Bigger Tyres is safer on road??

[zenl]

Hey guys,

Anyone have experiences with riding bikes on Bigger tyres as compare to smaller tyres?

It is right to say that Bigger typres are wider and have more contact with the road, thus safer and more stable?

 

How to read the tyres specification eg. ( Front:110/90-13 Rear:130/90-13 )?

 

Thanks anyone..

[papabread79]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tire_code

 

http://www.bridgestoneselect.com.au/learntyres/ReadingYourTyreSize.aspx

[Baz00ka]

Bigger tyre is safer; given an example on uneven road, with 2B bike (i.e. usually tyre is with smaller width), it prone to waggle while moving on such road, but not for the bigger tyre. That's from my personal experience. But bigger tyre may not necessarily apply when it comes to performance, smaller one might be better, beats me!

[anthony_c]

Personally i feel that it isn't so much of the tyre size. Usually bigger tyres mean bigger cc bike, and such bikes are heavier, which means more stable and less wobbly. Bigger bike & tyres do feel safer generally, but ultimately nothing is much safer when it comes to oil patches, sand, even rain.... My rear tyre size is 180, went into MSCP one rainy day just to slip and fall, after that realise there was a wet plastic bag on the ground

 

Tyre specs: 110/90-13

'110' is the width of the tyre in mm

'90' is the height of the tyre sidewall, in percentage of the tyre width

'13' is the diameter of the tyre in inches (for 13" rims)

[anthony_c]

double post

[MrHui]

Bigger tyres = More contact on the road esp on corners, thus making it safer and more stability.

Thinner tyres = Pick up slightly faster but you have to be careful on wet days when cornering.

[736cc]

i have seem RXZ with "bicycle style" Thinner tyres. are those safe on the road?

[Chemol]

In general, yes. More rubber = more grip. Will accelerate faster, and stop faster, since tyre size is commensurate with engine power.

 

But it boils down to the rider.

 

Confident enough to handle the height and weight?

 

Skilful enough to control the power/brakes?

 

Make enough to feed such a baby?

 

Some will say, the bigger the tyres, the more dangerous the bike. Just ask the 'busa riders.

[aRcHeR]

Bigger tyre is safer; given an example on uneven road, with 2B bike (i.e. usually tyre is with smaller width), it prone to waggle while moving on such road, but not for the bigger tyre. That's from my personal experience. But bigger tyre may not necessarily apply when it comes to performance, smaller one might be better, beats me!

 

2b wobbles because of the the bike is lighter than >2A bike..

 

not the width of the tires..

[dark_angel]

the skills and the safety of the rider is more impt than the tire size. tire size only increase ur safety level IF you are a safety rider urself. if you ride like no tmr think even with lorry tires, also not safe.

[fleas]

In general, yes. More rubber = more grip. Will accelerate faster, and stop faster, since tyre size is commensurate with engine power.

 

But it boils down to the rider.

 

Confident enough to handle the height and weight?

 

Skilful enough to control the power/brakes?

 

Make enough to feed such a baby?

 

Some will say, the bigger the tyres, the more dangerous the bike. Just ask the 'busa riders.

 

 

erm, i thought bigger tire = less acceleration but more grip for stopping?

 

thinner tire = lighter + less friction = more acceleration.

 

i could be wrong

[deathism]

erm, i thought bigger tire = less acceleration but more grip for stopping?

 

thinner tire = lighter + less friction = more acceleration.

 

i could be wrong

 

Not that I mean to correct you, but I think you mean rolling resistance rather than friction.

 

Wider tires

 

Pros:

Larger surface area in contact with road surface, therefore you have more grip at corners and on straights (but this depends on profile of tire?)

 

Cons:

Without sufficient weight (motorbike) the increased surface area contact will be negated by an increased chances of aquaplanning.

More rolling resistance therefore requiring more power (be it for braking or accelerating) to overcome the inertia.

Costs more

 

Narrower Tires

 

Pros:

Seemingly more responsive acceleration due to lesser rolling resistance.

Seemingly improved braking power also due to lesser rolling resistance.

Cheaper.

 

Cons:

Lesser surface area in contact with the ground resulting in increased risk of skidding

The "improved" braking power, coupled with lesser surface area in contact with the ground increases instances of wheel locks.

 

 

That isnt everything, but it's what i can recall off-hand.

[Chemol]

erm, i thought bigger tire = less acceleration but more grip for stopping?

 

thinner tire = lighter + less friction = more acceleration.

 

i could be wrong

 

In a sense, you're right. For example, a family car with tyres as wide as a truck's will suffer a huge performance penalty, the rest being equal.

 

However, we want tyres to be wide enough. This is typically a function of engine power.

 

Sports cars like Ferraris have very wide tyres, and very powerful brakes.

 

As we go from Class 2B to 2 bikes, the tyre width increases to handle the additional power. If we replace the Yamaha R1's (1000cc) wheels with those from a 125cc Honda Wave, the tyres will slip with just a little throttle. Can't brake either.

[naim]

In a sense, you're right. For example, a family car with tyres as wide as a truck's will suffer a huge performance penalty, the rest being equal.

 

However, we want tyres to be wide enough. This is typically a function of engine power.

 

Sports cars like Ferraris have very wide tyres, and very powerful brakes.

 

As we go from Class 2B to 2 bikes, the tyre width increases to handle the additional power. If we replace the Yamaha R1's (1000cc) wheels with those from a 125cc Honda Wave, the tyres will slip with just a little throttle. Can't brake either.

 

though bikes and 4-wheeled vehicles are different. cux we use the tires to corner as well. our tires are curved whereas 4-wheel vehicles have flat tyres, to increase the contact patch area. for bikes, if u compare between cls 2B and cls 2, actually the contact patch is not much difference. bigger bikes have bigger tyres to allow more cornering angle. dats the main difference. normal riding, its almost negligible when it comes to size. this is where the tyre compound plays its part to create friction. big bike tyres generally have more R&D and uses more exclusive ingredients in the compound to increase friction.

[antartica]

that's true as a general rule of thumb, just don't go "dark side" http://darkside.nwff.info/

[Chemol]

though bikes and 4-wheeled vehicles are different. cux we use the tires to corner as well. our tires are curved whereas 4-wheel vehicles have flat tyres, to increase the contact patch area. for bikes, if u compare between cls 2B and cls 2, actually the contact patch is not much difference. bigger bikes have bigger tyres to allow more cornering angle. dats the main difference. normal riding, its almost negligible when it comes to size. this is where the tyre compound plays its part to create friction. big bike tyres generally have more R&D and uses more exclusive ingredients in the compound to increase friction.

 

A Honda Wave can lean into a corner and scrape its pegs. It's more to do with power than lean angles.

Edited May 12, 2012 by Chemol

[aswin]

basically i feel its more stable and safer

[FirmanWahab]

With better tyres and bigger one, there'll be more srface area = more contact on the road. Make you feel confident, but it's the rider that ensure it is safe or not.

[zenl]

Thanks everyone here for sharing!

 

A broader wheel base actually make me feel more control to navigate on the road.

But at the same time, when it comes to bigger engine bikes, seriously, i have no confident in handling.. (actually scared that a small mis-throttle would send the bike flying.. sound too powerful)

 

Have anyone tried putting on a bigger wheel on a small cc. engine bike?

[antartica]

 

Have anyone tried putting on a bigger wheel on a small cc. engine bike?

 

a possible e.g. could be the TW200?

[ahcongie]

bigger tyre would have a bigger contact surface on the road, but it is still vulnerable to oil, rain etc..

most importantly is to warm up your tyre first before doing tight corners..