Motorcycle Tyre - Speed and Construction

Speed and Construction

As with four-wheeled vehicles, tyres for motorcycle have a tyre code, which describes a tyre's width, height/width aspect ratio, wheel diameter, load index and speed rating. The most common are:

  • 3 digit number: The "nominal section width" of the tyre in millimetres; the widest point from both outer edges.
  • /: Slash character for character separation.
  • 2 or 3 digit number: The "aspect ratio" of the sidewall height to the total width of the tyre, as a percentage.
  • An optional letter indicating construction of the fabric carcass of the tyre:
    • B: bias belt (where the sidewalls are the same material as the tread, leading to a rigid ride)
    • D: diagonal
    • R: radial
      • if omitted, then it is a cross ply tyre
  • 2 digit number: Diameter in inches of the wheel that the tyre is designed to fit.
  • 2 or 3 digit number: Load index; see table below
  • 1 or 2 digit/letter combo: Speed rating; see table below

Load index

LI kg LI kg LI kg LI kg LI kg
19 77,5 36 125,0 53 206 70 335,0 87 545,0
20 80,0 37 128,0 54 212,0 71 345,0 88 560,0
21 82,5 38 132,0 55 218,0 72 355,0 89 580,0
22 85,0 39 136,0 56 224,0 73 365,0 90 600,0
23 87,5 40 140,0 57 230,0 74 375,0 91 615,0
24 90,0 41 145,0 58 236,0 75 387,0 92 630,0
25 92,0 42 150,0 59 243,0 76 400,0 93 650,0
26 95,0 43 155,0 60 250,0 77 412,0 94 670,0
27 97,5 44 160,0 61 257,0 78 425,0 95 690,0
28 100,0 45 165,0 62 265,0 79 437,0 96 710,0
29 103,0 46 170,0 63 272,0 80 450,0 97 730,0
30 106,0 47 175,0 64 280,0 81 462,0 98 750,0
31 109,0 48 180,0 65 290,0 82 475,0 99 775,0
32 112,0 49 185,0 66 300,0 83 487,0 100 800,0
33 115,0 50 190,0 67 307,0 84 500,0 - -
34 118,0 51 195,0 68 315,0 85 510 - -
35 121,0 52 200,0 69 325 86 530,0 - -

Speed rating

Rating Speed (km/h) Speed (mph)
Moped 50 30
J 100 62
K 110 69
L 120 75
M 130 81
P (or-) 150 95
Q 160 100
R 170 105
S 180 113
T 190 118
U 200 125
H 210 130
V 240 150
W 270 168
Z over 240 over 150

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