I’ve had the experience myself—I changed my tires and crashed at the first intersection as if I’d hit oil.
My XJR1200 spun around like a top… (；∀；)
Lately, I don’t hear those stories anymore. Is it because tires have gotten better? Have everyone’s skills improved? Are shops removing the wax for us? What’s really going on?
With larger bikes—750cc and liter bikes—the torque really hits hard! Since the new tire surface is slick, they slip easily.
It’s genuinely something to watch out for. It feels like riding in a downpour…
Compared to the old days, tires seem less dependent on temperature. I wonder if that’s actually true.
On a fall-winter tour to Hakone, you take a break—”Phew, time to relax”—and then at the first corner on the way back…
Whoosh, scrape scrape!
You think, “Wait, this person is crashing?”
Instant takedown.
No warning at all—”Whoosh!”—and in a split second you’re making friends with the pavement… which you don’t want to do.
When you see someone crash, it burns into your memory, so you become extra cautious after that (‘ω’)ノ
Tires are a fairly expensive consumable.
New ones really do improve ride comfort, handling, steering feel, and even fuel economy.
Safety improves dramatically.
These days there are plenty of motorcycle tire specialty shops, so you can get a quick, affordable replacement. It’s worth asking them for advice.
As for hardened old tires, you can get away with it somewhat when the road temperature is high in summer, but winter is genuinely scary.
Think it over carefully before you crash…
I think it’s better not to have regrets about anything (‘ω’)
