Inspect the tyre thoroughly, checking the tread and sidewall for signs of any irregular wear or damage.

Below we illustrate what to look out for in your visual examination of the tyre and we give possible reasons for the fault.

Tyres can become unserviceable due to a number of reasons. Rarely is this because of faults in manufacture. In fact, at Maxxis we are so confident of the quality of our tyres that, in the unlikely event that any defects are shown to be the result of manufacturing or raw material problems, we offer a full 100% lifetime guarantee.

Flat spots or areas of rapid wear can appear on the tread. Deformed tread blocks or cracking can also be seen within the tread area. This type of wear is usually the result of brake, suspension or alignment problems, an unbalanced tyre and wheel assembly, or misuse.

Sidewall damage usually occurs when a tyre encounters a road hazard – anything from a piece of metal to a kerb. Cuts and tears are usually caused by sharp objects or very concentrated stresses. Bubbles and scrapes occur due to impact damage or prolonged abrasion.

A bead can be broken if a tyre is carelessly mounted on to a rim, or if the rim is unsuitable. Bead chafing can result from fitting a tyre to a dirty or mismatched rim, or from using the tyre in an overloaded or under-inflated condition. A bent or deformed bead usually occurs when the tyre is improperly stored or excessive stress is applied to the bead area during mounting.

The separation appears as a bulge on the shoulder or tread face, or as localised wear above the separated region. A groove worn along the shoulder could be a sign of separation. The main cause of separation is abnormal heat build-up within the tyre from high-speed driving, overloading or under-inflation. It can also result from water or foreign materials entering the carcass of the tyre through an exterior cut.

Punctured tyres are usually the result of road hazard damage. If there are no sharp objects protruding from the tyre or no obvious cuts, examine the inner liner for damage. Misuse or neglect is revealed by wrinkles in the inner liner or scuffing around the circumference of the tyre. The tyres may have been run severely under-inflated or with insufficient clearance between the tyres and wheel arches.