Red Seal Motorcycle Technician Practice Exam

How should the tire pressure be checked on a motorcycle?

1. With a tire pressure gauge when the tires are cold

2. Using visual inspection only

3. After a long ride

4. With a compressor

The correct answer is: With a tire pressure gauge when the tires are cold

Checking tire pressure on a motorcycle is essential for safety, performance, and tire longevity. The correct method to check tire pressure is to use a tire pressure gauge when the tires are cold. This is because tire pressure can increase significantly with heat generated during riding, leading to inaccurate readings if checked post-ride. By measuring when the tires are cold, you obtain the most accurate representation of the tire's actual pressure, ensuring that you can adjust it to the manufacturer's recommended specifications. Visual inspection alone is not reliable, as it does not provide specific numerical values regarding pressure. Checking tire pressure after a long ride would yield inflated numbers due to the heat, misleading the technician regarding the true state of the tire. Finally, using a compressor is not a method for checking pressure; it is used for inflating tires, and it does not provide a direct measurement of the current pressure. Therefore, using a tire pressure gauge in the appropriate conditions confirms that the tire pressure is at the necessary level for safe riding.