TPMS, or tire pressure monitoring systems, help keep a rider aware of the air pressure in the tires of their motorcycle as they are riding. Knowing what is going on with the tires at all times can improve the safety of your bike or trike and help reduce tire wear issues.

Tire Wear and Performance

Motorcycle tires are small and narrow and have a small contact patch between the tire and the road. Because there is less contact between the tires and the pavement, the tire wear is critical to the way the motorcycle handles. A tire that is underinflated will wear more on the edges and less in the center of the tire, while one that is over-inflated will wear more in the center.

When the tire wears unevenly, it creates a situation where the traction of the tire changes and the tire can slip or lose traction in a corner or during breaking. Keeping the tires properly inflated is the best way to avoid this, and installing a tire pressure monitoring system on the motorcycle will keep you informed about the tire pressure at a glance. 

While three-wheeled motorcycles may seem less prone to problems from tire wear, modern trikes have suspension systems that cause the tires to lean with the machine as you go into a corner. Tire pressure is still very much a concern, and a Trike TPMS is just as beneficial as a system for two-wheeled motorcycles. 

TPMS KIts 

Installing a TPMS used to mean taking the tires off the trike or bike and putting a sensor inside the tire, on the rim. Often, the sensors would come loose and have to be fixed over time, and they could be a lot of work to maintain. 

Kits are now available on the market with sensors that go on the outside of the valve stem. The sensors screw on just like a valve cap would and are easy to install. The kits also come with a wireless receiver that you can mount on your handlebars so you can monitor the pressure in the tires while you are riding. If a tire starts to lose pressure, you can get off the road and check it before it starts to cause handling problems.

If you ride a trike, there are Trike TPMS kits with three sensors tailor-made for you, and if you pull a trailer with your bike or trike, there are kits that include sensors for the trailer as well.

Check with your local motorcycle shop and ask them about the valve stem mounted Trike TPMS kits or kits for two-wheeled bikes and trailers that improve the safety, performance, and tire wear of your bike.