Tyres - Motorcycle construction

Motorcycle construction, Motorcycles mainly use pneumatic tyres. However, in some cases where punctures are common (some enduros), the tyres are filled with a "mousse" which is unpunctureable. Both types of tyre come in many configurations. The most important characteristic of any tyre is the contact patch, the small area that is in contact with the road surface while riding. There are tyres designed for dirtbikes, touring, sport and cruiser bikes.

Dirtbike tyres have knobbly, deep treads for maximum grip on loose dirt, mud, or gravel; such tyres tend to be less stable on paved surfaces. Touring tyres are usually made of harder rubber for greater durability. They may last longer, but they tend to provide less outright grip than sports tyres at optimal operating temperatures. The payoff is that touring tyres typically offer more grip at lower temperatures, meaning they can be more suitable for riding in cold or winter conditions whereas a sport tyre may never reach the optimal operating temperature.

Sport/performance tyres provide amazing grip but may last 1,000 miles (1,600 km) or less. Cruiser and "sport touring" tyres try to find the best compromise between grip and durability. There is also a type of tyre developed specifically for racing. These tyres offer the highest of levels of grip for cornering. Due to the high temperatures at which these tyres typically operate, use on the street is unsafe because the tyres will typically not reach optimum temperature before a rider arrives, thus providing almost no grip en route. In racing situations, racing tyres would normally be brought up to temperature in advance by the use of tyre warmers.

sumber:http://en.wikipedia.org