Sticky motorcycle tyres are all well and good when the roads are dry, the sun’s out and you can quickly build some temperature.
But when you’ve got to ride to work, it’s 5-degrees outside and starting to rain, those ‘sticky’ tyres won’t help you get to work safely and stress free. Generally speaking the stickier the tyre, the longer it will take to get up to temperature and the quicker they lose the heat you build into them.
With a summer motorcycle tyre in cold conditions, you’ll spend most of your ride tip-toeing around, worrying about how much grip you have – or don’t have as the case may be.
What you need is an all-weather motorcycle tyre.
If you ride all year around, you’re going to be riding through all weathers and conditions. Therefore it makes sense to fit motorcycle tyres that have properties that allow them to work well in the rain and the cold and stay at temperature even if you’re not.
The qualities of the best wet weather motorcycle tyres
All the best wet weather motorcycle and scooter tyres share these qualities:
- Fast warmup from cold
- Ability to disperse water quickly
- Good feel and feedback
Silica: the key ingredient
Silica is actually Silicon Dioxide and its chemical composition is SiOâ‚‚. It’s essentially sand, so it’s not like there’s going to be a world shortage of it any time soon.Â
Traditionally, tyres are made using rubber and carbon black. Carbon black is a filler and it’s what gives tyres their black colour. The fillers aren’t just there to pad the tyre out, they help the different rubber compounds bind together.
The issue with tyres has long been that the softer the tyre, the more grip it gives but the faster it wears out. So any tyre that was really good in the wet also wore out far too quickly to be saleable. Tyre manufacturers discovered that by using silica alongside carbon black as a filler, the tyre had more grip and also less wear, which has allowed tyre engineers to throw out the old rule book and develop tyres that grip better AND last longer.
Silica is also more flexible than carbon black which allows the tyre to be more elastic at lower temperatures, which in wet and cold conditions means the tyre can deform and find grip in the gaps in the tarmac far better than a tyre without silica. High performance motorcycle track tyres for example will use less silica and more carbon black as those tyres requires different characteristics.
Silica is the main reason that tyre technology has taken huge strides in the past decade and that’s why you’ll see manufacturers increasingly mention the silica content of their tyres as it’s a good indicator of the tyre’s wet weather ability.
Sipes: nice to have
Sipes were invented in 1923 by an abattoir worker called John Sipes who was tired of always slipping on his workhouse floor. He took a sharp knife to the soles of his boots and cut multiple small slits in them. He realised that it helped give him more traction. This invention was picked up by Goodyear tyres and first used on car tyres. Incidentally, this siping lead to the soles that are still used today on deck shoes.
While tyres have tread blocks and a tread pattern that helps to channel standing water, the part of the tyre that is in contact with the road will still have a thin layer of water between the tyre’s surface and the road. Sipes are tiny little grooves that work by opening up as the tread block flexes when it is in contact with the ground. This creates an area of negative pressure that ‘sucks’ the water up, allowing the tread block to make better contact with the road surface.
Michelin’s Pilot Road 3 is probably the most well known motorcycle tyre with sipes but lots of other tyres use this technology. If a tyre doesn’t have sipes, it doesn’t mean it won’t be good in the rain (the silica content is a better indicator of that) but a tyre with sipes has been designed with water (or snow) dispersal in mind.
Our Best Wet Weather Motorcycle Tyres
We’ve split this review down into three different categories:
- Wet weather Touring tyres: for those who ride in all weathers and want all-round grip and to get the best mileage from their tyres.
- Wet weather Sports / Performance tyres: for those who want a sporty tyre that’s excellent in the dry but won’t leave you stranded in a downpour.
- Wet weather Scooter tyres: for Maxi scooters and 125s to deal with any conditions.
Best For Touring / High Mileage
Suitable for all types of motorcycles, touring tyres have come a long way in the last decade and now they have incredible wet weather performance, return great mileage and won’t ruin the handling of your bike. Infact their slightly less aggressive profile works in their favour in poor conditions as it keeps the handling composed and stable. If you ride a sportsbike, like a BMW S1000RR, Suzuki GSX-R1000 or Honda CBR600RR mainly in the summer but you want a tyre that won’t abandon you at the sight of rain, skip to the next section below.
Metzeler Roadtec 01 SE
A top-end sports-touring tyre for all-weather riding. The Roadtec 01 SE superseded the original Roadtec 01 in 2020. The main difference is it has more rubber in contact with the road at full lean creating a more stable feeling. The wet weather performance is still incredible. The only slight downside (in our opinion) is that it’s maybe not as quick steering as some of it’s competitor’s tyres. The original Roadtec 01 was MCN tyre of the year in 2016 and 2017 and there’s also an HWM version for heavier bikes.
Click here to see the Metzeler Roadtec 01 SE and read owner reviews.
Michelin Road 5
The Road 5 is Michelin’s premium sports touring tyre. Dropping the word Pilot from the name but the Road 5 is the latest verison of Michelin’s incredibly popular road tyre. Michelin claims that in an independent test, a 50% worn Road 5 had the same braking distance as a new Road 4. Its distinctive Sipes technology helps make this a brilliant tyre in the wet while its fast warm up and edge grip are what makes it a firm favourite.
