Backwards PR4s

[Bigtrucknuts]

I have tried to find an answer to this but it is puzzling.

I have a set of PR4s on order. I have noticed that the tread pattern of the front tyre appears to be the wrong way round. Normally the channels would carry water away from the centre. But the front pattern seems to drive water towards centre.

Any idea why?

 

[wildbeeste]

By forcing water to the centre it allows the water to act as a lubricant reducing the rolling resistance of the road/tyre at the point of contact and hence increasing the life of the tyre and improving the fuel economy. Simple really

 

[phooey]

Better grip when reversing ?

 

[notadrop]

Improves aquaplaning...

 

[polecat]

By forcing water to the centre it allows the water to act as a lubricant reducing the rolling resistance of the road/tyre at the point of contact and hence increasing the life of the tyre and improving the fuel economy. Simple really

Really?

 

[RedRick Esq.]

I thought that water would act as a "cutting compound" and reduce tyre life

 

[DC]

might sound stupid ,,,I have seen it before ..is the tyre on correct for the rotation of the wheel

 

[wessie]

have a look at the Michelin catalogue - many of their tyres have this type of arrangement where the grooves on the front tyre run in the opposite direction to the rear. I'm surprised you haven't noticed this before.

See http://moto.michelin.co.uk/tyre-selector#s=0 for other examples. I think they know what they are doing...

 

[Jumblemo]

I always install my tyres the wrong way round to improve tyre wear at minimal loss of grip. Maybe these are Michelins my perfect answer as they would also drive water to edges

 

[Deleted account 181015003]

Just found this its top secret they would have to kill you if they told you

Michelin responded to the questions I sent them about this with some generic BS. I suppose that they don't want to divulge any proprietary information.

First of all, we appreciate your purchase and we value your questions and concerns regarding the Michelin Pilot Road 3 tires. We recommend that the Michelin Pilot Road 3 tires front and rear are mounted with the arrow facing the direction of travel. However, you are exactly right regarding the front tire tread showing a backward direction. The front tire designs are designed this way for better stopping, control and performance. As long as the arrows are facing the direction of travel, your tires will perform well.

 

[Deleted account 181015003]

Or it could be just to wind up all the OCD owners

 

[Big Lee]

And there`s a lot out there when you look at some of these threads

 

[roundincircles]

I have tried to find an answer to this but it is puzzling.

I have a set of PR4s on order. I have noticed that the tread pattern of the front tyre appears to be the wrong way round. Normally the channels would carry water away from the centre. But the front pattern seems to drive water towards centre.

Any idea why?

You may have been supplied with Australian spec tyres. Remember water moves anti clockwise in the southern hemisphere.

 

[DING-DONG]

I have tried to find an answer to this but it is puzzling.

I have a set of PR4s on order.

I've got a pair of PR4's for the wc there still in the wrapping I'm going to list in the sale section any day this wk .

£225 +postage

 

[tanneman]

It might look that way but you have to view it as such. The centre part of the tread makes contact with the road first, the groves are designed to push water to the front and side, thereby creating and wave of spray that gets your boots wet and leaves a dry piece of tarmac immediately behind the contact patch.

 

[Pukmeister]

The flanks of the Vee shape will grip the road as the tyre rotates and the bike advances forwards (instead of sliding).

As the tyre then rolls away from the contact patch and upwards, the sipes will then fling the water outwards and clear the tyre in preparation for the next downward rotation and next grip of the road.

 

[Fanum]

I always install my tyres the wrong way round to improve tyre wear at minimal loss of grip. Maybe these are Michelins my perfect answer as they would also drive water to edges

I suspect that's a daft thing to do if you're serious......modern tyres are designed with all sorts of performance parameters built in, and your claimed 'minimal loss of grip' could be a serious loss of grip under some circumstances (especially under heavy braking maybe )

I would also not be the slightest bit surprised if you got yourself in hot water with the law if you had an accident involving a grip issue, and it was found you'd deliberately done it.

I've run TKC 80s 'backwards', but only because the knobbles are symmetrical and they wear unevenly, so spinning them around half way through their life does give you that 'bite' back again, but on modern hi-tech asymmetrical tyres, I wouldn't do it

 

[Giles]

Tread aside ..... the carcass of the tyre, the belts that are overlapped ... are designed to rotate one way ....

 

[iandavid]

have a look at the Michelin catalogue - many of their tyres have this type of arrangement where the grooves on the front tyre run in the opposite direction to the rear. I'm surprised you haven't noticed this before.

See http://moto.michelin.co.uk/tyre-selector#s=0 for other examples. I think they know what they are doing...

It's so that the water from the back and front tyres meet under the sump and keep it nice and clean. Obvious really.

 

[Bigtrucknuts]

Not just me then.

No one has the first idea why there backwards. And if there is a reson for it, why the front one way and the rear the other?