Chicken strips

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Chicken strips are also another name for chicken fingers.

A chicken strip is a sometimes derogatory term used to describe the width of unused tread on the edges of motorcycle tires, typically a sport bike.

At speed, a turning motorcycle leans. The faster the turn, the farther the motorcycle leans over. For a formula relating speed, turn radius, and lean angle, see Bicycle and motorcycle physics. As the motorcycle leans, the contact patch moves farther to the side of the tire causing wear. The chicken strip is the amount of unused wear caused by a motorcyclist being considered too chicken to go faster through a turn and thereby lean the motorcycle farther over.

This is frequently used as a derogatory term deriving from the term chicken. Hence, chicken strips mark an inexperienced motorcyclist who is afraid to lean a motorcycle far enough to wear the edges of the tire. It should be noted however that due to the handling capabilities of many modern motorcycles, and the vagaries of road condition, it is not advisable to exploit outer handling limits on public roads. On a closed race circuit, however, a rider is expected to use the edges of the tires on turns in order to stay competitive.

Chicken strips can also be caused by commuting, lack of "twisties" riding, doing numerous/repeated burnouts or, to a lesser extent, wheelies. They may be seen as evidence of "squidly" behaviour.