A lot of handling problems owners suffer can often be down to tyres. To help with this we recommend you do the following…

Ensure tyre pressures are checked regularly - as little as 2psi over or under the recommended amount can make a huge difference to a bikes handling.

Tread depth - You should budget to replace your tyres when the tread depth is worn to 2mm. This is especially true for owners of bikes with 16" wheels as once the tread wears down to 2mm or below the handling will deteriorate rapidly and the bike will not feel happy cornering, crossing white lines and over banding, etc.

Age of tyres - As rubber gets older it deteriorates. It becomes dryer, harder and thus for tyres less grippy. In extreme cases it can also begin to crack. So if your tyres - regardless of the amount of tread left - have been fitted to your bike for 2 inspect them carefully.

Mismatched and incorrectly sized tyres - Nb. Never fit a radial tyre on the front with a cross-ply or bias belted tyre on the rear. And never fit a bias belted tyre on the front with a cross-ply on the rear. It is illegal and also dangerous. As a general rule try to fit matched pairs (eg. Dunlop front and rear). Although in some cases personal preference or finances may dictate otherwise! Do not fit tyres that are either too wide or to narrow for the rim. There is a common misconception that the wider the tyre the better the grip and handling - not always so, especially if they are the incorrect size for the wheel rim. If you do fit a wider tyre than the Original Equipment (OE) specification, remember to check the correct tyre pressures with the tyre manufacturer/fitter.