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60/40 Tire choice for the NC

beemerphile said:
Hydroplaning occurs when a film of water forms between the tire and the road causing the tire to lose contact with the road. There is no formula for when it will happen. But, the following will increase the odds of hydroplaning:

1) More water on the road
2) A smoother road surface
3) A flatter road surface (less banking or inclines)
4) A wider tire
5) Lower vehicle weight
6) A shallower (or more worn) tread
7) A tread design that doesn't provide as good an escape path for the water
8) Higher vehicle speed

Hydroplaning seems to be more common on motorcycles since the advent of the low profile fat radials with a treadless (or nearly treadless) centerline. As I remember, hydroplaning on a motorcycle was unheard of when we were riding the old bikes with narrow (3.50 and 4.00) tires with a 1.0 aspect ratio. They usually had a center rib like the old Continental K112A...
Click to expand...

Ok, now explain "World Peace"....

:p

My original question was: Does the NCX with her first set of tires, actually hydroplane? I have not ridden her too much in the wet, and not at such speeds.

Does she hydroplane?
 
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duk2n said:
Hum... This would be a problem here when doing the periodic legal inspection. The legal docs of my bike says 58W front, 69W rear, they don't allow to mount lower speed and load codes. :(

BTW, it the Pirelli is 58 and your docs also say 69 you could have a load problem? :confused:
Click to expand...

I only provided the front load range. They are the same as the Z8 front and rear. Does your government expect the NC700x to pop a tire when it gets over 149 mph? Not that it is untypical for a government to be non-thinking and illogical, but the idea that it is a problem for the NC700x to have tires only good enough for 149 mph is insane. Honda fitted higher speed rated tires than were necessary, which is a bit unusual considering the budget constraints for the bike, but I guess you are now restricted to Z-rated tires from now on.

I am sure the safety at over 150 mph was more important to them than the cost. This is funny.

What if governments had to actually know something to place rules on us, rather than just lording over us with a combination of arrogance and ignorance?
 
happy said:
Ok, now explain "World Peace"....

:p

My original question was: Does the NCX with her first set of tires, actually hydroplane? I have not ridden her too much in the wet, and not at such speeds.

Does she hydroplane?
Click to expand...

Well apparently that is your question how, but your original question was at what speed or range of speeds was it likely to hydroplane. Speed is only one of many variables in the equation, which my doctoral thesis on world peace attempted to explain. Apparently two NC's have hydroplaned at normal road speeds in heavy rain with wind. Probably not a whole lot of speed in either case.
 
Like beemerphile said speed is only one factor. 2 identical bikes will hydroplane at very different speeds if one has new tires and one has extremely worn tires.

Weight is also a factor. The bike loaded for touring with be going faster to hydroplane than a naked bike. (given everything else is the same).

Best practice for rain riding is to slow down, get comfortable, then gradually pick up speed if needed. Don't forget the rain has to wash all the oil, coolant, and god knows what else off the road before it is only water on the road.
 
I would guess that mine lost traction around 30 mph. I don't know the correct speed because of the rain and high winds.
Wind gust were 70-80 mph. (per weather radio)
 
OK guys thanks.

So I think I have very little low chance of hydroplaning here.
It's been raining strangely strong the last month though.

Brown autumn is upon us. I will take more photos (probably with a dSLR) soon.
:D
 
beemerphile said:
Not that it is untypical for a government to be non-thinking and illogical
Click to expand...

beemerphile said:
What if governments had to actually know something to place rules on us, rather than just lording over us with a combination of arrogance and ignorance?
Click to expand...

Of course I agree but, I don't know if there is the same, but here at Spain at the time you have to do the legal inspection if you try tires with lower codes they simply inmobilize the bike and extend a heavy receipt, so...
 
Well, speaking about hydroplaning, last week I (and my pillion) experienced a very heavy rain while returning from camping. Lot of load over the bike, no wind, mountanin road, ups, downs and braking, no high speed. I didn't experienced hydroplaning at all with my Metzelers. Maybe because the load, pillion and heavy camping luggage can make a difference
 
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duk2n said:
Of course I agree but, I don't know if there is the same, but here at Spain at the time you have to do the legal inspection if you try tires with lower codes they simply inmobilize the bike and extend a heavy receipt, so...
Click to expand...

My point, without any reference to logic. Some areas in the states have vehicle inspections, but nothing so intrusive as this.
 
Believe me, I would like to be able -legally- to do some mods to the bike, like installing HIDs. But if they were as stict as the law permits, they could discard my bike at the inspection just because my Givi screen. Incredible and stupid, but true!
 
Ludwig von Mises once said that "Government is the negation of liberty." Most people argue that without government, anarchy would result. That is a black and white comparison. It does not follow that if some government is good, that more is better, and too much is just right. After seeing so much stupid government, misguided government, inept and corrupt government, and abusive and meddling government, I would be willing to give anarchy a try. How do we know it is so bad?

Your example of a government that will not let you use 149 mph rated tires on a bike that could only go that fast if dropped from an airplane is a pretty good argument for the need for less of it. I know you have to do what you have to do. We have an abundance of stupid laws of our own - we just don't (yet) have that one.
 
First off those tires look awesome, if they don't effect mpg's too much they will be my next tire. Any idea how they will hold up compared to a street tire. Has anyone taken their NC off road yet or should I say, off pavement?
 
Beemerphile said:
Apparently two NC's have hydroplaned at normal road speeds in heavy rain with wind. Probably not a whole lot of speed in either case.
Click to expand...

Somehow I missed these posts on hydroplaning... you can add me to the stats.

Two weeks ago, I hopped on the NC and headed about 200 miles away to visit family. It was pouring the whole way. I didn't think much of it, I ride in the rain a lot, so I just put on the rain gear and headed out. If anything, I figured I had less to worry about with the relatively small tires on the NC (160 vs. 180 rear on my last bike).

Halfway into the trip, I ran across a bridge where the surface changed from rough asphalt, to a smooth concrete. The back end of the NC stepped out a good 1-2' left to right and wiggled back and forth 3-4 times before it tightened back up and regained traction. Scared the daylights out of me, I'd never had that happen, ever. I was probably going ~65mph at the time, pretty strong headwind, but steady, not particularly gusty. Luckily the front stayed planted or that would've been bad news.

I ran Michelin Pilot Road 2 or 3 tires on my previous bike for 40k+ miles, in lots of heavy rain. The OEM Bridgestone seems to be a pretty good tire, but the lack of tread down the center of the rear seems to make it prone to hydroplane I suppose. I'll be going back to the PR3 when this one is dead.

Be careful out there in heavy rain.

trey
 
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