There are, but not all of them. Tyres are – right after the motor shaft – the second fastest rotating element on a motorbike. In addition, the contact area with the ground is only the size of two large hen eggs – not much. There is therefore no margin for error. The wrong choice of tyres, or – even worse – the purchase of a cheap or used equivalent, can end tragically!
– Unlike cars, where the contact area of all tyres is roughly an A4 sheet, motorcycle tyres provide traction in a space comparable to the cross section of two hen eggs. Every driver should be aware of this before taking a turn too quickly – explains Piotr Sarnecki, General Director of the Polish Tyre Industry Association (PTIA).
Reputable manufacturers of motorcycle tyres know the difficult tasks they face. They have to develop products that with their parameters will be able to provide traction and safety, taking into account the different driving style and conditions in which the motorcycle will move. The experienced riders know about it, because decent tyres and skills have saved them from oppression more than once. The topic of tyres is particularly important in the case of fresh motorcyclists who have changed their cars to scooters and motorcycles up to 125 cc – having only a category B driving license. In their case, it should be clearly and patiently emphasized – the car and the motorcycle are two different worlds, different habits and a different level of grip. And the consequences of our mistakes – a wrong decision can cost you your life. Also when buying tyres – even if you buy cheaper equipment with budget components, including tyres, remember that ...
Motorbike requires more!
The tyre market offers many products dedicated to motorcycles. Among them are, of course, the main motorcycle segments, incl. for sports / touring, hypersport, adventure, classic, choppers, scooters and enduro machines. Due to such a wide variety, it is difficult to choose tyres for your own motorcycle without specialist knowledge. Therefore, the support of professionals is necessary. They will advise and recommend products tailored to the equipment we have and the routes on which we drive.
– The wrong choice of motorcycle tyres can be a big mistake, which will not only spoil our driving pleasure, but also endanger our health and life. Keeping on corners and proper drainage of water on a rainy day are the basis of our safety. The choice of branded products is a determinant of good parameters. Especially when we are talking about traveling by motorcycle – where we are unprotected traffic users, and everything depends on us and our machine, which, based on poor quality tyres, will disappoint us in the least expected moment – underlines Sarnecki.
Unfortunately, drivers in many cases have expert advice or manufacturers' guidelines for nothing. They change universal (road-off-road) tyres to more off-road tyres, which are not only worse on the road – greater possibility of skidding, but also have lower speed indexes, which is easy to forget in everyday use. It is not better with the load index. Touristic varieties of two-wheelers are overloaded in many situations – which increases the risk of puncturing the rubber and losing control of the vehicle.
– A tyre is more than a rubber wheel. It is the only motorcycle safety system that comes into contact with the road. The construction of a motorcycle tyre is not only about combining several layers of components. It is also a tread compound skilfully selected by experts who have been working on improving it for years. The parameters are selected in such a way as to make sure that nothing should happen with proper use. Awareness and safety are things worth spending a little more on – appeals Sarnecki.
Cheaper doesn’t mean better
Choosing equipment for yourself is a real challenge. As in the case of cars, also here you have to decide on the model, power, additional accessories and colour. However, in this consideration the tyres are forgotten. Why contemplate on them, since ABS is almost standard? This kind of thinking is a serious mistake.
A brand new tyre is a guarantee of quality. Literally! In branded tyres, each belt cord has been checked by X-rays to ensure that it fits properly and that the inner layers are even. And used? It's like buying the proverbial pig in a poke. We can evaluate it visually, but we are not able to determine if there is any internal damage, e.g. by driving into a hole or driving with too low pressure.
– Can you take my word for it that the used tyre is perfect and was only driven to church on Sunday? It's absurd. Invisible internal damage can lead to a fatal accident in which not only the driver dies, but can also kill others. By what? Savings? One must not save on life! – warns Sarnecki.
Size and pressure
Each motorcycle has clearly defined tyre parameters that are dedicated to a given equipment. It is adjusted to its weight, dimensions and power. The manufacturer, after numerous tests and the approval process, adjusted it to be as optimal as possible in every respect. Improving the factory in 90 percent of cases does not work. Therefore, when you think about buying motorcycle tyres, you need to read the manual and follow the manufacturer's recommendations. Diverging from this rule will not make the motorcycle ride and grip better.
These are not the only things you should pay attention to while reading the manual. Just as important as the tyre parameters are the recommended pressures, which are distinguished between the front and rear wheels. It is a routine that motorcycle drivers (especially if they drive cars on a daily basis) do not care about its proper condition. Here it must be clearly emphasized – riding with too low or too high pressure in the motorcycle is threatens with an accident or even death. The appropriate pressure in the tyre affects the size of the contact surface with the road, the temperature of the inner layers of the tyre or the effectiveness of the manufacturer's technology in terms of e.g. different profiles of the rubber compound on different parts of the tyre face. In addition, the right level of pressure extends the life of the tyres. That's why we check the tyre pressure every 2 weeks on cold tyres before we go on tour.
– When selecting the pressure, one must be guided by knowledge and reason, not gossip from race tracks. Too small amounts of it will quickly overheat the inner layers of the tyre, which can lead to its tearing while driving. Too big, on the other hand, means too small point of contact with the road and problems with holding on corners. Only track riders with special performance tyres can experiment with tyre pressure. I recommend that all others follow the instructions in the manual – ads Sarnecki.
What to remember?
Tyre manufacturing technology has evolved considerably over the past decades. Now it is not necessary to wash the tyres with a solvent to wash off the protective layer. It is enough to drive just a few kilometres and it will be torn off. What to keep in mind is the alignment of the tyres for the motorcycle and rider. For this reason, you should be more careful for the first 200-300 km and apply the principle of gradually increasing the angle in the turn. Additionally, the wheel must be balanced before the season! The difference of 100 grams can have a diametrical effect on the quality of our pleasure from covering the next kilometres downwind on motorbike.
Source: Polish Tyre Industry Association