New wheel technology.

[Lord Percy]

Well, I say 'new', but the website says it's 'suppressed', so I don't know how old this is. Maybe BCF have come across it before.

https://www.minds.com/blog/view/51425/suppressed-wheel-technology-why-aren039t-these-on-domestic-roadways

Any ideas on whether it would work on a motorbike? I can't see why not. I certainly would be far happier with wheels like this. No chance of a blowout.

https://loudbud.com/videos/thumbnails/369.jpg

[sickpup]

Not suppressed just not very functional.

how do you change the pressures?

[Sable]

Leaning a bike with them on must feel weird o.o

[sidewinder]

Polaris are using the idea for there quads

https://editorial.autos.msn.com/blogs/post--polaris-debuts-airless-armored-tire-on-new-atv

https://i1128.photobucket.com/albums/m492/sidewinder11/ac14ab4f215e3abcc87d02cf5244f15e_zpsb87e7707.jpg

[Seigi]

I don't know how leaning would work, would it not just kinda flex and throw you off?
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2008 Honda CBR125 (sold) / Suzuki DL 650 V Strom (Current bike)
Mod 2 Passed: 03/09/2013

[c-m]

They look too weak to work on a motorcycle.

Apart from the largest sportsbikes, most motorcycle wheels are about a third as wide as the average car.

In terms of leaning, the flex would most likely aid grip. Similar to the Mezler z6 where belt is more flexible towards the edges of the tyre.

[-Matt-]

Can't see how this would work on a 2 wheeled vehicle, without any constant curve on the tyre would it not just constantly flat-face the road like riding with a huge puncture

Interesting design though

[Walloper]

It has been around for ages.
Nothing to-date can compete with a Pneumatic tyre for performance.

That honeycomb wheel is only puncture proof.

You can make a pneumatic tyre puncture proof without having to go to all the bother of re-inventing the wheel.

No reason it can't be used on a motorbike. A Harley Dae-Anything would be an apt candidate for the technology as they can't corner very well anyway.

Useless on a proper bike as there is very limited lateral performance.
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W-ireless A-rtificial L-ifeform L-imited to O-bservation P-eacekeeping and E-fficient R-epair

[Rogerborg]

Seen them before, and I lulz at the tin foil hatters.

The issue I can see is fatigue in the plastic as it flexes. ""These are designed to last the life of the vehicle," claim Polaris. The same Polaris who made stuartt's Victory Hammer...

Nanny Brussels would have a fit if you tried using those on road in Europe. Polaris would likely need to partner with some German outfit in order to magically make them $uitabl€.
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Biking is 1/20th as dangerous as horse riding.
GONE: HN125-8, LF-250B, GPz 305, GPZ 500S, Burgman 400 // RIDING: F650GS (800 twin), Royal Enfield Bullet Electra 500 AVL, Ninja 250R because racebike

[Nick 50]

They will work well on slow moving vehicles, such as Army Hummers and such. They look like they are only designed to deal with a radial load. I would question the longevity of the wheel under an axial load (like cornering hard) on a car.

As for motorcycles, as soon as you lean past 0 degrees, you are changing from a Radial load to an Axial load. The more the lean, the more the axial load increases.

I highly doubt the wheel design would give a consistent flex with a motorcycle leaned over and guess it would try to buckle in on itself.

https://www.bwc.com/files/axial_radial.png
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Current Bikes: ZX7r 97 (Black Beauty), VFR400 NC24 (The banana)
Previous Bikes: Aprilia Tuono 03 (The Beast), CBR600f (97)
First bike: A GZ125 Lemon.......

[Walloper]

The same sort-of idea has been used since ages ago.
Cat fitted a belt and steel track pads to their big loader's tyres to reduce tyre damage.

The belt was similar to a conveyor belt rubber with steel cords inside.
The belt had steel plates at regular intervals to allow the steel 'track' pads to be bolted on.
The belt was mounted to the outside surface of a 'bead-less' tyre. Which is simply a big thick rubber inner tube.
The technology worked but if they were punctured (by side cuts) the pneumatic element was more or less un-repairable with the repair tech available at the time.

The belt was fitted to the tyre when deflated and vacuum-ed to shrink the tube. The belt fitted then the tube inflated again.
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W-ireless A-rtificial L-ifeform L-imited to O-bservation P-eacekeeping and E-fficient R-epair

[iooi]

I should imagine that cost is a major factor.
Where a tyre is cheap to produce, as is a std wheel.

These will be expensive. Require a full replacement once the rubber has worn down.
Also how often will they be checked for cracks. Given the state of roads.

How often do we get punctures now?
Bike I have down 30K + and not had one in the last 4 years.
Car 40K + and only had one (did not go flat) that was a screw in a tyre that only come to light once it was changed
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Just because my bike was A DIVVY, does not mean i am......

[Walloper]

[_mjs_]

I'm pretty sure there's a .gif on the web somewhere showing a big military vehicle fitted with these slamming on the brakes and the rear axle gets torn off.
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Previous Bikes: 2006 Honda XR125L > 2003 Yamaha DT125R > 1996 Honda CB500
Current bikes: 1997 Kawasaki ZZR 600 E5 > 2006 Honda Varadero XL125V

[Walloper]

[Lord Percy]

Interesting points so far

I'm not really for or against it, I just wondered what others thought about it. It does interest me though. I would be more than happy to try one.

About the shape of the tyre and suitability for motorbikes - see link at end of post. Or just see this image:

https://thekneeslider.com/images/michelinairless2.jpg

Nick50 - Regarding the radial vs axial load - I'm not sure what you mean there. Just by looking at the design of it, it looks like it wouldn't have any problem at all under an axial load. It is all the same material after all. What do you expect would happen under a large axial load?

Whoever said about the inner structure getting cracks - fair point. Although it would be interesting to see the stuff up close. I mean, we can sit here and worry about that honeycomb structure getting a crack in it, but maybe it's made of a material that has as much chance of 'cracking' as the rubber of a standard tyre.

Also about replacement of the tyre - I read somewhere (I think in one of the links below) that the whole wheel would not need replacing, as the 'tyre' surface material would just need to be stripped and relaid. It would actually use less material as it doesn't have a side wall.

Another benefit is that the tread could have plenty of proper holes put into it to greatly reduce the risk of aquaplaning.

Those are my thoughts so far

More info here:

Michelin Tweel - Benefits and Drawbacks.

Michelin prototype airless motorcycle tyre.

[-Matt-]

[chickenstrip]

[-Matt-]

Potential then perhaps looks bloody precarious though, would of thought you have to fling yourself to get it to lean each time

[Walloper]

[Islander]

Meet the moon buggy. Used on Apollo missions in the 70s.

https://www.nasa.gov/images/content/154143main_ducttape_apollo17_big_med2.jpg

[chickenstrip]

Perhaps it would work using a more 3D construct, with completely enclosed honeycomb type cells? Could then be shaped with curvature like a normal bike tyre.

[Lord Percy]

[Walloper]

[Pete.]