The debate that is not a debate: When it comes to braking, what is more important? A good tyre or a good braking system? There is no debate here: they are complementary. The fact that the brake-tyre system is in good condition guarantees us a plus in safety, both on the road and when stopping the bike.
That’s why it’s important to invest in tyres as much as in the braking system. Although sometimes we don’t pay enough attention to these details when choosing a bike, it should be a crucial point. We refer to the set of disc, caliper and brake pad.
As for the tyre, in this article we will break down the information provided by the manufacturer and is engraved on the side of it. This information provides us with extremely important data when deciding.
For example, let’s look at this inscription: 180/55 17 M/C 73W.
180: width of the tyre in millimetres.
55: tyre profile as a percentage of the height and width.
17: tyre diameter in inches.
M/C: exclusive tyres for motorbikes.
73: load index.
W: speed limit. In this case, up to 270 km/h.
The letters indicating the speed limit correspond to:
- T: up to 190 km/h
- H: up to 210 km/h
- V: up to 240 km/h
- W: up to 270 km/h
- And: up to 300 km/h
- ZR: more than 240 km/h
Another piece of information to be taken into account is when it was manufactured. For example: DOT 3219.
DOT (Department of Transport): these acronyms indicate that the tyre is approved for USA and Canada.
3219: manufactured in week 32 of the year 2019, (August 2019).
You will also find an engraved arrow that indicates the direction of rotation the wheel should be mounted in order to run correctly with respect to the drawing. In addition, information on the composition by layers, whether it is front or rear and other less relevant data.
We can even find some curious data, such as the letters NHS, which catalog the tyre as exclusive for competition.
And finally, a detail to observe continuously: the wear indicator. We refer to those tabs in the pattern, usually 1.6 millimeters, the minimum depth at which a worn tyre can work before replacement.
