 M/C (58W) $144.88

Metzeler TOURANCE EXP Dual Sport Motorcycle Tire 5 stars 110/80R19-C 59V $162.70

Pirelli Angel GT Tire – Rear 5 stars 180/55ZR -17 $171.95

Bridgestone Exedra Max Front Motorcycle Radial Tire 4.5 stars 130/70R18 63W $106.33

Michelin Commander II Reinforced Motorcycle Tire Cruiser Rear

The Michelin Commander II tire gives you great handling, stability, and a long lasting tire. The life of the tire is a vital feature when purchasing a tire, especially the rear tires. The Michelin Commander II is made of a compound that has fantastic grip, great mileage, and Amplified Density Technology (ADT) that gives you terrific maneuverability, and rider feedback.

The rear tire has an application of agamid fiber to its crown ply, this gives it a low weight that is still stable at high speeds, and resists growth. The Michelin Commander II also uses a square-bead side wall that gives you more stability, and easy installation. It also has a water dispersal feature supplied by tire tread patterns that are longitudinal grooves that enhance their grip in wet driving conditions.

The Commander II tire was offered as original equipment on the Indian Chief Blackhawk Motorcycle due to its tread pattern, and stylish sidewalls. The Commander II tire raises the standard of a Cruiser tire as a stylish, long lasting, and stable rear tire.To Buy this product online on Amazon Click Here

CONTINENTAL MOTION Tire Set

The Continental Motion tire set offer great performance, a firm grip with a perfect balance mileage, and price for an all-weather sport touring set. The Continental Motion tire set is a terrific year-round performance radial that is unmatched in its grip on both wet and dry weather conditions. The tires are created with a newly created polymer compound, and a tread pattern that is modern force-oriented. The tires are made with steel-belt construction for increased stability and comfort. The Continental Motion tires have great handling, and are very affordable.To Buy this product online on Amazon Click Here

Kenda K671 Cruiser ST Rear Tire

The Kenda K671 Cruiser ST Rear Tire was created for Harleys that are on the smaller side and metric bikes. The Kendra demonstrates terrific performance in all weather conditions due to its tread patterns that are deep offset with 6-ply carcass construction. It has a tread design that is newer and more aggressive that gives terrific traction, and excellent performance. The deep offset tread spikes give the tires great weather traction, and water dispersion. It also has tubeless construction designed for touring, sport, and cruiser bikes, plus they are available for low profile sport tire applications.To Buy this product online on Amazon Click Here

Kenda Kruz K673 Motorcycle Street Rear Tire

The Kenda Kruz K673 Motorcycle Street Rear Tire is a great high mileage choice, plus it works well in all weather conditions. The Kenda Kruz has a deep tread pattern with a design that disperses water, and makes handling easy and expected. It has a 3 + 2 casing design for better handling, and a high load carrying capacity. The Kenda Kruz also has a new rubber compound that improves mileage, and works better in all weather conditions. A new inflated tire shape also improves stability, and cornering performance. It was created especially for larger bikes, and to meet all the needs and looks for the Cruiser market.To Buy this product online on Amazon Click Here

Kenda K270 Dual/Enduro Rear Motorcycle Bias Tire

The Kenda K270 Dual/Enduro Rear Motorcycle Bias Tire has an aggressive design, and is very stable and predictable. It has an 8.5mm-deep tread on the front tire, and a 14.5mm-deep tread on the back tire. They have tall and flexible knob blocks when the tires are pushed hard on the street. The K270ѕ are rated to 94 mph due to its high-mileage compound. They are approved by the DOT, and can be used for either dirt or street riding compared to others that can only be used for street riding10-30% of the time. The front tires are a four-ply wheel type that will fit 21-inch wheels, and range in width from 2.75 to 3.25 inches wide. The rear tires will either be four or six-ply depending on the tires diameter that you buy, and their width will range from 3.5 to 5.1 inches. The tires are best if used on the softer soil of a traditional dirt bike track, so make sure to keep the tires pumped up if you are riding on a hard surface. To Buy this product online on Amazon Click Here

