Different Types of Motorcycle Tyres - How to Choose Right One

To get the best performance from your bike one needs the right tyres. Using suitable tyres for the surface, you are riding on can significantly improve your bike’s efficiency as well as its handling.

Types of Motorcycle Tyres based on Design:

When you are looking to buy tyres, there are four main designs of tyres to choose from- Tube-type, Tubeless, Bias-ply and Radial tyres.

Tube-type bike tyres come with a tire, tube, rim and valve.
Then there’s tubeless that does away with the inner tube and replaces an open valve with a sealed one. Tubeless tyres cannot be easily punctured, except by a nail or a sharp object on the road.
Bias-ply tyres use cords made of fabric such as nylon, rayon or polyester running across the tyre in alternating layers.
In Radial tyres, the chords are made of fabric or steel and run across the tyre radially, that is from bead to bead. Radial tyres are not as thick as bias-ply tyres, and thus have an advantage over them. This is because of the lesser wear that they will be subjected to during the life of the vehicle.

Additional Read: Alloy Wheels V/S Spoke Wheels

Types of Motorcycle Tyres based on Usage Conditions:

Standard Street Tyres

Tyres built for everyday use nowadays are tubeless and made of a durable rubber compound. These tyres are hard and durable and will last you tens of thousands of kilometres before you have to even think of changing them.

Street tyres generally come with a lot of tread making them suitable for usage in traffic-filled conditions due to their superior grip and performance. Although you cannot rely on them all the time in wet or slippery conditions, they will do an excellent job for a rider who uses them conservatively.

One thing to note about these tyres is that you cannot use them at high speeds because they have not been designed for such performance.

Dual Sport Tyres

The next time you check out our bike loan calculator when you are looking to buy a new bike, we suggest that you take a look at Dual Sport Tyres.
These tyres are bigger than standard tyres and are perfect for those of you who like long journeys on the highways as well as like to adventure off track on gravel trails.
Dual Sport tyres are designed to maximise your grip on loose surfaces and work well on mud roads as well.

Street Sport / Touring Sport

Commonly used type of tyre is the ones used for touring.
It is built from a rubber compound that isn’t too soft or too hard, offering better grip at higher speeds. This makes them the perfect upgrade from simple street tyres because they can perform well at high bike speeds as well.
Touring tyres can be used for everyday riding, long journeys and weekend rides with friends. As long as you don’t treat your bike like a race car, these tyres will last a long time.

Racing Slicks / Competition Tyres

Competition tyres are made from very soft rubber.
They can withstand high speeds, quick acceleration/ deceleration and fast turning. Since they are subjected to tremendous forces, there is a lot of heat that builds up, which helps in improving their performance.
These tyres are the best ones to buy if you’d like to race down empty streets with your new bike. Check out our bike loan calculator to see how much a new racing bike costs.

Additional Read: What Documents are Required for a Two Wheeler Loan?

Conclusion

Spending some time to pick out the tyres that will fulfil your requirements as a rider is a crucial step when purchasing a new bike. Your tyres go wherever you go, so it is essential to feel comfortable with your tyre choice.

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