Yet another dilemma about tyres...

**Cruisin' Craig** · 15th July 2008, 14:47

Some people are going to start thinking that tyres are all I ever post about!

I have just been told by a bike mechanic that if I buy V-rated Pirelli sport demons, they will be more sticky than the h-rated Pirelli sport demons I am currently using.

Now my understanding is that the speed rating refers only to the maximum speed that the tyre in question has the structural strength to withstand without potentially starting to come apart, and does not imply anything to do with stickiness of the compound.

Now It could be that this mechanic is spot on. Maybe even though speed rating doesn't directly relate to tyre stickiness, there is a tendency for manufacturers to use stickier rubber on their more sports oriented high speed-rated tyres.

Or it could be that I might be about to spend a bunch of money on v-rated Pirelli sport demons that aren't any stickier than my last lot of H-rated sport demons.

So the question is; are v-rated tyres going to be stickier than h-rated tyres of the same type?

All input is appreciated!

**MSTRS:Me** · 15th July 2008, 15:22

http://www.motorcycle-superstore.com...Rear-Tire.aspx
Look down the page a bit and you'll see the speed ratings. Says nothing about stickiness tho

**Cruisin' Craig** · 15th July 2008, 16:56

Yeah, I can't find any info about relative stickiness of the two types. I did find a forum conversation where someone else has been trying to answer the same question, but he doesn't seem to have had any luck. http://forums.cycleworld.com/cyclewo...thread.id=3254

**icekiwi** · 19th July 2008, 21:07

Originally Posted by Cruisin' Craig

Some people are going to start thinking that tyres are all I ever post about!

You should Tread lightly then....

**Devil** · 19th July 2008, 22:07

The stiffness of the tyre often dictates it's speed rating.
A lighter bikes tyres typically has a lower speed rating, because the tyre isn't as stiff. This is important though as lighter bikes wont heat up a certain tyre like a heavier one will, and will find better grip and better warmup from the less stiff tyre (that just happens to have a lower speed rating).
So technically, your H rated sport demon probably gets to temperature quicker than the V rated one, and depending on what sort of temperatures you're riding in and how hard you're riding, might be the stickier tyre.
The only benefit you'll get from going to the V rated tyre is if you're overheating the current one, or you have an issue with the general stiffness. You can often get a squidgy feeling from tyres that have a weaker sidewall for example...