How to Choose Motorcycle Tires - Part I

Deciding which is more important - choosing the right engine or picking the perfect tire - may be impossible. Both are critical.

Getting the acceleration and handling you want is essential to having the kind of ride desired. But picking the right tire is just as important for those reasons and many others.

Tires have to be matched with bikes, beyond simply getting the right size. Tread style, bias, materials and other common characteristics are all designed with the riding type - and therefore the bike category - in mind.

Unlike car tires, motorcycle tires are different front and rear. Each tire is designed specifically for the location on the bike and with the different goals in mind. Acceleration is provided predominantly by the rear tire, while the front supplies more braking power than the rear - up to 80%.

Since the front wheel turns left and right, while the back is subject only to lean, that too must be taken into consideration. The back carries more weight than the front and that alters the design.

Tires for Motorcycle Racing

Racing tires are, of course, a special category. Professionals all have their favorites, but good contact at steep angles is always an essential. The need for hard cornering, maximum acceleration from a stop or out of a turn, and continual stress at high speeds all produce special requirements for racing tires.

These tires have to put up with hours of abuse on the track and need to be virtually puncture proof off-road. They often don't get the standard recommended 100-mile run-in period before use. They have to perform right out of the box.

Motorcycle Sports Tires

Sport bias tires commonly have radial-style tread patterns to produce a larger footprint. Sport bikes are intended to be run hard around the streets, supplemented by some off-road riding. That means good contact with good cornering is essential. It also means they have to perform in all weather conditions.

Increasing the tread-to-void ratio gives these tires better grip in both wet and dry conditions. At the same time, long life is important for sport bike riders. Special compounds developed over the last 20 years have greatly improved both features, increasing grip and wear resistance.

Cruiser Motorcycle Tires

Yamaha, Honda, Kawasaki and others all vie to be the best in this category. Part of that competitive edge is the tire they select as standard for their cruiser models.

Excellent grip on all road surfaces - asphalt, concrete, chip seal and others - is essential regardless of weather. Design is always a delicate balance between maximum tread life and superior grip.

Several manufacturers have achieved that, including Dunlop who offer the standard for many of the leading bike makers. Front and rear tread patterns are designed for superior water evacuation.

Bias-ply construction, with overlapping layers of synthetic rubber and composite mesh, provide a good balance between load-carrying capacity and comfort.

Offset center grooves give the tire improved straight-line stability over designs from the past. This helps keep the bike upright with minimal input from the rider.

Be sure to match your type of bike and style of riding with the tire you select. It isn't just your budget that depends on it. It's your comfort and performance, and even your safety.

How to Choose Tires Motorcycle Tires - Part II