The garbage tires of your motorcycle are probably not Street Legal – here is how you can tell – slashgear

Whether you enjoy the weekend with friends, or just take a new Yamaha 125 Dirt Bike himself, driving can be a fun way to relax. Before you set off, you may want to check whether the Department of Transportation (DOT) marking on the side walls of your tires. Without this, your tires are simply not safe for public roads, no matter how well they perform on an unpaved road.

The reason for the point stamp has to do with the tread pattern of the tires. Motorcycle tires and dirt bicycle tires are regulated because you need more stability and traction on asphalt and gravel than you do somewhere else. Off-road tires, on the other hand, have been built to handle a variety of rougher sites, including thick mud. Of course these tires will look much different than the “dot” stamped. If you shop for tires and some spot that are advertised as traffic-worthy, but do not have the DOT label, you must stay away because those tires may be forged.

If you decide to use tires that are not approved, it is important to remember that Bulkier off-road motorcycle tires can easily attract the attention of agents who happen to look. So if your tires look like they were made for the path instead of the highway, you could be persuaded earlier. Without the right tires you might go home with an expensive ticket.

When checking the point stamp on your motorcycle tires, you will see a series of letters and numbers that follow. This code contains valuable information that you need to know: it starts with the plant code, which follows the location and maker. Immediately after that number is the internal ID code of the Tiremaker, followed by the actual date on which the band was made. For example, “3525” means that the tire was made in the 35th week of 2025.

Beyond the point code is even more information, including the size and specifications of the tires. For the size, the width first comes in the series, followed by the aspect ratio of the band of the side wall, height to width. Then there is the construction type and the rim diameter. At the end you see the weight capacity of the tire and finally the speed assessment. If you have questions about the point codes or specifications, visit the manufacturer’s website or contact your local dealer, who should be able to help.

It is important to stay informed of how the code works, because changes have been made in the past. For example, the date code was once written as a series with three number, with the first two songs representing the Week of Production and the final song that represents the year. But after the year 2000 the code was extended to four digits, with the last two numbers representing the year.