Quick example
Michelin's table gives the alphanumeric size MT90 as 130/90 in metric, and MU85 or MU90 as 140/90. The letter B after the size (as in MT90B16) means bias-belted construction and 16 is the rim diameter in inches. The sizes for your motorcycle are on your original tires and in your owner's manual.
Want to check your tire dimensions?
Use our free Motorcycle Tire Dimensions Calculator to get diameter, sidewall height, circumference and revs per mile from a metric size.
What Makes Cruiser Tires Different from Everything Else
Cruiser motorcycle tires are chosen from the sizes, construction, load index and speed rating your motorcycle manufacturer specifies. Michelin says bias-belted tires are more suitable for heavy motorcycles, and that American custom and some Harley-Davidson tires still use the alphanumeric size system. We have no official source for broader claims about cruiser tires, so this guide sticks to what the makers say.
How to Read a Cruiser Tire Size
Metric format
Michelin's example: 180/55 ZR 17 M/C (73W). 180 is the width in millimetres; 55 is the aspect ratio (the sidewall height as a proportion of the tire width); R means radial construction (ZR refers to radial tires designed for high speeds); 17 is the wheel diameter in inches; M/C means a tire for motorcycles; 73 is the load index and W the speed rating. Michelin says 73 means the tire can carry up to 365 kg (805 lb) and (W) means it can be driven over 270 km/h.
Alphanumeric format (Harley-Davidson and American custom tires)
Michelin's correspondence table for the alphanumeric markings:
| Alphanumeric | Metric |
|---|---|
| MH90 | 80/90 |
| MJ90 | 90/90 |
| MM90 | 100/90 |
| MN90 | 110/90 |
| MP85 | 110/90 |
| MR90 | 120/90 |
| MT90 | 130/90 |
| MU85 / MU90 | 140/90 |
| MV85 | 150/80, 150/90 |
Older inch sizes
Michelin says motorcycle tire dimensions were originally in inches and have been standardised in millimetres, with the rim diameter staying in inches, and gives this correspondence table:
| Metric (mm) | Inch |
|---|---|
| 60/100 | 2.25 |
| 70/100 | 2.50 |
| 80/90 | 2.75 – 3.00 |
| 90/90 | 3.00 – 3.25 – 3.60 |
| 100/90 | 3.50 – 4.10 |
| 110/90 | 4.00 – 4.10 – 4.60 |
| 120/80 | 4.25 – 4.50 – 4.60 |
| 120/90 | 4.25 – 4.50 |
| 130/80 | 4.50 – 4.60 – 5.10 |
| 130/90 | 4.50 – 4.60 – 5.10 |
| 140/80 | 4.50 – 5.10 – 5.50 |
| 140/90 | 5.10 – 5.50 |
Bias, Bias-Belted and Radial: What Michelin Says
Radial
Identified by: The letter R in the size (for example 120/70 R 15)
Michelin: radial tires provide greater comfort at high speeds because their soft sidewalls absorb impacts from road imperfections, and are needed for powerful vehicles with very rigid chassis and sporty purposes.
Bias
Identified by: A dash in the size
Michelin: bias tires are able to carry a greater weight because their sidewalls are more rigid. They are suitable for vehicles travelling at moderate speeds, with small to medium-sized engines and flexible chassis.
Bias belted
Identified by: The letter B in the size
Michelin: bias-belted tires have a belt that strengthens the tire section; this reinforced version of the bias is more suitable for heavy motorcycles.
Dunlop says mixing radials, or radials with bias or belted-bias tires, may adversely affect handling and stability and should only be done when fitted or recommended by the motorcycle manufacturer. The construction must match what the motorcycle manufacturer specifies (Michelin).
Load Index and Speed Rating
Michelin says the load index is a number that corresponds to the maximum weight the tire can support when properly inflated, and it must meet or exceed the load specification for your motorcycle, including rider, passenger and luggage. Dunlop says the load-carrying capability is reduced by underinflation, that it is possible to overload a tire even though it is the size the motorcycle manufacturer specifies, and that the total weight of luggage, equipment and riders must never exceed the vehicle load capacity in the owner's manual.
Michelin says the speed rating must meet or exceed the motorcycle manufacturer's specification, and that the tire specification in the owner's manual is the reference. Dunlop says speed ratings are indicative of capability based on its indoor wheel testing, are not valid for damaged, altered, repaired, excessively worn, underinflated or overloaded tires, and that it does not recommend use of its products in excess of legal speed limits.
