White Wall Motorcycle Tires

Whitewall motorcycle tires are basically tires with a stripe of white rubber on the side or a tire which has its sidewall made entirely of white rubber. When you look at the history of tires, early tire manufacturers made tires from white rubber. But white rubber did not offer enough traction or endurance and the manufacturers’ added carbon black to the tread area of the tires to make them sturdier than plain white rubber. This proved to be a winning combination but it left the inner and outer sidewalls with white rubber. And so the white wall motorcycle tires were born. Even today motorcycle tires have an underlying white rubber sidewall on them. If your white wall motorcycle tires get rigorously scraped on a hard surface you might be able to see the white rubber sidewalls of your tires.

White wall motorcycle tires on a bike give it a classic charm and elegance making it truly stand out in a crowd of lookalikes. You might also say that white wall motorcycle tires also offers a retro chic look to your ride. But it all depends on how well you maintain your white wall motorcycle tires. Just as a clean well maintained white wall motorcycle tire can add glamour to your ride, a dirty white wall motorcycle tire will only make it look old and used. Knowing the correct method of cleaning your white wall motorcycle tires is important if you want your tires to look good as well as last long. Many of you out there make the dirt, grime and grease of your white wall motorcycle tires wash away with the aid of some soap and steel wool. And this is a common mistake to make. Using a steel wool will wear away the white rubber surface of your white wall tire and age your tire prematurely.

Here’s how I clean my white wall motorcycle tires, and I’ve found it to be a better way to preserve and safeguard the white rubber surface of my turnpike cruiser. First brush off dirt and loose grime on your white wall motorcycle tires with a brush with stiff bristles. Make sure that your bike is parked in a flat area where you have access to water, preferably a hose. Mix 1 part of chlorine bleach and 3 parts of water in a spray bottle and spray it over the tires in an even coating. Leave it for a few minutes. Then mix some general household cleaning liquid in some warm water and scrub the tires thoroughly. Do not use steel wool. Wicker brushes and rough sponges clean just as well with less damage on your white wall motorcycle tires. Then hose it down thoroughly and allow it to air dry and your white wall motorcycle tires will be good as new.