Tyres, and Their Superpowers | ThisConnect Ep 11

[@ontheroad8149]

11 days later, my ask about a podcast on tyres has been fulfilled! Nice job guys

[@motorinc]

We might have recorded this before you requested it 😛

[@ontheroad8149]

@@motorinc the gun went past the bullet, eh? Nice!

[@motorinc]

😂😂

[@RishalRaj]

I was grinning from ear to ear in the middle of the wheelie story at the racetrack, without realizing it. Maybe its just me, but I love the feeling of watching someone talk about something that they really feel for. And these two definitely have the passion, and the years of work, to make me feel excited about their subject, even if I wasn't already into it. Another great conversation MotorInc. Kudos!

[@motorinc]

Thanks Rishal! We hadn’t seen a comment you in a bit and we were wondering where you went…

[@RishalRaj]

@@motorinc Was always watching. I may have become a silent supporter for a while, but a supporter nonetheless :)

[@motorinc]

😅♥️

[@Ellixist]

Hey guys, would love a discussion on breaking in a new motorcycle considering there are lots of schools of thought regarding this. Would love your guys' take on it.

[@motorinc]

Can do! Short version: You can't really harm a modern engine no matter which philosophy you subscribe to. The only issue, then, is whether what you do voids your warranty or not.

[@VemuriSudhi]

@@motorinc Thank you for this

[@RBJLetsUnravel]

As Shumi suggests: the easiest way is to read the manual 😊…

[@motorinc]

Always!

[@kamalchoudhury2910]

modern engines are pretty much bullet proof.... dont worry much. just ride/drive. well not like a maniac ofcourse :)

[@AkshaySingh-jk2uf]

I would like to share one of my experiences and a suggestion: 1. Recently I was riding on a RE GT650, that motorcycle was new to me and I knew it's heavier than my daily bike so I needed to work harder on it, but somehow it felt very heavy and tiring, i was not enjoying it and 1st thing I did was check the tyre pressure it was running low, after getting the right psi that bike transformed weight disappeared and I could enjoy it like it was ment to. 2. Kartik sir you could have spoken about tyre rotation in cars and how one could manage wear and tear by doing it. I believe it's very important when it comes to tyres maintenance.

[@motorinc]

1. Absolutely! Tyre pressures are critical. 2. We could have indeed!

[@kamalchoudhury2910]

Absolutely right! I have been feeling the car has become old and its time to get a new one. But then I realized why it was feeling old when its engine still sounds like a new one. Then I changed the tyres, control arm bushes & all 4 shock absorbers. And now the beast is back to its character. I saved myself from getting another expensive loan... :)

[@motorinc]

Well played Kamal!

[@notumang]

Love these conversations 😍 Instead of being a staged set, it feels like I am sitting right there next to the KTM. And the best part is when conversation is dropped to conclude the episode, I was deeply immersed the whole time, didn't even realised 40 minutes have passed away. Time well spent on youtube (@shumar context to time). Thanks a lot guys 🤘🏻😎

[@motorinc]

Thank you Umang! Glad you're feeling like you're with us! That's what MotorInc is all about!

[@anirao9375]

LIKE LITRALLY EVERY TIME!!! I am like oh Damm it flew.. The Best thing to ever happen to my KZbin Feed

[@Asaritwo]

I went From Remoras to Alpha S1 and that was A major Change in performance of My RTR , especially in Wet conditions and Cornering performance. Even Remoras were not Bad either but I was constantly running through their Limits also wet condition performance was something to desired.

[@motorinc]

Great to know! Thanks!

[@nokedutosavi3608]

@Asaritwo .. what are you running on the front?? Will apollo f2 do a good job? (For Rtr 200)

[@Asaritwo]

@@nokedutosavi3608 running TVS only haven't changed it yet , but MRF or Apollo should do the Job

[@porkoholic]

Nicely explained ... I was listening to this when i stepped on a rusty nail and injured my right foot, went to the hospital, got my foot all cleaned and fixed, then watched it again, and now after 2 js and listening to everything in proper detail... I think im still gonna get those timsun 837 rear for my adv 390 😂 But in my defense i dont do much highways and my town is basically offroad

[@motorinc]

Oh no! Get well soon! Happy you think we, ahem, nailed the podcast! 😂

[@KishoreJatin]

Tyre pressure is something that gets overlooked often and by many. We have an old honda activa that my mother was starting to ride after a long time. She constantly complained that it was very wobbly and something was wrong with the vehicle. My father got it to the repair shop, got some repairs done and it was still bad. Turned out that the tyre pressure was just too low and no one from my father to the repair shop seemed to notice.

[@motorinc]

It’s just so easy to overlook. Easiest fix ever. Wish Aunty many safe rides!

[@shantanu_d]

Excellent topic to cover. The mention of the TVS tyres on the Fiero and Dunlop Geo Cruisers on the CBZ immediately struck a chord and so did the floaty M800 over 80kmph 😂 Not that the stock TVS ATTs were any better on the 2011 RTR 180, downshifting on a wet road had the bike in a slide with no sound from the tyres at all. The first wide tyre that had me fascinated(and some guys shocked) was that of a R1 in the late 90's. What a tyre and what a bike. Anecdotes like these make it a conversation with friends. Shumi and Kartikeya, I am glad that you guys are finally here, was a pleasure reading you in the "mag" days but this is so much better and befitting of your talents. GodSpeed.

[@motorinc]

Thanks Shantanu!

[@authorizedplayer]

For some reason way back in 2009 -2010 i was obsessed with the FZ16 with that rear tyres but i ended up with the Apache RTR 160 for i just loved it at that point of time. No regrets.

[@motorinc]

The FZ's biggest advantage was that Yamaha decided the large tyre was a must and designed the chassis to use that size very early in the development process

[@reginsjose]

Similar was my story, was fascinated by FZ16 tyres and by the time I had money to buy, impressed by the throttle response I bought a RTR 180 in 2014 and now super happy. Changed the rear tyres to 130 for better grip actually. Couldn't figure out if it was a stupid idea now.

[@pranavdinesh95]

I can relate hard with Kartikeya about the tyres when I was younger and thankfully I can also relate to him and Shumi as I grow older about tyres, thank you for this!

