19 Inch Tyre Options in India for Bullet

With every passing day, it is getting difficult to get hold of good tires for my bullet's 19-inch wheels. Most of the modern offerings from RE are coming out with 18" wheels as standard (with the new addition of a 21" wheel for Himalayan). 

I am usually busy around the year either with my day job or planning/touring on my motorcycle. So by the time, I realize, that my bike needs a new set of shoes, it usually kinda becomes an urgent situation, as there might be a ride just around the corner. So I start digging the internet for available tires for 19" wheels and what is the tread pattern like and what sizes are available, etc. Online forums are informative, but the information found is usually scattered. 

So this time, while I am currently looking for a dual-sport front tire for my bike, I took some time out to collate the information on all available tires from well-known manufacturers for 19" wheels. Going forward I may add my experience with a few of them, which I have personally used or been highly recommended by a fellow rider. But again that's kept for a later stage. Meanwhile, if you happen to have any good/bad experiences with any of the tires mentioned here, do leave a comment. Mention the model of your bullet, and the specification of the tires along with your comments. That way this post can work as a good reference point for these (soon-to-be) vintage motorcycles. 

So without further ado, here are the offerings of tires for our old bulls on the Indian Market:

MRF (Madras Rubber Factory):


MRF Zapper FM 90/90-19 (Front):


http://www.mrftyres.com/products/tyres/front-zapper-fm

Features & Benefits:

• Front Fitment: Good Stability 
• Directional Pattern: Better Maneuverability
• Good Grip: Better Traction

MRF Nylogrip Plus 3.00(/3.25/3.50)-19 (Rear):


http://www.mrftyres.com/products/tyres/rear-nylogrip-plus

Features & Benefits:

• Rear fitment
• Siped block design: Excellent road grip
• Tread with center groove: Water channeling
• Flat center design: High milage and good ride comfort
• Rounded shoulder: Excellent cornering characteristics

MRF MoGrip Meteor 110/90-19 (Rear):


http://www.mrftyres.com/products/tyres/rear-meteor

Features & Benefits:

• Rear Fitment: Excellent on /off-road application
• Aggressive block design: Better stability
• Directional block pattern: Good grip

Funny image for a bike tire, eh ?!! :P

Birla (Manufactured by Birla, India):

http://www.birlatyre.com/domestic_products.php

Birla ROADMAXX BT F21 3.00(/3.25)-19 (Front):

Features & Benefits:

Front Rib pattern offers high mileage with excellent road grip at curves and helps in better handling of the vehicle

Birla ROADMAXX BT R44 3.50-19 (Rear):

Features & Benefits:

• Semi Knobby tread design allows better shock absorption enhances the riding comfort &amp
• Can be used on any kind of terrain

Ceat (Manufactured by Ceat):

Ceat Secura F67 3.25-19 (Front):

http://www.ceat.com/ProductDetail.aspx?fid=1305

Features & Benefits:

• Rectangle Block & Straight Grooves: Better wet grip performance
• Rib pattern: Excellent steering and cornering
• Unique tread compound: Smooth ride and straight tracking

Ceat Secura Sport 3.25-19 (Rear):

http://www.ceat.com/ProductDetail.aspx?fid=1424

Features & Benefits:

• Sturdy Block Pattern: High Biting for better safety while cornering
• Excellent traction and stability 
• Good cornering

Ceat Gripp 3.25-19 (Rear):

http://www.ceat.com/ProductDetail.aspx?fid=1420

Features & Benefits:

• Angular tread blocks for superior Grip

Ceat Milaze 3.25-19 (Rear):

http://www.ceat.com/ProductDetail.aspx?fid=1422

Features & Benefits:

• Improved tread life with uniform wear for better durability 
• Resistance to cutting and chipping for longer tire life

Dunlop (Manufactured in India by Falcon Tyres):

Dunlop Maxirib 3.25-19 (Front)

http://www.falcontyres.com/tyre_details.php?tyre_type_id=1&model_id=5&type=F

Features & Benefits:

