Bias-Ply Motorcycle Tires vs. Radial Motorcycle Tires | MC Garage
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- čas přidán 25. 07. 2024
- There’s a lot rolling on your motorcycle’s tires, but do you know what’s beneath the tread rubber, or what the difference is between a bias-ply and a radial tire? We’ll explain in this video from the MC Garage.
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Despite all the different sizes and purposes and appearances, tires only really come in two varieties: You’ve got your bias-ply, or cross-belt tires as they’re sometimes called, and your radials. Up until the ’70s all bikes rolled on bias-ply tires, but as motorcycles got faster and more powerful and as riders began carrying knee-dragging lean angle, it was clear that a more performance-oriented technology was needed, which is how radial motorcycle tires came into existence.
Before we explain how bias-ply and radials differ in this MC Garage, let’s talk about the general anatomy of tires, which is similar regardless of the design.
Looking at the cross-section above, you’ve got the tread cap which is the part that rolls on the road. Beneath that are layers of fabric that form the tire’s carcass and give its structure. Those fabric layers extend down to form the tire’s sidewalls and wrap around the bead, which is a thick steel cable. All of it is splashed in rubber and represents the insides of a tire, whether it’s bias-ply or radial.
The difference between the two is how those fabric layers, called carcass plies, are oriented. On bias-ply tires, the layers, which are often made of polyester, nylon, or aramid, are laid down diagonally-hence the term “bias”-across the tire in a criss-cross pattern from bead to bead. Occasionally an additional layer or two of fabric will be applied along the tread to strengthen that area, but it’s still applied at an angle and as a whole the tire’s construction is uniform, so the sidewall and the tread area have similar thicknesses and flex properties.
On radial tires, the fabric carcass layers are laid down perpendicular to the bead rather than at an angle, which makes for a more flexible sidewall. Then, on top of the carcass plies, there’s an added layer of belting, most often made of thin steel cable or aramid thread that’s located only beneath the tread and is specifically there to strengthen that area. So with a radial tire, the sidewall and tread have independent constructions, giving those two sections of the tire different flex characteristics. And that’s a big deal if you’re trying to design a tire with very specific behaviors. With a radial, you’re not stuck compromising tread rigidity in favor of sidewall flexibility like you are on a bias-ply, which again has that uniform construction.
What all this boils down to is two families of tires with different behaviors. Bias-ply tires overall are going to be thicker and more robust, with taller sidewalls and rounder profiles. That may have been a good fit for bikes back in the day and it still works well for cruisers and touring bikes, but on the racetrack, in ’70s bias-ply tires were overheating because they couldn’t cope with the power of the bikes and they weren’t providing the handling that riders needed.
Enter the radial tire, first used in the automotive world shortly after WWII, but first tested on racing motorcycles in the 1980s on the 500 GP bike of one baby-faced Freddie Spencer.
Should I Use A Bias-Ply Or Radial Motorcycle Tire?
Rather than relying on layer after layer of fabric to form its structure like a bias-ply, a radial’s carcass might have just two fabric plies and a steel belt, so you end up with a thinner, lighter tire that manages heat better. And because you can tune the stiffness of the sidewall and tread independently, you can design a tire with optimized flexibility, handling, and grip, among other benefits. With radial architecture, you can also build a tire with a broader, flatter crown and shorter sidewalls as is common on modern sportbikes.
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Thanks for that - I learned something new!
TheMissendenFlyer hi
Me too
Hey there kids!
I am surprised that this video makes no mention of the largest market use for bias-ply tires: Offroad/dualsport riding.
All conventional enduro-sized tires are tubed bias-ply tires, with rare exception.
As always, clear, concise, and to the point. Bravo, another winner video
Thank you for that explanation. I had not known the differences between bias-ply and radial tires, or the differences in the way they react/perform. I ride a touring bike, so I will go with by-ply tires. Thanks again.
Like learning new things and/or things maybe I just didn't remember lol!!! Thanks, you guys are great!!
Your channel deserves more subscribers and publicity.
Really good videos of educating a common man.
Great video as always!!!
extraordinary and very instructive! thanks
Sweet información and awesome SV. Thanks.
Hello found your channel on IP-466 and I'm very impressed. Thank you I'm new to riding about 5yrs I have a 2001 Triumph Trophy 900, had a great Repair man in Florida but Now I'm in Memphis TN so a lot of maintenance is now on me Help LOL
I love that you used an Indian Scout for this! I own a red 2018 and I am still loving it 6,000 miles and four months in.