Shinko 244 Dual Sport Front – Rear Tire

The Shinko 244 Dual Sport Front is a tire that is tubeless, and has a 4-ply construction. It’s a tire that has a long lifespan, plus it’s affordable. The Shinko 244 is great for those that love to ride fast, and want a great value for a tire that will help you get the best ride possible out of your bike. It has a speed rating of H, so it can safely ride up to 130 miles per hour. These tires were created more for a cruiser type motorcycle, so you shouldn’t need to reach that speed. The Shinko 244 have great traction, and they will look fantastic on your bike. They are also available in a whitewall version. To Buy this product online on Amazon Click Here
Michelin Pilot Road 4

Michelin Pilot Road 4 Touring Radial Tire

The Michelin Pilot Road 4 is one of the best tires on the market for driving in the rain. It has a tread pattern that is one of the best to pump away water, plus it has a dual-compound rubber construction that extends the lifespan of the tire. The Michelin Pilot Road 4 provides a long ride, while still giving you the grip you need for turns. The Michelin Pilot tires are great for commuting, plus there are other versions of the Road 4 that are perfect for fully loaded ADV bikes, and heavy touring bikes.

The Michelin Pilot Road 4 is perfect for all-around sport touring use as they help you stop short in wet weather. They have about 20% more tread life than the previous Road 3’s, and they come with a two compound technology that includes the all-new silica-charged rubber compounds that provide excellent grip from 23F to 113F. These tubeless tires have the new improved tread patterns that provide excellent grip at all angles. They are rated W for of up to 168 mph. To Buy this product online on Amazon Click Here

Metzeler Tourance EXP

Metzeler TOURANCE EXP Dual Sport Motorcycle Tire The Metzeler Tourance EXP Dual Sport Motorcycle Tire is one of the Best Light Off-Road tires on the market. The Metzeler Tourance EXP’s are a must have when you are doing any light off-roading, especially if it is raining. The EXP’s tread pattern works well on roads during any weather condition, and also gives you great tractions if you are riding on gravel or fire-service roads. These radial tires allow you to enjoy longer rides with their twin layer, 4-ply diagonal tire construction. They are made of a compound that gives riders stable handling, longer mileage, plus touring comfort. The EXP’s tread design also improves rolling noise reduction. To Buy this product online on Amazon Click Here
Pirelli Angel GT

Pirelli Angel GT Tire – Rear

The Pirelli Angel GT Tires are some of the best street legal tires for motorcycles. Their aggressive tread pattern has silica content that works well in both wet and dry driving conditions. The Pirelli’s also include a specifically created longitudinal steel belting that disperse heat in dry driving conditions that also keep the tires soft when it rains. The Pirelli Angel GT Tires are a staple of the commuter and sport touring riders due to their long tread life, and great Pirelli performance. The Angel GT Tires have both the handling and the performance for taking corners, provide increased mileage, and have great traction on wet surfaces. The rear tires are made of a bi-compound formula that enhances traction when cornering. These tubeless tires are rated both W for speeds up to 168 mph and V for speeds up to 149.To Buy this product online on Amazon Click Here

Bridgestone Exedra Max

Bridgestone Exedra Max Front Motorcycle Radial Tire

The Bridgestone Exedra Max Front Motorcycle Radial Tire is known as one of the best heavy cruiser tires. It is a stiff and durable tire ideal for bigger cruisers that need to take on heavy loads. The Exedra Max has the ideal tread, and soft tire compound for longer rides. The center of the tires provides straight-line stability with its tread pattern that is great for dry conditions, and pumps water away from the tires when it rains. These tubeless tires are created with a special rubber compound that allows longer mileage, and a unique tire shape that lowers riding fatigue.To Buy this product online on Amazon Click Here

So, which is the best bang for your buck? The Michelin Commander II Reinforced Motorcycle Tire Cruiser Rear is the best overall product. Not only were these tires the original equipment for the Indian Chief Blackhawk Motorcycle, but they also use Amplified Density technology (ADT) to provide you with great maneuverability, and rider feedback. These tires will give you long life, and are made of a compound that gives riders fantastic grip, plus great mileage. The tread patterns feature longitudinal grooves that enhance their grip when it rains for improved safety. The Michelin Commander II tires definitely give you the best value for your money.