Differences between Bias Ply and Radial on front tire

[paid4c4]

What are the differences I would feel as a trike rider between a bias ply and radial front tire?

Bill

[bikerbillone]

Hmmm, I don't know, but I'm subscribed. Guess I could do the Google thing, but I'd rather read TT.

[FuzzyWuzHe]

Since the trike doesn't "lean", I'm guessing the big difference would be in tread life ... but I too will be watching this thread.

[Lee H. Mann]

What are the differences I would feel as a trike rider between a bias ply and radial front tire?

Bill

The differences between bias and radial tire carcass construction is the basis for longer life and better grip.

Radial tire construction allows the carcass to flex more and as a result the tread remains in better contact with the road.

Bias tire construction does not allow the same tread adherence due to the cross-plies in the sidewall.

What will you feel ?

Given you are running the same air pressures in both a bias and radial tire, in spirited riding the bias tire will loose grip before the radial.

A rider that is less spirited will see little or no changes except that the radial will give a smoother ride.

Cost per mile is less for a bias tire than the radial counterpart.

[Burnerboy]

Lee - Thank you! Good advise/info here

Ronnie

[paid4c4]

The differences between bias and radial tire carcass construction is the basis for longer life and better grip.

Radial tire construction allows the carcass to flex more and as a result the tread remains in better contact with the road.

Bias tire construction does not allow the same tread adherence due to the cross-plies in the sidewall.

What will you feel ?

Given you are running the same air pressures in both a bias and radial tire, in spirited riding the bias tire will loose grip before the radial.

A rider that is less spirited will see little or no changes except that the radial will give a smoother ride.

Cost per mile is less for a bias tire than the radial counterpart.

Thank you for a great response.

Bill

[CrystalPistol]

I tried and even wore out a couple of "rear" intended tires on front of our GL-1500 based Lehman which has a 6 degree kit. The MPA and Macadam M50, and BT45 wore well, wore like iron even, but they had hard sidewalls and some buzz at low speed in handlebar. I could also feel what felt like some side slip in tighter corners at speed. I switched to a Avon AV-71 Cobra Trike specific Radial front tire, same 40-41 psi, but ride softened some and now it's like the front just takes a set in corners, it gives better feedback IMHO and I have yet to feel like it was slipping any. I also get great wear, but considering feel (hard to describe it) and ride improvement, I'll stick with radial even if mileage doesn't match.

I have a still better than half tread bias ply hanging on wall (I think it's the BT45 or MPA, I forget just now … whatever it is/was, had the low speed buzz), it'll stay on the wall. The profile appeared to be a gentler curve as well, meaning more tread on road if true.

Now it's a Avon AV-91 Cobra Chrome Trike Radial they market it as, still has TRIKE on sidewall.

[rhino 2]

Don't know if this is Apples to Oranges......

But with cars when radial tires weren't available in the USA....[Till Michelin Via Sears started importing them here ignoring the nonsense that you couldn't use them on American cars] If you went off the edge of a road with Bars-ply [low shoulder] getting back on could be dangerous...Also with Bias-ply if you took a curve too fast they would squeal loudly , Kinna like a wakeup call to slow down.....With Radials there isn't any squealing.....Which in my humble opinion is why so many nimrods drive too fast on curves and run off the roads into a ditch....Or flip the vehicle ...