would you apply stuff on tyre sidewalls?

what i mean is i would like to use that sort of liquid/spray/foam used on car tyre sidewalls to make them look shiny and very black on the sidewalls of the bike tyres.

a pal of mine told me that the tyre would eventually absorb some of the stuff that will seep on the threaded area and would make it grip less and less over time.

what do you think... i would be doing it just so that the bike looks better when washed, i can do without it.

I wouldn't bother on a bike


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no way! 100% you will skid when you ride off...

Most all of those products contain a silicone base that is extremely slippery. Do not put that stuff on your tires. In fact be careful when cleaning your bike that you don't spray protectants or waxes on your tires. Spray away from the bike on a cleaning cloth and then apply to the bike.
If you wash the bike make sure all soaps are off the tires. Use your hands to be sure they feel squeeky clean of any surfactants.
If my sidewalls are looking a little funky I use 'Westley's Bleche-White' tire cleaner. A very strong cleaner with a stiff brush. Keep it off your paint and rinse it very well. Again check with your hands that it's rinsed squeeky clean! :rockon:

If you really want that shiny black look without the risk of slipping Black boot polish (couldnt get it any blacker) does an awesome job :thumbup: been using it forever...

My truck even slides around after putting that stuff on the sidewalls. I'm not even letting the bike and the can make eye contact.

I do a light wash and a more "dedicated" one.

On the light one I only use soap, rinse the bike and use my leaf blower to help dry it.

On the "dedicated" one (I've only done this probably 3 times since I got my bike at the end of March 2010) I do use one of those products but not directly on the tire's side, I have a dedicated sponge for that, so I spay a little on the sponge and then apply to the side of the tire.


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simple green and a rag on the sidewalls/wheels for me. I don't touch any of the rubber that is intended to contact the road with anything.

Humperdinkel said:

If you really want that shiny black look without the risk of slipping Black boot polish (couldnt get it any blacker) does an awesome job :thumbup: been using it forever...

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An Aussie endorsing a Kiwi? what is the world coming to...

I never put any crap on my car tyres so the chances of anything going on the bike tyres is less than zero :spank:

We had a thread of this new bike crash and the magority came to the same conclusion of the tire dressing causing the loss of traction... [ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q9zNUPDmnz4]YouTube - Brand new Gixxer crashed[/ame]

shreveport1 said:

We had a thread of this new bike crash and the magority came to the same conclusion of the tire dressing causing the loss of traction...

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I did read somewhere that the stealership failed to tighten the rear end of this bike on the predelivery inspection , causing the back wheel to kick & bucked him off :thumbup: Dealer replaced the lot straight away , no questions asked...

he's talking about the sidewalls, not the actual tread.
Sometimes I use wheels and tires cleaner to clean them , so far the traction hasn't been affected.
Just don't put anything on the tread.

...unless the sidewall is your contact point

Never put anything on the tread area, and be careful for the first 50 miles or so until the remaining mold release is scrubbed off. But there is no problem putting dressing on the sidewall. If the sidewall ever touches the road surface you are a goner whether it is dressed or not. Just use common sense.

I'd only use a dressing that you can put on by hand (no sprays). If done carefully there would be no problem, there is no slinging or migration to the tread. I've done it once or twice a year on many bikes and have never had any problem. It's your personal choice but the doomsday views of some posters just don't exist, imo.

I can't help thinking that there are specific chemical/rubber compounds incorporated in the addition to carcass design that create the advanced technology of the tires we ride on today. Most of the tire dressings are silicone and if anything, give the side wall added protection from the elements.
But! Even if you plan on only using that dressing on the sidewall and not the tread, it's still too close in my opinion. Silicone is bad news if it gets any molecules on the tread by centrifugal force of tire rotation or capillary effect.
Some people use all of the tread on their tire and the tread edge that's closest to the sidewall is the edge you need to stick the most.
I shield my tire when I clean and lube my chain and inspect that there is no lube on the tire.

yeah i planned to do the dressing on the sidewall only, ii am fully aware that it would not be safe on the threaded area for sure it would skid as hell

what i was concerned about is that by applying the dressing on the sidewalls over a period of time the tyre will absorb this substance and it will become more slippery.

thanks for all the replies, i dont think it s worth the trouble it may cause to do it just for looks

Yeah not a good Idea. I'd go with Humperdinkle's idea. seem a bit safer....

I tried it .... will never do it again in my life .... Im not a pro but i get down and dirty in the twisties. I drag toe and knee and I say thumbs down to tire shine on a bike :thumbdown::thumbdown::thumbdown: . I almost had an accident when i used it and i applied very carefully with a cloth to only the side wall. I guess it just depends how you ride tho. If you go straight and never turn you should be fine ?

Motorcycle tires have wax-like compounds and resins in the formulation of the tire which act as a preservative to prevent cracking and deterioration of the synthetic rubbers used in their manufacture. You can see these on the surface of the tire sometimes in the form of a greenish film generated by heat cycles the tire goes through in riding. Applying any kind of tire-dressing will leech out the compounds and cause premature failure of the tire,as well as creating a reduction in grip when absorbed by the rubber, so it's definitely not a good idea.

Twitch said:

I tried it .... will never do it again in my life .... Im not a pro but i get down and dirty in the twisties. I drag toe and knee and I say thumbs down to tire shine on a bike :thumbdown::thumbdown::thumbdown: . I almost had an accident when i used it and i applied very carefully with a cloth to only the side wall. I guess it just depends how you ride tho. If you go straight and never turn you should be fine ?

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well yeah you guessed it i do not ride to the limit of the tyre, i beleive i have round about 1.5 inch on each side of the tyre that has yet to touch the ground:Flash: so yeah i do not ride hard mainly because i m not capable of doing it.

but i wont bother with dressing the tyre its far too unsafe.

I use this and apply with a paintbrush to avoid getting it on the tread area. Never had a problem or loss of traction after 5 years or use on multiple bike.

Black Magic Car Care Products - Black Magic Tire Wet