Tyre Safety Campaign for Motorcyclists

Tyre safety organisation Tyresafe has announced that it is mounting a tyre safety campaign throughout March to highlight the dangers of defective or badly worn tyres on motorcycles and scooters. The campaign, the first of its kind, is being supported by BikeSafe, the UK police force’s road safety campaign, which will be holding a bike safety show at the police training centre in Hendon, North London, during the last week of March. The key focus area of the TyreSafe campaign will be the crucial issues of tread depth and tyre pressures in relation to road safety and the prevention of accidents. The timing of the campaign is not accidental: With the arrival of Spring, many bikers will be looking to get back on their motorcycles, and the fact that many bikes will have been stored away for the winter poses a number of potential dangers for riders, says TyreSafe. Tyres may become under-inflated and will be subject to “dry rotting” or "cracking,” particularly if the bike has not been in covered storage, and has been exposed to cool temperatures. Only two very small contact patches connect the rider with the road which means that maintaining tyres in good condition and using the correct levels of tyre pressure is critical to safety. Under-inflated tyres can cause the build-up of excessive heat which can lead to tyre failure, whilst over-inflation makes tyres more susceptible to cuts and punctures on high impact. Incorrect inflation can equally cause the bike to become unstable, affecting handling and cornering, but can also lead to an increase in fuel consumption and emissions, and a reduction in the life of the rubber. As part of the campaign TyreSafe has issued a list of handy tips for motorcyclists to make sure they keep themselves safe on the road during the Spring. - keep to manufacturer recommended tyre pressures and check your tyres at least once a week when they are cold - Bikes over 50cc should keep tread depth to a minimum of 1mm - Replace old or damaged valve stems - Don’t mix tyres from different manufacturers. Tyres should also be of the same pattern. - Replace cracked or bent rims without delay