Cruiser Tire Pressure
Use the cold inflation pressure on the label on your motorcycle or in your owner's manual, not the maximum pressure on the tire sidewall. Dunlop says checking tire pressure is the most important tire maintenance function, that underinflation can result in imprecise cornering, higher running temperatures, irregular tread wear, fatigue cracking and eventual failure of the tire carcass, and that overinflating does not increase load-carrying capacity but results in a hard ride and accelerated wear in the center of the contact patch. NHTSA says to check pressure at least once a month when the tires are cold, meaning the vehicle has not been driven for at least three hours, and before long trips.
How Many Miles Should Cruiser Tires Last?
We have no official source for how many miles cruiser tires last, so this guide does not give mileage figures by brand. Dunlop says tire mileage and performance are adversely affected by a poorly maintained motorcycle, that an unbalanced tire and wheel assembly can vibrate and greatly accelerate tire wear, and that each revolution of an incorrectly aligned wheel can scuff off tread rubber and reduce tire mileage.
Best Cruiser Motorcycle Tires: 2025 Comparison
We do not rank cruiser tires. We found no official source comparing mileage, wet grip or handling across makers, and rider reports and forum opinions are not a source we use. Michelin, Metzeler, Dunlop, Avon and others publish specifications for their own tires, including sizes, load index and speed rating. Choose from the sizes your motorcycle manufacturer approves, with a load index and speed rating that meet or exceed the specification, and compare the makers' own data.
Whitewalls, Raised White Letters, and Sidewall Styles
Dunlop says to use a mild soap solution to clean sidewalls, white striping or lettering, rinse with plain water, and never apply any other material, cleaners or dressings, which may degrade the rubber and remove its resistance to ozone cracking and weather checking. We have no official source for styles or sizes available.
Tube-Type vs Tubeless: What Your Wheels Require
Dunlop says to mount tires as tubeless only when the wheel manufacturer recommends it, that not all cast wheels, aluminum or magnesium, are suitable for tubeless tires, and that some spokeless rims require tubes. When fitting a new tire on a rim requiring a tube, fit a new tube at the same time, and check that the tire size appears on the tube. Do not fit tubes in radial tires, or radials on rims requiring tubes, unless the tubes bear matching size and radial (R) markings.
Spoked Wheels
Dunlop says to replace broken spokes immediately and tighten loose ones, because broken spokes transfer extra tension to adjoining spokes, and that broken or loose spokes may cause wheel wobble, accelerating tire wear and causing instability. After tightening or replacing spokes, be sure the wheel rim runs true, and inspect the rim, rim band and tube.
When to Replace Your Cruiser Tires
- Dunlop: remove tires from service before they reach the tread-wear indicator bars; it recommends replacing a tire worn to 2/32 of an inch of tread. The tread depth calculator converts a gauge reading from 32nds or millimetres.
- Michelin and Dunlop: replace motorcycle tires 10 years from the manufacture date regardless of tread condition (Dunlop includes spares); have them inspected by a specialist at least annually after five years of use. The tire age and DOT code decoder reads the manufacture date.
- Dunlop: bent wheel rims and bent or cracked cast wheels should be replaced immediately, because bent rims may cause wheel wobble, bead unseating and, in tubeless tires, gradual air loss.
- Dunlop: new tires should not be subjected to maximum power, abrupt lean-over or hard cornering until approximately 100 miles have been covered.
How to read the DOT date code
Look for the DOT code ending in a four-digit date code. The first two digits are the week of manufacture and the last two the year; Michelin's example is that 1824 was produced in the 18th week of 2024. NHTSA says the TIN may not be on both sides of the tire.
Mounting, Balancing, and Break-In
Dunlop says only specially trained persons should mount tires, because improper mounting can cause tire explosion and serious injury, and that tires should never be inflated above 40 psi to seat beads. It says tire and wheel assemblies must be balanced before use and rebalanced each time the tire is removed or replaced, and that all Dunlop street tires should be installed with the balance dot at the valve and the arrow pointing in the direction of rotation. Dunlop says never to mount passenger-car tires on motorcycle rims.
Choosing the Right Size: Don't Guess
Michelin says that on the road you are legally committed to the dimensions recommended by the manufacturer of your motorcycle, which are marked on your original tires. Dunlop says to consult the motorcycle manufacturer before mounting sizes other than those in the owner's manual. Use the Motorcycle Tire Dimensions Calculator to compare the overall diameter of a size you are considering with your original. Other motorcycle categories are covered in the sport bike tire guide, touring tire guide and dirt bike tire guide.