Become a Member: Get Ad-Free Access to 3,000+ Reviews, Guides, & More
webbike·
Motorcycle Tire Reviews
··7 Comments·2 min read

Motorcycle Tire Information

Motorcycle Tire Speed Ratings, Load Ratings and Tire Size Designations

Front Tire Size Conversions

Rear Tire Size Conversions
Metric Alpha Inch Metric Alpha Inch
80/90 MH90 2.50/2.75 110/90 MP85 4.00/4.75
90/90 MJ90 2.75/3.00 120/90 MR90 4.50/4.75
100/90 MM90 3.25/3.50 130/80 5.00/5.10
120/80 4.25/4.50 140/80 5.50/6.00
120/90 MR90 4.25/4.50 140/90 MU90 5.50/6.00
130/90 MT90 5.00/5.10 150/80 MV85 6.00/6.25
150/90 MV85 6.00/6.25

NOTE: ALWAYS use the exact tire size, type, speed and load rating recommended by the manufacturer of your motorcycle. Never try to second-guess the designers and engineers with regards to tire size, type, speed or load rating! Use the information on this page for general reference only and not for choosing motorcycle tires.

Tire Speed Rating Chart (New Style Speed and Load Index)
Speed Rating Max. Design Speed (MPH)
J 62
K 68
L 75
M 81
P 93
Q 99
R 106
S 112
T 118
U 124
H 130
V 149
W 168
Y 186
Note: Reference: Maxxis Tire School (see link for load ratings)
Note that modern tires are rated with a speed rating and load index. From Michelin: “This code, when present, appears after the size marking. The code comprises three characters: two numbers and a letter, for example, 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.”

Tire Speed Rating Chart (Old Style)
Motorcycle Tire Speed Ratings Max. Design Speed (MPH)
J Type 62
N Type 87
P Type 94
S Type 112
H Type 130
V Type 149
Z Type 149+
Note: Tires with 2.00, 2.25 & 2.50 nominal section widths are rated for 75 mph.
Note that modern tires are now rated with a speed rating and load index. From Michelin: “This code, when present, appears after the size marking. The code comprises three characters: two numbers and a letter, for example, 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.”

Motorcycle Tire Load Index Chart

See the Maxxis Tire School for current correct tire load index information.
LI = Load Index. KG = 2.2 lbs.
LI KG LBS LI KG LBS LI KG LBS
43 155 342 51 195 430 59 243 536
44 160 353 52 200 441 60 250 531
45 165 364 53 206 454 61 257 567
46 170 375 54 212 467 62 265 584
47 175 386 55 218 481 63 272 600
48 180 397 56 224 494 64 280 617
49 185 408 57 230 507 65 290 639
50 190 419 58 236 520 66 300 661

 

LI KG LBS LI KG LBS LI KG LBS
67 307 677 75 387 853 83 487 1074
68 315 694 76 400 882 84 500 1102
69 325 716 77 412 908 85 515 1135
70 335 739 78 425 937 86 530 1168
71 345 761 79 437 963 87 545 1201
72 355 783 80 450 992 88 560 1235
73 365 805 81 462 1019 89 580 1279
74 375 827 82 475 1047 90 600 1323

How to Read Tire Size Labels

The load rating corresponds to the total load carrying capacity of the tire at the speed indicated by the speed symbol. The Aspect Ratio equals the height divided by the width times 100.
Street Tire Size Designations
Metric Designation
Metric Tire Size Designation Label
Inch Designation
Inch Tire Size Designation Label
Alphabetical Designation
Alphabetical Tire Size Designation Label

More wBW Motorcycle Tire Info: Motorcycle Tire Reviews  |  Motorcycle Tire Sizes

NOTE: The information on this page was taken from various motorcycle tire manufacturer websites. It is for general reference only and was originally published in 2001. It is not definitive and it may be outdated. Consider the information here as an estimate only and not proven definitive. It may not be correct; check with your tire manufacturer for the exact tire specifications.

See also

Also: Choosing Dual-Sport Tires for the Suzuki DR650

Note: For informational use only. All material and photographs are Copyright © webWorld International, LLC since 2000. All rights reserved. See the webBikeWorld® Site Info page. Product specifications, features and details may change or differ from our descriptions. Always check before purchasing. Read the Terms and Conditions!