Listen to the podcast
Are you thinking about putting directional tires on your motorcycle or scooter? Then, this episode will give you a few pointers about what you must know first.
Tune in to discover:
- What makes directional tires so special
- Why it’s crucial that directional tires are fitted the right way – and what can happen if you don’t
- How you can determine that a directional tire is fitted the right way
Resources:
Transcript
Hello, and welcome to another episode of 30-minute motorcycling – a podcast for those riders who are at the beginning of their own Dual Wheel Journey, where you’ll discover something new about how your motorcycle, moped, or scooter works – in less than 30 minutes.
And this time, we’re diving into the topic of motorcycle tires – specifically, directional tires.
If you’re thinking about fitting a directional tire to your motorcycle or scooter, there are a few things you must know first, such as how they work, why it’s so crucial to fit them correctly, and how you can make sure that you do.
Before we get to that, though, we need to talk about what a directional tire is.
A directional tire is a special tire type that is excellent for handling high speeds while reducing the risk of hydroplaning.
And it’s all thanks to the unique tire tread pattern, which has a shape similar to the letter “V.”
It’s easy to tell if a tire is directional or not by the fact that it has the word “Rotation” or “Directional” stamped on its sidewall, next to a small arrow.
But this arrow isn’t just for show, it’s actually very important. But why?
Remember how I said earlier that directional tires are great for high-speed handling and reducing the risk of hydroplaning?
Well, it’s absolutely true – as long as the tire is fitted the right way, of course.
If you fit a directional tire the wrong way, your traction will suffer, and if you ride through a water puddle after or even during a rainstorm, your risk of hydroplaning actually increases.
The complete opposite of what it’s supposed to do, in other words. But that’s not all, because a directional tire fitted the wrong way will also wear down faster compared to one that’s correctly fitted.
And if you’re tuning in from the UK, you must pay close attention, because an incorrectly fitted directional tire could set you up for even more trouble than increased tyre wear.
But what could possibly be worse than that? Well, failing your MOT inspection, for one.
Yes, if you take your bike in for its MOT inspection, and the inspector discovers that your directional tires are fitted incorrectly, it’s often enough to fail the bike’s MOT – meaning that it’s no longer legal to ride on public roads.
If you’d like to know more about what an MOT inspection is, check out episode 5 of this podcast.
But anyway, if it wasn’t already clear enough, your directional tires must be fitted correctly. But how can you make sure they are?
Here’s where the unique tire tread pattern comes in. If the tire has been fitted correctly, you’ll be able to see the “V-shape” when you look at the tread itself.
And there you have it – that was a quick explanation about what directional tires are, why it’s so important that they’re fitted correctly, and how you can tell if they are fitted the right way.
I hope that you enjoyed listening and above all, that you learned something new.
Until next time, keep your helmet on and your eyes on the road. Bye!
