MCN : Never buy a tyre again :/

[Mr.Everready]

The headline says "Never buy a tyre again"

https://www.motorcyclenews.com/jpeg/148/1865040.jpeg

Tyre firm Michelin has unveiled a maintenance free, airless tyre for the first time.
The technology which could make this possible is an advanced radial structure manufactured from high-performance composite materials, onto which a rubber tread is bonded. When the tread is worn down it's removed and a new tread bonded to the core structure, which is designed to last around 150,000 miles.
This means the tyre can be specifically designed to an individual bike model, and it won't leak air, will never puncture, and will mean an end to checking tyre pressures.
"Michelin's research mission is to constantly bring about "technological leaps" in the industry," said Head of R&D Didier Miraton. "We are seriously focussing our research on these solutions that will make their way onto the market within a decade or so."
Sources say this is definitely a possible production model rather than theoretically research. However, the firm has to develop a manufacturing process to be able to assess the actual cost of production and whether this is viable.
But would you be interested in an airless tyre? It would mean an end to expensive punctures and routine checks, but would also stop you adjusting your tyres for track days etc?

I'd like to know how "never buy a new tyre again" equates to "When the tread is worn down it's removed and a new tread bonded to the core structure"

Surely adding new tread is just the same as putting a new tyre on ?
As for the cost of it, you'd need a new wheel and all the gubbins that goes with it plus the tread every few thousand miles anyway.
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the undemocratically unelected mod of the Scottish section

[ginguar]

Going to be a complete girl here and think about how it looks. It's nasty and looks a little bit slug like. I suppose it would be more environmentally friendly though. Still I just don't trust it.

[killa]

Like Hitler sending chocolates to Steven Spielberg.

You’ll never see it happen.
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Cleverly disguised as a responsible adult.
Bike:- Yamaha TRX850 | Killas Biking History | Killas Gaming History | Killas autmotive history

[EuropeanNC30R...]

Is it just me or does that look like a car tyre?

Another MCN mock-up possibly?

[colin1]

i know mcn are a highly respected publication who never exaggerate or sensationalise to get ppl to buy the paper but...
wait a sec ...
sorry got that wrong
mcn are actually bullshitters who will tell you anything if its based on a grain of truth to sell their paper.

(im gonna copy an paste this on every mcn thread in case you think it looks a bit familiar)
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colin1 is officially faster than god

[fuzz]

[Mr.Everready]

You can also get the structure in different colours to match your bike

Just so you know, the :/ in the thread title says what I feel about the story.
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the undemocratically unelected mod of the Scottish section

[doggone]

There must be some lateral thinking options to make tyres last a lot longer.
What we have now is an idea some 100 years old with tweaking of composition etc.
How about a 'solid' tyre where thw whole thing slowly wears down until you get to the rim?
Then you get a new wheel complete with another 40,000 mile tyre...

[Robby]

I first saw this about a year ago in a car mag, and the models they were testing then looked a lot more modelly. Good to see they have progressed onto what looks like a working prototype in such a short time frame.

As for the solid tyre idea, that is in fact a very old idea, which was replaced by pneumatic tyres. Pneumatic tyres have the advantage of having a variable amount of give, which means you can alter the contact patch by tyre pressure and the amount of weight acting on the tyre (tyre deformation being a good characteristic here), and they also have some give in them for a smoother ride.

[Mr.Everready]

Did you see the shots of the front tyre deforming in one of the GPs?
It's amazing how much they move.
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the undemocratically unelected mod of the Scottish section

[Hotdog]

[Rookie]

150k out of a tyre - I'd buy it, if it worked. I wonder how much a bond change would cost?

[steveh]

tbh rather have air in my tires, dont find it a great chore checking preasures, can see it working for cars, but bikes, nahh.

looks horrid, sounds pointless.


Steve.
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Current : 06 Zx10r, 07 Wr450f SM, 74 850 norton commando, 63 bsa b40, 1962 Triton 650, 67 Triumph Tr6r, 1955 Triton 750, 1978 TY250E.

[Mr.Everready]

[fuzz]

[Jrod]

On the front page it says "full story on page 6"

It's actually on page 12.

[TL666]

Do you really think that Michelin would produce a tyre which would eventually put themselves out of business? I think not.

[mchaggis]

I'd be interested to see how well the springing media would resist permanent deformation if left stood still with weight on it for a long time. The structure for motorcycle and multi-wheel vehicle tyres would be fairly different as the two have to behave in quite different manners.

Never buying a tyre again might be fine if you do less than 150k miles and don't ever change your bike. I'd think that the Chinese can knock out conventional pneumatic tyres by the million at a slightly lower cost than these. Given enough time and enough of a rubber shortage and these could make a lot of sense.
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I must not be a troll...
Mmmm, Guinness
Discovering the delights of Hammerite and a 3/4" brush.

[Mr.Everready]

[TL666]

[Hotdog]

[colin1]

we have loads of inefficient, uneconomic farms that are supported by subsidies

if half of these were converted to landfill, we wd have more than enough space to get rid of the rubbish (including tyres) we produce
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colin1 is officially faster than god

[8316]

[Villers]

[SoND]

For a tyre to last that long can they make them to have the same performance as normal sports tyres?



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Go back to bed - You have no rights - "Streetfighters ~ Mainstream motorcycling's crackwhore sister."