[@motorinc]

♥️🖖🏽

[@punterash]

What an episode guys. Loved it! More deep dives! This channel is now a regular appearance along with my go-to podcasts while doing the dishes. Cheers :)

[@motorinc]

Yay! It's great to be on your list Ashutosh!

[@deaddy_0_0]

I had the similar experience with the Fiero. It was a cop bike and fairly abused one, still tyres were like you are riding on ice. It never let's you get comfortable with the bike. Didn't thought about that until this day.

[@motorinc]

♥️ That's it. Like ice!

[@Phoenixrider9241]

I play these awesome videos as podcasts during my workouts. It really is extremely entertaining and a wealth of information. These videos could have been 2 hours long and honestly I wouldn't even notice. Feels like I'm just a third guy in the room. Awesome series. More please 🔥

[@motorinc]

Wow! Working the brain and the body out at the same time! Nice on Bhargav!

[@Phoenixrider9241]

Makes the time pass like nothing else. Just hoping there are a lot more podcasts coming. Loving these🔥

[@siddharthsinghvirdi7881]

The first gen Duke 390 metz made me realise how much assistance a good tyre can bring to the table

[@motorinc]

Lots of us had that exact realisation!

[@sanmaan13]

As the saying goes: don't go cheap on anything that connects you to the ground, shoes or tyres. And the Metzs on the KTM were simply amazing. I got the H-rated ones on my 2017 version and for my skill level they were everything and beyond; so I can only how good the W-rated ones would have been.

[@motorinc]

Would love to know what you think whenever you get a chance to try them. Even in the wet. #cheatcode

[@MirzaRahathullahBaig]

First time someone talk talk about tyres, I agree these both were not bullshitting, Tyres are Major part of machine on which you roll. Sensible rider always prefer the best of best tyres, and proper air pressure is a major key to extract tyre performance , Thank you so very much for this education podcast.

[@motorinc]

Glad this was of help. 🙌

[@MirzaRahathullahBaig]

@@motorinc 👍 for sure.

[@harshalpatil4931]

As a autobuff I can totally relate to kartikeya about know and obsessed about knowing tyres and there science behind that since I was a kid, and yeah that’s the long conversation I can have all day. I thoroughly enjoyed this podcast. ❤️

[@motorinc]

Anoraks unite! ❤️

[@VemuriSudhi]

So entertaining yet informative. Enjoyed this thoroughly! im left stoked everytime to see how quickly 40min have passed by

[@motorinc]

Glad you enjoyed it Sudhi! What should we talk about next? What’s worth 40 min of your time? 😊

[@VemuriSudhi]

@@motorinc A while back Shumi sir posted about rythm. Would love to hear more about it and Karthik sir's take on it too. I sort of struggle to mindfully enjoy riding my bike. I wait in excitement to get back on the bike but the portion of time i spend on the bike just doesnt register. Is it something that can be fixed with a mindset change?

[@motorinc]

That's just a lack of concentration Sudhi. It means you're not on the bike mentally when you're riding. Gotta stop wandering around and focus. That's nothing to do with rhythm, however.

[@VemuriSudhi]

@@motorinc gotcha! Yep aware of the fact that isn't related, would love a podcast on it tho🙂

[@ontheroad8149]

22:44 Karthik, this query might be from the staggered setup car owners like the 530d. The front is a 245, available easily but the rear is 275, very expensive and very tough to source. Heck, even the 120/160 setup on bikes are a pain in the ass!

[@georgethomas3597]

similar to Kartikeya my first fascination with tyres was also at a young age and for aesthetic purpose and i remember my brother saying look at those fz(might be wrong on this but it was a yamaha) tyres and seeing that its round it helps in cornering like in races. but i remember being more happy with looks of huge tyres on bikes and jeeps.

[@motorinc]

🤜🏽🤛🏽

[@cherianrajith]

W.r.t the tire pressure expecially on slicks or near slicks type of tires the goal is to run the tire temperature in the optimum operating window. From the top of my head slicks operating window is about 160-170F and for something like super corsas it's like 150-160F. (these numbers might not be exact but in definitely in the ballpark). So goal of changing the pressure is to hit these temperature numbers. So thoerically a slower rider might need to run lower pressure than a fast rider if the other variables like rider weight remain the same. For the serious riders/racers getting a tire pyrometer and monitoring the tire temp and changing pressure accordingly is the way to go. Also most of these tires perform at their best for a finite no. of heat cycles. So using tire blankets becomes essential to reduce the heat cycles in between sessions. Given the high cost of the tires it becomes more important to extract the max available performance and longevity. I know it looks like I'm pulling numbers out of you know where but these information is something I have gathered personally from people like Dave Moss.

[@motorinc]

Thanks Rajith! It’d have been so helpful if you’d converted the Fs to Cs though 😂

[@karansgill]

can listen to u guys talking for hours, keep up the work Sir and hope u reach million soon.

[@motorinc]

Wow, thanks!

[@Vishnu-B]

Seconded

[@219arun]

I remember completely using up the stock MRFs that were on my duke 250 riding them well beyond their life like 30K km or something. It was a noob mistake, which I realised when I switched to the Alpha H1 set I have currently. The bike instantly felt different, like it had never felt before, that was the beginning of this year and it’s the most fun I’ve had on that bike in all the time I’ve owned it. Ever since then, I’ve been more vigilant of tyre wear and checked my tyre pressures regularly. One thing I would’ve wanted your guys opinion on is: how many punctures on a tubeless tyre can you plug and continue to use it. Thankfully I haven’t had any on my current set, but on my last tyres, the rear had been patched up 4-5 times which might even caused it to have uneven pressure all the time.

[@motorinc]

Technically just the one. But usually Shumi’ll run two plugs maximum (and he slows down at that point overall). But these are small punctures. Larger punctures? Change.

[@aishwaryagaidhane]

hey i got the apollo alpha h1 front and rear for my dominar from the stock mrfs. Did you notice the change (increase) in tyre noise?

[@219arun]

@@aishwaryagaidhane Hi, no I don’t recall any significant change in tyre noise, but I don’t notice tyre noise much over engine noise to begin with.

[@Joshua270195]

Been loving the podcasts you guys have been putting out. Would love to hear a discussion on vehicle customisation in terms of safety and functionality and to how far can I make my vehicle look the way I want it to legally.

