Top 10 Recommended Winter Tires for Motorcycles in 2020

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What happens to your tires during the winter
When we talk about motorcycles, and tires during winter, people immediately talk about spike tires or studded tires, but that's not what we're talking about. Of course, there are some riders who run on snowy roads (and inevitably on frozen roads) as a hobby, but very few rider do.

For the 'vast majority of STD people' who use their motorcycles for commuting to work or school, the most important question is not on snow or icy roads, but is it safe to ride on cold roads?

As you know, when the temperature drops, the grip of the tires decreases. This is especially true for high-grip tires that have performed immensely in the summer. The tires are incredibly ungrippy when it is not warmed up at all just after departure.
Falling over at the first intersection just after you leave is one of those "winter motorcycyle things" that happens.

Tires are made of rubber, so when it gets cold, it become hard and lose its elasticity, and it's inevitable that tires won't be able to provide the grip it should.

Also, the world is not so naive as to think that modern models with traction control and ABS are safe.

Electronic controls are powerless against mere skidding. The reason you're tipping over at a normal, ordinary intersection is because tire idling control during acceleration and deceleration is of no use to you when cornering with no acceleration or deceleration.

Slipping or not slipping depends on the performance of the tire.

Winter Tire Recommendations

So, I suggest you switch to cold weather tires in the cold winter!

However, nothing recommends replacing your tires with new ones every six months.
Money and tires need to be taken care of!

So, you can save the high grip tires you remove until they get warm. Six months later, when the weather warms up and you switch to high-grip tires, you can save your winter tires until it gets cold this time.

It's definitely better than having to jump around on high-grip tires because there's still a little bit of a gap between them. Replacing your tires with cold-weather tires only during the colder months will save you from wasting wear and tear without the true value of expensive high-grip tires, which is, in all likelihood, more money than the labor cost of replacing your tires!

Wouldn't it be great to not waste things and be safe and secure at the same time?
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Recommended conditions for winter use

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This is what you can expect even at low temperatures. That means it is less temperature dependent, which means that the rubber (compound) of the tire does not melt and grip, but the rubber deforms and grips the road surface.

More grooves are needed to make it easier to grip the road surface. The more grooves, the more the tread rubber moves, the more heat it generates and the more grippy it becomes in a virtuous circle.

You might not think it's cool to have a lot of grooves when compared to a high-grip tire with almost no grooves, but that amount of grooves is what makes it a 'high-grip tire for cold roads'!

In fact, I would rather recommend tires with more grooves even after the temperature warms up. They are not dependent on soft rubber, so the life of the tire is longer, and they are much safer to ride in sudden rain than high grip tires. It can be recommended for touring as well as for commuting to work and school.

Recommended Winter Tires for Commuter Scooters

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You'll see quite a few mopeds (~125cc), the two most popular types of scooters for commuting purposes, every morning, regardless of the season. In the middle of winter, the number decreases a bit, as you would expect, but the majority of people who commute to work or school on moped 2-class scooters have no other means of transportation (other forms of transportation cost an enormous amount of time and money), so they must ride them even in winter.

It's a practical motorcycle, so making sure you reach your destination every day is more important than sport or cornering performance. That's why you should switch to winter tires to reduce your risk of falling in the winter.

MICHELIN: PILOT STREET 2

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This tire, originally an all-weather tire, was designed for rainy day drainage and durability on dry surfaces. The lineup includes a 17-inch Cub type, an Asian underbone type, and a 10-inch version that fits the Address V125 just fine.

As you can see, the thick grooves are placed on the sides for good grip even on cold roads, and while the other sizes are clearly separated into front and rear (the front has a single longitudinal groove in the center), the 10-inch is dual purpose.

PIRELLI: ANGEL SCOOTER

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This series is based on the popular Angel GT, a large tourer, but with an even finer groove. The line ranges from 10-inch tires for small scooters to 16-inch tires for larger scooters, and you can feel the momentum to conquer all scooters.

The Diablo Super Corsa, which is immensely popular for big motorcycle track use, is intensely temperature-dependent (it needs to warm up to grip), but it's clear that the technology is being diverted backwards. The thin grooves, which are separate from the thick grooves, are probably intended to reduce the temperature dependence.

BRIDGESTONE: MOLAS ML

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The "MOLAS ML" is followed by two digits and various patterns, but the ML series is characterized by more grooves than the BATTLAX and HOOP. In other words, it's a less temperature dependent type.

I use it with my JOG appliques and can recommend it for winter grip as an actual experience. As you can see, they aren't sticky high grip tires, but at least I've never had to worry about the grip in town, no matter the season, and their all-weather performance is perfect even in winter. The grip you get right after you leave is especially moving.

CST: CM507 SNOW

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Big deal!
They are what we call "studded" tires, although their fitment is limited. Exactly like a four-wheeled studded tire, the fine sipes are carved into the block, giving you unparalleled peace of mind when you unexpectedly encounter icy surfaces. Of course, there is no problem on STD roads other than freezing roads, and the soft rubber makes you feel secure!

Recommended winter tires for on-road vehicles

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There are quite a few people who commute to work on regular road sport motorcycles or American motorcycles. I won't go down when it gets cold! Many of them are very enthusiastic about it, and it's a hot ride, even on cold roads. If it is not a commuter, if there is no snow and freeze, there are some people who are touring even if it becomes quite cold.

