A motorcycle tyre is a crucial point of contact between the road and your bike. The choice of the right tyre not only guarantees an efficient and safe ride but also offers an exhilarating biking experience. The tyre technology has undergone major advancements over the years, which has led to the evolution of myriad types of motorcycle tyres.
Avid riders or biking enthusiasts are no longer required to adhere to the concept of ‘one size fits all.
Now, riders can find motorcycle tyres that are composed of a particular rubber compound or boast a unique tread type and construction. From tackling muddy trails to cruising on highways, you’ll always find a tyre that can fit in the environment you’re riding in. This blog explores the basics you need to consider when choosing a bike tyre and the types of tyres available.
Here’s a breakdown of the different types of motorcycle tyres and their uses:
- Street Tyres/ On-Road Tyres:
Most of the motorcycles for daily commuting are equipped with street tyres. Although these tyres don’t offer excellent grip, they can last for a long time. These tyres are suitable for tackling urban sprawl and paved roads. Available at an affordable price, street tyres are perfect for long-distance highway rides and daily commutes. However, avoid using these aggressively in slippery or wet conditions or even around corners. Crafted out of medium compound or average-quality rubber, a street tyre can cater to the needs of a low-powered motorcycle.
- Touring Tyres
Touring bikes are known for their sturdy build and heavyweight. These bikes can handle the rider’s weight and heavy luggage as they’re equipped with touring tyres. A heavy cruiser bike is one of the best examples of a touring motorcycle. Touring tyres are heavy and boast unique and deep tread patterns. This design prevents the tyre from absorbing water and helps it remove excess water. Reinforced with a sidewall, these tyres allow touring motorcycles to handle extra weight and offer good mileage. Apart from high-end durability, these bikes come with a powerful engine, which requires the tyres to provide better grip and traction. Additionally, these tyres are known to endure the rigours of long tours and perform incredibly on highways.
- Sport Touring Tyres
Sporty touring tyres include a mix of the features of touring and sport tyres. These tyres are suitable for aggressive riders fond of cornering performance, top-notch handling, and tight grip. Ideal for long-distance tours, these tyres are known for their ruggedness and durability. Sporty touring tyres are a go-to choice for sport bike riders looking for excellent traction at the time of high-speed adventures. While the tyre comes with soft sides for better grip near the corners, its spine is made up of complex compounds for durability. These tyres are the best bet for sport-tourers, sportbikes, and streetfighters due to their good traction and handling features.
- ADV or Dual-Sport Tyres
Dual-sport tyres or all-terrain tyres offer an excellent grip on paved roads along with gravelly, rocky, rough, and muddy surfaces. Owing to their rugged tread design, these tyres are known for their excellent traction and reasonable performance. ADV Tyres or Dual Sport Tyres are suitable for dual-sport and adventure motorcycles. These tyres are useful for riders who wish to venture into an unknown terrain or travel for extended hours.
- Off-Road Tyres
As the name suggests, the tough build of off-road tyres is suitable for handling unpaved terrains and rough surfaces composed of dirt, sand, gravel, and mud. While the reinforced sidewalls can reduce the likelihood of puncture, the knob-like protrusions help it to move forward by digging deep into loose or muddy terrains. The sturdy compound rubber shields the projections from any cuts even when they come into contact with rough surfaces. Despite their rugged build, off-road tyres can undergo wear and tear quickly on paved roads or tar.
- Sport / Performance Tyres
Composed of high-quality and soft compound rubber, these sport or performance tyres offer maximum grip and excellent performance amidst dry conditions. However, the soft compound rubber of these tyres can undergo wear and tear often. So, it’s important to replace them frequently. As the tread lines included in the tyres aren’t well pronounced, these tyres can’t disperse water properly. Top-tier motorcycles designed for aggressive use and delivering maximum power are equipped with sport/ performance tyres.
Also Read: Best Sports Bikes under 3 lakhs in India 2024
- Slicks / Racing Tyres
Offering excellent grip, racing tyres are exclusively designed for professional racing. Composed of high-end soft rubber, these tyres allow racers to bend at crazy angles. These tyres are devoid of tread lines as they tend to maximize contact with the surface. Racing tyres handle high temperatures incredibly as their use on aggressive tracks can increase the tyre temperature quickly. However, its soft compound rubber can last only a race or two as it is prone to wear out.
Factors to Consider When Choosing Different Types of Motorcycle Tyres
Selecting the best motorcycle tyre allows riders to cruise safely and peacefully. Let’s a few things riders should consider when choosing the right motorcycle tyre:
- Riding Style
Pay attention to your riding style and determine the type of terrain you are planning to ride on frequently. Examine whether you ride on off-road trails, highways, or city streets. It helps to narrow down the best tyre type that suits your requirements.
- Tyre Types
Research about numerous motorbike tyres available in the market like racking tyres, ADV/ dual-sport tyres, cruiser tyres, on-road/street tyres, racing/track tyres, and so on. These tyres are designed to handle specific riding conditions.
- Weather Conditions
Select tyres that offer excelling traction and grip in all sorts of weather, especially in cold or wet climates. Consider tyres that come with several channels and grooves as they are known for good water dispersion.
- Tread Pattern
A tyre’s tread pattern has a direct effect on its handling capabilities and traction. Street tyres featuring a smooth tread pattern are ideal for paved roads. Whereas, off-road tyres that come with an aggressive tread are suitable for loose surfaces as they offer good grip.
- Tyre Construction
The type of tyre construction is divided into two types: tube tyres and tubeless tyres. Tubed motorcycle tyres are cheap and lightweight. These tyres are mostly used in low-cost, off-road, adventure, and motocross-type motorcycles. Tube tyres can be used and repaired multiple times. However, these tyres get punctured easily.
On the contrary, tubeless tyres are suitable for sports bikes, street commuters, and performance street bikes. These tyres are known for their utmost performance and maximum safety. However, tubeless tyres are expensive and absorb fewer shocks.
Tubeless tyres have again two types: bias-ply and radial tyres. The cords of a radial tyre are set at an angle of 90 degrees. This cord orientation offers a flexible structure. Radial tyres reduce rolling resistance and fuel consumption. The sidewalls of radial tyres are flexible. Due to lower heat generation, the lifespan of radial tyres is longer than bias-ply tyres. However, the load-bearing capacity of radial tyres is low. Consequently, this can compel the sidewall to protrude when overloaded. It can also lead to damage and punctures.
Bias-ply tyres come with an excellent load-bearing capacity. These tyres offer great traction when the motorcycle is driven in a straight line at a slow speed. Owing to a thick sidewall, bias ply tyres can resist damage and punctures to a great extent. However, the tyres consume more fuel due to better rolling resistance.
Conclusion
When selecting a tyre for your next ride, make sure to prioritize your riding preferences and your motorcycle’s features and objectives. While refurbishing, CredR installs the best quality motorcycle tyres according to the requirements. Factors like tyre lifespan, specific riding styles, and weather conditions can influence your decision. Whether you prefer versatility, performance, or durability, in CredR you’ll always find a tyre type that caters to your requirements.
