Taking a bike with new tyres for a ride is a fun experience for any motorsport enthusiast. Brand new tyres offer unmatched handling, traction, braking, cornering, safety, and performance that make anyone who loves riding long for their next tyre replacement irrespective of the price tag that comes along with it.
The reality is the “good-as-new experience” that almost every rider loves doesn’t last for long and is far too in between. Knobby tires usually get worn down and become dull sooner than most of them like. Replacing tyres too often can also make riding a quite expensive hobby that many often struggle with, forcing them to make do with worn-out tyres for as long as possible.
Pros of Cutting and Regrooving Tyres
The great news is, there’s a great alternative to riding with worn-out tyres or frequent tyre replacements. Knobby cutting and tyre grooving help tyres offer that good-as-new experience throughout their lifespan. Simple tools have come about to help motorsport enthusiasts get those jobs done in their own garages and make maximum use of tyres. Let’s take a look at some of the key benefits tyre cutting and regrooving offer.
Better Safety
There is a certain level of risk in any motorsport and any rider knows how the quality of their tyres can affect their safety. Tyre cutting and regrooving give worn-out tyres sharper knobs and more defined and effective tread patterns resulting in better handling, braking, and control, especially in challenging conditions and terrain that ultimately lead to improved safety.
Improved Traction
Traction is one of the most important elements in motorsport. Tyres need to provide excellent traction to maneuver the motorcycle safely at high speeds and on different terrain. Sharper knobs and high-performing treads allow old tyres to perform as if they were new.
Better Braking and Cornering
Better traction means better braking and cornering. Imagine riding in wet conditions or rocky terrains. Tyres that have great traction will allow for great braking and cornering abilities that will make the ride more enjoyable and safe. Therefore, tyre cutting and regrooving can help you enjoy high levels of braking and cornering throughout the lifespan of tyres.
Longer Tyre Lifespan
Replacing tyres as soon as the knobs and treads are considerably worn out means that the lifespan of those tyres is quite low. However, cutting and regrooving tyres can help you enjoy the excellent performance even on worn-out tyres and make full use of them until they are replaced. A knobby tyre can be cut and regrooves for up to three times with the Tread Doctor Tyre Regroover which means you can have more fun on the same set of tyres for much longer.
Regrooving Tyres Makes Them More Versatile
Most knobby tyres are better suited for some type of terrain or condition than others while many are made to suit specific conditions and terrain types. Tyre regrooving or tyre siping, once mastered, allows motorsport enthusiasts to experiment with different tread patterns and make their tyres more suitable to the conditions and terrain types they often encounter. As a result, the practice of tyre grooving makes them more versatile.
Reduces Knob Chunking
Chunking is a common problem that most riders dread. When knobs come into contact with hard and sharp types of terrains and surfaces, they tend to come off which is known as “chunking” among motorsport enthusiasts. Knobby cutting and regrooving usually help by increasing the flexibility of knobs. As a result, they don’t come off when put under stress on rigid surfaces.
Enjoy Savings!
Purchasing a great tyre regroover or knobby cutter is a great investment considering the costs associated with replacing knobby tyres. Tyre cutting extends the lifespan of tyres. As a result, you don’t need to spend money on expensive tyres that often. For example, when you consider the price of the Tread Doctor Tyre Grooving Tool and the cost of a brand new pair of tyres, you will be cover the investment with the first cut and enjoy savings from thereon.
Reduces Pollution and Carbon Footprint
Environmental concerns factor into most decisions made in the modern world and rightly so! The faster you replace your tyres, the more the environmental impact that your love for motorsport has on your environment. Even with recycling, you’re still looking at purchasing new tyres that have a considerable carbon footprint. As a result, if you can maximize the use of knobby tyres, you will be doing the world a lot of good.
Potential Drawbacks of Tyre Cutting and Grooving
As it is with anything, cutting and regrooving tyres also have some drawbacks. While you can easily shrug aside these cons after weighing in the pros, knowing exactly what to and what not to expect will help you avoid disappointment in the long run.
Using Poor Technique Can Harm Your Tires
Knobby cutting requires a good technique. Just like a good cutting and grooving technique will help you make the best out of your worn-out tyres, doing a poor job will do the opposite. As a result, you will need to remember that there’s a learning curve to knobby cutting and grooving.
The great news is, that the Tread Doctor is a tool that is developed by motorsport enthusiasts for the use of enthusiasts. As a result, they have smartly come up with a tool that is easy to use and master, even for those who are new to motorsports. Making sure that you don’t go too hard on your tyres until you get the hang of using the Tread Doctor can usually avoid you damaging your tyres. You can also learn more about tyre cutting and grooving by reading this blog post.
The Cost of Tyre Grooving Tools
Cutting and regrooving knobby tyres require unique tools that need to be purchased before you prolong the use and improve the overall experience of your worn-out tyres. Furthermore, you should expect costs associated with the upkeep of tyre grooving tools such as replacing blades.
The bright side is that most DIY tyre regrooving machines or tyre cutting tools are a fraction of the cost of knobby tyres. For example, the Tread Doctor Tyre Cutting Machine and the TD Sniper Kit Tyre Regroover which combine to help you cut and regroove tyres cost around AUD 130 which is a fraction of the savings and numerous other benefits that you will be enjoying down the road.
The upkeep of Tread Doctor products is also fairly low. All of them come with at least a one-year warranty and Tread Doctor Replacement Parts only cost between $20 and $35 with the Tread Doctor Sniper Head being the most expensive replacement part at $34.95.
