250Kmph On A Pair Of MRFs And a Hayabusa

The Need

We all start small. At first, a humble single cylinder. The next one, a bratty twin. Soon, we are looking at multiple cylinders while the dream always remains—owning a superbike. And with each step, we get accustomed to the cost of owning a bigger motorcycle—more fuel + more consumables + more services = more expensive. However, the one thing that most superbike owners, or even potential owners, do not account for is the cost of tyres. And not just the cost, but also the availability.

These W-rated tyres, which are designed to operate at 270kmph, are mainly imported into the country. A change every 5,000-7,000km means you will be looking at at least a tyre change every year, amounting to easily north of Rs 50,000! That is, when you can get one in the first place. And you can't safely, or sanely, operate a 200+ bhp machine on shoddy rubber, as it is a very kamikaze approach to riding. The need for a homegrown tyre to help ease this equation is genuinely there.

The Answer

And it's not like motorcycle manufacturers are not aware of this cost/limitation. However, the low volumes of these bikes in the country do not warrant action from their side. That was until Suzuki called MRF and asked them to develop a new tyre for their superbikes: the Hayabusa, GSX-8R, Katana and the V-Strom 800DE.

This tyre is not only meant to serve as a replacement for the bikes here in India, but also potentially become “the” tyre for the Busa globally. And this is where the new SP series was born. Jointly tested with Suzuki Japan, these tyres have received the seal of approval from the Japanese manufacturer to be officially used on the Hayabusa. If you know anything about the Japanese and their cautious and stringent way of testing and approvals, you will realise how big this deal is.

Designed and made in India, these tyres will not just be limited to superbikes, but will be available for bikes right from 400cc onwards, giving enthusiast bikers a homegrown tyre to switch to. This will not only be a more cost-effective solution, but if done right, can be the ideal balance between grip and mileage, as we have come to expect from MRF.

MRF’s Steel Brace series already existed. The new SP (Sport Pro) radial tyres take the performance aspect more seriously. These tyres come with an enhanced compound to offer better cornering grip, with added steel wires for better durability at higher speeds.

And not just SP, MRF also has SC (Sport Classic) for less performance-oriented and more everyday-friendly motorcycles like the Triumph Speed 400, AT (Adventure Tour) for ADVs like the Royal Enfield Himalayan 450, and the AX (Adventure Cross) tyres with an aggressive block pattern for scramblers like the Royal Enfield Bear 650.

The Result

We walked into the garage after a sighting lap in a car around MRF’s newly constructed and mighty impressive Proving Track, the only of its kind in India by a tyre manufacturer. The key areas for our test were a tight circuit, which is not designed for speed, but for agility and torturing rubber, and a massive skid pad, a large tarmac surface where you can play around as much as you want.

Just as we were mentally going through our lines on the track, we saw the mighty Hayabusa parked and prepped for our test. Though I have ridden the Busa before, this was a new test track and when you have 190PS ready to be deployed with a twist of the throttle, butterflies magically appear in the tummy. Geared up, I headed to the high-speed track first to experience stability under hard acceleration and braking. Visor down, head tucked, the Busa hit 100kmph in 3 seconds. The tyre barely misbehaved, putting down nearly 200 horses. One run after another trying to heat the rubber on a hot day, and it did not flinch.

The Busa kept taking off as sweetly as I can remember it did on our media test bike, which came with Bridgestone Battlax Hypersport S22s. The bike managed to hit at least 250kmph (that is what I recall checking before getting on the brakes) and remained rock-solid stable. Even under hard braking, and repeatedly so, the tyre held up well, and the grip and stability never felt lacking. Truly impressive, especially given MRF’s claim that these tyres will also have a focus on mileage. While there is no official statement, their tests reveal that a tyre, under regular usage, will last for roughly 10,000km.

Next up was the tyre-torture tight circuit. The fresh tarmac, newly painted markings, and a warmed-up Hayabusa meant it was time to test cornering grip. The first few laps were to gain confidence and learn the track. Despite erring on the side of caution, the Busa was taunting me to go faster. The MRF Steel Brace SPs were nowhere close to the maximum grip they could offer. Lap after lap, the lean angles became more aggressive, and the right hand started to grow a brain of its own. I remember doing 10 laps before my first break, and the MRF rubber felt solid. The grip was enough to not let the tyre step out even once, or make me think I was approaching its limits.

The next stint was with the electronic nannies dialled down. The Busa went faster, and the tyre kept up with the speeds. The SPs offered great confidence to hold a lean angle and start to roll on the throttle early towards the exit without worrying about the rear misbehaving. Be it the grip in the middle of the corner or towards the exit on the gas, the SPs held the bike nicely. The only thing we could not test was grip under wet and low-traction conditions. More long term questions include grip after some tyre wear and puncture resistance. 

The Economics

MRF will look at pricing this new rubber competitively. We expect the Hayabusa tyres to be priced around Rs 35,000 for a set (F: 120/70 ZR17 | R: 190/50 ZR17), with inventory available at select premium dealers.

This will significantly bring down the cost of ownership for big bikes and make changing tyres not a month-long process, as it is in some cases. Also, warranty claims will be easier to manage than with current imports and Chinese tyres that have started to flood the market. This series will also play a key role for motorcycles like the KTM 390/350s, Triumph 350s, and the Himalayan, as it promises to be a homegrown, performance-inclined tyre that balances mileage and cost as well.

If you have a superbike and are worried about where the next set of tyre replacements is going to come from, I would recommend trying out the new MRF Steel Brace SPs; they could be the one tyre to do it all.