Know Your Motorcycle Tires: Part I

The tires on your motorcycle can enhance your control and comfort depending on which model you choose. There are numerous tires available for sportsbikes to either help you grip and stick closer to the track or have a more relaxed ride on the street.

Choosing a tire for your sportsbike is not an easy decision, but getting a grasp of the best motorcycle tires available could make your choice trouble-free without doing excessive research.

In this series, we'll look at the top sportsbike tires available on the market to give you a better idea of the benefits that come with each tire brand:

Shinko 016 Verge 2X Radial Tires

[caption id="attachment_44429" align="alignright" width="200"][mageProductLink sku="369-874097" title=""][/mageProductLink] [mageProductLink sku="369-874097" title="Shinko 016 Verge 2X Radial Rear Tire"]Shinko 016 Verge 2X Radial Tires[/mageProductLink][/caption]

If you're searching for the best traction on the market and know you're going to put a ton of miles on your tires, the [mageProductLink sku="369-874083" title="Shinko 016 Verge 2X Radial Front Tire"]Shinko 016 Verge 2X[/mageProductLink] could be your best bet. Instead of constantly replacing your tires, the Shinko 016 Verge gives you a tire that is built for longevity. Riders will immediately notice the tread profile design, which will help with leaner angles and faster transitions between turns. The dual compound rear tire is full steel belted, which means it's stronger and can take on higher speeds. Siping technology is available on both front and rear wheels that make this tire last longer, handle wet surfaces comfortably and help distribute wear more evenly, so there are no spots on the tire that get excess use.

Bridgestone BT-016 Pro Tires

[caption id="attachment_44433" align="alignright" width="200"][mageProductLink sku="330-1263" title=""][/mageProductLink] [mageProductLink sku="330-1263" title="Bridgestone BT-016 Pro Hypersport Radial Front Tire"]Bridgestone Battlax BT-016 Pro Hypersport Radial Tires[/mageProductLink][/caption]

The [mageProductLink sku="330-1268" title="Bridgestone BT-016 Pro Hypersport Radial Rear Tire"]Bridgestone BT-016 Pro[/mageProductLink] is an all-around sports tire that uses MotoGP technology, which makes the tire perfect for sports touring riding. Suzuki's GSX-R600 and R750 both come standard with the lower grade BT-016 tire, but the BT-016 Pro was designed to increase stability, maintain longer lasting treads and hieghten gripping levels for riders taking tight turns. Bridgestone claims the tire will last 20 percent longer on the rear tire and 60 percent on the front, depending on your bike. The tire also warms up in a hurry, which creates a more optimal tire for cold weather riding.

Avon 3D Ultra Supersport Tires

[caption id="attachment_44435" align="alignright" width="200"][mageProductLink sku="330-5860" title=""][/mageProductLink] [mageProductLink sku="330-5860" title="Avon 3D Ultra Supersport High Performance AV79 Front Tire"]Avon 3D Ultra Supersport High Performance Tires[/mageProductLink][/caption]

Upgrading your tires can be costly, but for a great price, the [mageProductLink sku="330-5865" title="Avon 3D Ultra Supersport High Performance AV80 Rear Tire"]Avon 3D Ultra Supersport[/mageProductLink] is an excellent tire that could fit in your budget. This tire is built to handle the intense bumps and imperfections that come with street riding, but it can also be used on the track. Its high performance tread compound gives the tire precise handling features. The long footprint allows riders to hit intense angles on the course. The 3D siping technology creates a more stable, solid-gripping and limited tread flex tire that will heat up much quicker than other standard tires. The tire on its own is available for less than $150, which makes this sportsbike tire one of the best buys for riders with limited money to spend on new tires.

To see other tire recommendations for your sportsbike, stay tuned for the second part of the Know Your Motorcycle Tires series.