Man, I love content like this!
Excellent video Ari and excellent timing I got a flat tire on my motorcycle yesterday on the way home from work 🙁🙁
Please make a video on the front forks height adjustment. Btw love your videos and I have acquired so much of knowledge by watching your videos. Keep rocking
Thanks man. Great vid. I had no idea
There's also a lot of in between ground too. There's quite a few radial tires out there that are being used on sport touring models like some of the more modern BMW K bikes but there are definitely still a lot of those that run bias ply tires as well
I was actually looking for a video like this
I did my back tire after watching someNJ of your videos and being just fed up with paying a bike dealer to do it for $300+. Plus they gave me a bad one and had to go back and the they charged me labor for their bad tire. So for $200 i got a OEM Dunlop and tools i needed and did it myself and saved $100. I figured out some tricks to getting a tire to bead. None of the usual work but found Dawn soap with windex and 5psi above its normal psi got it on then i just lowered it to normal. This is on a Honda VT750DC so spoked. I almost went with another tire that fit but after learning something from these videos i realized it was a tubeless and all though it may have fit, may have been lets say, not recommended. So thanks for the videos.
Nice video, and as always, learning new things ;) But can you do an video on dampers in a rear wheel with drum bakes, why thy do and how to replace them, thank you.
Best Explanation Ever!!
Thanks for this, Ari. As usual, an insightful video which we can immediately apply.
I have just gotten back to riding after a long break and am wondering how to increase my visibility to drivers. There are of course the standard ways with hi-viz clothes and helmets, reflective tape, etc. However, the advice for the correct placing of additional lights is all over the place.
Could I request please you to make a tutorial about the pros and cons about additional lighting and the their placement on a bike? I ride a Honda Valkyrie 1999 and am thinking about placing two additional lights way down on the highway bar protecting the engine.
Thanks,
Anjaan
I found my Victory Cross Country's handling adversely effected when I switched to a bias-ply set of tires(that will remain nameless ....lol). The bike developed a serious wobble in long turns that no amount of air-pressure adjustment or suspension tuning could fix, my bike had about 15k miles on it at that time). I switched to radials on the next change over.....and fast forward to now with 55k miles and the bike has never had the issue since.
I know that if you get a flat tire on the radial you’re stuck- the bias tire you still can drive slow and get home.
That's a good lookin' bike to do a video on!
Great video as alwaysl One question - how would handling change if I use a radial tyre on a bike with suspension designed for bias-ply tyres?
Very educational thank you
nice information, thanks
Well laid out and stupid simple.👌👍😎
And I thought I knew about tires, thanks for the video
That was great. Most trailer tires are bias ply, I’ve always changed them to radial for the heat issue,
Hello Sir , your videos are really informative . Sir can you please make a video on the possible causes of power loss in a bike after a long term of use . How to diagnose & rectify them as well . Looking forward for your next video .
Thnx 😊
Yaaasssss! Did you guys pick up the Scout for review? Can we expect more videos soon featuring that gorgeous bike???
How about handling characteristics of each. I went from metzler radials on my Bonnie to metzler bias ply and notice the bias plies tend to follow interstate rain grooves whereas I never noticed them on radials. Of course the tread pattern may have some influence on that also
Ari, do you think you could make a video about redoing brake/fluid lines from rubber to braided?
Do a segment on what’s in the MC garage. Equipment, favorite tools, products that work, coffee, music, etc
Hi, very informative, thank you. I have a question, I ride a Vulcan 1600 and recently put new Metzler 880 tires on it. They recommend a radial rear and a bias front. I have no issues with handling but seem to have a lot of road noise, do radials make more noise than bias tires? Thanks again.
Good job Ariel
Could you do a video on relining gas tanks, how to strip and reline old gas tanks. Thanks
Excellent explanation, thanks Ari. Always mounted radials on my sport touring bike, and didn’t even know bout bias-ply. Good I’m always happy to learn something new. Do you know if the same radial technology is also popular in car tyres?
99% of car tyres are radial
A video on adjusting the swingwarm? Its benefits and drawbacks?
