Aside from fueling up, your tire inflation is one of the easiest variables to adjust and is just as important.

While the vast majority of riders know that motorcycle tire pressure is important, many still haven’t built the right habits to keep up their inflation. In fact, most of us will neglect this simple bit of inexpensive maintenance more than just about any other task.

This causes most riders to miss out on a lot of advantages in terms of savings, performance and vehicle lifespan.

Keeping up with motorcycle tire pressure is something that every rider can do. Even if you have no mechanical knowledge, this is still something you can easily do. Moreover, it’s something you should be doing. The right tire pressure for a motorcycle means you’ll have better control on the road, you’ll be able to ride more safely and you’ll save money both at the pump and in extending the life of your tires (and the bike itself for that matter).

Here are the top things riders should know about their motorcycle tire pressure.

• Check your tire pressures once a week or more – ideally, you should be checking every day, but realistically, once a week should be enough for most riders. If the weather has been essentially stable and you’re not traveling huge distances, a weekly check is enough. If you’re headed cross country, you’ll benefit from a daily check. It only takes a few seconds per tire.
• Test your tire inflation when they’re cold – wait until your bike has been sitting for at least twenty minutes. When you ride, it heats up the tires which will alter the reading given by your tire pressure gauge by up to 10 percent. Your motorcycle’s user manual’s recommended inflation is based on cold tires and a high quality tire pressure gauge reading.
• Use an accurate digital tire pressure gauge – even if you test your cold tires every day, if your gauge isn’t accurate, it won’t be helping you much. The affordable Mogix digital tire pressure gauge will not only provide you with an accurate reading, but it also contains other helpful features such as a flashlight and a tread depth gauge. All in one small device, meaning you won’t have to store a lot on your bike to have all those tools handy.