[@motorinc]

Can do! But technically, ever modification you make is illegal in India. The law officially allows no mods at all

[@nishantnair9087]

Loved this! So much insight, and for people who are passionate about vehicles, feels like we learn a lot from the channel and both of you. Time for me to get some new tyres now!

[@chaitanyadubey2914]

Your passion is so infectious man! I'm starting to remember the things that i dreamt of to do with cars and bikes now i just use them as a tool! Thanks a bunch 😊😊😊

[@motorinc]

Hope the spark catches on and inspires you to do more!

[@sameerdeshpande6360]

I bought bajaj caliber in year 2000 in my college days and rode it crazy distance like 703 km in one day. It had MRF nylogrip it lasted really long, rear tyre did 58,000km and front 72000 km still at 1,40,000km I am riding on 3rd set of Tyres.

[@motorinc]

That is nuts! Respect!

[@pradneshnaik3589]

I wouldn't call it much of upsizing, but ha a great experience on my 2009 Fazer. OG were 100/80 & 140/60 Zappers, changed to Michelin Pilot Street 110/70 & 140/70 in 2013. It changed the handling massively. Even used Pilot Street as my first set on Dominar 400, but then updated to Pirelli Diablo Rosso II. Tyres do change the characteristics.

[@motorinc]

Try the Road 5 or Apollo H1 the next time. They're even better than the Pilot Street!

[@pradneshnaik3589]

@@motorinc Road 5 are on my radar since i rode my colleague's RR310, will definitely get a set next 🙂👍🏻

[@sridharkrishnan352]

Hello Mentors, Firstly, Hats off to you guys for the effort that you are putting into. My favourite podcast series is thisConnect in Spotify now. Perfect gym partner. Now coming to my qn, I have a CBR 250R that has an 140/70 sec in the rear. Unfortunately, there aren't that much Options on radials than the Michelin PSR (price is skyrocketed) and the MRF Revz S (same as the R15 v4). I am really nervous about upsizing to 150/60 sec (options are more) Pls guide me 🙏 Yours Faithfully, Sishya

[@motorinc]

Get the Revz! It's good, sporty tyre and the 250's performance will not overwhelm it at all

[@sarge12k]

Also, Sridhar, consider checking InfoBikes on YT. Their ownership review of CBR250R states that the stiff carcass of the Apollo Alpha H1 suits the soft suspension of the bike so well that it almost seems like those tyres were designed for this particular bike, and dramatically transforms its handling for the better.

[@kalashydsd13]

I was that kid too at one point, like Kartikeya. Wide tires, with spacers, that popped out of the side of the car a bit. It was an instant turn on for some reason. 😂

[@motorinc]

🤣

[@7rahe13]

Amazing stuff guys, as usual! I just have one suggestions folks. I listen to your podcast while driving to office. It would be great if you could contextualize or explain some of the hand gestures or visual references you make while talking for people who are only listening and not watching. Thanks!

[@motorinc]

Great suggestion! Can do!

[@jassibanga]

Switched from stock pirellis to scorpion trail 2 complete set on my interceptor and can relate with each and every discussion you had.

[@motorinc]

Trail 2s are great!

[@lalitkhopade6747]

But I think scorpion trail 2 rear tyre comes with size 150 which is bigger than stock size, does it make any difference in ride and handling of the bike. As an Interceptor owner would love to here your opinion and I am also about to change its tyres.

[@jassibanga]

@@lalitkhopade6747 go for it. You will love how the bike handles and grips the road. Braking will also get improved, you will always feel your bike planted and will handle on tip of your decision to accelerate or brake. Had already covered 16k kms on them and tyres are still in good shape. Only downside front tyre size is jot available these days so you have to buy / different brands. About rear tyre being bigger in size but it sits perfectly on rim, no ballooning of tyre. You just have to make 1/4 inch of groove on chain cover so that tyre wall rotates freely, thats it. I will get the same rear tyre in future as well. No doubt you hv cheaper options in market but trust me spend some extra money and give them a try.

[@lalitkhopade6747]

@@jassibanga Thanks for your detail reply buddy 🙏 if possible please suggest from where to source this tyre and price also.

[@gururajsawant]

❤️‍🔥 okay straight up... You guys are giving a lot of insights and knowledge that no-one else is providing on the internet. This podcast should run for seasons....❤❤❤

[@Ajayvishnu23]

Any suggestion on an accurate tyre pressure gauge? I got one and the measurements wasn't accurate. It was Karter!

[@motorinc]

We use the CruzTools digital gauge. From Big Bad Bikes

[@Ajayvishnu23]

@@motorinc thank you for the reply. appreciate it❤️❤️

[@creed3220]

During my childhood days we generally visit our native place....which is 400km away from Chennai (11 hrs journey). I always fascinated by looking those massive bus tyres... thinking how powerful it must be carrying the bus whole night 🚌 throughout all bumps this far.

[@motorinc]

😂❤️

[@whatwheels1391]

Sir mera bada hi different experience h tyre upsize ko lekar. Maine apni motorcycle ke aage aur peeche dono tyre upsize kraye. NS200 motorcycle h. Rear wala tyre mera kharab ho gya tha jab mai ghar se bahar tha to mjhe Majboori me 140 section dalwana pda 130 ki jagah. Aur fir front me mjhe radial chahiye tha to maine 110 dalwa liya. Lekin uske baad maine ek baat notice ki. Rear tyre se thodi stability bhad gayi highways par kyunki flat profile tyre tha. Lekin front me contact patch jo h almost same h 100 section jaisa kyunki tyre round ho gaya tha. Lekin usse mjhe ek faida hua jo mjhe pehle front heavy to steer lagta tha ab thoda Easy ho gya aur grip level bhi almost wahi rahe kam nahi hue. Aur recently mai uttarakhand ho kar aaya to in MRF revz tyres ne bahut hi jyada acchi grip di corners pe. Ye mera experience h tyre upsize ko leke.

[@motorinc]

Aap ko achha laga, iska Matlab yeh nahi hai ke yeh sahi hai, halanki aap ke liye yeh achhi baat hai, no doubt. Humare hisaab se agar aap practice kar kar ke apni skill to badhate to yeh feeling/advantage aapko apne normal tyres se hi mil jaate.

[@whatwheels1391]

@@motorinc sir apne decisions par expert salah ke liye mai aap logo se judta hun. Reply karne ke liye dhanyawad. Kaafi kuch seekhne ko milta h aap logo dwara.

