Seasonal Question - Winter Tyres

[Capt Sisko]

In many parts of the world 'Winter Tyres' are mandatory on car & vans etc between certain dates or in hilly areas. I have used them on cars and they really do make a difference, particulalry on the snow & ice. The Toyota hybrid I had went up & down hills in the snow that it just shouldn't have done with ease, but I've never used them on bikes. So the question is, whilst proper winter tyres are available for motorcycles, has anyone actualy ever used them?

Example:- Anlas Winter Tyres

 

Edited November 21, 2024 by Capt Sisko

[Simon Davey]

Nope, if the conditions require winter tyres, I take the car. 

However, I used to commute from Essex to Central London on a ZX6R, even in the snow. If I had known about winter tyres then, I would have used them. Especially as I know how effective all season tyres are on my car. 

[Fiddlesticks]

I wondered about this too, and concluded that, unless I was riding on mud and snow, the Road 6's I've got on the bike have a good mix of sticky compound and rain displacement. Too much tread gap and I think you'd lose traction due to not enough of the tyre being in contact with the road.

[bud]

My mate swears by those winter tyres. Just fitted them to his Vespa. Had them on all his old scooters for winter riding. He does live in Wales though.

I couldn't be bothered with changing the tyres every six months. But with a spare set of wheels. It would make sense.

[S-Westerly]

The one version of winter weather I do my best to avoid is snow. The rest I can more or less manage.

[RideWithStyles]

Car all seasons (snow and hot weather) are brilliant all rounder, had different makes and on different cars and coped well with good layer of snow and ice.
snow/mud specific tyres are very good, even in really hot weather, yes there is abit of a drop off if you really drive like a loon but still far more capable than a summer tyre can muster in winter when the risk of crashing in a small window of season is higher let alone frost, snow or ice.

 

never tried them on a bike -I think apart from off road bikes etc not many options for normal road bikes. anlas range is….mostly alternative.

if things change for me I might have to be more all season and weather rider, so I might be looking into trying them out in the future?…

[manxie49]

I think they're probably a good idea, never heard of this make before?  I've been an all year round rider for as far back as I can remember and have never used tyres specifically designed for winter use.  Experience has taught me to just adapt my riding style accordingly.  My wife has all season tyres on her car, and they seem pretty good, it hasn't stopped her or me for that matter, from getting the odd little slide in the icy weather though.  The same could probably be said for these tyres on a motorcycle.  I'd be interested in hearing from anyone who use these type of tyres to see what they have to say though.

[onesea]

Interesting I was pondering this today, my Himalayan came with Knobblys. 

 

And they have given me no reason to doubt them, until today.  

 

A couple of cold damp corners on road they where a little squirmy. 

 

However when it got a bit more snowy. 

I rode through car parks that on road tyres in the dry I am cautious.

They gave me no reason to doubt.

99% of my riding is road 40% of that is dirty "B" roads. The knobbly have not squirmed like my road tyres did. 

My next tyres are going to take some consideration, so watching with interest.

 

[RideWithStyles]

The other option ive just remembered for normal tubeless road bikes are Dunlop mutants

 

these are a road bikes normalish looking tyres that could loosely fit into the all season hole in road motorcycle terms but are still rated M+S.

might see and give these a go when I’ve worn out the z8’s.

 

 

Edited November 22, 2024 by RideWithStyles

[RideWithStyles]

17 hours ago, onesea said:

Interesting I was pondering this today, my Himalayan came with Knobblys. 

 

And they have given me no reason to doubt them, until today.  

 

A couple of cold damp corners on road they where a little squirmy. 

 

However when it got a bit more snowy. 

I rode through car parks that on road tyres in the dry I am cautious.

They gave me no reason to doubt.

99% of my riding is road 40% of that is dirty "B" roads. The knobbly have not squirmed like my road tyres did. 

My next tyres are going to take some consideration, so watching with interest.

 

Those are the oem ones? the after market version will be miles better…if you’ve liked them up to now I’d give the after market ones a try. If not then your choices are open, also keep an eye out on the pressures  and wear patterns.

[onesea]

1 hour ago, RideWithStyles said:

Those are the oem ones? the after market version will be miles better…if you’ve liked them up to now I’d give the after market ones a try. If not then your choices are open, also keep an eye out on the pressures  and wear patterns.

I believe they are, OEM although back only has afew couple of thousand on it.

 

Thanks for advice.