Your choice of motorcycle can make your ride safe and enjoyable or a potentially dangerous one. Quite literally the backbone of your bike, tyres play a crucial role in acceleration, braking, cornering, and overall handling performance. What a lot of people don’t realize is that different types of bike commutes require different kinds of tyres.
So, whether you are a daily commuter, a weekend getaway type or an off-road adventurer, understanding the different types of motorcycle tyres available will help you make an informed decision that matches your riding style and needs.
Why Types of Motorcycle Tyres Matter For Safety and Performance
Not choosing the right kind of tyre can affect:
- Quick manoeuvring abilities
- Braking performance
- Cornering ability and lean angle confidence
- Overall grip and stability on road/track
- Safety in various weather conditions
In this guide, we explore six different types of bike tyres and what they are best suited for.
1. Sports Class Tyres
These types of tyres are engineered for extreme performance environments and not particularly for longevity. Sport class tyres are purposefully built for supersports and high-capacity naked bikes.
Features of a Sports Class Tyre
- Reach the optimal operating temperature quickly.
- Attain maximum lean angle support.
- Provides the needed forces to support the blistering power delivery from the engine without the wheel spins.
- Provides maximum grip during hard braking.
- Does not overheat or wear out fast.
- Works well in wet conditions.
Generally, these tyres consist of three types of compound material – soft, medium, and hard. Tyres made from soft compound material generally provide the best grip, but their lifespan is short due to a faster wear-out rate. Some tyres are made of a combination of soft and hard compound material, which makes them last longer while providing good corner grips.
2. Touring Tyres
These tyres are made to cover thousands of kilometres without compromising on safety and comfort. Unlike sports class tyres, they prioritize durability over extreme performance.
Features of Touring Tyres
- Typically last up to 15,000 km.
- Perform well on highways, city roads, and light off-road terrain.
- Provide good grip in rain, mud, slush and gravel.
- Excellent straight-line stability at highway speeds.
- Slow wear rate.
3. Off-Road Tyres
Off-road tyres have nothing to do with running mileage or the straight-line stability of a motorcycle. Instead, their sole focus is to provide maximum traction to the motorcycle during extreme off-road riding conditions. These tyres sacrifice highway comfort for unmatched grip on dirt, mud, sand, and rocky surfaces.
Features of Off-Road Tyres
- Knobby tyre pattern that helps with grip off-roads.
- Designed specifically for dirt, gravel, and mud.
- Better absorption of impacts from rocks and obstacles.
- Generally shod on spoke wheels, which support their performance during rugged riding conditions.
Such tyres are ideal for people who traverse unpaved trails, enjoy adventure riding, or participate in off-road competitions on off-road bikes and ADVs.
4. Street Bike Tyres
Found on most daily commute vehicles, they strike a perfect balance between performance, durability, and economy.
Features of Street Bike Tyres
- Good grip without sacrificing longevity.
- Typically last up to 14,000 km (but can also go as high as 18,000 km).
- Adequate tread patterns for rain conditions.
- Cost-effective for everyday riders.
5. Cruiser Bike Tyres
Cruiser tyres are mostly seen on muscle and cruiser bikes, designed best for comfortable, relaxed highway rides.
Features of Cruiser Bike Tyres
- Made up of large profile sections for extended suspension support.
- Cushioned design absorbs road imperfections.
- Perform very well in straight-line stability runs.
- Built to support heavier motorcycle weights.
6. Tubeless and Tubed Tyres
When selecting motorcycle tyres, you'll also need to choose between tubeless and tubed construction. Each has distinct advantages depending on your motorcycle type and riding conditions.
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Tubed Tyres: These feature a tube inside a tyre, which is inflated with pressurized air. Such tyres are mostly used on off-road bikes.
- Tubeless Tyres: They do not require a tube inside to support the tyre and have a single-piece airtight design that seals directly against the wheel rim.
Conclusion
Selecting the appropriate type of motorcycle tyres is one of the most important decisions you'll make as a rider. No matter what your need is, there is a tyre specifically designed for it. So the next time you are considering buying a new type of bike tyre, keep the following in mind:
- Your bike and riding style.
- Which weather conditions you frequent the most
- The right tradeoff between budget vs longevity
- Manufacturer specifications
- Brand reputation
At the end of the day, the quality of the tyre is paramount, and a credible brand should be your go-to when it comes to buying parts of your tyre. To buy other accessories for your bike, check out GrandPitstop’s collection of premium accessories, safety gear and more to enhance your riding experience.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Q. Which is better, tubeless or tube tyre?
A. Generally, a tubeless tyre offers more benefits like better puncture resistance, the ability to run on less pressure, better heat dissipation and the ease of repairing. It’s easy to repair the tubeless tyre by yourself with puncture repair kits.
Q. Can we fill air in tubeless tyres?
A. Yes, it is possible to add air in tubeless tyres.