[@motorinc]

MotorInc main aapka swagat hai W!W! Jab bhi hum aapki madat kar payein, hum karenge!

[@chebha1]

amazing details and another super episode, i do most of the things you guys have mentioned as default :) makes so much of diff in riding or driving experience and feels safer too

[@motorinc]

Great to hear Chetan!

[@rahulc21]

As you mentioned that there is a tyre pressure increase when the bike is in motion, so given that do we maintain the pressure recommendation given in the user manual or keep 1 or 2 psi lower?

[@motorinc]

User manual. It’s already accounted for

[@dyogesh2303]

Just a suggestion, whenever you mention a bike or a car or even a part of it, a picture during that timeframe would be helpful for the viewers to understand what you are talking about. I have seen KB 125 when i was growing up but did not realize it was called KB 125 until i searched for it 😄

[@motorinc]

The whole point of not having the images is what just happened. You took the time to look it up and it triggered a memory and now, just looking at the search results you know more about the bike than if an image had popped up. We've thought about this. Overlays of things you can look up is not part of the plan Yogesh.

[@sash0047]

3:58 NERD 😂

[@motorinc]

Total! 🤣

[@shonith91]

Guys make a video on sprocketing. In the last podcast Shumi said "changed the sprocket on the multi and boom a new bike". I do believe that once you get used to a bike and you understand what you want from it changing the sprocket can make a lot of difference. Presently I own a 390 duke I want to experiment with 42T, 46T at the rear and see how things work out for me.

[@motorinc]

Can do! Short version: Removing teeth from the rear increases top speed. You will lose acceleration. Adding teeth to the rear increases acceleration and reduces top speed. There is some impact on chain wear also. You can also change front sprocket teeth number. But since they are smaller, the changes are more drastic (although cheaper and you're less likely to new need a new chain length). Front sprocket do the opposite of the rear sprocket (more teeth is top speed and less teeth is accel).

[@natramilm8922]

Increasing rear sprocket in D390 will end up in increased engine RPM for the same speed ( better acceleration might be a by-product). But running at higher RPM for long period of time (touring case) on a single cylinder is something you have to consider. The case is different for the big powerful machines (like shumi’s multi). They have lot of power and they don’t even cross 7k RPM in nominal speeds. So we can change for that motorcycles. But for the D390, you are already at 7k RPM for 110km/hr speed. Increase in the RPM to 8k (assumption) for the same speed -110km/hr will stress the engine in long term. So i don’t recommend to change the sprocket on the D390. I never considered about downsizing the sprocket, because it will reduce the acceleration(will be boring for the Duke’s nature) and Increase in top speed (not usable).

[@shonith91]

@@natramilm8922 thanks for the inputs👍🏼 Sprocketing is definitely a tricky stuff. There is also a factor of where in the rev range you want to be when you upshift, manufacturers design the gear box and sprockets to keep the revs in the meat of the power band as you upshift. I have a feeling even this will get a bit screwed up. What really boggled my mind is bs4 390 duke makes 1Nm more than the bs4 rc 390 and the corresponding rear sprockets are 44T and 45T. It would have been lot easier for ktm to just use the same sprocket on both, but Ktm I believe has done some serious r&d to come up with this specific sprocket combination.

[@abm_95]

I ride a honda cb350rs which comes with a mrf kurve...as the name suggests it's good around the curves with some odd behaviour in the front end but it's manageable, but when it rains the grip that you gave all the confidence till then goes somewhere and it's so scary to lean the bike not knowing when I'm gonna skid or not. I've had almost had near collision on a straight road, after that incident when it rains or I see a puddle my speed also drops with it...and now actually I won't go beyond 60kmph when it rains😵

[@motorinc]

Change them! They’re not very good in the wet for sure!

[@abm_95]

@@motorinc any suggestions?

[@motorinc]

MRF Zappers are usually good tyres. Eurogrip also has a "Remora" tyre which is usually quite good too!

[@sriksk22]

Point at 33:28 - Thinking it would warm my tyres, I was doing this every day(even today) during first start on my R15 V3. and yes it looks cooler doing. BTW loving these podcasts.

[@motorinc]

Thanks SRIKSK! Glad you’re enjoying them!

[@vaibhavgandhe]

I actually owned a Fiero for 187,000 kms and first thing I did was to change the tyres on delivery to zappers and rear suspensions wirh shogun's and that changed everything.

[@rushilpratap9354]

Some questions: 1. What about scooter tyres? How to maintain them? 2. I have a 2020 Ertiga, that thing is always jumping all over the place irrespective of the Tyre pressures. Do you think its a good idea to upsize because the wheels are too small for that huge a body! 3. How to find out if the tyre is completely worn out? 4. A car having 3 tubeless and 1 tube tyre makes a difference?

[@AgRhIaTnRtAy]

This was like a new part of my brain that got unlocked🤯

[@motorinc]

♥️

[@the_hustling_wanderer]

Hey guys, thank you so much for a very important topic. Learn a lot from it, thanks again ❤️

[@motorinc]

Our pleasure!

[@restless_peg69]

Really a nice podcast which just reminded me the awe when I saw that tyre of a Diavel, to which my mom said " That's the safest bike! You don't need a stand, it will stand upright on it's own " 😄 I am also scouting a new tyre set for my 2015 RE C350 from different forums, so this was as the cliche " as the Dr prescribed "!( will surely appreciate if u can recommend or suggest a few tips/options )

[@motorinc]

Thanks! We do believe Apollo's Actigrip comes in the '15C350 sizes. Give them a shot. They're off-roady looking but very good on road too

[@restless_peg69]

Thanks will surely give a longer look to them.

[@karthik.S.G]

Great discussion! Would be helpful to know what pressure gauges you use/recommend

[@motorinc]

We'll put a post on our social -- we do believe it will help. Short version: CruzTools Digital Tyre Pressure Gauge from Big Bad Bikes

[@santhoshbs1848]

Very thoughtful chat about the Tyres 👌🏼, but u should have also touched upon Wheel Balancing, Tyre Rotation, Alignment. Most public hardly pay attention to these, although it plays an important role in a comfortable drive 🚗

[@pruthvikarigiri]

How to find out the new tyre pressures after upsizing/downsizing the tires and/or wheels?

