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Tires: where the action is!
Powerful forces are at work when the tires accept and transfer weight, gravity, and speed on a couple of measly square centimeters of contact area with the ground. Quality is the best method to make every curve and it ensures optimum accelerations and braking values.
Construction of the tire
The carcass is the main component of the tire. It is the support that simultaneously gives stability and form and usually runs diagonally with motorcycle tires. In addition to these normal tires, belted tires are being offered increasingly for motorcycles; a belt-shaped support beneath the running surface gives additional stability. This reinforcement ensures increased form stability for more traction with less wear, especially at high speed.
Belted radial tires are a further development of belted tires for maximum demands. The construction of their radial carcass is similar to that of automobile tires, but has the stiff tire sides that are obligatory for motorcycle tires.
The ratio of height to width is also important for safety. Whereas the cross-section ratio was a balanced 1.0 earlier, ratios of 70, 60, or even 50 % are more the trend today. Especially with motorcycles designed for sports, the increasing widening or enlarging of the running surface gives a better transfer of force.
When you put on completely different tires
The vehicle papers list size and possible even tire types as well as manufacturer. Tires, which are not listed here, require a clearance certificate of the manufacturer with countersigning by an officially recognized expert, a parts assessment, or ABE (General Type Approval). The tires added must be entered into the papers in any case.
What physics has to say regarding hot tires
Even the best tire is only safe to drive with the correct internal pressure. This depends upon whether you ride with a passenger or baggage or not. It is always better to adapt the tires to the appropriate weight or in accordance with the information of the manufacturer. Driving with low tires pressure is dangerous: The "contraction" of the tire contact surface caused by this leads to increased inner friction in the rubber and to overheating. Over time, the tire loses its stability, the running surface can separate from the carcass, or the tire can burst suddenly.
Additional tips
At speeds over 200 km/h, protective caps on the tire valves are advantageous. Because centrifugal forces act so powerfully on the spring-loaded valves at this speed that they are pressed inward and air can escape.
Sufficient tread is also never a bad thing: As a rule, motorcycle tires are less prone to hydroplaning than automobile tires due to their relatively small contact surface and rounded contour. But motorcycles can also start to float, for example when driving through puddles whose depth cannot be determined precisely. Particularly the stabilizing front tire should never fall below a tread depth of 2 3 mm. The rear tire, which runs in the track that is made by the front tire, usually has a higher degree of surface pressure and is less prone to hydroplaning Here, a tread depth of at least 1.6 mm is legally required.
Experience has shown that incorrect mounting and improper patching of tubes are reasons for accidents caused by tires. This is reason enough to ask an expert.
Tire markings
Currently, there is no uniform system of marking. Here is a common example and its interpretation:
120/80-18 62 H TL
120 = Tire width 120 mm,
80 = Cross-section ratio height: width 80 %,
18 = Rim diameter in inches,
62 = Load number of the tire (here 265 kg),
H = Speed index
TL = Tubeless.
B = An additional B after the speed index stands for Belt (belted) and designates bias belted tires.
R = An additional R after the speed index stands for radial tires.
The last three figures of the DOT-number on the side of the tire give the date of manufacture, e.g. 516 for the 51st calendar week of 1996.
The triangle designates the decade 1990 1999.
After the year 2000, the DOT-number is four-digit, e.g. 5102 for the 51st calendar week of 2002. The triangle is omitted.
