Reverse tyre rotation

**Deano** · 8th October 2009, 11:14

Ok I've done a limited search but couldn't see much about this.

While in Auckland at a Puke test day, I saw a zxr600 with the rear supercorsa on backwards. I.e. reverse rotation.

I have heard that some racers do this with their slicks also, to get a bit of extra life out of them. Tracks like Manfeild short tend to chew out the RHS of the tyre a lot more severely then the left.

I have been told the rotation direction is simply for the tread pattern to work correctly to remove water in wet conditions.

So, is this correct or are their other risks involved with running a tyre backwards ? Like delamination....ouch !

**saul** · 8th October 2009, 11:41

Originally Posted by Deano

Ok I've done a limited search but couldn't see much about this.

While in Auckland at a Puke test day, I saw a zxr600 with the rear supercorsa on backwards. I.e. reverse rotation.

I have heard that some racers do this with their slicks also, to get a bit of extra life out of them. Tracks like Manfeild short tend to chew out the RHS of the tyre a lot more severely then the left.

I have been told the rotation direction is simply for the tread pattern to work correctly to remove water in wet conditions.

So, is this correct or are their other risks involved with running a tyre backwards ? Like delamination....ouch !

Yep good question, Ive seen it done and Im interested as well

**Ronin** · 8th October 2009, 11:50

I've seen it done on the aussie v8's

**chanceyy** · 8th October 2009, 11:56

hmmm

I think sugi used to do this Deano, send himi a pm & ask ..

**BASS-TREBLE** · 8th October 2009, 13:05

I think it would work.
Apart from torque, the main force is centrifugal, which is the same no matter what way it spins.

If torque was an one way issue, wouldn't there be braking limits?

**Sidewinder** · 8th October 2009, 13:10

yea bro we do it all the time when we a on jew missions at the track.
it i just wouldnt do it with wets lol. even though even slicks have an arrow on them to show rotation it doesnt seem to change the way the bike handels so its all kaipai lovely brother

**Matt Bleck** · 8th October 2009, 13:24

I've done it with Pirelli Supercorsas, Dunlop Ntech slicks and Pirelli Superbike slicks and had no issues.

**Sidewinder** · 8th October 2009, 13:26

Originally Posted by Matt Bleck

I've done it with Pirelli Supercorsas, Dunlop Ntech slicks and Pirelli Superbike slicks and had no issues.

dunlops rule am i right or what timayyyy

**MSTRS:Me** · 8th October 2009, 13:42

I know it is common to run a front on the rear of a bucket (for instance) but fitted reverse.
I may have misunderstood the science, but I thought that directional tyres are fine either way UNTIL they've run through a heat cycle, at which point their molecular structure aligns to the directional forces it's been subjected to.

**Brian d marge** · 8th October 2009, 15:10

if I remember correctly , the direction arrow is there for the join in the carcass and running in the opposite direction opens up the join

but that was a few years ago no ,,,,

Stephen

**boman** · 8th October 2009, 16:19

Originally Posted by Brian d'marge

if I remember correctly , the direction arrow is there for the join in the carcass and running in the opposite direction opens up the join

but that was a few years ago no ,,,,

Stephen

Correct. Also the tread patterns are designed to get rid of water in a certain direction, usually away from the bike. Running the tyre back to front could have an adverse effect, on the tyres ability to get rid of water. IMO I think someone has f#@ked up, when fitting the tyre. Maybe the owner knows no better.

**Mishy** · 10th October 2009, 21:58

You can see this quite often. Sometimes it's a mistake, but often it's deliberate.
Lots of guys running Proddy tyres at National level do this so that they can run the stickier compounds, and still make it through on the one front tyre.

Possible problems would mainly occur with the overlap of the compound. Basically this is where the big sheet of compount overlaps itself when they make the tyre.
This part is normally designed to deal with longditudinal stress in one direction only, and can suffer distress if used the wrong way around.
In practice though, most modern tyres have a stable enough overlap to allow reverse use without problem - but you should still keep an eye on them if you run them backwards.
Any problems will show as a "delamination" radially across the tyre - kind of like a smily face.

The second minor issue is that treaded tyres can wear a little faster when not run in the correct direction.

Pirelli and Continental now use a zero degree overlap, so it's not an issue with new new new tyres.

As far as wet weather performance goes, it's just not a big deal.
Tread pattern has exactly stuff all to do with wet weather performance on race compound tyres, and only really has about a 5% influence even on normal road tyres.
It's all to do with flexibility at low temperatures, and a slick with good temp will hold a damp track the same as a treaded tyre of the same compound.

If you want some extra life from a tyre that is worn on one side, then turn it over. Just watch for any signs of a smily face across the tyre - this is what indicates distress at the overlap.

**Rcktfsh** · 11th October 2009, 07:07

Originally Posted by Sidewinder

dunlops rule am i right or what timayyyy

Didn't see any at the front of Superbikes last Vic round, Pirelli 1st, 2nd and 3rd.

**James Deuce** · 11th October 2009, 07:10

Just ride backwards bro.

**Katman** · 11th October 2009, 08:25

Originally Posted by boman

Correct. Also the tread patterns are designed to get rid of water in a certain direction, usually away from the bike. Running the tyre back to front could have an adverse effect, on the tyres ability to get rid of water. IMO I think someone has f#@ked up, when fitting the tyre. Maybe the owner knows no better.

Take a look at a pair of Conti Road-Attacks. The tread pattern on the front is the reverse of that on the rear.