Bonneville America Forums Forums Off Topic Discussion Forums Lounge Cold Tire Fact or Fiction

I was talking with a friend today about riding lately - that I still loved to ride between 35 and 40 degrees as long as there was no precip around and I could feel my hands. He warned me about that and said he puts up his bike as soon as it gets below 55 because since the tires were cold, they would remain cold and the contact surface between the tire and the street would be the size of a dime. Huh?

When tires get cold, the tread gets hard and doesn't conform to the irregularities of the roadway as well, so traction is reduced. The air in the tires also gets cold and it contracts. With less (really smaller) air, the tires flex more and warm up more, so after a few tens of miles, your traction will be close to normal.

While it would be a good idea to not ride like a maniac in cold weather, taking it easy for 20 miles or so and then riding as if you had good sense will not be a problem as long as you don't live in Alaska or Siberia.

What Greybeard said.

I ride year round. And yes, it does get cold in Vegas. Not Arctic by any means, but into the low 20s-high teens.
Just give yourself a little more time and room.

yep, cold tyres are bad but unless you're riding across a frozen tundra they'll warm up with use.

I must admit I certainly have to let the tyres warm up on my T595 before pushing it a bit.

It is so noticeable on these cold mornings here and it takes me a good 5 miles before it actually feels anything approaching normal.

Definitely. I was riding this past January with some DC Rats on NY Day, most were on sportbikes. Althought we rode about 30 miles at a moderate pace, two guys went down while attacking a corner aggresively. That's when I veered left and headed for home (it was in the 30's anyway and the Ravens were on...) Just be careful and you'll be fine. Save the heriocs for summer. Not to mention the road crews start spreading traction material like it was free.

As stated above, when it's real cold just take it easy. I think a combination of my own distraction and cold & old tires were factors when I went down on my Daytona a few weeks ago.

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he puts up his bike as soon as it gets below 55 because since the tires were cold, they would remain cold

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It your friend's choice to store his bike when it's 55 degrees...but I don't think there's any reason to do that. As long as you can stand the temperature and keep your mind focused on riding (not on being cold), you should be fine.

Will