It’s spring time, days are longer, weather is warming up, and you have had enough of weekday jaunts in traffic. You feel the open road beckoning—perhaps a long haul across the desert to Las Vegas. Winter zipped by and so will the opportunity to take advantage of perfect weather to haul out your baby and take it for a spin. As is the call to all bikers, safety first. So we advise you to check our tires.

If you have not ridden your bike recently, get out your wallets. Rubber loses its elasticity over time, and you will lose traction. Here are some shopping tips:

Tires wear depending upon what surface you drive on. If you ride the streets, buy a standard sport tire. If you have racing tires, be aware they wear out faster.
If you aim for traction, go for softer rubber. It grips the road better, although on the other hand, it also wears quickly and takes longer to warm.
If you are thinking a long trip, get firmer rubber.

Buy new tires, not used ones. The tires are your lone interface between the road and you. You do not want to skimp on safety.
Make certain you are buying the right size tire for your bike. Some models only fit a specific size, so you can be wasting money if you do not get the right size.
Bigger is not always better. Just because you can fit on a wider tire, does not mean it is the right fit. Wider tires result in a less agile bike although it might look better.

Once you have purchased the tires, keep track of the air pressure. Maintaining the air pressure will cause the tires to last longer. You can save money on your new investments by keeping up the air pressure.

Check into the tire warranty to determine if you should buy a manufacturer’s warranty or store bought warranty.

Now, having taken a general look at shopping tips for tires, let us look at a specific tire that we recommend—The Metzeler Roadtec Z6 Interact Tire. This is a very economical buy and it is for a sport-touring tire. In this Interact evolution of the successful Z6, a single compound is used that “interacts” with a new tire carcass.

The 0-degree steel belt structure beneath the rubber that contacts the road surface results in a high level of stability at high speeds. The Interact’s steel belt is different because it is a twisted cable similar to a guitar string rather than a solid wire. With the nature of the construction, it is possible to control thread tension is particular areas of the tire, thereby controlling temperatures of the tire compound in those portions.

The Interact was launched in Europe a couple of months ago, and made its official U.S. debut last week in Palm Springs, California where journalists were invited for a test of the new Interact. Scores were high on overall handling and ride comfort. In addition, along a 150 mile journey, the tires absorbed cracked and jagged pavement at more than 80 mph. At a 2 percent price increase over the previous Roadtec Z6, it is well worth it.

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