Motorcycle Tyres: specifications, types

— Sports. In this case, sports driving means high-speed driving on as smooth surfaces as possible. Accordingly, all such tires have a high speed rating - not lower than W (270 km/h). In addition, sports motorcycles are characterized by relatively low weight; As a result of this (as well as for some other reasons), the rubber of this direction is made radial (see “Design”). Note that such models are characterized by a shallow tread pattern. This provides excellent traction on quality, smooth surfaces, but on uneven, wet or muddy roads, driving on these tires requires caution. This is especially true for track sports tires without any tread at all, the so-called slicks, which are placed in a separate section and are intended exclusively for driving in dry weather on the race track. It is strictly forbidden to use such tires on city roads, for your own safety.

- Road. Tires designed, as the name suggests, for driving on regular roads with a hard (but not necessarily perfectly smooth) surface. Such models can be produced for a wide variety of equipment - from heavy choppers and cruisers to small classics and retro bikes. However, in all cases, road tires are characterized by a fairly high load index, which allows them to easily carry quite a large weight of the motorcycle and contact with uneven roads. Most road tires are bias-ply, but radial tires are also available....The speed rating of such tires is lower than that of sports tires (although there are models for 270 km/h); In addition, even the most sleek models have a fairly deep tread pattern, which ensures effective moisture removal and reliable contact with uneven roads.

— Cross. A specialized type of motorcycle tire, created exclusively for off-road driving and intended, in accordance with the name, for use in motocross. The most noticeable external feature of these tires is their deep tread pattern with characteristic ridges that improve traction.

— Enduro. Initially, enduro was a type of motorcycle racing in which riders had to ride on different types of terrain - from smooth paved roads to complete off-road conditions. This determined the main features of tires for this purpose: they are a cross between road and cross-country tires (see above) and are suitable for both highways and rough terrain. Of course, in terms of speed characteristics, such tires are inferior to road ones, and in cross-country ability - to cross-country ones; However, in cases where versatility is more important than advanced performance, enduro tires are simply irreplaceable. Note that in appearance such models can be similar to both motocross models (with noticeable protrusions) and road models (relatively smooth, with a small number of grooves). In the first case, a special rubber composition is usually used, which ensures a sufficient level of grip on hard surfaces; in the second, various design tricks are used to increase cross-country ability.

- Adventure. This category includes all-terrain scrambler-type models and durable touring motorcycle tires that can withstand increased loads caused by a large number of things on the road. Adventure tires are suitable for driving on asphalt surfaces and conquering moderate off-road conditions. The tread pattern of the tires is quite aggressive - it is well suited for country roads, and at the same time it is quite smooth for prolonged driving on hard road surfaces. Adventure motorcycles began their journey as road models, converted by manufacturers or owners for off-road riding. The closest relatives of adventure-type motorcycle tires are enduro tires with a more “evil” tread pattern.

— Trial. Specialized tires for motorcycle trials competitions - overcoming difficult routes on rough terrain with many natural or artificial obstacles. During the races, touching obstacles with parts of the body is strictly prohibited - penalty points will be awarded for this. Motorcycle trial tires are omnivorous for various types of coatings under the bike's wheels, have improved grip properties, and a small pressure is inflated inside them, which is done for the sake of maintaining a wide contact patch.

— For scooters. Rubber for small motorcycle equipment. As a rule, scooters have narrow, relatively small wheels. Tires for them are available both in tubeless version and with a tube. Also, similar tires differ in tread pattern: for moving in the rhythm of life in a metropolis, tires with a shallow road pattern are well suited, and for mixed travel with frequent forays on dirt roads and off-road, tires with an aggressive tread are suitable.

The axle on which this tyre is recommended to be mounted.

In the vast majority of modern motorcycles, the front wheel is steering, and the rear wheel is driving; in addition, the rear wheel usually bears more weight. Accordingly, the features of the work of both axes will also be different. So, the front tyre has to turn in different directions along the course, and the rear one has to be subjected to increased loads in terms of weight and twisting along the main axis of rotation, in addition, it must “cling” well to the road in order to avoid slipping. In light of all this, putting tyres on a "non-native" axle is highly undesirable: it will work in an emergency mode, and the consequences can be very deplorable. At the same time, there are universal models suitable for both the front and rear axles (although they can cost more than specialized ones, and at an equal cost, they can be inferior to them in terms of individual characteristics).

