Sticky Tires

[mason79]

when someone talks about how one kind of tire is stickier than another, how do they know?

is it the feeling and feedback of the tires giving the illusion of adhesion therefore giving more confidence in taking the turn faster?

or are they sliding around in tires that are not sticky. and they are making that comparison.

[Hired_Goon]

I think it is the movement you feel.

For example, I have a Michelin on the back of mine and I find it gets a bit loose sometimes. Mainly with power on coming out of a corner. Was really bad when new(first 500 Km), had some big moments. Also notice if I change down while braking the little extra engine braking causes a small lockup. Get a little squeal out of it.

This to me is not a sticky tire.

However, it is the only one I have had on the 11, so that makes it hard to compare without trying other brands. But since the tire is new and I ride under the limitations of the tire then I can live with it.

[Pat Kelly]

Generally a "sticky" tire has a softer rubber compound on the tread. The soft or hard properties are called the tires "durometer" .
In most cases a sticky tire will grip well but wear out soon. A harder "durometer" tire will last longer but may not corner as well. There are dual compound tires with a higher durometer (harder) compound in the center tread and a lower durometer near the edges of the tread.
Tread design also plays a factor in how well a tire grips under various conditions. This accounts for the plethora of tread designs (slicks to knobbys) and various specialties of tires. Some work better in rain (deep grooves), drag racing (wide, flat, sticky tread), touring (hard compound), etc.
Another factor is sidewall construction. A light bike can take advantage of a more flexible sidewall to keep tread on the ground. Our hefty XS's need a stiffer sidewall which flexes less.
You need to decide what kind of riding you're going to do and choose your tire accordingly. I have Dunlop K491's on my E which has all the touring stuff on it. The 491's can handle the weight of the bike, provide long service life, has deep tread which is good in the rain, and is decent for cornering. My LG is set-up a bit sportier with no touring fairing, saddlebags, or trunk and is usually ridden in summer around town and local rides. I ride it a bit more aggressively and have Dunlop (404?) ArrowMax tires. They are a bit softer and the back tire only lasts about a year and a half but it allows the bike to corner faster.

[mason79]

so does a softer and stickier tire tend to pick up more nails and flat easier?

and the harder compound rejects road debris?