Great shopping tip!
im new to all this and trying to figure out what tires to purchase for my 2013 electric glide classic touring, suggestions thank from Ontario canada
No joke your arms keep on getting more vein definition every video
Thanks!!!
what type do enduros generally use? I'd like to see more enduro content on this channel as well :)
Very interesting video! Can you tell me why Harley Davidson puts radial tires on the rear and bias tires on the front of some of there motorcycles? Would you get better handling by switching out the front bias tire to a radial? Things that make you say Hmmm, LOL.
I can't find a radial tire for the front be wheel can I put bias on front be and radial on back wheel. Thanks
Ok, so you outlined the reasons for the current applications of the two but some things were left out. Most of us are familiar with radial tires on our cars, but few, including you Ari, can remember bias plies on cars. On cars, bias plies were lucky to last 30,000 miles, rode like tank treads, and had less than half the traction of a comparable radial on dry or wet pavement. Radials were initially fitted to semi trucks in the U.S. because of their longer tread life and better fuel economy, whereas in Europe, radials were standard on cars in the early '60's. A couple of benefits of radial are: extremely long tread life, excellent traction, and smooth ride. Compare them on expansion strips and worn concrete sometime. So, could a radial be designed to provide similar benefits for cruiser and touring bikes where the benefits would be appreciated for many hours at a time?
Thanks Ari... Could you do a video on radially vs axially mounted callipers?
We already did! czcams.com/video/fWb0B6NYnK0/video.html
What do you suggest to those companies in which we have spokes and radial tyres and tube for examples all the adventure motorcycles, triumph tiger xcx, Honda africa twin, KTM 1290 adventure. I use a 2014 Triumph Bonneville T100, used Outex kit to make it tubeless as it's easier to fix puncture on tubeless.
Nice
What will be your suggestion for bonnie 2014 model, bias or radial?
Please do video about Braided Brake lines.
Is there any different tyre pressures to maintain in both tires or it depends on the bike??
I recently bought a triumph street twin 900. It comes with a bias front and radial rear. In researching replacement tires I'm finding that Michelin is the only manufacturer making this combination. I've found 3 manufacturers that make bias front and rear and one with both front and rear radials. Most of riding is on mountain roads with an occasional road trip. No chicken strips on the oem Michelins that came on it new. The Michelinswork fine but are expensive. Should I go with radials or bias? I always enjoy your vids btw.
can you discuss the differences between leading, trailing and a center mounted axle for front forks?
It's quite similar to angle of the front forks, trailing axle gives more stability, just as more forward facing forks will, thus it is better suited for traveling bike, choppers and cruisers. Leading axle gives better agility and responsiveness, just as more straight down forks, so you will find it on sportbikes, naked bikes and dirtbikes, since they need to be nimble and turn sharp - usually, the axle will be just center mounted because it is easier to make and you can get the desired effect by the angle of the forks.
makes sense. it's kind of an old school question really. kinda like you said I cant even think off the top of my head a bike that isnt center mounted anymore
Nice profile pic
It's a way to change the "trail" without changing the rake angle (I think there is a rake/trail vid on here)
Tetrahydrocannibinol you as well 😎
Do you recommend a B or R on a Triumph explorer xc that'll be ridden 80% road ..20% off road. Thanks
I have a 01’ HD FLSTC-I, should I be running bias or radial tires? Thnx
I own a 2018 Yamaha MT10 that has 4 modes of traction control 0, 1, 2 and 3. I tried to find a video from MC Garage. But haven't found it. Is there a link or no vid yet? Maybe a good subject for a fanatic like me!
How about tire sealant? Are they really wprth it and what are the drawbacks?
standard practice is to use the type of tire (bias or radial) that the bike came with. my 1982 GS1000SZ came with bias ply. what would installing radials do to the handling?
I hope you guys would do a video on why the front tire tread pattern on a motorcycle seems to be oriented incorrectly. Can't find a definitive answer to it
That was a nice explanation!
I have a question though, for small displacement bikes (
It’s not, radial tyres generally have much higher quality rubber.
I love my radials at speed on highways and nice roads but they sure get sketchy on dirt and gravel roads. Fresh "chip & seal" like used everywhere in my area are downright scary for a few weeks.
upside downdog I find fresh chip seal scary with either tire construction. One episode years ago in New Brunswick on the road from Sussex to Saint Martin’s with one very short new section caused our entire group to require a long smoke break even for the non smokers
John Lewis
I don't doubt that! I once had a friend with a mile long driveway which he paid to have finished out with ditches and pea gravel. I told him how difficult it was to ride on so then he had it paved! He was between bikes at the time.