The season (and, accordingly, the temperature regime) for which the tyre is designed.

"Seasonality" is primarily due to the fact that any composition used in the construction of motorcycle tyres has a certain temperature range in which it shows optimal performance. If the temperature is too low, the rubber will remain hard and will not provide the desired degree of grip, and if it is too high, it will soften, impair stability and be subject to increased wear. In addition, winter and all-season models often have specific design features that ensure efficient operation in difficult conditions — special-shaped grooves for effective moisture removal, massive protrusions for “biting” into the snow, etc. Therefore, it is highly undesirable to deviate from seasonal recommendations.

At the same time, it is worth noting that motorcycles themselves as a mode of transport are designed mainly for use in the warm season — by the word "season" most owners of motorcycles mean the period from approximately mid-spring to mid-autumn. Therefore, the vast majority of motorcycle tyres are summer tyres, all-season models are very rare, and winter tyres are even rarer, mainly among cross -country rubber (see above).

Nominal tire profile width in inches. This designation is quite widely used in motorcycle tires along with millimeters (see the corresponding paragraph). However, the meaning of such designations differs: the actual width is indicated in millimeters, and inches essentially indicate a kind of general tire size. One inch standard size often includes several width options in millimeters, and this width depends on the height of the profile. You can determine the exact dimensions of inch tires using special tables.

As for the width in general, this is one of the parameters that determines compatibility with a specific rim (another parameter is the mounting size, see above for details). The main criterion for choosing a tire width is the manufacturer's recommendations for a given motorcycle model. It is highly undesirable to deviate from these recommendations: although some types of motorcycles (for example, road) allow a deviation in width of +/- 10 mm on the rear wheel, such a wheel will still function in a mode different from the standard one. On the front wheel, no deviations are allowed at all.

Today, the market offers mainly tires in the following widths in inches: 2", 2.25", 2.5", 2.75", 3", 3.25", 3.5", 4", 5.

Nominal tyre width (section width) in millimetres. This is one of the notation options; in addition to it, there may also be a designation in inches, for more details, see "Width" above.

Width — whether in millimetres or inches — is one of the parameters that determine compatibility with a particular rim (the other parameter is the fit diameter, see above about it). The main criterion for choosing a tyre in width is the manufacturer's recommendations for a given motorcycle model. It is highly undesirable to deviate from these recommendations: although some types of motorcycles (for example, road bikes) allow a width deviation of +/— 10 mm on the rear wheel, such a wheel will still function in a mode that differs from the standard one. On the front wheel, no deviations are allowed at all.

Tyre profile height. This parameter is specified as a percentage of the profile width (see above).

The higher the profile, the better the motorcycle can carry heavy weight and increased loads when driving on rough roads and the lower its stability at high speeds. Therefore, for high-speed driving on high-quality flat tracks, hard-surface motorcycle tracks, etc. use ultra-low-profile rubber, with a profile height of up to 60%. For most east european roads, given their overall quality, rather low-profile tyres are recommended — 60 — 80%. And tyres with a profile height of more than 80% should be chosen when the key points are not speed, but cross-country ability and resistance to stress.

Now on the market there are tyres with the following profile height: 40%, 50%, 55%, 60%, 65%, 70%, 75%, 80%, 90%, 100%.

Tyre inner diameter. This value must correspond to the rim diameter of the wheel on which the rubber is planned to be installed — otherwise the installation will not be possible. You can find out the size of the wheel from the documentation for the motorcycle, from the markings on it, according to the characteristics of the old rubber (if the tyres are bought for replacement), in extreme cases, you can measure the diameter of the disk yourself.

Now on the market tyres with the following diameters: 10", 11", 12", 13", 14", 15", 16", 17", 18", 19", 21".

The load index indicates the maximum weight load that the tyre can safely carry in normal operation. To shorten the marking, this parameter is denoted by a two-digit number; you can translate this designation into a specific weight in kilograms using special tables.

This value must not be exceeded — otherwise the tyre may burst at any time due to off-design loads. At the same time, when choosing motor tyres for this parameter, it is worth remembering that the load is distributed unevenly between the front and rear wheels. However, the task is facilitated by the fact that motorcycle manufacturers can indicate the minimum or recommended load indices for the front and rear axles in the documentation for their equipment.

