What Are Chicken Strips On Motorcycle Tires?

Mmm, chicken strips. Wait, we’re not talking about those tasty treats. We’re talking about the kind of chicken strips that can be found on motorcycle tires. In fact, most new motorcycles have them, so what’s the problem?

For those who haven’t owned or ridden a motorcycle before, chicken strips are the term given to the outer edges of the tread on motorcycle tires that have gone unused. They can be found on the front and back tires and look more like indents and thick lines etched into the tire than a piece of poultry. Found on new motorcycles straight from the factory, there is no need to worry about the chicken strips on a freshly changed tire, or new rubber for that matter.

However, having chicken strips on your motorcycle tires comes with a bad reputation. The connotation that having chicken strips on one’s motorcycle tires has come to mean one thing: you’re a chicken, bawk bawk! But why is that? Aside from the saying, “kids can be cruel,” there’s a reason why some motorcyclists don’t like chicken strips.

Although judging a rider based on how their tires look and not how they ride isn’t very insightful, it still happens. In some social circles, riders will judge others based on whether their rear tires still have chicken strips because it’s a commonly held belief that the rider is “not leaning enough” or not maximizing the performance of their bike. However, don’t worry about chicken strips on the front tires – they aren’t judged as much as those on the rear. 

Let’s be honest, though. When’s the last time you saw a motorcycle gang leaning as much as possible when driving down the highway? Most are focused on a smooth ride, keeping their balance, and most importantly, safety. And yet, not leaning to get rid of the chicken strips on the rear tire of a motorcycle is like having a big banner that says, “I’m too chicken to lean.” Although I wonder if a rider’s judgment on that lean would change while riding a motorcycle through a New York winter.

It’s silly that some riders care what other people think — you should just enjoy the ride. However, if you want to get rid of those chicken strips for whatever reason, taking a track-based class or riding around a track all day will definitely help shave those tires down. Or buy an ADV bike – adventure motorcycles are actually pretty nice for getting that lean. If that’s too expensive, you can slap on a sick set of motorcycle decals to move the focus away from your chicken strips.