No matter how hard I try, I just can’t stress enough how important it is to choose the right motorcycle tires. I’ll debate the issue with my friends who insist that a motorcycle’s engine is more important than its tires. On that issue, I can’t say who’s right. Both a motorcycle’s engine and a good set of tires are important, but I also can’t seem to get them to agree that motorcycle tires are just as critical an issue. Not to mention other key factors that directly influence a bike’s performance…
First of all, the tires literally “go” with the bike that they’re put on. They have to match. Every single tire is built to accommodate the demands of a certain bike and it addresses every issue from tread style, bias, materials, and more all the way to riding style (racing, street use, etc.).
Second, the front and rear tires on a motorcycle are different from each other. Every tire is engineered to perform a specific way depending on its placement (front or rear) and if you put a tire on the wrong end, you’re not only dragging down the performance of the tire, you’re also dragging down the performance of the entire bike. You’re also risking a severe crash considering that the back tire is designed to provide acceleration and the front tire is engineered to provide braking power.
Third, the back wheel is built to carry more weight than the front wheel and it’s also built to simply lean. The front wheel however is built to lean as well as to turn left and right. I don’t want to imagine what could happen if tires were mounted in the wrong ends.
With this said, here are a few bits of information that should help to understand some of the differences between motorcycle tires. Hope they help.
Racing Motorcycle Tires
Racing tires are in a category of their own and racing professionals of course have their favorites. Good motorcycle racing tires should maintain excellent contact with the ground at steep angles and they should always accommodate the need for hard cornering. Since racing bikes need maximum acceleration from a full stop or out of a turn, their tires must be able to perform under continual stress at high speeds.
No other tires endure as much abuse as motorcycle racing tires. And although they aren’t normally exposed to the debris that street bikes are, racing tires need to be puncture proof because they are exposed to major stress at the racetrack or debris (sharp rocks and branches for example) during off road competitions.
Another thing — racing tires usually don’t get the standard “break-in” period before they’re used on the track. That means they have to perform well as soon as they’re put on.
Sport Motorcycle Tires
Sport bias motorcycle tires usually have radial-style tread patterns. This pattern helps sport bikes produce a large footprint which is appropriate for street and road riding. This kind of tires give motorcycles a good contact with the surface and enable good cornering. They also perform well in all weather conditions.
Sport bikes require tires that last longer than racing tires, so the compounds they are developed with are harder than the ones used for racing tires and they provide a good combination of grip and wear resistance.
Touring Motorcycle Tires
Touring tires should hold a good grip on all road surfaces including asphalt, concrete, chip seal, and others regardless of what the weather is. If you’ll notice, the way that touring motorcycle tires are designed indicates a thoughtful balance between long tread life and good grip. Touring motorcycle tires should also feature front and rear tread patterns designed for water evacuation.
Other important factors include bias-ply construction with overlapping layers of synthetic rubber and composite mesh. This gives tires a good balance between load capacity and comfort.
It is impossible to talk about all the different kind of tires you can find in just a blog post but hopefully the above will give you an idea of why it’s important to choose the right tires for your motorcycle.
The most important thing to remember when choosing motorcycle tires is: The type of tire you select must match the type of bike you ride and there really isn’t any getting around it.
Enjoy the ride!
More about motorcycle tires at Japanese-Motorcycles-Only.com
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These little guys are perfect for those who have no need to spend hours on the road or the desire to jump over dirt mounds. Some people just want to enjoy the open air on an easy to manipulate two-wheeler. So for those of you who are motorcycle-shy, you will enjoy how these bikes get you where you want to go while using minimum gas and avoiding parking hassles.
Engine sizes range between 50 - 150cc on mopeds and between 50cc and 650cc on scooters. Scooters are normally heavier and faster than mopeds. Don’t be fooled by the small sizes of some mopeds and scooters however. Both have enough horsepower to suit almost anyone’s needs - even those who live in travel challenged cities like San Francisco for example -.
Since most mopeds and scooters have accessories that are built in (unlike those that are often extra on standard bikes), you can find good-sized containers in the rear, electric starters up front, and automatic gear boxes in the middle.
Enduro motorbikes are also known as trail motorcycles and they’re designed for medium to long rides on dirt roads. These are the bikes used in events as the very famous Paris-Dakar rally. As they are street legal (motocross bikes are not), if fitted with the right tires, enduro’s can also perform relatively well on paved roads. If you want to make long trips in the backcountry or you are looking for a bike that allows you to ride on and off road, this is your best choice.
If you want to take dirt biking to the extreme and catch big air jumps this is the kind of motorcycle you’ll need. Just keep in mind that these motorcycles are not street legal.
Since they’re not used on the highway, aerodynamics isn’t a big issue but that doesn’t mean motocross bikes are ugly. Some of them are aesthetically impressive.
Touring motorcycles are appropriate for people who belong to tours that travel 500, 700, 1000 or sometimes even more miles per day. As you can imagine, this demands an ultra-comfortable ride and there could be no more perfect vehicle for touring than a touring motorcycle.
Windscreens are essential accessories since touring for long periods of time can make riding unpleasant without one. Sure, a helmet could take care of a few “buggy” problems, but I’d rather wipe these things off my windscreen than off my faceplate! In some touring bikes, the protection from the wind offered by the windshield is so good, that you can even smoke a cigarette while riding (with this, I am not saying you should do so, smoking is dangerous for your health and doing it while riding is even more).
The cruiser is a more of a category of motorcycle than a specific type of motorcycle and it includes almost everything that emerged from the early 1930s until about 1970. So what we’re really look at here is traditionally big, heavy, solid choppers, retro, and standard. These bikes typically weigh in at 600 lbs. and they sport low seats. Their engines (normally 1100 cc and bigger) are larger than what you’ll see on other types of motorcycles and even their wheelbase is longer than average.
The most common type of motorcycle is the standard motorcycle and it’s the one that you probably see on the streets every day. They offer adequate power, sufficient comfort (upright riding position) and are safe for those who aren’t interested in racing or touring. Standard motorcycles usually weigh less than 200 kg (440 lbs) and they have a wheel base that’s typically less than 150cm (5 feet). Their engine capacity is generally between 125 cc to 500 cc (you can find a few models in this category that go up to 750 cc but it’s not common, though) while their horsepower normally run anywhere from 15 hp to 80 hp.
If you’re looking for more speed and you’re willing to give up a little (sometimes a lot, depending on the model you choose) of the comfort that standard motorcycles offer, then a sportbike motorcycle is for you. The engine sizes of sportbikes normally sit between 600 cc to 1000 cc, giving you an abundance of acceleration to satisfy any moderate craving for speed. Sportbikes are also known for good maneuverability and quick stopping capabilities.
