How Much Do Motorcycle Tires Cost?

You might be well aware of the fact that your bike includes thousands of pieces that all work together in order for you to enjoy your rides. However, only two of these actually touch the ground. It’s a very good idea to keep in mind that no matter the performance of your bike in terms of power and style, tires are the only ones that ensure its contact with the road.

For this reason, it’s important to select those tires that suit your bike’s needs and your riding preferences, while also making sure that they are top-quality products. If you are still new to what riding means, then it might be a good idea to learn more about the different types of tires available on the market, together with the benefits and limitations each one brings.

In this article, we will take a look at what the average costs of tires are, but we will also go into somewhat more technical details. This way you can understand what you should be looking for when choosing the next set and what you are paying for when you buy a top-quality model.

How much do they cost?

There are several types of tires you can choose from, depending on your bike and on the type of riding you are doing. These include sport, cruiser, motocross, off-road, sand, and touring ones. We will take a look at some of the most popular options in further detail so that you can know what particularities each one has.

In terms of prices, average models range from around $70 to $160 for a tire, but this depends on the type, motorcycle, and on the manufacturer. Of course, this means that it also depends on the level of riding you intend to do. If you only take your bike for a ride from time to time for your own enjoyment, you can get by choosing a high-quality but moderately priced model.

On the other hand, if you intend to go for often and intense rides, or even participate in competitions, then you will most probably need to look for more professional solutions that are particularly built for heavy use and specific terrains. As you go toward more specialized alternatives, prices can increase.

If you are still considering riding as a hobby and you don’t want to spend that much money on your bike just yet, there are other options you can take into account, namely retreaded tires.

While they might be less appealing since you might think they don’t offer the same performance as a new product, retreads are old tires that have been repaired, inspected and then put up for sale.

Usually, they are cheaper than new tires by somewhere between 30% and 50%, and they are reported by some to be just as reliable and safe as new ones.

Sportbike and Dual Sport tires  

As we’ve mentioned earlier, there are several types of tires you can choose from and one of these is the sportbike category. In this case, the main focus is to maintain a balance between track performance, grip, and longevity on the streets.

Given the construction of these bikes, the tires are usually smooth and especially geared for optimal chemical and mechanical grip on asphalt. While it’s true that certain models ensure a stronger grip and often offer better performance in terms of speeding capabilities, they are usually prone to an overall lower lifespan given that they include softer compounds in their construction.

A more specialized alternative, ADV/Dual Sport tires are specially made to cover both off-road and on-road terrains, but riders still need to consider how much time they intend to spend on each type of ground in order to choose the right alternative.

Many times, manufacturers make these tires with a street-to-trail ratio in mind since this influences elements such as carcass construction and tread patterns. This ratio can go from 90% trail and 10% street to completely the other way around.

Those models made for trails have more pronounced patterns and feature deeper grooves that are able to grip gravel or loose soil. On the other hand, street ADV tires have smoother tread patterns and feature a shallower design adapted for longer miles on the tarmac.

Cruiser tires

When it comes to cruisers, things are a bit different since the focus shifts toward longevity. These heavyweights are specially made to go for endless highway miles, and the tires need to be able to withstand this type of usage, including the wear and tear it comes with.

Depending on the model, year, and construction of your bike, there is a wide range of options you can choose from, including tubeless vs. tubed, countless sizes, as well as load or speed ratings. In the end, it all comes down to your preferences in this case, so the best approach could be to simply try out more options in time and see which ones work for you.

The great part about this category is that it comes with organized groups of fans that might be more than happy to share their own experiences with you so that you can have more points of view before choosing your next set of tires.

Dirt bike tires

Dirt motorcycles, on the other hand, are focused on one thing and one thing only – gripping the terrain hard. You will see that motocross bikes tires always feature prominently high treads and low valleys that have the purpose to ensure the right grip and stability while evacuating debris at the same time.

Another particularity of these tires is that, given the nature of dirt riding, they tend to feature a tube-type construction most of the times. What this means is that an inner tube is used to create an airtight seal between the wheel itself and the formerly mentioned tube.

Since there are a lot of types of terrains that dirt bikes can be used on, there is a large choice in terms of the tread patterns and various compounds that can maximize their performance and improve the bike’s handling, which means that they have a significant impact on the rider’s comfort and safety as well.

In the end, tires are a very important part of a bike and of the equation that includes safety, enjoyment, costs, and overall experience. Since there are so many types, designs, specialized models, compounds used, and manufacturers around the world, prices can vary quite a lot.

However, do keep in mind that the best policy in this case as well is to go for high-quality alternatives. After all, your own safety and enjoyment depend a lot on the set of tires you choose for your bike.

If you still have questions on which alternative might be right for you, don’t hesitate to go to a specialized shop and ask for details. There you can also see some tires and get a better picture of what benefits each one brings.