manilva15b wrote:Well done Sammy.
I would also add grip. Cars have four tyres of flat profile, whereas bikes only have two rounded tyres. This means that bikes only have 1/4 of the amount of rubber on the road. Super-sticky rubber compounds can increase grip (anyone know how much?).
manilva15b wrote:Bike tyres are designed to cope with the enormous accelerative and decelerative forces placed on them, which is why they last such a short time, as short as 2,000 miles though 6-8 thousand is more the average.
manilva15b wrote:Also because bike tyres are rounded, the grip available is pretty constant (ignoring multi-compund tyres) even when leant over. The same is not true of cars where loss of grip is very significant if one or more tyres lift during cornering. The effect is that bikes can corner at quite high speed relative to the amount of tread on the road.
manilva15b wrote:Poor driving conditions however, can drastically reduce the grip available to bike tyres - how many bikers are out there in the snow and ice?
manilva15b wrote:The point of all this is that motorcyclists need just as much space as a car, their safety zone is larger relative to the size of vehicle. Give them the space!
SammyTheSnake wrote: I get about 6000 miles from my rear tyre (Bridgestone BT45) but my front tyre seems to last much longer, more like 15,000 miles.
I remember the first time I replaced my rear tyre, there was very heavy rain right when I was trying to wear off all the release compound (they recommend 100miles of dry driving before using any power while leaned over) Out of curiosity, I tried some power while setting off from a traffic light, while sat in a puddle about an inch deep. Even with the most adverse conditions above freezing, I managed a wee wheelie, so there's something to be said for the soft rubber
SammyTheSnake wrote:I think the significant factor here isn't actually the grip, so much as the balance. As I mentioned in my post above, loss of grip in a car is far easier to cope with safely, whereas loss of grip on a bike can rapidly lead to a complete loss of balance. How many car drivers oversteer and end up unhurt? How many bike riders end up tipped off the bike in the same circumstances? Remember also that many bikers also have cars and are wusses in cold weather
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