The speed rating characterizes the maximum speed at which the tyre maintains performance, in other words, the highest speed at which you can safely drive when using this tyre in normal mode (on the “native” axle, with normal load, etc.). This parameter is indicated by Latin letters, each of which corresponds to its own maximum speed value — for example, a value of 210 km/h is denoted as H. The most modest modern tyres, used mainly for scooters and motocross motorcycles, have the index J (100 km/h), and in high-speed sports models there are models of the W level (270 km/h).

You should choose a tyre for this parameter based on the recommendations of the motorcycle manufacturer, and if there are no such recommendations, then with a margin of at least 10-15 km/h in excess of the maximum speed with which you plan to ride; this will give an additional guarantee of safety in case of emergency situations. It is technically OK for most motorcycles to use tyres that are less fast than recommended, but in fact this should not be done. And the point is not only that the driver will have to limit the speed of movement — such tyres are generally less durable than high-speed ones and may not tolerate sharp accelerations well.

— Chamber (TT). Tyres, consisting of a tyre and an internal sealed chamber into which air is pumped. Despite the "double walls", such tyres are inferior in reliability to tubeless ones — they quickly release air when punctured, and in general they have more modest performance characteristics. At the same time, chamber tyres also have advantages: they are insensitive to rim deformations and retain their tightness even when there is a gap between the rim and the tyre. Thus, there are two main areas of application for such tyres today. Firstly, these are spoked wheels, where the rim does not provide tightness and you cannot do without a chamber; such wheels are installed on many east european motorcycles, as well as some choppers. Secondly, tube tyres are used by some extreme riders or long " enduro " style travel enthusiasts (see "Directionally").

— Tubeless (TL). Tyres that do not use an inner tube — the air in such models is pumped into the space between the tyre and the wheel rim. This design requires a one-piece rim that does not allow air to pass through, and only works properly on cast wheels, without spokes. On the other hand, the vast majority of modern motorcycles are equipped with such wheels. Tubeless tyres are considered more reliable and safer than tube tyres, they tolerate punctures better (in particular, they hold air longer), and they are easier to rep...air. Therefore, in general, such tyres are preferable to tube tyres (with the exception of some specific cases described above).

— TT/TL. Tyres that can be installed in both tube and tubeless ways — depending on which option is required in this case, taking into account the type of wheel and application.

The design of the tire depends on the arrangement of the cord threads - a special fiber that gives the rubber base additional strength and rigidity.

- Radial. In radial models, the cord fibers are located across the tire, parallel to its radius. Such tires are not as prone to heating up as diagonal tires, so they can easily provide a high speed rating (see below). At the same time, radial models are poorly adapted to high weight loads, and their profile is generally flatter and lowered. Therefore, a similar design is found mainly in high-speed tires for sports and road use (see “In the direction”), intended for sport bikes and other relatively light equipment. However, enduro class models can also use this option; but among cross-country sports cars it is practically not used.

- Diagonal. In bias-ply tires, the fibers are arranged in the form of a characteristic grid, intersecting each other at an angle of about 40 - 60°. Such tires heat up more when driving than radial tires, which is why they are poorly suited for high-speed driving. On the other hand, the bias-ply design makes it possible to create high-profile tires with a high load index that can withstand driving well on uneven roads. Therefore, this particular option is used in road tires designed for heavy equipment such as choppers and cruisers, as well as in cross-country models.

The presence in the design of the tyre lining (flipper) White Wall — in the form of a characteristic strip covering the sidewall. The stripe is usually white, hence the name, and its main purpose is aesthetic. So, in early motorcycle models, tyres with a white stripe were the norm, so the White Wall is appreciated by owners of vintage-style vehicles, both restored and new: this feature enhances the motorcycle’s resemblance to an old model. However, tyres with White Wall can give an original and stylish appearance to a completely modern “bike”.

The flipper is also considered to provide a degree of additional protection against damage to the sidewall when in contact with obstacles. However, this protection is not so high as to just buy such tyres for the sake of it (and they are usually not cheap).

Reinforced tyres with extra ply cords to provide increased load capacity and withstand high loads. Such tyres are marked with the designations Reinforced, REINF or RF.