You probably do not give much thought to the parts on your motorcycle when you are out on the open road enjoying the purr of your bike beneath you and the feel of fresh air on your face. We can hardly blame you for that!
However, when the time comes to upgrade or replace your wheels – whether for aesthetic or performance reasons – it is essential to know the basics so that you choose the best wheels and tires for your budget and needs. This handy motorcycle wheels and tires guide will help you get started by reviewing styles, types and sizes.
4 Motorcycle Rim Materials & Designs
Motorcycle wheels come in two different types of rims: solid wheels or spoke wheels. The rim and spokes are cast as a single unit in the former case, whereas the rims are laced with spokes in the latter case. Rims are available in several different types of designs.
1. Cast
Many motorcycle models are fitted with stock wheels made from cast aluminum. In most cases, you can choose between a polished or chrome finish.
2. Billet
If you want to take your rims to the next level, billet wheels are the way to go. If you are willing to splurge, you can even design your own.
3. Laced
When you think of traditional spoked wheels, you are thinking of laced rims. They get their structural strength from spokes laced between the rim and the hub and are usually made from aluminum.
4. Carbon Fiber/Lightweight Alloy
Typically used by racers, these rims will cost you a pretty penny for the speed advantages they offer.
4 Types of Motorcycle Tires
Motorcycle tire production has gotten increasingly sophisticated over the years and as a result, bikers can now find tires well suited to their riding style and to match their wheel style or overall theme of the motorcycle.
1. Cruiser
Designed for cruising many miles at highway speeds while carrying riders and their luggage, cruiser tires of durable harder rubber compounds. They are meant to be ridden in a mostly straight line rather than taking corners aggressively.
2. Dual Sport
These tires are true multi-taskers. They handle well on paved surfaces and off-road. The way dual-sport tires are labeled indicates the percentage of time rider spends on either. For example, a tire labeled 80/20 street should be used by riders who stay on the street 80% of the time and off-road the other 20%.
3. Sport
When you buy sport tires, you will get the highest level of grip along with high-speed performance and mileage. There are designed with less tread than other types of tires to give them more of a contact patch on smooth surfaces.
4. Off-Road
There are many considerations you should take into account when purchasing off-road tires including the specific terrain where you ride, size and compound. Many varieties of off-road tires exist, and because of this, it is absolutely critical to choose yours based on these factors.
Choosing Your Motorcycle Tire Size
Few things have more of an impact on the safety and performance of your motorcycle than the tire size. Next up in our motorcycle wheels and tires guide: The five factors you can use to determine the ideal tire size for your motorcycle.
Width
The first number of second letter in a tire size will tell you the nominal width. Different size numbering systems use different measurements to specify widths.
Aspect Ratio
The aspect ratio is a handy tool to use for indicating the cross-sectional profile of a tire. The smaller an aspect ratio, the lower the profile.
Speed Rating
This rating gives you the maximum speed at which a tire can be used based on maximum load and inflation pressure.
Construction
Divided into either belted or radial, tire construction affects load capacity, strength, flexibility and endurance against overheating.
Rim Diameter
Measured in inches, rim diameter is the diameter of the rim on which the tire will be mounted.
Get The Custom Motorcycle Wheels & Tires You Need, Interest-Free
If you are looking for a large selection of wheel styles and tire sizes, along with interest-free payments, you will find it through the SNAP FINANCE payment program.
We work with the top manufacturers in the industry including SMT Wheels. This company designs and manufactures custom motorcycle wheels milled from American-manufactured, aircraft-grade, 6061-T6 billet aluminum and available in polished, triple chrome-plated or double-cut gloss black.
Your wheels may just become your favorite part of your bike, look and performance-wise!
Working with SMT Wheels as well as American Suspension, Fat Katz and Bad Dad, we offer rims and other parts including bagger legs, rear shock absorbers, fenders, rake kits and triple tree kits.
Best of all, our payment program is better than traditional financing, credit cards and layaway, with no credit check and a 24 to 48-hour approval turnaround time. It does not matter if you have less-than-stellar credit, as long as you are earning an income.
Get started by completing the convenient, secure 5-minute online application. Once you are approved, you will make payments in the following increments:
- Put 1/3 of your order down and our vendors will start processing your order.
- When your custom wheels and parts are ready to ship, usually within 8-10 weeks, you’ll pay another 1/3 of your order.
- Then, the balance can then be spread over the next 3-6 months INTEREST-FREE!
You can install and start enjoying your new wheels before you have finished paying for them. So, what are you waiting for? It is time to get rolling in style!
