A Masterclass in Tyre-testing by Eurogrip Tyres

We get an insight into the world of tyre-testing from Eurogrip’s best test-riders and their chief technology officer.

Following a request made by journalists the previous time we were invited to test tyres, Eurogrip organised something special for us—a masterclass in tyre testing, headed by their expert riders from Japan and Italy.

Toshihiro Wakayama san has been riding motorcycles for decades and has been a crucial link in the development of various motorcycles and tyres, including Yamaha and Yokohama. He has also written books on motorcycle dynamics and related topics. The Italian rider, Vittorio Iannuzzo, was a former World Superbike Championship (WSBK) racer and obviously no stranger to high-performance testing. Their combined efforts are responsible for the kind of performance and durability one can expect from Eurogrip tyres today.

They explained the intricacies of tyre-testing and what they look for while developing a tyre. Of course, tyre-testing is not so simple as to be condensed into a one-hour seminar, so here are the salient aspects of the matter.

The top parameters in their checklist include lightness, neutrality, precision, manoeuvrability, and the ability of the tyre to hold the trajectory around a corner and under acceleration. Improving any one of these attributes is not as challenging as finding an acceptable compromise among all of them, because road tyres are expected to perform well under a variety of conditions and loads.

To follow up this theory session, we were let loose on the Kari Motor Speedway in Coimbatore with an interesting assortment of motorcycles. They were shod with tyres that included the Roadhounds, Beamer, and Protorq Extreme. We have already experienced the prowess of the Roadhounds on the track and on the road as well but it was encouraging to see that the other families also lived up to expectations on the racetrack. Personally, there was a lot to learn by riding behind the tyre-testers and understanding their process. Furthermore, their patience in answering all my questions has put me in a position to evaluate tyres better.

For the past few years, Eurogrip have launched new products at a steady rate and each time, we were part of a reasonably exclusive tyre test/experience. Later in 2024, we may expect the launch of the big ADV tyre they call the “Trailhound”.