Tyres are the key components of a motorcycle that help one to get the bike onto a surface like a stand without aids. For maximum quality, performance and handling, the correct tyres are what you need. So how do you pick your motorcycle's best tyres?
There are four major types of tyres to begin with; tube form, tubeless, bias-ply and radial.
Tube-type tyres consist of the valve and rim tyres and valve tubes. Manufacturers are increasingly going towards tubeless tyres so there is immediate leakage in the event of a puncture when the air makes a path through the tube, the tyre and the rim opening.
In the other side, tubeless tyres consist of an internal conduit that is integral to the tyre.
Even, bias-ply tyres do not easily shed heat and have a rigid sidewall because all the belts extend from sidewall to sidewall. Radial tyre cables, on the other hand, dissipate heat faster and the fewer cord layers on the sidewall allow the tyre to bend further. Touring motorcycles are also more likely to use bias-ply tyres because they have load carrying power and durability, whereas supersport or streetfighter motorcycles would prefer stronger grip radials.
Now that you know the forms, based on the tread pattern and compound, you would need to further settle on a tyre.
What are the compound and the tread pattern?
The compound is the material that forms the bulk of the tyre. Tread, on its circumference, refers to the rubber that makes contact with the road. The tread is made of the tyre's crown and its shoulders. On the other hand, the tread pattern is the arrangement on the tyre that involves channels and grooves that occur to steer water away from the touch patch. This, in damp weather, stops the tyre from losing traction on the ground.
Various bikes and riding conditions need various tyres. For starters, soft slick tyres are commonly used by MotoGP bikes so the more rubber they have in contact with the road, the more traction they can have. They do use tyres with a tread pattern, though, when racing in the mud. Patterns, for that matter, are also seen on road bikes and scooters. In the other hand, touring bikes use a hard compound tyre that offers a large variety of textures, climates and temperatures with toughness and reliable performance.
Size
You should match the required rim size for the tyre you select. It would definitely give you more grip when using tyres that are much larger than the acceptable size, but they are not inherently stronger. This could lead to less mobility as well as hampering acceleration and suspension activitie.
Bikes such as this Ducati Monster 797 use large tyres to provide the huge amount of power that is transmitted to the rear wheel for greater traction and grip. It also assists with the bike's aesthetics.
Motorcycles still use wide tyres in the 200cc-400cc segment, but not as wide as larger bikes of greater size. A performance-oriented, high-horsepower 390 Duke would have a harder compound than a Pulsar 220, which is more longevity-oriented. The stiffness depends on the kind of motorcycle it is.
Commuter bikes such as this TVS Victor are fitted with skinny tyres as they concentrate more on feature than shape. These types of tyres are fine, along with being long-lasting, for handling and manoeuvrability in traffic; thanks to the hard compound they are made of.
To complement the body type of the segment, most scooters feature tyres that are narrower in diameter. On the traditional 12-inch front and 10-inch rear tyre system, the Honda Grazia runs. There are few exceptions, however, such as the Aprilia SR150 that uses 14-inch wheels.
This Royal Enfield Himalayan runs on something called dual-purpose tyres, such as adventure touring bikes. Thanks to their tread pattern, these tyres can be used on tarmac as well as gravel and sand, as their name implies. These tyres have a 'block pattern' that can dig into the soil for extra traction and drive out gravel or debris.
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Compiled by :
Upasana Poudel