‘Sotong’ Tyres – Appearance Before Safety

Skinny is beautiful, at least according to a minority of motorcyclists in Asia – yet for these riders, beauty can also involve suffering. Singapore’s Straits Times newspaper brings word of a potentially dangerous trend, that of so-called “sotong tyres.” These tyres are thinner than regular motorcycle tyres and are said to be prized for their looks and promise of speed.

The name sotong comes from the Malay word for squid, a moniker adopted due to the tyres’ resemblance to calamari rings. Some sotong tyres are just 45mm wide and have 40mm sidewalls. Although not widely sold in Singapore due to safety concerns, motorcycle owners are able to readily source these skinny tyres in Malaysia and Thailand.

According to the Straits Times, the trend towards thin tyres first emerged around a decade ago in Thailand as interest in motorcycle modification increased. Riders in Singapore jumped onto the bandwagon after seeing photos of the modified bikes on Thai websites.