Motorcycle Tires Date Code: Master the Critical Week and Year of Manufacture

The last four numbers of the DOT make up the week and year of the manufacture date for the motorcycle tires date code . The first pair of numbers is the week (01 to 52), the last two are the year.

You should consider the date code tires have for a number of reasons.

The problem is that the tires lose their value as the years go by . The worst is tires that could explode or cause a sudden breakdown might be very old. Knowing the value of not used tires could potentially saving someone's life.

Performance and Durability

Old tires have diminished grip and traction especially during rain as well as in hot temperature. Moreover, such tires might also lose their capability to handle heat, causing rapid wear.

Locating the Motorcycle Tire Date Code

Locating the tire date code on the tire is not that easy. Here's a picture that will help speed the process up.

Visual Representation of the Date Code Tracking Method

Examples of Date Code Placements

In one of the corner of the small oblong box on one of the side walls of the tire.

On either side of “DOT”, without the box.

Adjacent to or beneath the other tire details.

Decoding the DOT Code

Every part of the DOT code indicates a specific tire maker and its details. In this section, we explain the answer to “What does each part stand for?”

Describing Each Part of the DOT Code Components

The first two digits after "DOT" indicates the place of manufacture .

The remaining letters or digits indicate the size and kind produced at that facility.

Next is a letter that shows whether or not the model meets certain criteria set by governing bodies like Department Of Transportation (D.O.T) for instance “\” shows compliance and “J” does not.

This is followed by three digits referring to which week of the year production is set to begin (01 to 52).

Lastly, two digits indicate the year of manufacture (00-99) .

Fiction or Reality - The DOT Code Example

A common example is DOT XXXX XXXXX . The first four characters are the factory info , the next 2 are the size and kind made at the factory, the next letter shows which rules were followed and then 3 digits show what week the production started, the last two digits are the last year.

Common Misunderstandings Regarding Tire Date Codes

Tire date codes are surrounded by a lot of myths. Let’s get to the truth.

Myth : Each tire has a date code.

Fact : Not all date coding system accurately record the date of fabrication on all tires. Some may use different methods or symbols to show the tire's date of manufacture.

Responding to Certain Queries

Not all DOT codes are four letters or digits long; some may be more or fewer characters long depending on the manufacturer.

Production weeks designated by the DOT grooves are not the same as the dates the tire was mounted on the motorcycle.

The last two digits of the year on the DOT code do not represent a specific month; they only indicate a range of years.