Any vehicle is incomplete without a tyre, as they act as the sole instrument for moving from one place to another. That apart, the tyres hold the weight of the vehicle and the rider, and aids as the system to commute safely from one point to another point. Any damage when unnoticed and unheeded, will lead to collision to the bike and damage to the rider’s life. Superbike’s are no exception, as they are used for sports, sport touring, racing and cruising. Hence, all superbike tyres need to possess more durability, as their main element is speed and abundant power.
Role and impact of tyres on Bike
It is obvious that tyres play a major role travelling, holding, and making the vehicles complete. Choosing the wrong pair of tyres will cause accidents and bodily damage to the bike as well as the rider’s life. It is vital to research on the available choices in the market and enquire regarding the same through reliable sources.
Normal Bike VS Superbike
Normal bikes are used for the basic commutation purpose from one place to another, for performing basic activities like travelling to office, going to local stores, at a normal or low speed. The engine performance will be resorted to performing with lesser intensity compared to Superbikes. Superbikes possess intense and powerful engines that perform with greater force. A rider can accelerate to high speeds easily. These bikes are relatively large and are not meant for everyday usage. Amateur riders need expert guidance to ride these bikes, as they are more prone to accidents and require more maintenance.
Standard Bike Tyres VS Superbike Tyres
As mentioned, the standard bike is light-weight and used for everyday purpose and for greater portability and mileage. These bikes are used for common purposes like to commute within a city for delivering goods, taxi purposes. Hence, they have higher sidewalls and a rubber compound carrying moderate toughness. On the other hand, Superbike Tyres will have lighter weight, better handling and powerful grip on the edges. Since several categories like sport, sport touring, etc. fall into the category, the motive of Superbike Tyres will be to provide better mileage, easy transitions, smooth tractions, better grip to bad road conditions and avoidance of accidents, and focus on providing top-notch performance.
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Kinds of superbike tyres
Tube Tyres
Tube tyres are traditional and have been around in the automobile industry for the longest. They hold pressurized air. The tube is separate from the tyre and is used on spoked tyres. Hard substances like rocks, nails, glass pieces can permeate or create holes in tube tyres easily. It is not the best option for superbikes in the arena of superbike tyres; there are several safer options available.
Tubeless Tyres
Tubeless tyres work with full accuracy and concentric performance. In terms of design, performance, safety and maintenance, their standards are top-notch. Their high-protection leaves little to no chance of the tyres becoming vulnerable to bad road conditions. They can be mended easily.
Radial Tyres
Radial tyres derived its name owing to the shape of its body or construction of cord. The cords pass from bead to bead throughout the tyre. Radial tyres provide smoother rides and offer less friction and high contact of the tread patch on the roads at the moment of taking diversions. Their radial plies run perpendicular to the travel direction and ensures there is less heat and more smooth rides. There will be a significant reduction in fuel consumption due to low rolling resistance. The sidewalls of the tyre are highly flexible.
Bias Tyres
A bias tyre contains several rubber plies intersecting each other. The plies form a thick surface that is less adaptable and more prone to heating. It lies over decreasing the contact area which lowers traction. The cords intersect in the middle of the tyre. Do not mix different kinds of tyres and use only one kind.
Essential points to remember before investing on superbike tyres
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Choose the correct size
Superbike Tyres like every tyre have codes inscribed on their sidewalls. The alphanumeric codes bear standardized details for every rider’s understanding. They carry details as size, aspect ratio, construction type, load index and speed rating. The details should be matched at the times of replacements.
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Tread designs and their differences
People believe the tread designs indicate the road-grip level which is partially true. Some people are attracted to particular designs due to their visual appeal, sometimes it is the cost factor that leads to making of choices, but superbikes do have specific designs to match the requirements of the engine, bike weight and road conditions. As regards the grip level, take a deeper look at the tyre compound than the tread pattern. Standard Superbike Tyres will be made of hard compounds to provide better grip, longer life and better efficiency.
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Mixing different tyre styles
Mixing different tyre designs and patterns is a serious ‘NO’ unless it is recommended. Usually, tyres on the front and rear are of the same design and pattern. Choosing different patterns or following ideas without recommendations and precautions can damage the bike or even your life.
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Wide Tyres and their fit
Wide Tyres have better appeal and regards than any tyres, but their satisfaction lies only on that segment and is not carried forward towards performance. Thinking from technical perspectives, A tyre grows from all sides when exposed to high heat levels and centrifugal force. It indicates the need for clearance once there is a movement. Fitting a wider tyre will hit the vital parts like chain set or swing-arm. Opting for a higher profile rubber than required will increase the circumference of the wheel. A common misconception among many riders is “Using wide tyres provides better grip”. The statement is partially true. But mostly using wider tyres will also increase the fuel economy and continually drop the performance factor of the motorcycle.
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Using tubeless tyre on tube-type rim or tube tyre on tubeless rim
Using tubeless motorcycle tyres with a tube is allowed only in cases of emergency. Both the tube and tubeless tyres have independent designs and vary in many aspects. They both have received their respective names due to their differences. Tubeless tyres have a fortified bead design, so it locks the air against the rim impermeably and lets no air out. The beads of tube tyres do not serve the purpose, as they do they require a tube for holding up the air. Both the ways are not recommended unless suggested by the manufacturer. Doing the reverse of recommendation as a trial and error for the fun of experimenting may land you in trouble. Hence, it is wise to stick with manufacturer’s recommendations and specifications.
Final words
Superbike Tyres have greater sidewalls and average toughness. Several categories of bikes like racing, sport touring and sport bikes fall into the category of Superbike and require superbike tyres. They possess more tenacity towards tolerating bad roads and road conditions, and avoid getting easily damaged by hard substances like rocks, needles and glass pieces. Investing on the right superbike tyres will guard the vehicle in the long-term and require less investment and avoid damages. Solicit expert advice and guidance from genuine sellers and be informed about the right accessories investment choices.