It sounds like a detail. It is actually one of the bigger differences in how a scooter feels to ride, and it is worth understanding before you buy rather than after.
Solid tyres
Made of solid rubber — no air, no inner tube.
Good: they cannot puncture. Nothing to check, nothing to inflate, nothing to fail on a wet Tuesday two miles from home. Zero maintenance for their entire life.
Less good: a much firmer ride. With no air to absorb them, bumps, kerbs and rough pavement come straight up through the frame to you. Grip on wet surfaces is generally not as good.
Pneumatic tyres
Air-filled, like a bicycle tyre.
Good: considerably more comfortable. The air cushions everything — broken pavement, kerbs, gravel, grass. Better grip, particularly in the wet, and better traction on loose ground.
Less good: they can puncture, and they need checking. Underinflated tyres cost you range, make the steering heavy, wear out faster and are one of the most common causes of a scooter that "feels wrong".
How to choose
Solid tyres suit you if: your journeys are on decent pavements and smooth surfaces, they are relatively short, and you would rather never think about tyres again. If checking pressures monthly is not going to happen — be honest — solid is the better real-world choice.
Pneumatic tyres suit you if: your routes include rough or broken pavement, country lanes, gravel or grass; you are out for longer periods where comfort accumulates; or you have back, hip or joint pain that makes vibration genuinely uncomfortable.
That last point deserves weight. If you have a condition where jarring hurts, the tyres are not a specification detail — they decide whether you enjoy the outing.
The middle ground
Some scooters use foam-filled or gel-filled tyres: the pneumatic casing filled with a solid material. Puncture-proof, and a little softer than fully solid. A reasonable compromise, though not as comfortable as air.
Also remember tyres are not the whole story. Suspension makes more difference to comfort than tyre type, and a scooter with proper suspension and solid tyres can ride better than one with pneumatic tyres and none.
Looking after pneumatic tyres
- Check the pressure monthly — the correct figure is printed on the tyre wall
- Check more often in cold weather; pressure drops as temperature does
- Look for splits, bulges and embedded stones or glass
- Replace worn tyres before winter rather than during it
A foot pump does the job. If you cannot manage one, most garage forecourt airlines will.
Can I change from one to the other?
Sometimes, but not always — it depends on the wheel rim, and the two are not universally interchangeable. Ring us with your model before you order anything.
Not sure what you have?
Ring free on 0800 593 0400 with the model and we will tell you which tyres it takes, whether they can be changed, and what they cost.