Top 4 Reasons Why Filling Nitrogen In Bike Tyres Is Beneficial

MotorBeam Team

7 years ago

What are the advantages of filling nitrogen instead of normal air in bike tyres?

Having properly inflated tyres is more important in motorcycles as compared to cars

Majority of road users fill normal air in the tyres of their vehicles. Only a few fill nitrogen and are aware of the benefits associated with it. Normal air contains 78% nitrogen and 21% oxygen with the remaining 1% consisting of water vapour and other gases. Nitrogen, in pure form, has several benefits associated with it. While nitrogen-filled tyres provide immense help in tweaking the characteristics of race cars, general road users can also benefit from the gas in form of less frequent visits to tyre filling stations. Below points highlight the importance of using nitrogen, especially in bike tyres –

Nitrogen-filled tyres are used in racing as they heat up lesser with increase in temperature

4) Reduced Pressure Loss – Over time, normal air migrates through tyre walls which results in reduction of air pressures. Nitrogen tends to remain in the tyre for longer durations.

Bikes with properly inflated tyres offer optimum performance and fuel efficiency

3) Reliable Filling Stations – Nitrogen filling stations deploy modern well-calibrated machines to fill nitrogen in the tyres. On the other hand, normal air has better availability but the machines and gauges used are often inaccurate.

Steel rims are prone to rusting from inside due to water particles present in normal air

2) Prevents Rusting – Normal air contains water vapour which settles over the rims. This damages steel rims and causes corrosion. Nitrogen gas is pure and devoid of water particles. To check for water particles in tyre, press the valve with your thumb and release some air. If your thumb gets wet, there are water particles in the tyre.

With nitrogen in tyres, one has peace of mind as pressures need to be checked only once in a month

1) Better Tyre Life – Many people tend to ride on low tyre pressures till the tyre is visibly under inflated. This takes a toll on tyre life as the outer part of the tread wears out faster. Here, nitrogen has an edge over normal air as tyres with nitrogen maintain their pressures for a longer time.

Since riders are exposed to rain, heat and road conditions, having correct tyre pressures is important for them

For bike riders, having proper tyre pressures becomes crucial. Unlike cars, bikes attain their balance on two wheels and if there is a pressure variation, the change in handling is instantly noticeable to the rider. A 2-wheeler tends to lose its grip on over-inflated tyres and gets unsettled during cornering if the pressures are low. The consequences of this change can result in a crash and turn out to be deadly. This is where nitrogen comes to help. With its slower rate of passing through tyre surface, it has reasonably long intervals before needing a top-up. There is lesser pressure variation and handling remains stable even with change in temperature.

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