Fascinating article on motorcycle tire wear

[C.W.]

Do we really put more miles on the left side of our tires than we do on the right side? What do you think?

Read here> Motorcycle Tire Wear

(Sorry kind of long, but a very interesting read)

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[Scrapdog2grand]

I'll go with the road crown theory, or perhaps a combination of the 2 theories.
you are putting about twice the mileage on the left side, and when my new tires worn the painted lines off of them, the left side went first. A lot of staight roads here for the most part though. my ride to work consist of all straight runs with 3 turns at the cross roads.
when the wife I are out cruising the turns we encounter on most high ways or back roads are very subtle.
right handed turns are sharper, more lean in the right handed turn, and the road crown makes it easier on the tires and the person riding the bike in a right hand turn.
road crown is going to cause less wear on on the right side of a tire, its aiding you in the turn, not working against you, almost all of our roads here have crown from the center line down.
and how about those roundabouts, I have to hit a roundabout in any direction I go. you can only take those on your left side(eh John?) and they are also crowned down from the center.
whats a roundabout? oh sorry, most of you dont even have roundabouts!

[-AJ]

people ask the same question when they come into the shop,"why does my tire wear on the left faster?" most of them don't understand when i tell them that each left hand turn is longer than a right hand turn because we live in America. also.. most people are more comfortable takin' left hand turns and will ride more aggressively.

that's a good write up.

[C.W.]

Yep, I have left side wear on both front and back tires, both originals (9,240 miles on them). That's how I found the article. On my bike it effects the tracking, or steering if you will, and has progressed very slowly. I think new tires are coming at about 12,000-13,000 miles.

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[jimnfor]

Something else that effects left side tire wear is a lot or riders cruise with only their right hand on the bars. The left hand sitting in your lap or resting on the tank. This causes you to subconsciously shift your body weight slightly to the left to compensate for holding onto the right side of the bike.