Tyre tread design

Motorcycling
1

Just had these tyres fitted, Michelin Pilot Road 2’s, great, no problem with them but just wondering how the tread on the front works. They are fitted as per the picture below:

The rear tyre tread (right) goes from the cetre to the outside so any water the tyre rolls onto is pushed to the outside of the tyre leaving the middle of the tyre clear to sit on tarmac.

Oddly, the front tyre has the reverse tread - the tread appears to push water towards the middle of the tyre. (They are fitted this way round)

I checked in my local bike shop and other bikes have tyres with similar tread patterns fitted the same way and the arrows on the tyre are pointing in the direction of rotation so it’s fitted properly.

Just wondering if anybody can explain how that works ! :ermm: I know a bike tyre is curved and car tyres are flat but surely it would make sense to have the tread the other way round ?

2

I think it’s for the braking force which is reversed on the front when at the bottom as apposed to the rear being for acceleration. Nowt to do with water IMO :unsure:

Stand to be corrected though :wink:

3

So how do you like the new tyres?

4

I thought exactly the same when mine were fitted Steve! Thought they’d gone on the wrong way but saw the arrows and the fitters own bike had them that way - worked well in the rain this week :slight_smile:

5

Thanks, Grim, you might be right :slight_smile: Hadn’t thought of that, but isn’t a car the same ?

RK, sent you PM, tyres are great !

6

I got caught on the A1 when it turned into a pond on Wednesday and they were fine, felt very solid even at speed but I’d like to know why. I’ll ring Michelin and see if they know :cool:

7

I’m in agreement with the Grim meister.

Rear tyres have to provide tremendous traction forces where front tyres pucker up with heavy braking.

I don’t think it matters too much which direction the water goes as long as its displaced.

8

The race tyres on my RS2000 had directional tyres dependant on front or rear fitment. :slight_smile:

9

I have just spoken to Michelin and the short answer is that they don’t know why it disperses water so well but it does. He said the tread is for water dispersal and although it looks wrong he’s seen it working from underneath and it does push out a lot of water.

I got the impression he’d been asked that question before :slight_smile:

10

So they should be called Michelin Luckies then?:wink: