If you’re like me, you want to squeeze every last bit of value from everything you buy.
Understandably, many racers and track day riders don’t like to bin ‘part worn’ rubber after a day out on circuit, especially at the likes of Castle Combe which only feature one direction of corner. The end result is a tyre with one pristine shoulder and plenty of rubber, and one that is looking chewed up and somewhat worse for wear. Many riders at this point may flirt with the idea of turning the tyre round, to make use of the one remaining shoulder, the appeal of this being that they don’t have to buy a new set of tyres to replace one that is technically only 50% worn.
Many assume that although it is directional, a tread pattern’s sole purpose is to clear water on wet tarmac. If the track is dry, or you’re on a set of slicks why not just turn them round and carry on chasing the seconds? If you’re only using the relatively untouched shoulder of the tyre, what does it matter?
In the September 2014 edition of Fast Bikes, Bridgestone’s Motorcycle Product Manager Gary Hartshore explains why things just aren’t that simple:
“It’s a no no. It’s as simple as that. All tyres, and not just Bridgestones, are designed to work in one direction, hence the direction arrow on every tyre. This even applies to slicks where there is no tread pattern involved. One of the issues is that where the rubber is joined together it creates a force that is designed to make the join stronger. If you turn that round you are weakening that joint. It’s still unlikely that a tyre will delaminate or unravel, but you are increasing the chance of it doing so. Also with treaded tyres the tread itself has been designed to move in one specific direction. This can affect grip and wear levels, as well as the stability of the bike. Finally, the tread is designed to disperse water when it’s wet, and the turned tread won’t be as effective.”