[@motorinc]

It’ll be the same. Not unless you’ve made a huge change would the tyre pressure requirement change. At which point, you’ll be suffering many more issues than just the tyre pressure (and even then, it’ll be within a few psi of the original recommendation).

[@Ragas07]

Can you share what tyre pressure guage that you guys use? Will be helpful since there are a lot of options, and it is difficult to choose one which is properly calibrated.

[@motorinc]

We have two CruzTools Digital Tyre Pressure Gauges from Big Bad Bikes (Rs 1600ish) that have serves us well. Shumi's personal one is years old and we have a relatively new one that the rest of the office uses.

[@iamsumitbeniwal]

i agree with all the points in this episode, loved it , still one questions i own a continental gt 650 and it have Ceat tyres, performance is fine , grip is ok no complaints in daily city commuting, but there always some stability issue and i would love a have more grip , as with 18 inch rim tyre choice are close to none, would you guys suggest 17 inch conversion as all triumph have 17inch and they are in the same type of riding style , or if you have other suggestion in mind . thankx

[@motorinc]

It's a dramatic change that will alter the feel of the bike by a large margin. Ping Vikrant Singh (motoring scribe on Instagram), he did make that change and he has posts on Deadpool, his Interceptor which runs 17" wheels. His feedback will make things clearer.

[@iamsumitbeniwal]

@@motorinc thankx for the direction 👍

[@manthenvashishth3769]

This podcast was amazing. I was very much fascinated about engineering in tyres since I started watching f1 in 2009. And when that pirelli rainbow compounds came man I was so much fascinated and into tyres and compounds. On the airless tyres currently Michellin tweels are the one that have that rubber spokes inside but a problem with them is of heat dissipation since they lack air recently donut media made a video where Jeremiah told about them and that's why airless tyres may never be the future but hey your tyre won't ever be flat that's one advantage maybe. Amazing work motorinc I would like to see a similar podcast on sprockets I heard about them when shumi sir discussed about them on modifications in your vehicle I genuinely am curious and want to know to what degree it changes the experience or the vehicle characteristics itself

[@motorinc]

Manthen! You again! This is awesome. Sprockets. Short version? Adding teeth to the rear sprocket can change acceleration dramatically (proportional to number of teeth). Reducing teeth raises top speed. The tradeoff is accel versus top speed (and corresponding effect on economy. The front sprocket does the opposite (more teeth = more top speed) but since it’s smaller each tooth is a big change. The change in response to the throttle can range from “wow my bike woke up” to “holy shit it’s nuts now”. The more power your bike makes, the more you can change things without making the bike useless in some way (accel vs top speed again). Sometimes you’ll need to replace a chain for length (so expensive). But minor changes are reasonably cheap. Always likely to void your warranty. FYI.

[@manthenvashishth3769]

@@motorinc thank you so much for letting me know. Definitely would want a 'hey my bike is nuts now' but yeah gotta keep a check on warranty like shumi sir said doing these changes gradually at later stage would help enjoy the vehicle more.

[@Ashes-9]

I could listen to this all day. Doesn’t TYRE me at all. 😊 Need some advice, my gt650 has these stock ceat zoom tyres. However i feel they are bit wobbly on uneven patches. Should i upgrade it ? And to what ? Or theres any other fix Please help.

[@motorinc]

Ashes! The big upgrade would probably be the Pirelli Scorpion Trail II. The stock CEAT tyres aren't terrible though (unlike the original Pirelli Phantoms).

[@akshay_aiyer]

Loving thisconnect! 🤙

[@motorinc]

Thanks Akshay! 🫰🏽

[@Tanmay12]

Gentlemen! You never cease to impress and entertain. Great podcast as always. I was hoping to get a bit of a perspective here. The TVS rr310 and BMW g310rr are mechanically identical motorcycles. However BMW decided to go with Michelin Pilot 5 vs TVS that decided to go for Michelin Road 5 tyres. Being a total noob to tyres and the tech behind them. I’ve heard that Michelin Road 5 are superior tyres. With this hypothesis in place why would BMW not go for the better tyres and charge the premium to their customers who are admittedly ready to pay the premium for the BMW badge already? Conversely as you said a more expensive stock tyre means replacing that stock tyre eventually. So why would TVS which is cheaper to maintain and bring home come with a tyre so premium it costs 6% of the bike’s on road price to replace? I’ll understand if the answer needs more nuance and you’re short on time. I’ll see you guys on the next one. Once again thank you for putting this kind of content out.

[@motorinc]

It’s hard to say from the outside, TBH. The Road 5 is an epic tyre. It’s almost impossible to find an equivalent forget better tyre than it for all-round use. We were super kicked to see them as OE on the TVS. Why Motorrad India used a Pilot Street is unclear. But BMW India did have an odd way of sourcing the 310s at the start. If that’s still the case, BMW’s selling the global-spec RR which may be have specced with the Pilot Sport instead. BMW will have tested, validated and homologated it for sure so they’ll work. But they’re not Road 5s.

[@surajhm]

This video was one of the best ... Until Shumi told it has been a long time I didn't realise I was listening to it for 40+ mins

[@motorinc]

Glad you enjoyed that Suraj!

[@nishantnanda8404]

It's amazing just to hear the discussions you have on this channel. I always look forward to your new videos Could you suggest any particular pressure gauze and inflator which are portable to carry for long drives ?

[@motorinc]

We have an old (and hard-working) inflator from ResQtech off Amazon. It looks like a black box with a dial and a yellow button. We see lots of brands selling it now with the same form factor (so we assume it's Chinese-sourced). Pressure gauges are both CruzTools Digital Tyre Pressure Gauges we purchased from Big Bad Bikes

[@nishantnanda8404]

Hello I have come back to this video once again. So my v Strom 650 front tyres have reached the TWI in 12000km But the rear is still more than 50 percent. I'll be getting a new set. But I thought it's usually the rear which loses treads faster. I'm 105 kg and 6 ft and I would like to believe that I almost always used to check and maintain the tyre pressure as recommended. Is there something wrong in the way I drive or the suspension?

[@natramilm8922]

Upsizing the tyres is never a option for me. But am curious to downsize it. Downsizing and putting more sticker tyre(slicks on the track) which will result in reduced lean angle and I can carry more speed into the corner (may be at the same lean angle as before). My current skill levels are not upto the level where I can maxout the stock tyre size ability(maxing out the lean angle in all corners on the track). But this idea is something I will try in future.

[@motorinc]

Don't rush into changing sizes Natramil. Take it easy and learn to work the tyres you have to the maximum first. That itself is a lot of work and learning

[@natramilm8922]

@@motorinc yep!, its a long way to go and am enjoying it😍🥳. Hiting the track as much as I can 😉🥳.

[@sarge12k]

@@natramilm8922 Our curiosities match, and in fact I happen to have acted on it -- to my detriment. I used to have 110 and 150 Protorq Extremes and they did a bloody good job, for all of 4000km that is, before getting too worn out for my requirements, so I decided to take the chance to try out 90 and 130 width tyres for my R15 V3. The problem with unconventional tyre sizes is availability. I heard from a stock 165cc class racer that they use 100 Masseters and 130 Revz S' on the track. I did not find the Masseter, nor a Remora at that size, so I thought of going for 90 Remora and 130 Revz S. The Revz S wasn't easy to find either - I got one manufactured in Feb 2022, and that was the best I could find. The result: my top speed has dropped by 4km for no apparent reason, my tyre pressure drops significantly almost daily, and my speeds are 5-15kmph less in each corner because these tyres don't inspire the confidence I used to get. Which made me realise that it might be foolish to expect comparable grip from tyres that cost a fraction of the price of my earlier tyres. The bike does feels lighter to turn, but that lightness is wasted due to a lack of grip through the turns. I'm not willing to use the track PSI of 20 and 22 to increase grip, or anywhere close to it, because the mileage drops a ton and it wont be safe against potholes. If I want to try performance tyres from other brands, no brand sells good tyres at 100 and 140 sizes here, let alone 90 and 130. Pirelli has these sizes in other asian countries, Metzeler has a 140 Sportec M5 but it is the inferior H-rated one, and the 140 Protorq Extreme is nowhere to be found, which is the same case with the 90 section MRF slicks used in the pro-stock 165cc class. I am basically stuck with the 110 150 protorq extremes and the alpha h1s, or have to pay double for the alternatives to these which are sold by international brands.

[@sudarshandevarasam]

I was looking out for new tyres, perfect timing. Thank you

[@motorinc]

Perfect! What bike? What’s on the list?

[@sudarshandevarasam]

@@motorinc For the KTM 390 adventure. I'm looking at these below options. Please feel free to contribute to the list. Metzeler Tourance (stock and mostly road biased) scorpion rally str continental tkc 70

[@motorinc]

Sourcing will be a challenge but all of those are great options. STRs and TKCs are both level ups on the Tourance

[@aniruddhapisharody7035]

hahaha the Marvdi explanation was the best. but yes I remember the time when I first cornered the Beneli tnt300 (my first so to say superbike) I know why Pirelli was so expensive and then it got me thinking of all the tyres out there. as F1 fan I knew the importance of it but this podcast was insane, gave an awesome outlook to the tyres that so offtenly ignored. I do have a question that I will DM schumi sir about. Cheers team.

[@motorinc]

Why what’s the big secret that you can’t comment it here Aniruddha? 😂

[@vedangmarathe1574]

by the way guys, a small tip. 1. estimate how many km your dream tires can do, don't be generous. 2. then note down the price you'll have to pay for them 3. reset your odometer at every fuel stop, and whenever you pay for your petrol, transfer some amount to a tire fund, (amount = step 2 divided by step 1 multiplied by the odometer reading you clocked) this can surely get the load off the pocket, turning this heavy capital expense to a revenue expense. sorry for the math...

[@motorinc]

Lovely suggestion! Thank you!

[@vishnu__1636]

Oh man this episode should have released a long long time ago 😂. I have just bought brand new tyres and i have made some mistakes. Anyway this episode was very informative and expecting more episodes like this.

[@motorinc]

Tell is more!

[@vishnu__1636]

@@motorincRecently I upsized the rear tyre on my electra 350 . Now i have to lean the motorcycle more to take a corner which wasn't necessary before and there are a lot of curves in my area. Unfortunately the bike's chasi isn't made to attack corners therefore i have to compensate by pushing the bike in, holding the line and out of the corner 🥲. Also the initial punch has reduced a bit but not very noticeable , maybe due to the increase in weight. Nonetheless this was my first time trying to upsize the tyres and never doing it again 😄.

[@motorinc]

You live and you learn! 🖖🏽

[@Aditya-tj6vv]

Can you please make a video on selecting right tyres for the bike. With lot of brands and models available it's difficult to pick the right one. I'm using CBR 150R , mostlyride in city & I'm not able to select one. Please Help.

[@motorinc]

If you ask us a specific question, we can help! What are you looking for?

[@Aditya-tj6vv]

Thanks for the reply. I'm looking for tyres which offer good grip on WET and normal (dusty) surfaces in the city.

[@motorinc]

Check out the Apollo ActiZip series. They should be good

[@Aditya-tj6vv]

@@motorinc Ok. Thank you very much!

[@giridharrajaram]

Hi Team, Is there any difference in terms of tyre performance between Nitrogen and regular air?

[@enriquuu]

Hey, would like to know which tire pressure gauge do you use and what would you recommend.

[@motorinc]

Shumi has two CruzTools Digital Pressure Gauges (one for him, one for us at the office). They're about Rs 1600 from Big Bad Bikes

[@amitsen3060]

@motorinc Hello Admins, can you suggest a good pair of tires for a Hornet 2 (ridden mostly on State highways which are maintained to their peak condition 70% of its life and has more than necessary unregulated bumpers). I want a pair that will be appropriate for a marginally fast commuter bike. I as a rider can be characterized by: 1. I like to ride calmly and in a balanced and sustained manner, on State Highways I don't usually go over 70s because of the anxiety that starts creeping in, that more or less explains my riding prowess. 2. I like the reasonable amount of flick-ability that Hornet 2 comes with. 3. The stock ones are Nylon, I have heard Radial alternatives provide more comfort. Please provide a few suggestions based on these factors. Sorry, it was a bit long winded. Thank you.

