Radial tire vs. Bias Ply tire handling question

[thewoodman]

I've mounted my own rubber most of my life. Ran bias ply on the 1200 Goldwings that I rode for 20 years and Metzlers go on my wife's Fatboy. The Bridgestone radials that I've been running on the Valk for the last 9 years were bad enough to mount; the beads are a bear and much less flexible that bias ply tires are. The new Bridgestone Exedra Max rear just about kicked my ass a few days ago.

So..... For all of you that have ridden with both bias ply and radial tires: are there any real, noticeable, different handling differences between the two types of tyres? Certainly would make the changing process more enjoyable.

Thanks in advance.

[Woton]

Purchased my '97 Tourer from the original owner with whom I negotiated to go halfsies on a new set of tires.  He would only do that if he could replace the Dunlop Elite IIIs with another set - because he liked that tire so much.

I ended up liking them as well - rode great and I got great mileage out of them.

As are a few others of us now I am currently riding the Dunlop D404 and D407 white walls.  White wall choices for the Valk are very limited, and I know of no radial choices.  So, these tires are bias ply.  Have about 12K on them, they are wearing very well, and I see no noticeable ride difference between them and the radial Elite IIIs. 

I'm not a peg-dragging, aggressive rider - the wife and I ride 5-7K trips on our bikes one or more times a year.  We want comfortable, long-lasting tires - and admittedly I'm sold on the white wall look.

So far, these Dunlop biased-ply tires are fitting the bill in all respects for me personally.

[Bone]

I've put 100k + on my 98 Tourer running CT on the rear and the D404F. Not one dislike with the bias ply front.

[Kunkies]

With maybe the exception of Shinko, I've ridden every tire avail' for the our Valks.

To answer your question, and based upon my experiences. . .

Radial:  longer wear, less traction, more road noise,
Bias:  good wear, more traction, quieter

[thewoodman]

Thank you Kunkies. Just what I was looking for; quick, concise, to the point. Not really interested in the car tire option at all. Sweet!

[JimC]

I am in the same boat as WOTON, I went to the bias ply www and do not notice any difference in handling. BUT, I am not a peg scraper either.

Jim

[Hook#3287]

I've put 100k + on my 98 Tourer running CT on the rear and the D404F. Not one dislike with the bias ply front.

Yup,

[vicnelson]

Wish I had read these posts before I invested in a new  Metzler rear tire. I wanted WW but could not find in radial and did not want to down size in the size of the tire and go bias. Oh well next time I will know better.

[Six-Cylinder Hooligan]

Every bike I've owned that had radial tires on it handled better in the rain than any of the bias-ply shod bikes I've owned. I prefer radials but then again, I am a peg scraper. YMMV

[Farther]

I'm surprised manufactures still make bias ply motorcycle tires.

[BobAnth]

 bias-ply tires have a very stiff sidewall due to the fact that all the plies run from sidewall to sidewall. Because radial tires have fewer layers of body cords on the sidewall, the sidewalls allow the tire to flex more. This means the contact patch of the tire stays put on the ground a bit better, and the sidewall provides lots more feedback to the rider. This design also allows the sidewall and tread to work more independently of each other than a bias-ply permit. If you ride straight up all the time go Bias ply, if you need contact on the curves go Radial.  In other words flatlanders- bias ply ok, Hills and dales and mountain passes like real motormen ride- go RADIALs.

[98valk]

I've had much better handling with a rear bias ply on the front than I ever did with the radials that are avail.
that is even with the radial dark side on the rear.

[0leman]

I've had much better handling with a bias ply on the front than I ever did with the radials that are avail.
that is even with the radial dark side on the rear.

I have to agree with 98 on this.  I have some 100 K miles on a setup with bias on the front and radial DS on the back.  No handling problems and do live/ride where most of the Hwy's are not straight.  Mountains and lots of curves.

[98valk]

I've had much better handling with a bias ply on the front than I ever did with the radials that are avail.
that is even with the radial dark side on the rear.

I have to agree with 98 on this.  I have some 100 K miles on a setup with bias on the front and radial DS on the back.  No handling problems and do live/ride where most of the Hwy's are not straight.  Mountains and lots of curves.

greatness agrees with us.

"Spencer in particular, liked the handling characteristics of a radial rear and bias-ply front."

https://www.rideapart.com/news/246058/the-motorcycle-tire-question-radial-bias-or-both/

why are some manufacturers delivering new models with radial rear tires and bias-ply fronts? Harley-Davidson Softail Breakout and CVO Breakout are both equipped with a radial rear (240/40R-18) and a bias-ply front (130/60B-19) are examples of bikes that use this combo presumably for the advantages of longer tread life and better heat dissipation for rear tires.

The Triumph T100, T120, Street Cup and Street Twin are also likewise equipped, which the factory explains thus; “This combination of tire constructions is selected because it offers the best stability, neutrality and agility on the bikes for which they have been selected. In our experience, this construction combination offers no disadvantage in terms of grip or slide behavior in ‘on-road’ or ‘off-road’ conditions, as the compound selection is oriented to deliver the ideal grip characteristic for the specific use of the motorcycle for which it is selected.