I'm such a good driver, but tires that are designed to grip better in low temperatures are obviously more fun than the high-grip tires I've been wearing since summer. Why not switch to winter tires this winter? I'm sure you love your motorcycle, so I don't think it's a big deal to change a tire or anything.

MICHELIN: ROAD 5

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This is my favorite tire for commuting and I trust it for its grip in winter. The grip in un-warmed conditions is more than I imagined, and I've never experienced a slippery slide while riding in the flow of traffic. There are numerous deep, thick grooves in the zone where it's slightly banked and grounded, which is great for warming up.

The previous ROAD4, which was a masterpiece, had a unique groove pattern on the front and I often heard people say that it was not cool, but this ROAD5 is much cooler. The level of grip in wet weather is also noteworthy, so you may continue to wear them until the early spring rains and the end of the rainy season.

BRIDGESTONE: BATTLAX SPORT TOURING T31

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This is a touring tire from BRIDGESTONE to compete with the MICHELIN ROAD 5 introduced above. I use these tires for the front end, but I've never slipped on them and I've never slipped on the road with the ROAD 5 tires in the rear. It's not an option for those who don't go touring, but it's very useful for winter city riding. If you think they're touring tires that don't offer much grip, you'll be surprised.

DUNLOP: D220ST

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It's a very plain tire with no color and is usually chosen by ordinary people who don't seek for extreme driving, so it doesn't rank high in popularity. It's a famous DUNLOP product, but you probably don't remember most of them. But as you can see, this is full of grooves. Especially in the front, there are a lot of grooves in the front, which is unusual nowadays for a large motorcycle tire. The groove pattern looks like a race rain tire. If you only want to replace the front, it's a superb candidate.

METZELER: ROADTEC 01

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These are the METZELER tires that have been put into the fiercely competitive touring tire genre, where MICHELIN's ROAD5 and BRIDGESTONE's T31 are found. The features are the same as those of the rivals mentioned above, but this tire has more grooves in the rear tire.

To be honest, METZELER tires are not very popular in Japan, but in Europe they are a leading brand with tradition and trust. Of course, high performance is the reason why they are so popular.

It's rare that the manufacturer itself states that these tires are perfect for commuting to work and school! No matter how you look at it, the tread pattern is intriguing for its expected low-temperature performance.

BRIDGESTONE: EXEDRA

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The Exedra series is available in a wide range of unusual sizes, although the names vary slightly in size and front and back. It comes in sizes such as 16 and 15 inches, which are great for American vehicle owners. All of them have one thing in common: a long-life compound for long cruises.

In other words, it's not the kind of tire that grips as the rubber melts, but rather the type of tire that grips by its structure and tread pattern. This is why it is less likely to lose grip in low road temperatures and more secure on cold roads.

PIRELLI: MT60 RS

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Far from being exclusively for winter, this is a radical block pattern that makes you feel the enthusiasm that "I will ride if it snows a little". This is the OEM tire pattern on the DUCATI Scrambler, but it's not really pursued off-road, it's more of a pure road tire with an off-road-like pattern.

There's no way to use a compound that dissolves into sludge because of this pattern, so the block itself grips the tire.
It's so good that it's used on two-cylinder 1100cc sportbikes, so it can take the big motorcycles in the winter.

(Extra Edition) MICHELIN: ANAKEE ADVENTURE

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If you're riding a big motorcycle to work, school, town, or touring in the winter, this is what you're looking for when you're looking for cold road performance at a slightly foul level. These tires were originally designed for dual-purpose vehicles, but they come in a surprisingly wide range of sizes, so don't underestimate them.

After all, it's an all-weather tire that can be used from the start, even going a bit off-road, so it's not the kind of tire that can be dented by a cold asphalt. Even in near-zero temperatures, you can ride normally in almost the same way as usual.

However, the size may fit, but the overweight index may not match. The speed range is also likely to be unsuitable.

If the rim size fits but not the rest of the rim, it is entirely at your own risk.

Recommended Winter Tires for Off-Road Motorcycles

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In the case of off-road tires, there is not much difference in grip performance between winter and summer, unless the tire is road-oriented. Since off-road tires are originally designed with sharp blocks sticking into the ground, hard rubber doesn't provide much grip on asphalt, even in the summer. So there is no need to replace it, especially since it is winter.

There is no such thing as an 'extreme temperature dependent 21-inch high grip tire', even if you're wearing road oriented tires, so just ride with caution.

How to Store Removed Tires

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The easiest way to do this is to put it in a lightproof black garbage bag and keep it in a place where it won't be hot and humid. But since black trash bags are becoming less and less available these days, I recommend storing them in a cardboard box.

In short, as long as you can avoid UV rays, sunlight, heat, moisture, and moisture, it is fine. So if you wrap it up in kitchen wrap and store it in the back of the garage or closet, it's generally not a problem. In addition, DAYTONA also sells tire covers, although they are for 14 to 18 inches!

[See Accessories of MICHELIN](https://japan.webike.net/brd/MICHELIN/434/)
[See Accessories of PIRELLI](https://japan.webike.net/brd/PIRELLI/564/)
[See Accessories of BRIDGESTONE](https://japan.webike.net/brd/BRIDGESTONE/118/)
[See Accessories of DUNLOP](https://japan.webike.net/brd/DUNLOP/198/)
[See Accessories of METZELER](https://japan.webike.net/brd/METZELER/432/)
[See Accessories of CST](https://japan.webike.net/brd/CST/1332/)

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