Can i run a radial tire on the front of a goldwing with a bias tire on the rear of the same bike ?
I race with small sportbikes such as the CBR125R and YZFR125, but my tire options are limited because the only manufacturers that produces small radial tires is Michelin with Pilot Street Radial. Can you ride aggressively on bias ply tires on the track and do you need tire warmers ?
Which Tyre would be better for 200cc sports tourer bike ?
Is it safe to run a front radial tyre with tube on a cbr 250r?
Thanks for the video again!! So to be clear?, all spoke tube tires are bias ply? Like the heidenau k76 for example or metzeler tourance?
That's what I was always led to believe, and it's what I was recently told by tire engineers I interviewed, but just yesterday I looked at the new Husqvarna Vitpilen 401 and it's got spoke wheels running radials with tubes... I'd be willing to bet that on that application they weren't worried about excess friction and heat because the bike is so light and relatively low on power.
That’s interesting as my 2014 Triumph Thunderbird LT came with spokes , radials , and tubes front and rear and I replaced them with that same combination but a different brand of tire . This motorcycle is a porker at 850 pounds . This is the smoothest riding motorcycle in the group I keep . I attributed it to the radials . My wife and I have done some touring and overloading on it for sure and there has never been any signs of distress on the tubes at tire changes . I average about 11,000 miles on set of tire on this machine . I’m lucky to get 7,000 miles on the other machines tires .
So Ari, there is no difference in the rim for bias tire wheels and radial tire wheels? How about the rim for tube tires vs non tube tires? Also if I find the same size it is ok to mix and swap radials and bias on any bike?
Can someone please answer the question, can bias and radial be ran on the same bike. Bias front and radial rear. Harley RK. Thanks
You could have mentioned the life of both types. As Bias ply lasts long and Radial gives more grip
Uh, I did. czcams.com/video/FwcoGGZ1hUA/video.htmlm4s
My bike with tubbed spoked rims came from the Triumph factory with bias tyres on the front....radial on the rear....how does that work??
I am curious: The front tire size 100/90 19 seem to be only available in bias-ply, do you know why ?
I just bought a 2020 Tiger 900 GT (i love her) & stock tires are a Radial 150/70R17 rear & a Bias-Ply 100/90-19 front.
Hi bro my ninja 250r fi had ah problem could you help me whats problem on it ?
Is there a number on the tire that identifies it as either bias or radial? I was shipped a tire other then what I ordered and need to know how to see the difference in the two?
I just bought a 2010 Goldwing and it came with Radials. Its a 900# bike would I be better off going to Bias-Ply when it comes time to replace them?
My bike came with bias ply tires I’m planning on switching to radials. Both are tubeless any thoughts?
soft carcass tires vs hard carcass. how each tire feels and what situation suits best for each individual tire?
Feedback? which give more feedback on corners, please
Can you please cover if exhaust popping / backfires are bad for the bike? and possible solutions like block off plates etc.
Usually a sign of a bike running lean.
can anyone tell me why the front tyre tread is usually patterned as such that the grooves are pointing to the middle of the tyre unlike the rear tyre?
So, which types are best for which motorcycles? You mentioned bias ply is good for certain types of motorcycles - which?
How do you take apart a transmission to clean it and see what needs to be replaced?
My little R3 came stock with Michellin Pilot street Bias Ply 110 front 140 rear. Utter shit tires. Always very sketchy on wet weather, had very low grip, would chatter alot(rear wheel during downshifts) and just overall terrible performance. Caused many riders in our country to lowside as these tires were very sketchy around corners, which we have alot of.
Thank God I switched to Radial tires. Better overall performance. Makes the bike even more fun around the corners.
I got a set of Dunlop sportmax D222 radials from a friend (120 front 160 rear) for around the equivalent of $22 in our currency. It came stock on his kawi Versys 650 and only had 1,400 original kilometers on it. Great deal really. I suggest other R3 owners to immediately change the stock shitty tires. Its a good investment trust me.
Yea my MT03 stock tyres weren't that great. I changed to Battlax BT45 which are actually bias ply, but dual compound (softer on the edges), they seem to be durable and pretty good for commuting and wet weather. Curious as to whether the bias ply would put me at much of a disadvantage compared to equivalent quality radials on the track.
