Motorbike Tyres
Bridgestone intends to greet the New Year by launching a further addition to its premium Battlax range on January 1, the Battlax Hypersport S20. The sport radial will be released in four front wheel and seven rear wheel sizes and first introduced into the European market, followed by a Japan market launch a month later. Plans are also in place to sell the Battlax Hypersport S20 in the Americas, Asia and Oceania.
Dunlop’s launch of its latest touring tyre, the RoadSmart II, is a move from the manufacturer to meet “tougher expectations” in the two-wheel segment. Developed to succeed its RoadSmart, Dunlop says the new premium tyre uses Jointless Belt and Multi-Tread technologies derived from the brand’s motorsport involvement to deliver class-equalling or class-beating performance in key handling areas, alongside the substantial mileage traditionally required of tyres in the segment. “The sport touring market has seen a lot of changes in recent years,” says Sharon Antonaros, marketing director Dunlop motorcycle tyres EMEA.
Maxxis has become the latest tyre manufacturer to join TyreSafe. As a full TyreSafe member, Maxxis will benefit from early participation and involvement in the group’s campaigns and activities. It will also have access to a wide range of TyreSafe publicity material, both printed and online.
Next year, Michelin will introduce three new track-oriented motorcycle tyre ranges: The Power Cup, a replacement for the Power One Competition, and the Power Slick and Power Rain to replace the company’s current slick and rain line-ups.
Continental has released the Scooty, Traily and Classic scooter tyres which will run alongside the current Twist and K62 products in the range. According to the company, all are suitable for front or rear fitment. All three new tyres will be available from mid-September.
Avon Tyres has announced that it will support the Castle Combe race event held on September 3 to honour the Wiltshire track’s 60th anniversary. Avon’s global motorcycle sales manager Graham Matcham said, “We have a very close working relationship with Castle Combe and with both companies being so near it is understandable that we have used our ‘local’ circuit almost constantly over the last 60 years to help develop our world-beating tyres. We are delighted to be taking part in this exciting event and are looking forward to showing Castle Combe’s visitors our 100th anniversary display.”
In September, Michelin will launch a tyre it says delivers unrivalled tyre life. Naturally, this is a bold statement to make about any tyre and the manufacturer therefore supports this claim with results of independent tests conducted in the United States. Testing of Michelin’s new product, the Commander II, was carried out using a Harley-Davidson Electra Glide Classic and Michelin reports an impressive outcome: The rear tyre proved itself capable of covering distances of up to 25,000 miles or 40,000 kilometres; this is, Michelin comments, almost double the distance the Commander II’s direct competitors can cover. The front tyre displayed an even greater longevity.
Continental has just published its new 2011 motorcycle and scooter tyre technical manual. According to the UK distributor of these products, the manual contains a wealth of information about each of the tyres in the range and a very comprehensive fitment and pressure guide, the manual has the key information that dealers need.
Cambrian Tyres has just released the second edition of its 2011 price catalogue. The 170 page catalogue lists the full ranges available from Avon, Bridgestone, Continental, Dunlop, Metzeler, Michelin and Pirelli and reflects recent price increases made by the manufacturers. The price list also features a fitment guide to aid customers in selecting the correct size tyres for all bikes made in the last 35 years.
Following recent positive reviews in the consumer press, Maxxis has announced that it is showcasing its latest range of motorcycle tyres, including its new sports touring radial, the MA-3DS Supermaxx Diamond, in a special supplement in leading consumer motorcycling magazine MCN.
Following its victory in the German PS motorcycle sports magazine tyre tests on 5 May, Bridgestone’s Battlax BT-016 Pro Hypersport is back on the podium again, singled out by Germany’s Motorrad magazine as the “best motorcycle sports tyre in the rain” and joint overall winner of its 2011 sports tyre test. Motorrad tested two 2011 newcomers, including the redesigned Battlax BT-016 Pro, against the best tyres from 2010 in a comparative evaluation of 180/55 tyres on a Honda CBR 600RR on the race circuit, open road and wet track.
With motorcyclists feeling the pinch of world-wide recession, sales data from Avon Tyres for the first half of 2011 shows an increasing trend towards the number of older bikes being kept on the road. The trend indicates two things, according to Avon – riders are keeping their older bikes on the road for longer to help combat the economic downturn but it could also illustrate a wider appreciation by classic bike owners for the gems they have hidden in their garages. Rather than refurbishing their bike and keeping it locked away to be preserved and merely admired, Avon reckons that riders are choosing more and more to actively enjoy their rides. And, as a result, the Company’s wide range of suitable tyres for classic and older bikes is enjoying a surge in sales.
Pirelli’s Angel ST sport touring tyres are now available from all outlets with £25 cashback on every set purchased, the manufacturer has announced. The Angel ST tyres recently set a World 24-hour duration record, covering 3191 miles on one set. Using the Nardo test circuit in Italy, the endurance team logged an average speed of 132.9 mph, which in tyre-life terms equates to 7,500 miles under normal road conditions, Pirelli says. The offer runs throughout June and July.
Pirelli is returning to the scene of some of its pre-season F1 testing this weekend, the Circuit de Catalunya in Montmelo on the outskirts of Barcelona. The supplier’s PZero tyres – or at least, previous iterations of the evolving rubber – have been seen there four times already: once last year in private testing, twice this year during the official test ‘season’, and once more as part of Pirelli’s on-going private test campaign last month. This means that teams and Pirelli alike have a good deal of data on Barcelona, with its challenging mixture of corners and speeds highlighting every aspect of a car’s performance. Motorsport director at the Italian brand Paul Hembery says “the new tyre – which we have tested extensively – reduces degradation and improves tyre wear.
Pirelli has announced a new cashback offer of £25 to UK riders purchasing sets of its Diablo Rosso Corsa or new Diablo Rosso II tyres. The hypersport segment Rosso Corsa, launched last year, is the Italian manufacturer’s “first tyre developed using technology and research gained as a direct result of Pirelli’s involvement in the World Superbike series,” it says, while the just-launched Rosso II – a sports tyre designed for road use – contains similar motorsport-derived technologies. The Diablo Rosso Corsa and Diablo Rosso II are available in the front size 120/70ZR17, with rear fitments: 160/60ZR17, 180/55ZR17, 190/50ZR17 and 190/55ZR17.
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