Motorcycle tyre valve and tyre valve extensions
While it may not be the most exciting part of owning a motorcycle, your tyres valves and wheels are an essential part of maintaining that all-important point of contact with the road. Most valves function in essentially the same way by enabling the intake and release of air as necessary from tubeless motorcycle tyres, which unfortunately means that they do wear out over time as a result of regular use. They also protect the tyre from ingesting any dirt or grit into the interior, so it is important to keep an eye on their upkeep and to make sure you replace your motorcycle tyre valves as soon as they're past the point of repair.
Perhaps this applies to your own bike or if you drive a range of bikes. Sometimes you'll find that the valve itself is hard to reach. This can be especially difficult when trying to quickly sort a deflated tyre or you're using equipment at a filling station or garage that isn't easy to attach to the tyre valves available. In our experience, the best solution for this is to fit tyre valve extensions. These often solve the awkward right angle or positioning of the valve and, while they may not seem terribly exciting, they will prove to be worth their weight in gold when you find yourself caught out in this situation.
When it comes to motorcycle tyres themselves, you have a huge range of options to choose from. Our tyre professionals can recommend a range of treads, patterns and brands that suit your motorcycle and the conditions in which you expect to ride. Leading brands such as Pirelli, Falken and Bridgestone all offer a variety of patterns that are optimised for different road surfaces, weather, and uses, so it is always beneficial to get a second opinion and look at your options.
Regardless as to which tyre you go for, if you're choosing the more common and popular tubeless tyres, then you'll need to pay attention to the valves over time. The most important things to look out for as part of your routine maintenance are keeping the valve clean, including checking for any dirt or debris that could damage the seal of the valve, and any signs that the valve is no longer doing its job of keeping the air in. The seal on the cap of the valve is often where wear and tear first occurs, so you can sometimes get away with simply replacing the cap to solve an issue. If you're at all unsure, fill the tyre and wait a few hours before riding the bike to see if there's any drop in air or pressure to identify a potential fault.
However, considering that leaks of air are a major issue and can come from a variety of different sources other than the valve on the tyre, years of experience tell us that if you identify any problems with motorcycle tyres valves or your bike's behaviour, then it's worth checking the whole tyre before regarding the issue as solved. Sometimes, damage or wear and tear has occurred in multiple places and it may well be cheaper to replace the tyre at this stage than continue with a series of fixes. Our qualified fitters offer free motorcycle and vehicle checks at our UK-wide network of garages that can be easily booked online. These will provide you with a quick second opinion, together with impartial, expert advice. If you're at all unsure, why not book a quick free check today?
