Using sandpaper to scrub up a new set of shiny motorcycle tires makes sense in theory but does it actually work or is it a waste of time?
Most tire manufacturers recommend a ”break in period” for new motorcycle tires of which they advocate for gentle riding with no sudden braking, quick acceleration or hard corner for the first 100 or so miles. The reason for this is to allow the the tires to build traction naturally as the heat and grit of the road scuffs them up.
You may have heard somewhere that you can use sandpaper to expedite this process. To be fair, the concept does initially make sense, the logic behind this thought is that by using a gritty sandpaper to scuff up the the tires you can remove the slick factory finish from the surface and rough them up so they’ll stick to the road from the get go.
Unfortunately using sandpaper on new motorcycle tires is a waste of time. Motorcycle tire rubber is tough and using sandpaper wont do anything to harden up the fresh rubber. To be properly broken in motorcycle tires require the heat and friction generated from riding on the road. This is why tire manufactures recommend a break in period.
Why Doesn’t Sandpaper Work To Break In New Motorcycle Tires?
Tire rubber is hard and is engineered to be tough enough in order to last thousands of miles of riding on rough surfaces. Even using a powered sander with a coarse grit sandpaper won’t generate anywhere near enough heat, force or friction to replicate the scrubbing that occurs from natural riding. Despite this evidence some people still firmly stand by the idea that sandpaper works to harden up the tires and remove the shiny finish from the factory however this is simply not the case.
Besides, the process of manually sanding both tires would be a tedious, time consuming job. Wouldn’t you much rather just get out and go for a ride and let the process happen by itself, I know I would.
How To Properly Break In A Set Of New Motorcycle Tires
Back in the day tire manufacturers used a release agent to help get the tires out of the moulds. This lubrication made the tires extra slippery off the line and once fitted to a bike required a period of gentle riding to allow the tires to scrub up. Nowadays the manufacturing process is quite different and if you run your hand over a new set of Pirellis you’ll actually notice that they are quite sticky from the get go.
Despite this most tire manufacturers still recommend a break in period. This varies depending on different makes of tires but they all generally advocate for period of gentle riding, normally for around 100 miles (160 km). In this break in period you should avoid quick acceleration, sudden braking and hard cornering while the tires are still fresh. While breaking in your tires you should aim to ride on a road with a variety of corners to scuff all surface area of the tires.
This initial break in riding helps the tire generate heat and develop a rough surface texture which will better bond to the road and provide a more sticky grip for the rider. You’ll know when the tires are properly broken in when they have a dull look and coarse feel.
To Conclude
New tires take time to wear in so it’s key to go easy on a new set of rubber. The only way to properly break in a set of tires is around 100 miles of gentle riding. All though using sand paper to speed up this process sounds good in theory, you’ll be doing nothing but wasting your time.
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