[@indraneil8469]

I want some good gripping tyres for my P200dtsi. I ain't getting 120 section rear from any premium brand like Michelin, Pirelli or Metzeller. Closest I'm getting is a 130 section rear which is from Pirelli. Would upsizing 10mm cause much problem. I never want to upsize neither I did ever, but don't have options either. Masters, pls guide!

[@motorinc]

That's a 120/80-17, right? Why do you need a premium brand (although Michelin does sell the Pilot Street 2 here in that size. What's wrong with the MRFs or Apollos? Both have tyres in your size

[@indraneil8469]

@@motorinc Sir actually I wanted radial tyres, Michelin Pilot street 2 is steel belted. Always admired to ride on radial tyres and I don't have another Motorcycle rn on which I can put Radials, so was searching for radial in the size 120/80/r17. Is it worth going for a radial 130/70/r17 on my beloved Pulsar?

[@motorinc]

It will make the rear feel heavier (slower acceleration, slower turning both).

[@FarhanKhan-pu4tn]

Is there any difference between filling with Nitrogen or the normal Air?

[@handratty1]

Would love for you guys to do a podcast on experiences with dealing with traffic police when touring across states and things to look out for. Like stopping superbikes and harassing bikes with no modifications. Dealing with accidents and handling mob/angry bystanders etc. Basically the unique dangers of touring in India and how to deal with it.

[@motorinc]

Can do! Although fair warning: we've _never_ really had a bad experience in the situations you describe.

[@pratiq7]

Tyres have been my weak point in terms of knowledge so I have been running on stock tyres always and checking pressure time to time. Would love to know more about grip and performance. Also I have a question, how important is wheel balancing in two wheelers?

[@motorinc]

What would you like to know Pratik? Wheel balancing is important for all vehicles. In India, it's just ignored. But many mechanics can easily manually balance your tyre -- it's better than nothing

[@pratiq7]

@@motorinc I am facing vibrations in handle bar after a certain speed which was not there until few weeks ago. Some articles and youtube videos suggest it's probably because of balancing issue since there is no vibration elsewhere except the handlebar.

[@motorinc]

Sounds more like your wheels need truing than balancing TBH. But that is the order we'd follow. Truing is easy to check. Hold something (a pen) in a fixed position close to the rim as you rotate it (centre stand or paddock stand). The pen and the rim should stay the distance from each other all the way around. Any bends will cause bar vibration at higher speed. If it isn't this, then we go get it balanced

[@pratiq7]

@@motorinc thanks a lot😊

[@being_happy_]

since you guys touch upon this a bit what are your thoughts on different gas for tyre pressure. ex; nitrogen

[@motorinc]

There’s no real advantage in everyday use. The pressure stability over time is poor although over temperature it’s better. But the pressure change is also accounted for in tyre engineering. So racers can see advantages but normal people on normal roads? Hardly worth the spend.

[@Icyorion1509]

Hello guys, could you please give us your feedback on the vredesteins ? NS and ST ? and also your thoughts on the upcoming TVS big bike tyres ?

[@motorinc]

Always excited to see new tyres! We found the Apollos quite nice initially but the grip seems to start dropping after a few thousand kilometers. Also check the team-bhp threads... there were reports of lots of punctures too

[@DhirajMumbai]

Shumi,s example of 900 bhp car with terrible tyres reminded me of Pirelli,s slogan "power is nothing without control".

[@heeraroy6489]

I can give an example of my rtr 1604v. remoras are good but zapper , revs are just awesome in every possible way. I do not know about the indian spec remoras but I can assure you that in our country (bangladesh) most of the accidents of the rtr happens because of the remora tyre. It has shitty wet grip. in dry it is okayish, I mean not that confidence inspiring but does a good job but after changing the set of tyres zapper at the front rev-z radial with the stock size, It immediatly felt mind blowing. I was planning for the bigger ones but I saw this podcast and changed my mind to try the stock size with different brand and I am not gonna think about upsizing ever again.Damnn!!! It is so much fun now.

[@ClintonNeilBosco]

Please let me know which windshield is on the KTM 390 ... I want it fitted on mine

[@motorinc]

Used to be a KTM PowerPart. Not sure if it’s on sale anymore. It was right at the beginning of the 390 Duke’s arrival

[@karansingh6950]

Which bike would u suggest under 2lkhs for city and highway both. Is ns200 a good choice at this point of time or any of its upgrade coming soon .

[@motorinc]

RTR200 4V.

[@vedangmarathe1574]

one suggestion, after this channel gets some "traction", get some guests on the podcast, the quality and dynamics of this podcast deserve it to be the most listened to podcast the moto world

[@motorinc]

Thanks for the suggestion Vedang!

[@drmaheshkumar5687]

Sir which tyre pressure pump would u recommend to buy for filling air in the tyres at home

[@motorinc]

We use a ResQTech unit off Amazon. It'll look like a black box with a meter with a yellow button (now many brands seem to have the same one... so we assume it's Chinese). But there are many. The issue with most stores is that size references (how small is it) are very few.

[@irfandng7920]

Hey there! Really fascinated by the whole ep on tyres! 🤌🏼 And congratulations Shumi sir for the new start just found out about this channel.. My question is related to tyres for my 3 month old hunter. Which tyres would you recommend to swap with the stock CEATS. I would really like to go for a 150 section tyre for the rear.

[@motorinc]

Why change the size?

[@Yavvee]

I don't understand why tyres are not paid more attention, when it's sometimes the only thing saving you from a crash. I was used to the Metzeller on my Duke 390, and unfortunately had to borrow another duke with Michelin pilot street, which I knew were less grippy, for a track day and I slipped so much. ABS was the only thing saving me that day. Since then, I have had a much more appreciation for my Metz and have even upgraded to Michelin road 5 for safer monsoon trips.

[@sachinnagaraja]

Better change the name of the podcast from "ThisConnect" to "Encyclopedia" It is what it is 🙌🙌

[@motorinc]

Thank you very much! ❤️‍🔥

[@aranga2730]

Podcast was fantastic, but I think it was mainly focused on road and track tyre aspect, would've been better if you included a bit of conversation about off road aspect as well. Thank you for this knowledge.

[@motorinc]

Off-road is a smaller, and its own, universe. We plan to discuss that separately later on. Thanks Aranga!

[@Shaival24]

Covered almost everything. But, if you could have thrown some more light on how to decide which tyre are the best for the vehicle, if someone wants to change it for one or the other reason. That would have been great.

