How to choose the right tyres for your motorcycle | MICHELIN

Besides the usage, it is the dimensions that will determine your choice. It is mandatory to follow the dimensions recommended by your manufacturer:

If you drive on the road, you are legally committed to respecting the homologated dimensions.
If you ride on track or off-road, the dimensions are not subject to legal obligation. If you stay within the limits of compatibility, you can then prioritise the performance you are looking for when making your choice.

In the next part of this article, we will go into more detail to help you decide which tyres would be perfect for your motorbike depending on your usage.

Click on the section you are interested in :

2 – Commuting motorcycles

If you only use your motorcycle for commuting with a relaxed riding style, the right tyres for your motorcycle are likely in these ranges: MICHELIN Pilot Street, MICHELIN Pilot Street 2, MICHELIN City Pro or MICHELIN M35.

If you use a scooter for commuting, then we recommend one of these ranges: MICHELIN Road 4 SC, MICHELIN City Grip, MICHELIN City Grip 2, MICHELIN City Grip Saver, MICHELIN City Extra or MICHELIN City Grip Pro.

You can find these tyres on our commuting page.

Don't forget to check that the dimensions are available for your motorcycle.

3 – Roads and paths

If you use your motorbike for commuting during the working week but also for occasional rides on paths for a nature getaway, then opt for our MICHELIN Anakee Street range.

Don't forget to check that the dimensions are available for your motorcycle.

Track day tyres

The choice of motorcycle tyres for track day depends on your level of skill. We help you make the right choice in our dedicated article on the best tyres for motorbike track days.

Competition tyres

If you are involved in competition, Michelin offers a range of tyres suitable for amateur or experienced riders and for all types of motorcycles. The aim here is to make you a winner! You will find your ideal tyres among our MICHELIN Power Performance ranges, specially designed for endurance and speed (e.g: MICHELIN Power Performance 24, MICHELIN and MICHELIN Performance Slick), and MICHELIN Power Rain that offers an excellent grip in wet conditions and even in the rain.

You can find all of our competition tyres on our dedicated page. Click here to find our racing tyres.

Don't forget to check that the dimensions are available for your motorcycle.

Enduro tyres

For Enduro riding, it is important to comply with the approved dimensions in order to respect the regulations when riding on the road.

In our Enduro range, you can choose from our dedicated or compatible ranges, for hard, soft, sandy or mixed terrain.

e.g: MICHELIN Enduro Xtrem NHS, MICHELIN Enduro Medium, MICHELIN Enduro Hard and MICHELIN Tracker.

You can find all of our Enduro tyres on our dedicated page. Click here to find our Enduro tyres.

Don't forget to check that the dimensions are available for your motorcycle.

Motocross tyres

For motocross, your engine size will determine the tyre options for your bike. Then look for tyres that are specifically designed for the types of surfaces you ride on. Our article on choosing motocross tyres will guide you towards your final choice.

You can find all of our Motocross tyres on our dedicated page. Click here to find our Motocross tyres.

Don't forget to check that the dimensions are available for your motorcycle.

Trial tyres

A good grip is the key to overcoming the most difficult obstacles during a trial and our dedicated range has been specifically designed to meet this need.

Our MICHELIN Trial Light, the champion of this category, gives you excellent dry and wet grip while remaining light and flexible. And for unrivalled handling on soft to rough terrain, you can turn to the MICHELIN Trial Competition, which has been appreciated for years, including by the pros, for its grip and robustness.

You can find our Trial tyres on our off-road page.

Don't forget to check that the dimensions are available for your motorcycle.

Rally

If rallies are your playground, either the MICHELIN Desert Race, perfect for winding roads, or the MICHELIN Desert Race Baja, our sandy road expert, will be your best companion. The former offers optimum stability at high speed and good cornering performance. The latter is very robust with its reinforced lugs and becomes puncture-proof if you equip it with our MICHELIN Bib Mousse solution.

You can find our Rally tyres on our dedicated page. Click here to find our Rally tyres.

Don't forget to check that the dimensions are available for your motorcycle.

Touring

There is nothing like road trips to get away from the daily routine! Our wide range of tyres for this purpose will satisfy all needs while offering the best possible safety and comfort on your journeys. E.g: MICHELIN Road and Pilot Road families.

You can find our Touring tyres on our dedicated page. Click here to find our Touring tyres.

Don't forget to check that the dimensions are available for your motorcycle.

Sporting

And for those looking for more thrills with a sporty driving style, our MICHELIN Power and MICHELIN Pilot Power families will meet your expectations.
E.g : MICHELIN Power 6, MICHELIN Power GP2, MICHELIN Power Cup 2, MICHELIN Power Cup Evo, MICHELIN Power Slick 2, MICHELIN Pilot Power 2CT and MICHELIN Pilot Power 3.

You can find our Sporting tyres on our dedicated page. Click here to find our Sporting tyres.

Don't forget to check that the dimensions are available for your motorcycle.

With a radial construction, the ply cords radiate out from the centre of the tyre. In addition, the crown is made from layers that form a belt. As a result, the crown and sidewalls have their own particular characteristics.

Due to their soft sidewalls, the crowns of radial tyres stick to the road on contact. Their imprint, shorter but wider than that of a bias tyre, provides added grip when leaning in heavily on corners. The pressure of the air in contact with the tyre surface is distributed more effectively with radial tyres, which results in more even tread wear over time.
Radial tyres also provide greater comfort at higher speeds, once again as a result of their soft sidewalls, which absorb the impact of imperfections on the road surface.

The carcass of a bias tyre is made from ply cords in layers arranged at an angle. The layers are placed so that the cords create a criss-cross pattern. The whole structure is uniform throughout; the crown and sidewalls of the tyre have similar mechanical properties.

Bias tyres are able to carry a greater weight because their sidewalls are more rigid. At high speeds, bias tyres can become so deformed that their performance is affected. Ultimately, bias tyres are suitable for vehicles travelling at moderate speeds, with small to medium-sized engines and flexible chassis.

There is a version of bias tyres called "bias belted" where a belt has been added to stiffen the tyre section. Some heavy motorcycles are homologated by the manufacturer with bias belted to allow good endurance.

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