“I give loads of consideration to the tyres that my bikes are equipped with because it’s so, so important; it’s the only bit that connects you to the road,” said Isle of Man TT legend John McGuinness as TyreSafe launches its 2018 campaign aimed at motorcyclists.
Don’t chance it, change it focuses on the message that it’s safer to change your tyre than repair it, a sentiment supported by McGuinness. “There’s absolutely no chance that I would repair a tyre. To be honest, it wouldn’t even enter my head. I didn’t even know that you can repair a bike tyre,” he said in a video made especially for TyreSafe’s campaign.
TyreSafe’s latest video features an interview with John McGuinness who talks honestly and openly about his view of tyre safety for motorbikes. The campaign message Don’t chance it, change it focuses on the concerns around motorcyclists assuming that bike tyres are like car tyres and can be repaired without a second thought.
To support the campaign, TyreSafe has produced a new quick guide to motorcycle tyre safety, as well as a refreshing its comprehensive A5 reference guide.
Motorcycle tyres are essential for keeping rider and pillion safe on the road, with a timely reminder that it is the rider (and not the owner) that is responsible for tyre condition. Worryingly, in the Department for Transport’s Reported Road Casualties figures, motorcycles are three-times more likely to be involved in a tyre-related incident than a car. With this in mind, motorcyclists are encouraged to check their tyres once a week and consider three key areas:
- Inflation pressure – which influences how your bike handles, brakes and accelerates; correct pressures reduce your risk of an incident on the road
- Condition – because tyres are in physical contact with the road and can be damaged by debris, potholes, and kerbs
- Tread – a tyre’s tread ensures a tyre stays in contact with the road during wet conditions. The minimum limit for motorcycles of 50cc or above is 1mm, while for those up-to 50cc it is visible tread across the centre three-quarters
Stuart Jackson, TyreSafe Chairman said: “With 1.1 million licensed motorcycles in England, the ‘Don’t chance it, change it’ campaign will play an important role in reminding and educating motorcyclists that tyre safety should be at the forefront of their minds every time they set off. It’s of genuine concern to hear inappropriate repairs are being carried out despite the warnings. Hopefully, hearing those concerns aired by motorcycle legend John McGuinness will help get the message through.”
John McGuinness ended his message to motorcyclists by saying, “Check your tyres before you go out for a ride. There’s nothing wrong with having a look… you could have a foreign object in them, a screw, a big lump of glass, anything. You could be getting a slow puncture and it could take two or three days to go down, and you wouldn’t know, and you’d just jump on your bike and go… It’s a bit of common sense really, for your own safety: check them out!”
To view the video, please visit TyreSafe’s YouTube channel or search ‘TyreSafe John McGuinness’. For more information on all aspects of tyre safety, visit tyresafe.org.
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