How to Compare Scooter Tires

Different scooters use different tires; owners should check their manual for the right size.

Tires represent a critical part of a scooter. At speed, the tires are the only ground contact points, so paying attention to their quality, tread and intended use can impact driver safety and scooter performance.

Dry Tread vs. Wet Tread

The contact surface on a scooter tire, much like a motorcycle tire, provides the traction for the scooter to ride a road. The tread on a tire provides a way for debris or liquid to get dispersed without compromising the contact point. During the summer and dry months, significant contact is important. Alternatively, multiple treads provide the best traction in wet months.

Quality Brands

Many of the quality brands of scooter tires are made by the same makers of quality car and motorcycle tires. The prices on such brands tend to be higher, but the tires last longer and perform better. Buyers should be cautious about tires priced cheaply; they may cost far more in a blowout and accident later on.

Bigger vs. Thinner

Some scooter tires come in thinner sizes. A rider should use the thickest tires possible for his scooter to obtain maximum contact tire space with the road. Thinner, smaller tires fail to perform well at speed and usually cause speed wobbles, which could lead to accidents.

References

• WebBikeWorld: Scooter Tires
• Tire Review: Switching Gears; Motorcycle, Scooter Market Requires Entirely Different Focus
• Tire Information World: Scooter Tires are all That Separate You from the Road

Resources

• Scooterworks: Parts for Scooters