As better weather approaches, bikers are being urged to make a `PACT' with their tyres.

The relatively small contact patches of motorbikes' tyres mean that it's especially crucial for riders to keep their tyres in perfect order, and road safety charity TyreSafe has a neat way of remembering the key points to check.

The word PACT is broken down into four constituent letters, starting with P for performance. Grip, handling, fuel economy and braking all suffer if tyres are not in the proper condition.

A for air pressure is vital too. Incorrectly inflated tyres either reduce the contact patch - which is bad news - or deform in such a way as to reduce grip and make the handling unpredictable. The wrong pressures also lead to uneven tyre wear.

C for condition is more obvious. If a bike has sat unused for months the tyres may have begun to crack. Even if they haven't, now is the best time to check for previously missed bulges, objects sticking into the tyre and of course the final item on the list - tread depth.

The T in PACT stands for tread depth, and it's time to check that every bike has enough on it. Wet roads will be dangerous indeed if motorcycle roads have too little tread and therefore can't clear water fast enough. The legal minimum is 1mm, but most organisations recommend changing tyres when they get to 2mm or so.

To help riders prepare their bikes for the months ahead, free tyre safety checks are being offered by many tyre and bike retailers throughout the UK.

"While many commuters use their motorbikes all year round, for others, Easter marks the start of their biking season," says Stuart Jackson, chairman of TyreSafe.

"And while it's important to make regular tyre checks throughout the season, it's particularly critical to make sure tyres are safe and legal at the start of spring after any periods of inactivity."