While not talked about enough, the importance of a good pair of tyres cannot be understated, especially in a country like India with varying road conditions. High quality tyres aren’t just safer, but also make for a more enjoyable experience while riding. Eurogrip is among the leading tyre manufacturers in the country and has a wide variety of tyres in its portfolio. This time during its “Tread Talks” event, the company gave us a good look at how they test their tyres while also giving us a few tips about how we can test them.
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The first event of the day was a masterclass that gave us an idea of how Eurogrip tested its tyres. The experts present that day included international test riders Toshihiro Wakayama and Vittorio Iannuzzo, along with Renato Zilli and V Sivaramakrishnan (CTO) from Eurogrip's senior management.
The first event of the day was a masterclass that would give us an insight into how Eurogrip tested its tyres
The company conducts its testing processes in India, Japan, and a few European countries. The tyres are put to test in a variety of riding conditions and are tried out by a number of testers with different riding characteristics. The tests include those conducted in dry and wet/rainy conditions, along with durability tests through a mix of urban, country and highway conditions. The testing team then ensures, with the help of specific measurement systems that the target performances and durability will be achieved by the tyres. The tyres will also be tested against similar offerings from Eurogrip’s rival brands to see how they stack up.
The performance of the tyres are mainly judged on the basis of three parameters- handling, grip and stability. Testing a motorcycle tyre for handling includes judging the tyre based on factors such as lightness, neutrality and precision. While determining a tyre’s stability, the testers have to make sure that the tyres don’t wave or wobble while riding in a straight line or while leaning around the corners. It was also mentioned during the presentation that in some instances, riders try to purposely destabilise the bike wearing the tyres being tested to get a better sense of its limits. Testing for grip on the other hand, involves rating the tyres based on their response while braking, accelerating and leaning. Also, the riders are not informed which tyres they’re testing, for unbiased inputs from their end.
The performance of the tyres are mainly judged by the company on the basis of three parameters- handling, grip and stability
Interesting examples of a few tests being carried out include one for neutrality where the rider leans in both easy and hard conditions to see if a linear cambering speed can be maintained from straight to max angle. A precision test involves hitting the apex of a race track while intentionally disturbing the vehicle’s balance by using the gas, brakes or body position and seeing if the rider can still hit the point that he/she aims to. Similarly, a test to see if the tyre wobbles is to let go of the handlebar while at a speed of 100 kmph, allowing the motorcycle to decelerate to 30 kmph, and noticing if there is any instability while doing so.
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Few of the bikes that were used to test tyres on for the event
After the presentation, we were ferried to the Kari Motor Speedway for a track outing that would give us a chance to try out some of our learnings. The list of bikes that were on the track that day included the likes of the Kawasaki Versys 650, KTM 390 Duke, Yamaha MT 15, Bajaj Dominar 400 and the Royal Enfield Classic 350 among others.
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I first had a go on the KTM 390 Duke shod with the Protorq Xtreme tyres
After changing into my race suit, I decided to have a go on the KTM shod with Eurogrip's Protorq Xtreme tyres- 110-section at the front and 150-section at the rear. Frankly, the tyres felt quite nice on the 390 Duke. The grip was good on the straights but what impressed me even further was how effortless the tyres felt while cornering. I was also able to brake and lean confidently while approaching a corner, without much fear of losing control. However, my next two outings, I should say, felt somewhat different compared to this one.
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The Ronin wore 90-section Eurogrip Beamer at the front and a 130-section Protorq Extreme at the rear
Next, I opted for the TVS Ronin which was shod with the 90-section Eurogrip Beamer at the front and a 130-section Protorq Extreme at the rear, a rather unusual combination of tyres. While the Protorq Extreme Extreme tyres could be used on the track, as well as on the road, the Beamer is the more road-focused offering in the company’s portfolio, and is better suited for public roads. As expected, this duo turned out to be less confidence-inspiring than the Protorq tyres on the KTM. Grip levels, especially at the front, were not adequate enough for the tyres to be pushed confidently on track.
My next outing on track was on the Yamaha MT 15, wearing the same set of tyres. In this case, the motorcycle, which is a sportier offering than the Ronin felt lighter, and more willing around the corners, but I still faced some of the issues with grip that I had with the Ronin.
All in all, the event gave me a good understanding of Eurogrip's tyre testing and development processes. More importantly, I also have an idea now about how motorcycle tyres can be tested to ensure that they perform well. However, deep down, I do wish that I was given more time with each motorcycle on the track, along with a session off the track on public roads which would've given me a better understanding of how to apply some of the concepts and testing methods that were explained in the masterclass.
