Here are some Do's and Don'ts for the care of your tires and with this, your safety.
1) Do, keep the correct pressure in your tires. Tire pressure increases and decreases due to temperature,if you set your tire pressure on a day it is 90 degrees outside then the next day it is 45 degrees outside, the pressure in the tire has changed. If you set the pressure while the tire is still hot, when the tire cools down the pressure will be incorrect. Check your owners manual for the correct tire pressure for your riding habits.
2) Do, keep a valve cap on your valve stems. Make sure it is a valve cap for a motor vehicle, with a rubber gasket in the top, and not a cool looking pair of dice that you got at your local superstore.Valve caps do not only keep debris and water out of your valve stem, they keep the air in your tire. The rotation of the wheel can be enough to cause a valve core to open due to the centrifugal force generated.
3) Do, check your valve stems for cracks and deformations. If you have a rubber valve stem make sure that it stands up straight. If your valve stem is bent to one side or the other it needs to be replaced. This deformity is caused by the centrifugal force generated by the spinning wheel. There is nothing wrong with rubber valve stems, they just need to be of the short variety. Also it is a good idea to use a light, but correct, valve cap.
4) Do, check the tread depth across the complete width of your tire. Michelin tires have wear indicators- they wear smooth when the tread depth of your tire is less then .8mm (1/32"). If your tread depth becomes less then this your tires should be replaced.
5) Do, have your tires installed and balanced by a reputable dealer. Don't let someone tell you, "it's a motorcycle you don't need to balance the tires!". Calmly pick up your checkbook and run like hell.
6) Don't, use rubber-appearance-enhancement products on the tread of your tire; don't even get it near the tread. These products can cause a loss of traction.
7) Don't, park your motorcycle in oil spots in a parking lot. You may pick up residual oil causing a loss of traction. If you get oil, or anything except water, on your tires clean them with soap and water as soon as possable.
This code, when present, appears after the size marking. The code comprises three characters-- two numbers and a letter. e.g. "67H." The two-digit number is a code for the maximum load carrying capacity of the tire. The letter is a maximum speed rating indicating the maximum speed at which the tire may be used with maximum load when the maximum listed inflation pressure is used.
Where the markings listed below appear in the body of the size description (between the width and wheel diameter) and where no ISO Load/Speed Index is present, they have the following meanings.