For most of the motorcyclists, winter is the most hated season: the non-riding one. Some of the more daring ones ready their thermo-lined riding gear and change the tires with studded ones, and head over to the great outdoors, having the kind of fun the rest of the guys can only dream of. But… things may change soon, with Nokian’s new invention.
Non-studded winter tires, but which become studded ones at the press of a button, how cool is that? So far, this invention is only available for SUVs such as the Porsche Cayenne, but this technology could indeed be adapted to motorcycle tires… I hope.
Celebrating the 80th anniversary of the winter tire, Finnish manufacturer Nokian surfaced the Hakkapeliitta 8 SUV tires. Full-fledged winter tires with a non-studded profile, the Hakkapeliitta 8 contain specially-engineered studs whose body remains completely flush with the outer surface at all times. At the press of a button, metal pins emerge from the middle of the studs, adding tremendous grip to the tire. That is, the Nokian Hakkapeliitta 8 SUV tires are what we all could name “studded tires on demand”.
Now imagine how cool (pun intended) winter could become in case Nokian’s technology is passed onto motorcycle tire manufacturers. Imagine how many opportunities arise with splicing the technology for making winter tires for cars and the current bike tire-making knowledge. WinterGP, here we come! Possibly… As for the technology used for deploying and retracting the pins, it's still a well-kept secret.
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