Archive of BMW Motorrad Club Cape (2006 - 2019)

Hi Morne

I had also wondered about that and found the following answer:

For the front tyre, the tread is in a V such that when you brake hard on gravel/sand/mud the V has the point in front where the tyre contacts the ground.  This pushes loose stuff out to the side and helps the tyre find traction on the solid bottom (if it exists).  So the V on the ground has the point facing forward.

For the rear tyre, the emphasis is not on braking, but on forward drive.  You want the tyre, when driven, to push the loose surface bits out to the side so that it can get traction on the solid substrate.  So the V at the bottom has the point facing backwards, in the direction that the tyre is pushing.

HTH

Charles has it right (no surprise there!); this is what the SA Distributors have to say - more or less identical to Charles's contribution:

Regarding the tread pattern query, the front tyre acts very much the opposite to the rear. The rear drives (accelerates) with the leading edge, the front brakes (de-accelerates) with the leading edge. The resistant friction the front tyre encounters is only through braking & to a certain degree cornering. The tread direction is designed to disperse debris & water away from the centre under a load. The opposite of a scoop. Although the idea of braking with the scoop facing forward sound like it will stop better, it doesn’t as the scoop would “fill up” & brake traction in semi loose terrain.

Wow, thanks for that info! I almost thought the tyre  was the wrong way  around.  But that makes sense, now I can stop staring at the tyre and scratching my head.

Kind Regards 

Don't worry, I was scratching my head this morning looking at your images and trying to imagine the tread pattern had you taken the photo from behind the front wheel like you did on the back wheel.  Then I had more coffee which helped 

Hi David,

The bad part, I actually convinced myself the tyre is the wrong way around 

Not to worry, it will not be documented.

Phew.....