Click here to see the Michelin Road 5 and read owner feedback.
Dunlop Mutant
All the grip you need in the dry with excellent wet weather performance. The Mutant Hybrid is an all weather tyre that’s Mud & Snow rated. The tread pattern has been developed from a wet-weather racing tyre and is designed for a fast warm up and rapid water dispersal. A recommended Adventure bike wet weather tyre and also a popular Supermoto tyre for bikes like the Ducati Hypermotard.
Click here to see the Dunlop Mutant and read any owner reviews.
Also Worth A Look
Bridgestone T31
Bridgestone’s T31 is a sold choice. Classic Bridgestone quality with superb turn in and excellent wet weather performance. This tyre feels sporty and is a good choice if you want to lighten up the steering of your tourer. There’s a Bridgestone T32 coming in 2021 and that might be better still but for now the T31 is the one to go for.
Click here to see the Bridgestone T31 and owner reviews.
Dunlop Roadsmart 3
Released in 2016 the Dunlop Roadsmart 3 is Dunlop’s premium GT tyre and has become very popular over the last few years. The tyre is also available in an SP version which is designed with lighter weight bikes in mind.
Click here to see the Dunlop Roadsmart 3 and read owner reviews.
Best For Sports / Fast Road Riders
If you ride a performance bike and mainly ride when the weather’s good but you want a tyre has a sporty profile and will grip well in the wet, this is the section for you. These sporty tyres have a sharper profile than most sports touring tyres but they have a high silica content meaning they’ll performance incredibly well in the wet, giving you the confidence to ride in all weathers.
Metzeler Sportec M7RR
Yes the M7RR has been superceded by the M9RR but for us the M7 is the better all-weather tyre. The M7 features everything you’d want out of a performance tyre: a sharper profile, feel and feedback and high speed stability. The ace up its sleeve is that it’s an incredibly impressive tyre in wet conditions. Anything from slight damp patches to a full on downpour; the M7RR will stay planted. This is a brilliant tyre for fast road riding no matter what the conditions – a firm Two Tyres favourite.
Click here to see the full Metzeler M7RR spec and prices and read owner reviews.
Bridgestone S22
The S22 is another one of the modern generation of amazing do-it-all tyres. It’s a supersports tyre, designed for fast road riding and it’s more than capable of staying under control at trackday fast group pace. The rear is also multi-compound to improve tyre wear and increase mileage. The S22 will take wet roads in its stride, it’s a great real world choice for UK riders who hope for the best conditions but are prepared for the worst.
Click here for Bridgestone S22 prices and owner reviews.
Michelin Power 5
Years ago, a manufacturer’s stickiest road tyre would have been a handful in the wet, but thanks to new developments in tyre technology, a sticky road tyre can return respectable mileage and also perform well in the wet. Step in Michelin’s new Power 5, a direct replacement for the Power RS. This is a sticky tyre with an incredible looking tread pattern. It has a high silica content meaning it’s a good performer in wet conditions but it also has carbon black compound on the shoulders for optimum edge grip in the dry. If you want a grippy sports tyre for the road and track, go for a Power 5 over a Road 5.
Click here to see the Michelin Power 5 prices and read owner reviews.
Our Best Wet Weather Scooter Tyres
Scooters are usually supplied on very average tyres, as most scooter riders probably don’t know or care about what’s underneath them. You can transform your scooter’s handling and improve tyre life with a decent pair of all-weather tyres. The choices below will cost a touch more than a basic tyre but they will perform well in the rain and in cold conditions, as well as when the going’s good.
Michelin City Grip 2
New for 2020 the Michelin City Grip 2 replaced the original City Grip. Michelin use to make a City Winter Grip scooter tyre but discontinued it at the end of 2018. The new City Grip 2 uses some elements of the Winter Grip giving it superb performance in the damp but not at all detrimental to it’s dry weather performance. This one is a very popular tyre with London’s scooter Deliveroo riders.
Click here to see the Michelin City Grip 2
Bridgestone Battlax SC2 Rain and Bridgestone Battlax SC
Choose the dual compound radial Bridgestone Battlax SC2 Rain for your maxi scooter if you want superb wet grip and great mileage. The smaller sizes SC scooter range is not a ‘rain’ tyre but lot’s of our customers rate it very highly when the heavens open.
Anlas Winter Grip 2 Sc-500 and Winter Grip 2 Sc-500 Radial
The Anlas Winter Grip 2 is made in radial maxi scooter sizes and the smaller cross-ply scooter sizes. Both carry the M + S (Mud and Snow) mark, a legal requirement in some countries for use during winter months. These are getting a real following recently and riders report excellent dry weather grip and very good mileage. We’ve been exporting a fair few to North America and Canada recently.
Questions?
If you’re still not sure of the best wet weather motorcycle tyre for your bike, feel free to give us a call on 0207 205 2205 and we’ll do our best to help.
