Summer
is fading fast, and temperatures are falling. So are your motorcycle tires up to the task of cold, wet
roads? Have you ever tried to
"google" winter motorcycle tires? Find any?
While researching tires for my Subaru Outback, I learned a lot
about winter automotive tires. And
since we BMW riders like to ride regardless of the time of year, I thought I'd
share some of what I learned.
Winter tires have rubber compounds that are very pliable especially in
cold temperatures. They have
highly porous or hydrophilic rubber that adheres to the wet film on the ice
surface. And they have thousands
of sipes cut into the tread to increase traction.
What does this mean to us?
Well, your normal performance motorcycle tire that grips the track with
tread temperatures of 200° is incompetent as its tread compound becomes like
"hard plastic" at below 32°.
So if you ride your bike in the winter, don’t ride it like you ride in
the summer. For example, if you
ride it to work and take this one curve at a particular speed in the summer,
slow down in the winter even if the curve is clean and dry. Because the road surface is cold, and
your tire may be cold as well.
Remember, your tire contact patches with the road surface are about the
same size or smaller than the palm of your hand! We want that cage driver to think, “That guy has balls to be
riding.” not “Serves you right you stupid @##, of course you’re going to fall,
it’s winter.” Keep the shiny parts
up.
