Proficient Motorcycling by David L. Hough

Author:David L. Hough
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Lumina Media
Published: 2010-11-04T04:00:00+00:00

Traction

That rolling grip between the rubber tire and road surface is really a matter of the rubber changing shape slightly to conform to the little dimples and bumps in the surface. So traction involves both the tire and the surface. Slide your hand over some carpet, and you’ll feel resistance as your skin tries to conform to the lumps and bumps of thread. Slide your hand over a plastic countertop, and there is much less resistance, or traction, because there are fewer lumps or bumps into which your skin can squeeze. A rough concrete road has more traction than does a shiny steel plate. Dribble a little water on the smooth countertop, and you’ll see that traction decreases even more when wet.

Hard rubber has less traction than soft rubber does because compliant rubber can more quickly squish into the surface irregularities to get a grip. That’s also why too much pressure in a tire reduces traction. If a tire is overinflated, it can’t as easily squeeze into conformity with the pavement. Lower pressure improves traction, which is an advantage for unpaved roads but would overheat the tire carcass at highway speeds. So tire pressure is a compromise between traction and reliability.

With correct pressure in your tires for highway speeds, how much surface area would you guess your tire contact patches have? Would you say that both tires together have about as much area as this page you’re reading? Would it surprise you to know that the contact patch area of either of your tires is about the same size as one of the paragraphs on this page? Considering that tire traction is the connection between the bike and the road, you should never scrimp on tires, and you should check frequently to ensure that tire pressures are correct for the load you intend to carry.

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