Abstract: A radial tire, specially for a motorcycle, comprising a carcass reinforced by a ply radially disposed cords wrapped in each of two bead regions around an annular bead core to provide a ply turn up, a tread reinforced by a breaker assembly and between the tread edges and bead region tire sidewalls wherein each sidewall includes immediately adjacent to and outwards of the carcass ply a rubber sidewall member modulus in the range 10-20 MPa and having a upper edge positioned at the edge of the breaker and a lower edge radially inwards of the carcass ply turn up edge.

Abstract: A method of detecting a deflated tire on a vehicle which includes sensing the angular velocity of each wheel and producing a signal proportional thereto, processing the four signals in a processor unit which subtracts the sum of the signals from one pair of diagonally opposite wheels from the sum of the signals from the other pair of diagonally opposite wheels, sensing when the magnitude of the result is between 0.05% and 0.60% of the mean of the two sums, comparing the signals for each of the four wheels in turn with the signals for each of the other wheels, sensing when one of said signals is different from the average of all four signals by more than 0.1% and in the event of both sensed signal factor being present, operating a warning device to indicate a tire is partially or completely deflated.

Abstract: A radial ply tire including a tread reinforcing breaker package comprising at least one ply of tire breaker fabric characterized in that the cords in both edge regions of the single radially outermost ply of the breaker package are inclined to the circumferential centerline of the breaker package at opposite acute angles so that the cords in said edge regions are in relative "V" shaped formation and the tire is marked by a directional marker pointing in the opposite direction of the "V" formation so that the tire may be fitted to a vehicle with the marker in the direction of rotation for a non-driven wheel and in the opposite direction for a driven wheel so that the greatest torque forces are applied to the breaker ply in the direction of the "V" formation.The outermost ply may be side by side strips or cord laid in a "V" formation.

Abstract: A radial motorcycle tire comprising a ground contacting tread region reinforced between its edges by a breaker structure and having a substantially curved profile in the radial cross-section of the tire, a pair of tire beads each reinforced by a substantially inextensible bead reinforcement hoop and a tire sidewall disposed between each tread edge and bead region tire wherein each sidewall is reinforced by not more than two mutually contacting layers of carcass ply reinforcement for at least 80% of the length of the sidewall from the tread edge to the bead hoop with no other reinforcement fabric component being provided such that the said 80% or more of the sidewall is substantially flexible. The sidewall preferably contains virtually no apex strip and is also short, i.e. less than 35% of the tire sectional height (H).

Abstract: A pneumatic tire and wheelrim assembly for a motorcycle wherein the tire comprises a pair of axially spaced wheelrim engaging bead regions, a torroidal air pressure retaining carcass reinforced by a reinforced ply extending from one bead region to the other bead region, a round contacting tread which is curved in radial cross-section of the tire and which terminates adjacent to each bead region as a shoulder of the tread characterized by said shoulder having a radially inwardly facing shoulder formation and wherein the wheelrim comprises a pair of axially spaced bead seats, one for each bead region of the tire said bead seat extending axially outwardly as radially engagement positions which are complementary to the shoulder formation so that in the assembled tire and wheelrim the tread is easily located directly by the intergagement of the shoulder formations and the engagement portion.

Abstract: A vehicle wheel adapted to provide support for deflated or punctured tire. The wheel rim comprises a pair of parallel, circumferentially extending, axially spaced-apart, radially outwardly facing bead seats. Adjacent to and axially outwards of each bead seat is a radially outwardly projecting tire retaining flange. A tire fitting well is provided between the bead seat and a substantially rigid, deflated tire support surface radially outwardly of the bead seats mounted upon a support member projecting radially from the well wherein the support member is positioned at one side of the well, considered in axial cross section of the wheel rim, around part of the circumference of the wheel rim and at the other side of the well around the remainder of the circumference so that tire fitting is facilitated. The support member is preferably at one side of the well around half the circumference and may also be integral and the remainder of the wheel rim.