Let's review the generalities about tires. Although at the performance level we usually focus on other aspects of the motorcycle, the tires are critically important, since all the other components (including the driver and passenger) maintain contact with the asphalt thanks to a few square centimeters of surface rubber.
Tire functions
Today's motorcycle tires are a high-tech product, since they have to fulfill different functions, some of them contradictory:
-They have to be flexible since they are the first element of the damping system, and at the same time the carcass must have enough rigidity to withstand the tremendous forces of acceleration, braking, lateral ...
-They must be able to transmit traction and at the same time steer the vehicle in the proper direction.
-They have to provide stability in a straight line and at the same time favor the inclination in the curves.
-The tread has to be as soft as possible to improve grip and, on the other hand, it has to be as durable as possible to extend the life of the tire to the maximum.
-They must allow water to evacuate in case of rain, while maintaining the largest possible rubber surface in contact with the ground.
All this is achieved by applying the most modern manufacturing techniques and always adopting some kind of commitment, which is why there are more suitable or specific tires for sports driving, for wet conditions, for rough terrain, for more or less heavy motorcycles. ..
Composition of a tire
Without going into too many technicalities I am going to briefly explain the parts of the tire:
1. Tread: It is the part that maintains contact with the asphalt, motorcycle tires tend to use harder rubber in the central part that improves traction and softer on the sides, to facilitate leaning and grip .
2. The carcass is a flexible structure made of steel wires embedded in rubber, its function is to support the load and participate in the stability of the vehicle.
3. Bead ring: It is formed by an inextensible steel cable, it fixes the tire to the rim, providing sealing and transmitting the engine torque and the braking of the rim to the tire.
4. Inner rubber lining: airtight synthetic rubber layer (depending on the tire and rim, it can be used with or without an inner tube)
5. Interior rubber tarpaulins and layers: they make up the type of tire (radial or longitudinal) and provide it with its main operating characteristics.
Alphabet ... and number soup
On the sidewalls of tires, manufacturers indicate a large amount of information related to them, surely more than once you have wondered what all those numbers mean ...
1. Manufacturer's brand
2. Type of drawing and / or model
3. "Width" or nominal section, metric or inches
4. Ratio of tire width to height
5. Type of construction of the inner layers
6. Rim diameter in inches
7. Indicates that it is a tire for motorcycle use.
8. Speed code
9. Indicates whether to use with (TT) or without (TL) inner chamber
10. Maximum load it can bear
11. Country of manufacture
12. USA homologation code
13. Direction of rotation (it can also indicate if it is front (Front) or rear (Rear)
14. Number of layers and their material
15. Wear indicator, when its surface lines up with that of the tread, it must be replaced
16. European homologation code
Last conclusions
After knowing a little more about our tires, I simply want to remind you that the choice of them should be based on the type of motorcycle we have and the use that we are going to make of it rather than on a purely economic issue, so there are no tires better or worse, but more or less suited to our specific needs.
They are also the main component related to safety in our vehicle, so we must always monitor their wear and check the cold pressure once a week, which must always be that indicated by the manufacturer, in this way our tires will last more and they will provide us with the maximum benefits.
Frank burguera