Quote:
Originally Posted by ZeroGravity360
Okay, this is where I am VERY confused.
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Trust me, you're not alone. Seasoned track riders still ask about tires, the differences and such. There are pro's and cons to bias-ply vs radial. As of right now though, it's mostly all about tread rubber compounds for these little bikes. Some of the longer lasting tire tread compounds are found on bias-ply tires. The hardness is what ensures the longer milage life but at the expense of higher traction levels. At the same time, much of the radial tire market for sport bikes is geared toward "cornering performance" riding habits. Which in turn has the manufacturers putting softer tread compounds on the tire surface. That is why you get less miles out of them.
That is why you had Alex recommend the Michelin Pilot Street. It's a radial tire with a "street rider" oriented tread rubber compound. ie... it's built for pounding pavement vs carving track corners.
To keep thing simple to understand, you have;
DOTs (Department of Transportation) : Street tires (pretty good mileage out of these tires) Since the bias ply construction of the tire handles loads in a softer way, it makes up for the stiffer rubber compound
DOT/RACE : Tires that are street legal, sticky and suitable for track usage (mileage varies) (many dual compound tires here, harder in the center for mileage, softer on the edges for grip in corners)
RACE : Slicks and some NST (Near slick technology) tires, some are street legal, most are not but these are really made for maximum side contact patch traction (mileage normally sucks) Radial tires don't handle loads as softly as bias-plys, this is a good thing for riders that want to feel traction and what is going on under them. Some are a single compound, others are multiple rubber compounds on the sides vs the center
EDIT (for clarity and not counting cars):
DOTs : Both types, bias-ply and radial
DOT/Race : Again, both types but radials are very, very dominant
RACE : Pretty much radials rule this space except for specific applications (drag racings and the likes)