you can use a MU85B16 or a MU90B16 or MT90B16, radial , bias ....side load deflection is a difference in both tires but if you buy the proper rated tire for your bike IE: 77H or 74H etc....you will notice no difference....as far as a Radial lasting longer than a Bias i call BS on that as the longest lasting tire for my bike (78H) is a Elite III Bial ply.
I have run many different tire and they were Bias, radial mix, front or back. look at http://www.dunlopmotorcycle.com/tire...tire.asp?id=86 and look at the loads, rim sizes, deapth...on the MT90B16 & MU90B16

 

I'm just about to Darkside the rear of my '10 Street Glide, using a 195/55R-16, and replace the 'state of art' bias on the front with a 130/70R-18 radial!! The traction with the factory Dunflops is adequate at best, and lacking in panic braking situations. My bike doesn't have ABS and twice in the last 4 months i have momentarily locked the rear up when cagers pull out right in front of my 'invisible' bike! ))-:

 

There are superior bike tyres out there from other brands, such as Metzeler and my favourites Avons. Also, if you use your rear brake in preference to your front, use both of them!

 

There are 3 common types of tyre construction.

Radial = Best
Bias belted = Medium
Cross Ply = Worst


The radial tyre is the current, most widley used and newest type of tyre. the plies or layers of casing cords run from bead to bead in a radial manner, and steel belts which run around the circumference of the tyre. radial tyres give better road holding, longer life, lower fuel consumption (2% to 5% depending on speed), and under breaking bring the vehicle to a stop in around 89% of the distance required by the same vehicle fitted with cross-ply tyres. When compairing radial tyres to cross ply tyres they are also more resistant to punctures caused by sharp objects due to their construction(the steel belts).


The cross-ply tire is the older form. It is also called a bias-ply or conventional tire. It is constructed of 2 or more plies or layers of textile casing cords, the rubber-encased cords run at an angle of between 30 and 38 degrees to the centerline, with each cord wrapped around the beads. positioned diagonally from bead to bead. A latticed criss-crossed structure is formed, with alternate layers crossing over each other, and laid with the cord angles in opposite directions, which provides a strong, stable casing, with relatively stiff sidewalls. The downside is that during cornering, stiff sidewalls can distort the tread and partially lift it off the road surface, and that reduces the friction between the road and the tire. Stiff sidewalls can also make tires run at a high temperature. This is because, as the tire rotates, the cords in the plies flex over each other, causing friction and heat. A tire that overheats can wear prematurely.

In simple terms the bias belted tyre is a hybred of the above two tyre types, and is still common where a high load rating is required. The stiff side walls work well for this use, and the addition of radial plies increases road holding.



IMHO there is nothing wrong with bias belted tyres, its just that Radials are better in most areas of general useage.

The most important factors are (other than size of course) the speed and load rating of the tyre.

As for cross plies, I'd sooner pull my nails out than put them on any vehicle I get in or on.

Hope that all makes sense.

WB

 

Don't entirely agree with you Bill. Most Harley tyres are bias belted and all the better for it! Depends on the application which tyre construction is best and radials on bikes are only suitable for low profile tyres.

 

I dont think we dissagree I just havent put it very well I think. I run Avon Cobras on the RK which are bias belted because I want the load rating, on my sport bikes, sport tourers, and on my softail I ran radials because in those circumstances the radials were better, which is what I meant when I referred to general useage.

WB

 

Older bikes use bias ply. Most newer bikes use radials.

 

this is not correct , newer touring bike generally run bias because in motorcycle tires they generally have a higher load rating

 

All I know is that the stock radials on my '07 Goldwing lasted 48,000 miles, (one up riding), and I upgraded to Dunlop E-III's now and I'm hoping for similar numbers. Going to check into putting radials on my 2011 Road King when the time comes. Aren't bias kind of old age technology? How many automobiles run them still? Thanks

 

IMO a car tire at the rear won't help with braking unless you are under utilizing the front brake, it will make a crash in a corner that much more likely though due to loss of traction while leaned over.

With practice in a parking lot you can learn how to brake effectively without locking your wheels. It just takes practice and time to learn this so it is basically muscle memory.

Almost the entire weight of the bike and rider is on the front wheel during hard braking. Some bikes can even lift the rear wheel off the pavement in hard braking. This is why it is easy to lock the rear brake, the rear wheel has less traction with little or no weight on it. The rear brake has a negligible effect on stopping distance. During hard braking the rear brake is just used to stabilize the bike.