[tibbon]

While motorcycles and cars aren't the same; I've found tires for them are really expensive. I can get about 3000-10000 miles on a set, and the sets are $450 installed. There's cheaper tires out there, but good tires are a safety feature on them really and make a huge difference.

I always bought really cheap tires on my really cheap clunker cars and never knew the difference. I wonder if it's just volume of cheaper tires, or if expensive rubber is just more expensive?

[NeedMoreTea]

Motorcycle BHP per tonne, and tyre contact patch explain most of a back tyre's life. The contact patch and lean alone for the front. Counter steering has to be rougher on tyre life.

Buy a 400BHP+ Ferrari or 911 and you can get car tyre life right down to similar levels. They'll now be $300-$500+ a corner for being super wide, super low profile, sticky things. $2,000 in tyres every service... A sporty V8 of a couple of decades ago could easily give 6k miles front, 3k back. With higher powers now, who knows.

If you could get really cheap clunker type rubber for those cars, you'd probably be just a few miles from wrapping it round a lamp post. First time you press the loud pedal with enthusiasm most likely. :)

[bumby]

In addition to the economy of mass production on car tires, motorcycle tires are engineered differently. For example, they are generally higher performance tires with a different contact footprint because the handling dynamics of a motorcycle mean a tire 'leans' into a turn.

Similarly, heavy duty truck tires are more expensive as they have more engineering requirements.

[stanski]

I think it's just volume. But yeah it's a pain - they go relatively quick and they cost a ton. It's hard to skimp on safety though, especially if you don't only ride on dry and warm days.