We give you the best street motorcycle tires to buy in 2021
by Tijo Tenson, onSlick sticky tires always bump up your confidence level while on the saddle. You take faster corners, lean in more, and just enjoy those roads to the fullest. One main aspect that directly connects and improves on these is a good set of tires. The sole contact patch between your ride and the road plays a very crucial role in making or breaking the riding experience. We help you ’make’ the most of that experience and give you the best street motorcycle tires to buy now.
Types Of Street Motorcycle Tires
Sport: These are the slickest of the lot. Sport tires are made for corners and high-speed stability. These tires focus on extreme grip across the rubber surface including the sidewall. These are the lightest tires around and are made of softer compounds. Most high-speed sport tires do come with a stiffer radial construct that adds to the stability.
Touring: Touring tires are derived from sport tires but and more on the harder side to last longer without compromising on traction. You get to see more grooves and denser thread patterns in touring tires to help them tackle all kinds of weather with ease. For added life, touring tires come with a more focused ply construction that has belts made of polyester, or fiberglass to absorb bumps better.
Cruiser: Cruiser and Touring motorcycle tires basically follow the same root format but cruiser tires differ with more straight-line stability. It loses out on a cornering grip to help you stay comfortable on those long cross-country roads. The treads are moderate on these but have harder compounds to last longer. These tires are mostly seen on Harley-Davidson and Indian Motorcycles that are made for the long haul.
Things To Look Out For While Buying A Street Motorcycle Tire
Price And Brand: This is a generic duo when it comes to buying any motorcycle-related products. Pricing plays a crucial role are we are confined to a budget and it is always wise to set the budget limit first and then start scouting for tires in that range. Certain long-standing tire manufacturers have mastered tire making. Most of them provide value-oriented or performance-packed offerings, and nowadays, newcomers are also living up to the big leagues.
Tire Life And Durability: These factors solely depend on the type of motorcycle you ride and how your daily riding routine looks like. For Supersports and high-speed machines, softer compounds make more sense which translates to lesser tire life. Touring tires provide for a much longer life span without compromising much on traction. But durability stays consistent across the tire types, and always check for the construction and prior customer reviews before picking on one.
Thread Pattern And Grip: Tread pattern is directly proportional to the traction capabilities of a tire. Sport tires tend to generally have lesser yet longer threads than touring or cruising tires. Overall grip is, however, limited for tires with lighter thread patterns. Sport tires don’t generally do well in damp or wet climatic conditions. So, make sure to set your goals and choose the tire based on your riding pattern.
Tire Size And Material: Make sure to pick the right tire size as you would be swapping the OEM or previous tires from the same sized rim. You go get a certain degree of tire width options to choose from for a particular diameter as well. Tire material is also paramount and is directly connected to durability, life, and grip levels. Moreover, generally, tires tend to harden when kept untouched or unused for longer durations. So, make sure to pick a new set of tires that were manufactured recently or those that were kept preserved in a tire warmer.
The Top 3 Choices For 2021
Best Street Motorcycle Tire: MICHELIN Road 5 Touring
INSIGHT: These Michelins look like those made for supersport machines for aggression but are more inclined towards touring. Yup, these Road 5 Touring tires are very efficient when it comes to rideability and also provides about 10,000 miles. As a cherry on this cake, it also comes with a patented siping layout that adds to improved wet surface grip.
PROS: Dual character makes it a value for money proposition. And these Michelins come with long life for about 10,000 miles and also provide with commendable wet grip.
CONS: Despite being made for the long haul, these tires do wear out quicker when under immense heat.
First Runner-Up: Pirelli Diablo Supercorsa SP V3
INSIGHT: These Pirellis are the most aggressive of the lot when it comes to downright performance. But it is too much on the performance side, that practicality dulls down when it comes to daily rideability. But if you are someone with a heightened love for race tracks, then the Pirelli Diablo Supercorsa SP V3s are love!
PROS: Grip and traction levels are immense and give you ample confidence to blast it out on the racetracks. These tires are rated for about 170 mph and have a minimal void of just 4%.
CONS: Too performance-focused and makes it a luxury rather than a commodity. And it wearing out quickly doesn’t help the cause either.
Second Runner-Up: DUNLOP RoadSport 2
INSIGHT: These Dunlops are the most versatile of this lot and are more inclined towards daily rideability. Straight-line, as well as cornering grip, is commendable and these tires don’t mind being pushed to their limits on the race tracks.
PROS: Impressive value for money and offers up to 5,000 miles of mileage. The construction is such that it works equally well on the race-track and urban roads.
CONS: These tires are more inclined towards daily drivability and so it not a keen choice for seasoned riders on the track.
Here Are The Best Street Motorcycle Tires To Buy In 2021
Pirelli Diablo Supercorsa SP V3 ($211 - $340)
Pirellis are always associated with aggression and insane grip. It is also the case here and the Pirelli Diablo Supercorsa SP V3s are one of the most sought-after street tires. They are also used as factory options for various supersport motorcycles including the likes of Ducati and MV Agusta. These are derived from racing tires used in Moto GP and other racing events, the SP V3s have insane grip levels on the road, and are an easy runabout for the track. These tires are rated at 170 mph and have only a 4% void in the contact surface. These are insane on dry patches, but lose out on performance and traction when it comes to wet surfaces. Order your new tires today!
MICHELIN Road 5 Touring Radial ($156 - $240)
Michelins are the next in line when it comes to traction after the Pirellis. These tires are well-suited to give you a grin-worthy ride for about 10,000 miles. It is made of a soft compound and comes with grippy sidewalls that allow you to drag a knee with confidence. It has a patented siping setup that helps you with a commendable grip on the wet tarmac as well. These are some of the best road-going sport tires out there and are apt value propositions. These tires have a broader spectrum of character and can do everything from daily commutes to weekend track blasts. Order your new tires today!
Metzeler Cruisetec ($123 - $245)
These are cruiser-specific tires with a knack for performance. These are a modernized version of the classic cruiser rubber layout. It is tubeless and gets a newly-designed construction that used dual-compound material to provide a fine balance of traction and longevity. The tread pattern also offers notable wet-weather grip and at the same time also allows for you to take those curves with confidence. For what these tires offer, the Metzeler Crusietecs is impressive value for money. Order your new tires today!
Bridgestone Exedra Max Radial ($91 - $224)
This particular tire is quite common among Japanese cruisers as it has been developed on years of experience. Major Japanese automakers provide Exedras as standard on their cruiser offerings as it has been developed keeping specific models and real-world conditions in mind. These tires are made with a specific tire compound that helps them last for a longer duration, well-suited for cruisers. The wide tire profile also helps in providing a comfortable riding layout and packs linear handling, even for heavy motorcycles. Order your new tires today!
Shinko Classic 240 Blackwall ($85)
These are some of the most sought-after classic-designed tires. Despite its old-school looks. these Shinkos utilize modern technology for a wholesome package. These are made with a longer-enduring aramid-belt-reinforces body with a quadruple-ply nylon carcass. Apart from providing commendable grip and traction, these look cool and make us nostalgic with the classic design, and especially the whitewall patch. Order your new tires today!
DUNLOP RoadSport 2 ($77 - $140)
These are some of the best sport tires inclined towards daily commuting. Dunlop Roadsport 2s provides impressive levels of grip and cornering capabilities that are very much comforting for your daily commutes. But at the same time, it doesn’t mind being pushed to the limits on the race tracks. This affordable set of rubber has a commendable lifespan and easily lasts up to 5,000 miles. The healthy amount of thread and clever pattern allows it to provide ample grip in wet conditions as well. Order your new tires today!