Michelin Power Pure Motorcycle Tire Presented

Recently introduced on the market, Michelin’s Power Pure tires designed for sportbikes help you save over 2 lbs (0.90kg) over rival tires, such as the Bridgestone BT-016, Dunlop Sportmax Qualifier II, Metzeler Sportec M3 and Pirelli Diablo Rosso. This is thanks to the Light Tire Technology (LTT) and a second-generation Michelin 2CT compound.

The Michelin LTT and 2CT technologies are inspired from the world of racing, thanks to the Michelin Power Research Team.

“Shaving 2lbs off the weight of a modern sport bike which tips the scales at 400 lbs might not seem such a big deal,” Michelin says. “Yet it is, since the saving in question concerns a part of the bike that is not covered by the suspension. So-called unsprung weight. In other words, the lower a bike's unsprung weight, the easier it is to switch from leaning into a right-hand turn to leaning into a left-hander. And vice-versa.“

Gyroscopic forces mean that running a tyre which is 2 lbs (0.90kg)lighter is equivalent to saving 6 lbs (2.70kg) on rims or 8 lbs (3.63kg) on brake discs. “A lighter tyre/wheel assembly which readily moves in response to road bumps will have more grip when tracking over an imperfect road,” the company says.

Michelin Light Tire Technology is centered around three key points. Beginning in the design stage, the goal of reducing weight while maintaining or improving performance in other areas was clearly defined. Instead of merely combining different technologies, Michelin engineers decided to re-think their tire design methodology. The tire's structure, profile (i.e. shape) and constituent elements were designed simultaneously rather than in stages.

Secondly, Michelin Power Pure tires incorporate advanced materials like aramid fibers, which are used, for example, in the aerospace industry. And finally, although the tire is lighter, its tread is just as thick as that of the previous-generation tire.