Bridgestone to launch airless tyres
The new tech is said to be rolled out to bicycles and trucks although it could work with some motorcycles
BRIDGESTONE has released the details of a new type of tyre technology that could spell the end for flat tyres!
The new air-less tyres can carry up to 2267kg and are made from recycles thermoplastic, spun into a web-like structure that supports the weight of the vehicle. The new tyres have already undergone real-world testing and are completely puncture-proof and as they don’t need inflating, they will never lose pressure over time.
Bridgestone also claims that about 90% of energy loss from tire rolling resistance comes from repeated changes in the shape of the tries as they roll. By simplifying the structure of the tyre, these airless units minimize energy loss. As a result, these tires have the same level of low rolling resistance as Bridgestone pneumatic fuel-efficient Ecopia tires, contributing to reductions in CO2 emissions.
While the company as yet make no claim that the tyre could be used on a motorcycle, they do confirm that they would be ideal for use on a bicycle, making us think that the new tech could easily be adapted for use in small capacity scooters and mopeds and even lightweight electric motorcycles.
The airless technology could also be helpful in the shared mobility sector, where members of the public subscribe to a service and dip in and out of ownership of a bike only when needed. Here the longer life airless tyre could really come into its own.
While this type of equipment is obviously not going to be much use on a 200hp trackday weapon, the lightweight two-wheeler market could be just the ticket.
Simon (AKA Toad) has been working within the motorcycle industry for more than twelve years, and a member of the motorcyclist family since birth. Growing up around British-built single and twins, it was inevitable that a life on two wheels was on the cards, from a very early age!
