Honda CBR125RW - Owner's Manual > Tires

To safely operate your motorcycle, your tires must be the proper type and size, in good condition with adequate tread, and correctly inflated for the load you are carrying.

WARNING

Using tires that are excessively worn or improperly inflated can cause a crash in which you can be seriously hurt or killed.

Follow all instructions in this owner's manual regarding tire inflation and maintenance.

The following pages give detailed information on how and when to check your air pressure, how to inspect your tires for wear and damage, and our recommendations for tire repair and replacement.

Air Pressure

Properly inflated tires provide the best combination of handling, tread life, and riding comfort. Generally, underinflated tires wear unevenly, adversely affect handling, and are more likely to fail from being overheated. Overinflated tires make your motorcycle ride harshly, are more prone to damage from road hazards, and wear unevenly.

We recommend that you visually check your tires before every ride and use an air pressure gauge to measure the air pressure at least once a month or any time you think the tires might be low. Even tires that are in good condition may lose one to two psi per month if not checked and adjusted regularly.

Tubeless tires have some degree of self-sealing ability if they are punctured.

However, because leakage is often very slow, you should look closely for punctures whenever a tire is not fully inflated.

Always check air pressure when your tires are "cold" - after the motorcycle has been parked for at least three hours. If you check air pressure when your tires are

"warm" - even if your motorcycle has only been ridden for a few miles - the readings will be higher. If you let air out of warm tires to match the recommended cold pressures, the tires will be underinflated.

The recommended "cold" tire pressures are:

Inspection

Whenever you check the tire pressures, you should also look for:

• Bumps or bulges in the side of the tire or the tread. Replace any tire that has a bump or bulge.
• Cuts, slits, or cracks in the tires.

  Replace the tire if you can see fabric or cord.

• Nails or other foreign objects embedded in the side of the tire or tread.
• Excessive tread wear.

Also, if you hit a pothole or hard object while riding, pull to the side of the road as soon as you safely can and carefully inspect the tires for damage.

Tread Wear

1. wear indicator
2. wear indicator location mark

For the best performance, you should replace a tire before the tread depth at the center reaches the following limits:

If the wear indicators are visible, replace the tire immediately as it is no longer safe.

Tire Repair

We strongly recommend that you replace, not repair, any tire that is punctured or damaged. As discussed below, a tire that is repaired, either temporarily or permanently, will have lower speed and performance limits than a new or undamaged tire.

A temporary repair can sometimes be made in an emergency situation.

However, since a temporary repair may not hold, you must ride very slowly, preferably without any cargo or passenger, and have the tire replaced or permanently repaired as soon as possible.

(For more information on temporary repairs, see If You Have a Flat Tire)

A permanent repair, such as an internal plug patch, can be made if a tire has only a small puncture in the tread area. With such a repair, you should not exceed 80 km/h (50 mph) for the first 24 hours, or 130 km/h (80 mph) at any time thereafter.

In addition, you may not be able to safely carry as much weight. If you choose to have a tire repaired, be sure the repair work is performed by a professional and that the wheel is balanced before you ride.

If you have a tire professionally repaired at a non-Honda facility, we recommend that you have the work checked by your Honda dealer.

Tire Replacement

The tires that came on your motorcycle were designed to match the performance capabilities of your motorcycle and provide the best combination of handling, braking, durability, and comfort.

You should replace the tires with tires of  the same size, load range, and speed rating as the originals.

WARNING

Installing improper tires on your motorcycle can affect handling and stability. This can cause a crash in which you can be seriously hurt or killed.

Always use the size and type of tires recommended in this owner's manual.

The recommended tires for your motorcycle are:

Whenever you replace a tire, remember:

• Have the wheel balanced after the tire is installed.
• Have the tire replaced by your Honda dealer if possible.

If you have a tire professionally replaced at a non-Honda facility, we recommend that you have the work checked by your Honda dealer.

Important Safety Reminders

• Do not install a tube inside a tubeless tire on this motorcycle. Excessive heat build-up can cause the tube to burst.
• Use only tubeless tires on this motorcycle. The rims are designed for tubeless tires, and during hard acceleration or braking, a tube-type tire could slip on the rim and cause the tire to rapidly deflate.
• Do not install a radial tire on this motorcycle. Mixing bias-ply and radial tires can adversely affect handling and stability.

See also: