Michelin launches Road 6

The latest in a long line of Michelin sport touring tyres has arrived in the UK, with Cambrian Tyres reporting that selected dimensions of the new Michelin Road 6 are already in stock. A wide range of sizes is expected, including a GT version for heavyweight bikes but – unlike previous generations – there isn’t a separate Trail model.

Michelin says it designed the Road 6 to offer optimised wet grip, longevity, comfort and handling performance to riders of roadsters, trail bikes, sportsbikes and GT motorcycles. In-house comparisons indicate that the tyre offers a 15 per cent improvement in wet grip and a ten percent increase in tyre life compared with its predecessor, the Michelin Road 5. These are improvements in performance made possible by a new tread design, advances in raw materials and an optimised tyre architecture.

Tread design

• An optimised void ratio of 14 per cent (the ratio of grooves to rubber), which gives high levels of grip performance in wet and dry conditions. This ratio does not change when cornering to give consistent feedback.
• Michelin Water EverGrip technology – a patented sipe technology developed by Michelin to give high levels of wet grip and rider confidence in these conditions. The design of these sipes mean they open as the tyre wears.
• New groove and sipe angles, with longer edges to cut through the film of water and grip the road surface.

Road 6 front & rear fitments (Image: Michelin)

Raw materials

• A 100 per cent silica compound featuring Michelin Silica Technology improves grip in cooler conditions and on damp and wet roads, without any compromise on tyre life.
• Michelin 2CT+ (2 Compound Technology) front and rear means that different parts of the tread are optimised for different performance characteristics. The harder under layer of tread rubber maintains rigidity during cornering, whereas the softer upper layer in contact with the road offers very good grip and high mileage in dry and wet conditions.

Architecture

• Michelin Radial X Evo technology – the 90-degree plies on the crown of the tyre ensure a wide footprint giving high grip levels, both in a straight line and at lean angles. The sidewalls of the new generation of Radial X Evo tyres use a special ply fold that provides even more flexibility and greater comfort by absorbing road deformations, and at high speeds the tyre remains stable, making it well-suited to high-powered motorcycles. The overall effect of this technology is that the handling and responsiveness of the tyre are optimised to provide riding pleasure and fun without compromising on safety.
• Michelin Aramid Shield technology is a highly dense, more rigid tyre casing, which helps give excellent feedback and handling. Aramid tread plies resist centrifugal growth at speed, reduce weight and provide excellent stability.

Textured sidewalls another Michelin first

Bearing in mind the pride that many riders have in the appearance of their motorcycles, Michelin has employed its Premium Touch Design in the design of the Michelin Road 6 sidewall, the first time it has done so for a two-wheeler range. This technology uses micro geometry on the sidewalls to create texture, which in-turn allows it to modulate contrast and create shades of grey to highlight the tyre markings and provide an attractive finish.

Available from 1 January 2022, the Michelin Road 6 line-up comprises six front and eight rear sizes, while the Road 6 GT tyre range is available in one front and three rear sizes. Michelin notes that this range provides fitments for everything from small roadsters such as the KTM 390, through sports bikes and trail bikes, up to GT machines such as the BMW K1600 GT/GTL. Cambrian expects to stock all 18 sizes by mid-January. The distributor adds that prices for the Road 5 and Pilot Road 4 have dropped to make way for the Road 6 at the top of Michelin’s sport touring range, while the Pilot Road 3 and Pilot Road 2 are now discontinued.