Reise Moto TraceRad Tyre Track Review: Good First Impression

The only part of a motorcycle that should be in contact with the road are tyres. And if you, like me, own a performance-oriented sub-500 cc bike, then you know the key role good tyres play in the well running of your bike. Thankfully, the tyre import ban hasn't compromised choices for this class much.

And now there is another option in the market: Reise Moto's TraceRad sport radial tyres. We got two quick sessions to test out the rubber around the brand-new CoASTT track in Coimbatore and it is safe to say, the tyres showed great promise.

A Brief Introduction

Reise has been producing tyres for the past couple of years, the primary focus being on touring spec or off-road suited tyres. The TraceRad is it's first pure road-spec offering for motorcycles up to 500 cc. Currently, it is only available in 110/70-R17 and 150/60-R17 sizes but the plans are to expand this range slowly. These are zero-degree steel belt radials with W-speed rating. The tread profile is similar to certain international tyres, too. They'll cost under ₹12,000 a pair, putting them on par with other Indian make radial options.

Getting To Grips With It

With KTM being a partner of Reise for the event, the choice was between the new 390 Duke and the RC 390. Having clocked nearly 5,500 km on varied tyres on my own 3rd-gen 390 Duke, I immediately hopped on board one of them. And given the fact that I had zero experience of the CoASTT track until then, riding a naked seemed the better choice to learn the track.

CoASTT has some really fast corners and a lot of elevation changes. And for the first 5 minutes, it was me who needed to get the hang of the track rather than the tyres to get to grips with it as they seemed to have gained temperature pretty rapidly.

But as soon as the track layout started to seem familiar, the tyres seemed to be get squiggly, especially during hard braking. And even when leaned over, the front end feel was pretty absent. It wasn't as though it was going to lose traction but rather I hoped for a bit more communication from the tyres.

The culprit for this lack of feel as it turned out post the first session was not the tyres per se but improper tyre pressures. They were set to recommended cold road tyre pressures which on the track could be a recipe for disaster when you start pushing. On the track, as the pace starts heating up, the temperature rises and so does the tyre pressure. So, more laps with incorrect pressures for the track meant the contract patch became smaller as the pace started ramping up.

However, with the new 390 Duke's electronics turned off and more torque being delivered earlier than before, the rear never broke traction. The stock Metzler Sportec M5 H-rated rubbed are simply not good enough for the bike's potential, as they spin out of control very easily, while these TraceRad tyres seemed to hold their own.

Inflating Spirits By Deflating Tyres

A small tyre pressure gauge is an essential piece of kit that every biker should have handy. I have one in my backpack at nearly all times and this time round, it really was beneficial. Despite the tyres being warm for my second session, I reduced the pressures dramatically, hoping that the lack of feel problem would be solved.

And boy did it pay off, this time round on the RC 390, a motorcycle that I recently raced in the 2024 KTM Cup and a brilliant sportbike overall. And almost immediately the problem seemed to have been solved.

There was none of the braking instability that was bothering me in the first session, with the anchors getting the due composure from the rubber when required. It helped for better turn ins and felt more forgiving even if you made an error by being over-enthusiastic when not needed. This is a great trait that one should find useful for the chaotic road conditions that urban India throws at riders daily.

A Strong Consideration

Reise Moto has made some really nice rubber, one that isn't fazed on the track or isn't capable of handling a lot of torque. The poise and balance that it maintained when carrying extreme lean angles at high speeds is commendable. The next test that we hope to tackle is just how well it handles on unpredictable road conditions, like when a sudden rain shower aims to wreak havoc on a weekend thrill chasing ride. So, we hope to put them to the test soon and bring you our findings.