Warm Up Your Tires To The Right Temperature

Motorcycle tires aren’t just rubber—they’re actually a chemically complex combination of materials designed to work best at specific temperatures. What temperatures? Typically around 165º F (74º C). Not exactly a cool breeze. So how do you get them to be that hot?

There are two ways to do it: by using tire warmers, or by working the tires. The warmers are simple—think of them as custom electric blankets for your tires. Watch any Superbike or MotoGP race on television and you’ll see them on the bikes before they go out on the track—that way the racers get hot tires ready to go from lap one.

Not on the track? Then you’ll have to do it old-school—by working the tire. Ride far and fast enough and the tire will come up to temperature naturally. But you can speed up the process with a series of progressively harder accelerations and stops. 
In the old days, riders 
used to swerve side-to-side as well, but testing has proven this to be ineffective.

Cycle World's Nick Ienatsch has a great approach: Ride on cold tires as you'd ride in the rain—be smooth, use authority, and make the most of your large inputs with the bike straight up and down—or close to it.