• Special Tread Design: Riding Comfort, Excellent Maneuverability
• Special Feature: Low Rolling Resistance
• High-Performance Compound: Better Mileage
• Rib Pattern: Better Water Channeling

Dunlop Unigrip 3.50-19 (Rear)

http://www.falcontyres.com/tyre_details.php?tyre_type_id=2&model_id=5&type=R

Features & Benefits:

• Sturdy Block Pattern: Excellent Road Grip
• Extra Tread Depth: Higher Mileage
• Strong Structural Design: Durability During Long Run
• Special Feature: Excellent Cornering Characteristics

Michelin (Manufactured in India by TVS):

http://motorcycle.michelin.in/michelin-sirac-street

Features & Benefits:

• Big block pattern contributes to confident and stable handling in dry conditions.
• The optimized groove-rubber ratio provides super grip, efficient braking, and easy handling in wet conditions.
• Reinforced casing construction for enhanced puncture resistance.
• Abrasion-resistant tread compound provides high mileage in both on and off-road conditions.

MICHELIN Sirac Street TT 3.25-19 54P 4PR (Front):

MICHELIN Sirac Street TT 3.50-19 63P 6PR (Rear):

Pirelli (Imported through authorized retailers in India):

http://www.pirelli.com/tyre/ww/en/motorcycle/sheet/mt_60.html

Pirelli MT60 90/90 - 19 M / C 52P (Front):

Features & Benefits:

• Optimized pattern for on and off-road use: Grip on roads, good traction off-road (i.e. Versatility of use)
• X-ply carcass: Great capacity to absorb the roughness of the ground (i.e. A comfortable ride)

Product photographs and specs provided here are taken from the respective manufacturers' websites and hence are fairly accurate. However, with every iteration, the design/specs may change/vary, so keep the same in mind while making any purchase decisions. At the time of writing this post, I am finding it difficult to source some models like the Pirelli MT60 and the Ceat Secura series in Bangalore. Similarly, some of the models mentioned here may be a bit difficult to find, due to the lack of availability caused by the drop in demand in the market. So you may have to enquire about getting such tires. But don't lose hope, as most of the time, there are some shops with such old stock of 19 inches lying around, just to be cleared off. You might get lucky ;)

In case of any additions/corrections/queries leave a comment.

[Update:29/03/2016] Michelin's Sirac (previously available in India) and 'Sirac Street' are two different versions of tires from Michelin. Hence when you are checking any reviews, keep in mind that 'Sirac Street' is fairly new to the Indian market. So any posts/reviews older than 2014 (I guess) are talking about Sirac and not the 'Sirac Street' shown here.

[Update:06/04/2016] After failing to source Dunlop(/Falcon) Unigrip or Ceat Gripp XL (not mentioned above, as it's out of production now!) for my front wheel, I decided to try the new Michelin Sirac Street 3.25-19 (mentioned in the list above). So I got myself one yesterday and so far have ridden 7-8 KMs with the new tire. Though it's too early to comment, I did try a few sharp cornering on good roads and it seems to inspire confidence. I shall update as I use it on highways, off-road (sand/gravel), and wet roads as and when I come across such terrains/situations during my rides. Currently, I have Birla RoadMaxx 3.50-19 at the back for the last 2+ years and they have been perfect so far, both on and off-road (also done Leh). So I can recommend it as a dependable dual-purpose rear tire.

[Update:21/04/2016] Did a 600km trip, which included riding in a hail storm (and heavy rain) for an hour or more, and then some extreme off-roading till the Mandalpatti peak. Happy to inform you, the Michelin tire hold up well and was grippy all through. It gave me a lot of confidence on the sand and rock during off-roading, which is happy with. Will continue to ride and update on this bad boy and now thinking of Michelin as a prospect for the rear tire replacement as well. Let's see. :)

Cheers!!

Sid