Afane's Madrid X Moto Tire Check Reveals Shifting Maintenance Habits

At the 2026 Madrid X Moto fair, technicians from Afane — the association of Bridgestone, Continental, Goodyear, Michelin and Pirelli — inspected the tires of 765 motorcycles. The headline result: only 5.6% had tread depth below the legal minimum, a sharp improvement from nearly 15% in earlier campaigns. It is a sign that Spanish riders are no longer stretching their tires to the legal limit.

Yet the same inspections uncovered a worrying countertrend. Almost half of the motorcycles — 48.6% — showed irregular surface wear, and roughly 25% had cracks or damage that needed professional attention. While the tread depth story has improved, the surface condition of tires has deteriorated, catching many riders off guard.

Afane director José Luis Rodríguez del Castillo explains the shift. The growing use of motorcycles for urban commuting and delivery services means higher annual kilometrage, and the rising popularity of heavier trail and adventure bikes puts more stress on tires. As a result, tires now wear unevenly and develop cracks long before the tread reaches the legal limit. Riders, however, still focus their checks on pressure and tread depth alone.

The association’s own survey confirms the gap: 46.1% of motorcyclists do not check their tires weekly, and only 6.2% do a comprehensive inspection. Rodríguez del Castillo urges riders to widen their focus especially before summer journeys, when hot asphalt and higher road temperatures raise the risk of pressure loss through valve stems and punctures.

Why Tire Surface Damage Is Becoming the Bigger Problem

The Hidden Risk of Ignoring Surface Damage

The data reveals a subtle but important shift. Drivers can no longer rely on the legal tread depth as their sole safety benchmark. Irregular wear — such as one-sided smoothing or patchy abrasion — can alter grip and stability well before a tire becomes illegal. The fact that a quarter of tires already had cracks means that many bikes are on the road with compromised casings, a risk that escalates in hot weather or under heavy loads.

Why More Kilometres and Heavier Bikes Are Amplifying the Problem

The composition of Spain’s motorcycle fleet has changed. More riders are using their machines daily in stop‑and‑go city traffic and as delivery vehicles, accumulating kilometres faster than leisure‑only bikes. Meanwhile, the shift toward trail‑style and adventure models adds weight and places greater lateral stress on rubber compounds. Together, these forces accelerate surface degradation, making visual checks of sidewalls and tread shoulders more critical than simply measuring groove depth. The correlation between the 46% of riders who seldom inspect their tires and the near‑identical proportion of tires with wear issues is suggestive, even if the survey cannot prove direct causation.

Practical Checks Every Rider Should Make Before Hitting the Road

  • Before every ride, briefly scan both sidewalls for cracks, bulges or uneven wear, not just the tread blocks.
  • Check valve stems for cracking or signs of air loss — heat can accelerate leaks.
  • With heavy use or longer journeys, increase checks beyond the monthly rhythm that 22.9% of riders follow today.
  • If you spot irregular wear, have a specialist check alignment and tire condition before it worsens, especially ahead of holiday trips.