Dry-rot/cracking on motorcycle tire sidewalls...how to fix?

Dry rot is one of, if not THE, most dangerous issues with m/c maintenance. There is no repair, only replacement. As one of the others wrote above, winter storage is the main culprit in dry rot. If possible, put a strip of carpet under the bike, or at least the tires, when storing for the winter or find a heated garage.

If you choose to use a treatment such as Armor-All, be extremely careful not to get it on the tread section of the the tires. It is VERY slippery stuff. Or use another treatment specifically made for tires.

Dry Rot Tires Dangerous

This Site Might Help You.

RE:

Dry-rot/cracking on motorcycle tire sidewalls...how to fix?

I have mild dry-rot on the sidewalls (NOT the tread) of my motorcycle tires. It is not to the point where the tires are losing pressure (I've checked them daily for the last month)...

...But I am wondering if there is anything I can put on the tires to prevent the cracks from getting larger...

You can't fix dry rot. Your tires need to be replaced as soon as possible.

Dry rot means the rubber has begun to deteriorate, no matter how good the tread looks. Not only do you risk a blow-out, but old tires have less traction due to the hardening of the rubber.

Your life is worth more than the price of a couple tires.

Yes REPLACE THEM. Here is a clearer answer why: As a tire rolls along the road, the sidewall rubber is actually continually moving/flexing. This, along with friction from contact with the road, generates heat. Heat slowly (and sometimes quickly!) breaks down the tire compound. A cracked sidewall is therefore much more susceptible to catastrophic failure. On a two-wheeled machine, its a serious safety issue.

If your talking about fixing holes in motorcycle tires... You shouldn't. It's not recommended by any manufacturer and there are few dealers that will do it because of the liability in case the plug comes out while riding. If you must fix it yourself, go to the auto parts store and buy a tire plug kit. It's cheap and it will have detailed instructions on how to use it.

Replace the tire. You only ride on two wheels, and a very small patch of rubber under them. If you see visible dry rot it's time for the tires to go.

Dry rot / cracking is usually a sign of age. The rubber breaks down from age and sunlight and becomes brittle. They may not be losing air , but that does not mean that they are still safe. There is not much you can do to repair them at this point. Best to replace them before they blow out

Replace. Look at websites for motorcycle tires such as http://www.bikebandit.com/ and compare to your local shop prices. You might be able to save a lot of money. I was lucky enough to find a local shop who would match the prices I saw online, so I had them do the whole deal. But other shops wanted about twice the prices I could find online at various websites, so if they hadn't price matched, I would have ordered my tires online and just paid a shop to mount them.

Once they start to crack, it's over. Replace them, it's your biggest safety item. Had a blowout on a bike 20 some years ago, was verrrrry lucky, wouldn't want anyone else to experience that, and you know about it so take the advice you don't want to be a statistic.