[@motorinc]

Can do! Thanks for the suggestion Shaival!

[@lalitkhopade6747]

Please help me. I am very confused regarding which tyre to buy for my Interceptor (sizes- front 100-90/18, rear 130-70/18). As its 18 inches there are very limited options. Only one premium option is from Michelin road classic priced ₹34000 (pair) and second option is from Ceat priced ₹7000(pair). Price difference is huge so please suggest me which one I should go for. Thanks in advance.

[@motorinc]

The choices aren’t many. But in the comments one owner said they moved to Pirelli Scorpion Trail IIs and are super kicked with them.

[@ruchirtd1]

If there was someone who even after watching the entire podcast doesn’t feel tyres are important…that last line by Kartikeya is enough to get new set of tyres 😅

[@motorinc]

Congratulations!

[@prakharsingh7668]

Hey guys, My Motorcycle doesn't have radial tyres. Can I swap it with radial tyres of the same size (130/70 section)?

[@agni7600]

Since most of us cannot afford to go in a riding school maybe because of money and maybe because there isn't one, so perhaps you guys can start a series to teach us ride better.. Maybe the small details of what will make us better riders.

[@motorinc]

We certainly can! There are, in fact, riding schools. Shumi teaches at indimotard.com/two for about 16/17 years now. We made a podcast episode about it too! See “fastest way to go safer”

[@archieslopestar587]

One suggestion if I may, if a discussion is ON and some names come up like in this video the kv 125 is it possible to post a picture of it for reference

[@motorinc]

Did you google it? The Kawasaki Bajaj KB 125 is a bit of a legend !

[@archieslopestar587]

@@motorinc sorry I absolutely not 😅 Google it, on it right now

[@archieslopestar587]

Legend it truly is 🔥

[@bharatbawari]

Every episode is a masterpiece. Just a question, I have a Ninja 300 MY2022, and the MFR zappers are awful. It's been only 1200kms, but I have understood that these are the wrong shoes for the bike. Can you suggest another radial set I can upgrade to. I am using the Apollo Alpha H1 on my Duke 200 MY2014, they work well. And I would love to see a session on ceramic coating and paint protection as it has become the talk of the town these days. Keep up the good work 🙂

[@motorinc]

If the H1 sizes transfer, that is a good tyre. Also look at the Eurogrip ProTorque Extreme, it's superb (not sure about sizes). Ceramic coatings and paint protection is a difficult subject but we'll try. Difficult because it's hard to tell who's done a good job/uses good chemicals versus who hasn't. But in general paint can be helped in our dusty conditions for sure.

[@bharatbawari]

Awesome, thanks 🙂

[@motorinc]

🖖🏽

[@janaizeme6937]

My worst experience was with TVS tyres. I was fascinated by fat tyres way back in 2006 and had upgraded to a TVS tyre. The riding was scary during rains even on very good roads. After that ,I have never gone back to that brand.

[@motorinc]

Yes, back in the day they were terrible. Lots has changed though. Shumi runs TVS Eurogrip Pro Torque Extremes on his KTM and they're amongst the best for grip on the 390!

[@shrinivaspai]

@@motorinc would it work on tva apache rr310.. manufacturer recommended was michelin street radial they then changed to michelin road 5(newer models from 2020 i guess) … also its out of stock at service centre for past 3 months he also said no one else also has that… so would eurogrip work on rr310… also why TVS not recommending their own tires…..

[@motorinc]

Yes they would! TVS Service will usually recommend whatever is in their inventory system (it's the only thing they will be able to order and store for sale).

[@gopalakrishnanrajashekar3521]

17:39 heheh. 2004, I rode the fattest tyre that would fit into the wheel well of the p180, the TVS jumbo, to Kalo dungar through the little Rann and back to Hyderabad. It was horrible. Managed to destroy the clutch between getting bogged several times in lrok and accelerating a heavy tyre to highway speeds over ~4,000 km. The guy on top of the tyres, yrs truly, was the bigger issue :(

[@sarge12k]

I can vouch for the TVS Protorq Extremes. I have run them on cold hill roads at 5AM with stock PSI settings and no warmup and they have never once even come close to slipping, even when the footpegs slam hard on the road and scrape intensely. I'll let my profile photo stand as a testament to this (R15 V3). I'm having problems with availability though, and am unable to find fresh stocks anywhere.

[@rawalsushant]

Can you probably do a small section about EV tyres as well? For people who own EV's these days it will be great to know which tyres to consider and how having the EV tyres gives the consumer a sense of confidence that they have the right tyres for their vehicles.

[@motorinc]

We don't think there's a blanket recommendation. So if you have a specific question... shoot!

[@rawalsushant]

@@motorinc well I was wondering if someone who owns an EV needs to change the tyres down the line from Stock tyres to say these new EV tyres thay have come up in the market how would they go about making the purchase decision?

[@motorinc]

Until we’ve had a chance to test the tyres, it’s hard to offer a clear method to solve this. But given how new EVs are (and therefore their warranty and insurance processes), we’d probably go back to the stock tyre until a clearer view is available.

[@prorider4992]

I used to take break every 1-2 hrs of riding in summer coz of rising pressure in tyre

[@motorinc]

There's really no need. The additional pressure is accounted for already

[@vijaywagh3373]

Hello Motorinc, I have Honda Hornet 2.0. I want to change tyres. Apollo Alpha H1 or Metzeler Sportec M5 Interact, which will be better. If you have any other recommendations please suggest. Thank you for your content🙏

[@muralikrishna-wn6ey]

Hey Shumi and Karthi, I have a Dominor 250. I have Eurogrip currently. Suggest me the tires for my next set.

[@motorinc]

Think about Michelin Pilot Street 2 or the Apollo Tramplr ST Murali

[@muralikrishna-wn6ey]

@@motorincthank you Shumi/ Karthi.

[@sunilanthony934]

CBR250 R 2017 . Recommended front n rear. Pls advise

[@dhananjeyganesh6849]

the last segment about tyre pressures and contact patches reminded me of shumi doing simplified in th PD channel. Any ideas on doing something like that in this channel? i ask this because the simplified episodes that shumi did were extremely useful to me and i think it would be good to other riders aswell.

[@motorinc]

Lots of plans Dhananjey! Stay tuned!