How does running 120 and 160 on a little 320cc go for you? Does it lose much of it's easy flickability? I'm considering this route too.
stickybugs05 me so jealous of the MT03 sadly they only gave us the R3 here. Would've wanted a naked R3 cause I hate all these fairing bullcrap.
The dunlops that I run are both dual compound as well but it is rather lazy when it comes to turns but its all because of the rather round and flat profile of the rear tire. I ran shinko apex/verge 120&160's on my last set which has a steeper and narrower profile and the bike just falls to the side and darts through corners.
Guess it should be noted that these Dunlops were intended for sport tourers hence the round profile which makes it really stable on straights and rather lazy at turns but it suits my overall riding style. The shinkos were great bang for the buck tires. Sticky, agile, and confidence inspiring, but wears quite quickly.
Changing tire profile didn't really affect much of the handling just gotta get used to the different tyre profiles. Also, the 120/70/17 front raises the front end of the bike a bit and makes it have that "Multistrada" stance. Rectifiable by dropping the clipons by an inch or two. Bigger tires also make it look better i.m.o. haha
Thanks for the info reply! Yea actually was an MT25 (we don't get 300cc Yamaha here due to taxes), but I stroked it up to 320cc. The Multistrada stance wouldn't be so bad on a naked I guess, more just worried about changing the characteristics of the bike because it's so damn nimble. Seems the class of tyre matters more than simply the size though, by what you say I think a more sporty tyre would still tip in nicely.
got an r3 too .. my rear tire just got worn out .. im thinking of getting a 130x70 17 at the rear and when the time comes for the front im planning on sizing it down to 100x80 17 .. what's you're opinion on sizing down the wheels on r3 ?
DUDES, i have a YAMAHA Motard and switched from diagonal tyres to radial.
GO FOR PIRELLI DIABLO ROSSO II or 3. Very good braking capacity in the wet (i dont have abs) and still able to brake quite hard in a straight line in the wet), good traction and warms up to optimal grip level with not much effort if you use the right pressure for YOUR rider + bike weight .
Good when it comes about lean angles and trail braking.
Better than this you only have supersport tyres or track tyres like diablo supercorsa (for both aplications)
Wish i had and YAMAHA R3, i would go those tyres straight away cause i liked them so much.
I have a 1990 CBR600F(1), it has 110/80/17 on front and 140/80/17 on the back, I want to go 110/70 and 140/70 and get pirelli diablo rosso 3's. They are radial and not sure if they will fit the bike? anyone have any ideas?
What are the technical downsides to running a bias on the rear and a radial on the front?
2022 Ducati Multistrada V4S
Can I put a radial on my bike that came with bias ply.
What is a good Front tire for a Trike?
Can you provide some insight as to why an OEM spec split of bias and radial tires is of value to a consumer? I recently purchased a motorcycle that, from the factory, has a radial rear and bias ply front. I have been riding for many years and consider myself an educated consumer. I have learned from riding sport bikes over the 28 years of riding to not mix these two types of constructed tires primarily for handling purposes. This is a 2015 cruiser.
pmdinaz Cruiser's are more for slow speed traveling. They split them, at a guess, because a Bias does better for control whereas the radial on the rear provides better traction.
John Derek Mitchell that was honestly my thought as well, thanks for the info!
Since both cruisers and sport bikes that are not doing track days can only go 85 mph max, does it really matter?
Hnnnngg those bicep veins OmG!!
Do bias tires last for more miles?
all I knew about tires structure before: tube and tubeless that was useful
Can we use radial in rear and bias in Front?..it's my huge doubt.. Anybody have answer for this?
Please make a video for tube less tire and tube tire...
If you end up doing a video on that, also include halters and muses :) . Oh and heavy duty tubes, I've been thinking about switching to them but nobody I know uses them and I wonder just how much it affects handling.
ply can have a tube and radial cannot. Ply is very simple and primitive design whereby a tube can be used as it’s doesn’t have the wire layer that a radial does. Radials can be plugged due to their construction, ply can be patched or tubed Hope this helps a bit 👍
Can bias tires be run tubeless?
How to identify these tyres by observing??
Why do smaller sport bikes (sub 400cc) still use cross-ply from the manufacturer? IRC's RX range being very common.
Because they are cheap. But they’re also dangerously shit most of the time.
would you please consider yamaha super tenery adventure bike in term of review and favorite and fails, frankly the last is my favorite 😍😍😍😂😂😂
Great video but oh man that audio hurts.