If you are like most bike riders, you use your bike as a way to relax. There’s nothing quite like being out on the road with the wind in your hair. One of the most important aspects of achieving a relaxing ride is consistency. A consistent ride is a smooth ride. You may have heard that putting nitrogen in your tires is a good way to improve, among other things, the consistency of the ride. It may be easy to get cheap motorcycle tires, but what you put inside may make a bigger difference. This guide will go in-depth about nitrogen in motorcycle tires. Is it really all it’s cracked up to be? Should you give up on the air and start using nitrogen? Find out everything there is to know about the ins and outs and ups and downs of nitrogen as a tire gas choice.
Should You Use Nitrogen in Your Tires?
Indeed, it is true that nitrogen does offer a few advantages for a bike’s performance and consistency. However, there are a few things you need to be aware of. First of all, while the benefits are real and tangible, they are also minor. Putting nitrogen in your tires is not going to be a world-changing experience. It may be a little nicer or more enjoyable, but that’s it. After all, normal air is about 80% nitrogen as it is. Choosing nitrogen is essentially just replacing that last 20% of oxygen, carbon dioxide, and argon with more nitrogen. It is up to you if this makes a big enough difference for you to spring for nitrogen.
The Benefits of Nitrogen
There are three main benefits of putting nitrogen in your tires:
- A lifetime of the tire
- Better performance
- Higher fuel mileage
First things first, the lifetime of the tire is going to be the most pronounced benefit. Nitrogen seeps out of the tire slower than air. You are probably aware of how long it takes a tire to start to get low. You should expect your tires to last just a little bit longer between refills if you choose to spring for nitrogen. Along with the best tire repair kits for motorcycles, your tires can last an impressively long time.
Second, nitrogen can actually improve your performance, but there is a caveat on this point. Nitrogen is a little more resistant to temperature changes than air. This means when the outside temperature fluctuates, your tire pressure should stay more stable. If you are in a location with a wide temperature range throughout the year or plan to ride at all times of day, nitrogen will have greater benefits. This is also a factor that affects fuel mileage.
The disadvantages of nitrogen are all indirect. It may also be difficult to find a place to put it in, and you probably cannot do the job yourself. It may also be expensive, while air is usually completely free. In a world where you can easily find cheap ATV tires online, there may be better ways to spend your money. But if the benefits of nitrogen appeal to you, then you should go for it.
