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For obvious reasons, it's important to have tires that are in good condition on your motorcycle. Worn tires will diminish your motorcycle's traction and handling ability, particularly in inclement weather conditions, and can become a serious safety hazard. Because there's little protection between a motorcycle rider and the pavement, good tires with adequate tread are perhaps even more crucial for motorcycles than with automobiles.
The familiar trick of using a penny to measure tread depth and assess the condition of your treads is applicable to motorcycles just as it is with automobile tires. Insert a penny into the tread of your tire with Abe Lincoln's head pointing down. If the top of Abe's head is hidden below the surface of the tire, then the tread is adequate. If the top of Abe's head is visible above the surface, your tread is too shallow (i.e., less than 1/16" deep) and the tire is unsafe.
Get in the habit of checking the condition and air pressure on your tires every time you ride. Check the sidewalls for gashes or other signs of damage. Also check the overall condition of the tread on both tires. Look for gouges, punctures, unevenness of the tread or "lipping" a condition caused by overinflation in which some areas of tread are lifted higher than adjacent treads. Also look for cracks at the base of the treads or other signs of age and dry-rot.
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