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Reading a tyre

There is a multitude of markings on a tyre wall, some of which are compulsory, such as the manufacturer, the commercial name, direction of rotation, dimensions and conformity with one standard or another (the letter E is for tyre type approval in Europe; DOT - Department of Transport - applies for type approval in the USA and Canada).

A tyre specific to motorcycles must also carry the letters M/C (for motorcycle); you will also find the letters TT (tube type) or TL (tubeless) which specifies whether an inner tube is used or not. It goes without saying that non-type approved tyres are for competition use only (and not even in all categories).

Slicks are not designed for road use; they run at much lower pressures, and only develop their full potential when hot (following intensive use, difficult to reproduce on the road), do not hold the road in the wet and have much softer casings designed for the lower weight of competition machines.

The roles of the tyre

Acceleration, steering, braking, a tyre must perform all the functions you ask of it. In addition, it must provide your bike with a good compromise between agility and stability.

A tyre only runs at its highest potential when it is at the right running temperature. So it needs to have covered a few kilometres (sometimes more in winter) before asking it to deliver its full potential. A tyre must be correctly inflated: over or under-inflated, it will not warm up as it should, will wear more quickly (around 40%) and will increase your fuel consumption.

We recommend checking the tyre pressures at least every two weeks, as there is nothing to guarantee a perfect seal. The pressures should be checked with the tyre cold.

Types of tyres

As with most equipment used on motorcycles, tyres have also changed tremendously over the last few years.
Manufacturers' ranges have never been so extensive (even complex): not only are there tyres for each machine, but also for the use you make of it.
So, for sports bikes and for scooters, there are different qualities of rubber for the same tyre, depending on whether you give priority to lifespan or grip.

This wide variety is to be found in ranges designed for off-road bikes, for which the range of tyres covers not only all needs, but also the different types of terrain (mud, sand, stoney, etc) with which you are confronted.

So you cannot fail to find the tyre to fit your machine and the use you make of it.

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