While insufficient tire pressure probably leads to most tire wear on a motorcycle, there are other causative factors. Some issues can also cause your front tire to wear more on one side than the other. Here are some of the most common causes.
Wheel alignment may be a contributing factor. Routinely perform wheel maintenance on your motorcycle and it can head off some uneven wearing before it happens. Loading heavily only one saddlebag causes uneven wear. Be sure to distribute loads evenly between saddlebags on both sides of your motorcycle.
Roads are usually graded higher in the center than at the curb, so the side of your tire closest to the middle of the road wears a little faster. This is basically unavoidable, but really has its main affect on longer road trips when you spend a good deal of the time riding your motorcycle in one direction.
A weak front shock on one side can cause uneven front tire wear. Check your shocks periodically and replace as needed. When you ride motocross, your shocks will take a lot of wear and will need to be replaced often. Also, using your front brake excessively contributes to front tire wear.
As you can see, there are numerous factors that contribute to motorcycle wheel wear, some affecting both wheels, others having a greater affect on the front wheel. However, with some planning and a proper maintenance schedule, you can keep your wheels from experiencing uneven wear.
