As I've repeated an annoyingly large amount of times, you should follow the manufacturer’s recommendation on this.
That said, buying a tire with a larger load capacity than specified isn't going to do any harm. You won't increase the maximum load limit of your motorcycle, and it might add a bit of unnecessary rolling resistance. But that's no biggie. On the flip side, getting a tire with a smaller load limit is always a bad idea. Because, pop!
On alphabetical tire codes, the “Load Range X” part corresponds to a ply rating. This is a measurement of how sturdy the tire is, which in turn relates to how much weight it can carry. However, the actual number of kilograms is dependent on the size and inflation pressure of the tire. So, "Load Range X" remains a nebulous concept that doesn't mean much by itself. Just match what the OEM recommends, and put it out of your mind.
Load indexes, on the other hand, are easy to understand. They directly correspond to the maximum weight that each tire can carry when inflated to the tire's maximum psi. But beware of two things. One - your motorcycle probably suggests an inflation pressure lower than the tire's maximum psi. So for your purposes, the tires on your bike will have a slightly smaller load limit than indicated on the sidewalls. Two - your motorcycle's weight distribution is not 50-50. So, never assume that the load indexes from the front and rear tires add up to the maximum weight of the vehicle. In all likelihood, the weight limit of the motorcycle, passengers and cargo is much lower than the sum of two tire capacities.
The bottom line is this: fit your motorcycle with tires of equal or greater load capacities than specified by the OEM. Then, load your bike according to the motorcycle manufacturer's guidelines; not according to the load indexes on your tires.
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Load Index Chart
Load Index | Weight Limit (Kgs.) | Weight Limit (Lbs.) |
---|---|---|
21 | 82.5 | 182 |
22 | 85 | 187 |
23 | 87.5 | 193 |
24 | 90 | 198 |
25 | 92.5 | 204 |
26 | 95 | 209 |
27 | 97.5 | 215 |
28 | 100 | 220 |
29 | 103 | 227 |
30 | 106 | 234 |
31 | 109 | 240 |
32 | 112 | 247 |
33 | 115 | 254 |
34 | 118 | 260 |
35 | 121 | 267 |
36 | 125 | 276 |
37 | 128 | 282 |
38 | 132 | 291 |
39 | 136 | 300 |
40 | 140 | 309 |
41 | 145 | 320 |
42 | 150 | 331 |
43 | 155 | 342 |
44 | 160 | 353 |
45 | 165 | 364 |
46 | 170 | 375 |
47 | 175 | 386 |
48 | 180 | 397 |
49 | 185 | 408 |
50 | 190 | 419 |
51 | 195 | 430 |
52 | 200 | 441 |
53 | 206 | 454 |
54 | 212 | 467 |
55 | 218 | 481 |
56 | 224 | 494 |
57 | 230 | 507 |
58 | 236 | 520 |
59 | 243 | 536 |
60 | 250 | 551 |
61 | 257 | 567 |
62 | 265 | 584 |
63 | 272 | 600 |
64 | 280 | 617 |
65 | 290 | 639 |
66 | 300 | 661 |
67 | 307 | 677 |
68 | 315 | 694 |
69 | 325 | 716 |
70 | 335 | 736 |
71 | 345 | 761 |
72 | 355 | 783 |
73 | 365 | 805 |
74 | 375 | 827 |
75 | 387 | 853 |
76 | 400 | 882 |
77 | 412 | 908 |
78 | 425 | 937 |
79 | 437 | 963 |