Motorcycle engines develop from a dozen to even several hundred horsepower. Such power, unlike cars, is much more difficult to control – especially if the vehicle has only two wheels, whose contact area with the road is only ten square centimeters. A good tyre is not just a piece of rubber connecting the vehicle to the road. It also works with suspension elements, ensuring comfort and proper handling while driving. Here are five rules that every motorcycle user should keep in mind.
What connects a few hundred horsepower Suzuki GSX-R 1300 Hayabusa, Kawasaki Ninja H2R or Ducati Panigale V4 with several teen-horsepower Junak M12 Vintage 125 or several dozen horsepower BMW G310R? Construction? Also, but in this case it's about the tyres on which they move. They have different sizes, composition of the mixture, vertical rigidity, technologies of execution and strength. However, they have one aspect in common – the contact surface with the surface does not exceed ten square centimeters! That's about half a bigger lemon.
– Tyres of motorcycles and scooters have a heavier life than those used in cars. There are only two, and they carry higher unit loads, especially in corners. They also have to endure changing driving styles and weather conditions, high speeds, tilts and sharp corners, all at variable operating temperatures. That is why their quality and proper operation are so important. Lack of care for this extremely important element can contribute to the loss of grip – which in turn can have tragic consequences – explains Piotr Sarnecki, General Director of the Polish Tyre Industry Association (PZPO).
In order to meet the expectations of motorcyclists and taking into account market trends, PZPO has prepared a list of the five most important rules for motorcyclists who will soon start the season.
1. Choose well
Tyre size, profile, load and speed index and required homologation are key elements affecting the handling characteristics of a motorcycle, which – let us remind – in corners also moves in a position inclined relative to the surface at an inclination of up to 38 degrees from the vertical. Poor selection, whichof these parameters also affects operation, including accelerated tyre wear. Our machine has been approved for traffic after homologation tests on a specific tyre size. Unprofessional factory framing will have an even more negative impact on driving parameters than in a car.
"From the users' point of view, the load and speed index is a particularly important parameter. If someone mounts a tyre with an S-index to a machine that develops speeds above 200 km / h (U, H, V, W indexes), it is asking for trouble. The tyres will perform worse throughout the speed range. It also wears out faster and causes potential damage. Unfortunately, many motorcyclists forget about it or underestimate the requirements of tyre and machine manufacturers – points out Piotr Sarnecki.
Try to drive on reputable tyres. They are distinguished from cheap ones not only by the logo or the place of production. It is also a more durable construction and technologies responsible for grip and resistance to slipping. Premium products simply contain all the best technologies in a given company. And it directly increases our safety on the bike.
2. Never used
The fact that motorcycle tyres endure more than car tyres should give food for thought already at the purchase stage. The prices of used products may be encouraging, but it will be an apparent savings. The buyer of used tyres does not know their history. A seemingly "healthy" product may be accident (which affects the internal supporting structure) or unevenly worn – which will prevent proper wheel balancing. As a result, while driving, there may be a situation when the carcass braid does not withstand the hardships of further driving and is torn. When driving fast, this means mortal danger!
– When looking for new tyres, do not delete new products that are several years old and which may be covered by the promotion. Remember that the warranty period begins at the time of sale, not the production of the tyre. Factory tyres properly stored retain their original parameters for many years. On the other hand, used tyres can be characterized by faster wear, even despite proper use – explains Piotr Sarnecki.
3. Repaired are also not safe
Since we already know that you should not reach for used tyres – for the same reasons we do not mount tyres on the rim, which was repaired. Tyre manufacturers generally do not foresee this possibility, as the complicated process of their production does not take into account repairs resulting from punctures or other mechanical damage. They are therefore single-use products. This should be borne in mind in particular by drivers of motorcycles that develop high speeds. Possible repair of the tyre can only take place in order to reach the service dealing with the service of the motorcycle wheel, in order to replace the tyre with a new one.
4. Trust proven professionals
Another element that should be remembered is a professional service that will take care of the correct installation and balancing of wheels and can assemble the wheels – maintaining the appropriate sequence of disassembly and assembly, without damaging the suspension elements, braking system and drive. It is best to choose a service that has trained its employees exactly in terms of the specifics of motorcycle tyres. Such courses are even in the tyre industry training center – Academy of PTiA near Poznań, where together tyre specialists from the Polish Tyre Industry Association and motorcycle mechanics specialists train the best motorcycle services.
– Above a speed of 100 km/h, the motorcycle tyre rotates almost 1000 times per minute. It is the second, after the engine shaft, the fastest rotating element of the machine and its only part ensuring contact with the road. It is the quality of the tyres, but also the quality of their service that determines the safety of the rider. Therefore, trust proven professionals, because in their hands lies the life and health of you and other road users – says Piotr Sarnecki.
– The handling of coexisting elements in the area of the motorcycle wheel is a very sensitive process during the service of a motorcycle tyre. We often encounter a lack of required knowledge, and therefore qualifications to do servicing the wheel in a motorcycle. Current solutions used in motorcycles have a number of elements with more advanced control than in a car, and the methods used to connect elements coexisting in a given element of suspension or braking system requires a completely different method of assembly using appropriate tools and assembly chemicals. You should also not forget to assess during such a service the elements responsible for the basics of safety on a two-wheeler and how to do it. This is what we talk about during our trainings carried out as part of PZPO – adds Rafał Kosiński from the Academy of Practical Skills, and privately also an experienced motorcyclist.
5. Laczek like a needle – take care of rubbers like a machine
Driving style, type of surface, pressure, age and storage method all determine the wear of tyres. Offensive driving, sharp cornering, breaking grip during rapid acceleration and sudden braking significantly accelerate the tread wear process – especially in the case of soft tyres dedicated to sports motorcycles. In such conditions, mileage of up to 6,000 kilometers on one set is something completely natural.
– The average life of road tyres is estimated at several thousand kilometers – but it is not worth waiting with the replacement until this point. The right indicator is the so-called TWI points, i.e. small hills in the tread recesses. Their alignment with the surface of the tyre means the end of the life of the tyre – says Piotr Sarnecki.
In addition, as with car tyres, it is crucial to check your motorcycle tyre pressure regularly, at least twice a month. An important element of the selection of pressure in a motorcycle tyre is the way it is used – depending on the temperature at which the tyre will work. We verify before driving, when the tyres are cold – at an ambient temperature close to about 20 degrees Celsius, using a correctly indicating pressure gauge. Why is this important? In a car, the tyre's point of contact with the road is the size of a small tablet. In a motorcycle the size of half a lemon.
Polish The Tyre Industry Association (PZPO) together with mechanics experts from the Academy of Practical Skills (APU) have prepared new training programs, including unique training in motorcycle tyres and motorcycle rear axle mechanics. 1 or 2-day trainings are available, which include not only learning how to properly change motorcycle tyres, but also the rules for selecting tyres for a selected model or tyre construction elements.
For more information, please visit akademiaoponiarska.pl/, certyfikatoponiarski.p/, info page: www.oponymajamoc.pl
Source: Polish Tyre Industry Association