The Metzeler Motorcycle Tire Company

Metzeler Motorcycle Tire has become the benchmark for many by which they judge the performance and quality of other tires  ...

By Karl Drew, an Australian-based business writer with 20 years experience in entertainment, transport and security.

Metzeler motorcycle tire is a name that needs no introduction to motorcycle enthusiasts around the world.

Like many businesses, Metzeler started from modest origins. It was 1863 when Robert Friedrich Metzeler opened his business selling rubber and elastic goods to the public in Munich, Germany. It wasn't always about tires though, some of Metzeler's early products included technical and surgical articles, sports equipment, toys and even weatherproof clothing.

In the years to come, Metzeler would establish his first factory for making rubber products in Schwanthalerstrasse and that factory would have to make way for another due to the demand for Metzeler's products.  There would be ups and downs in the years to come, but soon the Metzeler name would be the benchmark for motorcycle tire technology.

The Early Years of Metzeler Motorcycle Tire

In the late nineteenth century, Metzeler soon found itself on the crest of the ever growing aviation industry boom and were busy manufacturing products for balloons, airships and various aircraft. Soon, the bicycle, motorcycle and motor-car industries would be placing even more demands on Metzeler. And, Metzeler would answer their calls.

In 1937 Metzeler tires would become the talk of the world, as a new high-speed world record for motorcycles was set at 279.5 km/h using Metzeler motorcycle tires.

During World War II, the Metzeler factory was completely destroyed. It was rebuilt, bigger and better than ever and Metzeler started to look into new opportunities in the technical rubber and leisure markets. In 1978, Metzeler developed the first tubeless tire in Europe.

However, Metzeler changed its company focus to concentrate only on motorcycle tires in 1978. This may have been seen as a step backward by some, but Metzeler motorcycle tires have been at the leading edge of tire technology ever since then. And by 1994, the motorcycle speed record was again set using Metzeler motorcycle tires. 

The Influence of Metzeler Motorcycle Tires in Racing

Moto USA Magazine reported on Metzeler's presentation of their new RACETEC supersport tire at the Spanish Circuit de Valencia.

The new tire features the patented Interact™ multi-tension steel cord technology. Kawasaki rider Joan Lascorz was the special guest to demonstrate an on-board camera lap. Riders at the presentation had the choice of a wide variety of '08 or '09 specification supersport bikes from major manufacturers Honda, Kawasaki, Suzuki, and Triumph. There were also superstock bikes from KTM and BMW.

Dr. Peter Kronthaler of Metzeler Tire stated: “The Metzeler new RACETEC is the ideal upgrade for lowering overall race time. It is engineered to give you the ideal grip level at every angle of lean while avoiding irregular wear. With the new InteractTM technology, we have taken the 0-degree steel cord to the next level, modifying each cord's tension along the tire surface to better adapt to the asphalt, lean angle and rider input.”

Metzeler has had an illustrious history with many historic titles in various different classes and series on the road. Today, Metzeler continues to compete and win races all around the world. Metzeler motorcycle tires also sponsors riders in many National Championships, TT Races and Endurance Championships on several continents.

Off road, the Metzeler brand has been present to compete and win in extreme Off-Road competitions for as long as motorcycle racing has been happening. Whether it is the World Enduro Championship, the Australian Off-Road Championship (AORC), or any of the thousands of other events that happen worldwide, many winners use Metzeler motorcycle tires.

Metzeler Motorcycle Tires for Everyone

Not everyone wants to race in the World Enduro Championship or the TT Races in Europe, so is there a Metzeler tire for them, too? Of course, Metzeler makes tires for all bikes, including:

• sport touring
  
• classic
• custom
  
• endure street
  
• race
  
• supersport
  
• off road
  
• scooter

Now you might groan at the thought of scooter tires, but scooters are becoming more and more pervasive as the world focuses on fuel economy and efficiency. The sad thing about scooters is the fact that many scooter riders have no idea about motorcycle maintenance, and this tends to be an underlying cause of many accidents involving scooters. So how do you look after the tires on your scooter?

Tips for Getting the Most from Your Metzeler Tires for Scooters

For safety's sake, it's important to perform routine maintenance checks and take the time to learn to recognize the early warning signs associated with possible mechanical failure.

Your scooter owner's manual will certainly contain information to help any scooter rider in checking their Metzeler motorcycle tires for things like proper inflation levels and watching out for unusual or excessive wearing of the tire tread.

Whether you're running Metzeler motorcycle tires of something else on your scooter, you should check your tire pressure frequently. Having the right tire inflation pressure is very important.

If your tire pressure is too low, it's possible that your tires will overheat and this can greatly increase the chance of a tire failure. Tire failures are dangerous enough on a motor car, but on vehicles with only two wheels a tire failure can easily lead to a fatality.

So what's the best time to check the inflation pressure on your Metzeler motorcycle tire? This goes for all types of motorcycles and all different brands of tires, the best time to check your tire pressure is when your tires are cold. And, the easiest way to check your tire's inflation pressure when your tires are cold is to have your own air pressure gauge. Air pressure gauges are cheap and readily available at many retail outlets.

Another ideal safety tip for Metzeler motorcycle tires, or any other type of motorcycle tire, is to inspect your scooter's tires for cracks and things like uneven tread, gashes, blisters, bumps, dry rot, or other signs of damage.

It's very easy to just assume that a set of Metzeler motorcycle tires means that all you need to do is ride and nothing else. It doesn't matter what type of tire you use, or even what type of vehicle you use, tires need to be maintained and regularly inspected. Neglecting your tires could cost you more than just another set.

What do you Know about Metzeler Tires?

You can share your knowledge and experience by either writing your review in the box you see below or, if you feel you have a story to tell but want a little bit of guidance to make a good review, I've prepared a special form to help you get started.  Follow the easy steps of this simple form and when you've finished you'll return here with the box below already completed and most of the work already done.

Please note that we're not interested in receiving rants that simply say "I think tire XXX is pure crap!", or glowing raves that tell us nothing more than you love the tires.   To be useful we need more details and specifics ... hopefully even a photo of the tire you are reviewing.   Use the tire review wizard  to help tell your story. Cover most of the points, and you'll do fine.

•  Make sure you select one of the notification options which you'll see under your draft review so that you can receive an email notice when we publish your review.

 

Other useful links

--Select from the list below-- Tire Size Convertor Tire Size Calculator 4x4 tires alignment all-terrain-tires automobile-tires balancing car-maintenance cheap tires off-road-tires rotation safety check consumer topics tire-humor tire-pressure tire-protection tire valves tire-wear-problems