Dunlop D404 Has Backwards Tread?

[stevec5000]

I purchased a new D404 to mount on the front and I noticed the arrow on the side showing the direction of rotation is backwards from the direction of the tread.
I don't think they are all that way because I've used D404's before and not run into this problem but there are several different tread patterns and a Harley version of the tire. The one I have is the one with smaller blocks like the one on the right on ebay. What do you guys think about this? Could that be for better braking? Won't the tread being backwards cause instability or problems with water in the rain? Should I just ignore the arrow and mount the tire with the tread pointed in the forwards direction?
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eB...m=380000415708

[prometheus578]

Nope.

The arrow is to go... showing the rotation of the tire.
Front and rear tires are designed differently.
Some tires are for front use only, some for rear use only, and some have TWO arrows on them, showing which way they go one depending on what axle you put them.
How they're made, etc... the plys in the tires over lap, like fish scales. Plys like to lay flat... if they don't, they separate and like Martha Stewart says, "That's not a good thing."
If you run your hands in one direction, everything is smooth. If you run your hands the other way, the scales catch and lift up, etc.
Rear tires are for accelleration... and when the tire is spinning in accelleration, the plys lay flat.
Front tires are for braking... And if you were to take that rear tire and put it up front(without turning the tire around, the forces encountered during braking would tend to separate the plys.

[prometheus578]

"And furthermore..."

Tread patterns, yes, to shed water, but... are designed for maximum traction.
Rear traction during accelleration...
Front traction during braking.
Two different forces, two different directions of force applied, two different (or in this case, reversed) tread patterns.

[stevec5000]

Re: Nope.

Originally posted by prometheus578
The arrow is to go... showing the rotation of the tire.
Front and rear tires are designed differently.
Some tires are for front use only, some for rear use only, and some have TWO arrows on them, showing which way they go one depending on what axle you put them.
How they're made, etc... the plys in the tires over lap, like fish scales. Plys like to lay flat... if they don't, they separate and like Martha Stewart says, "That's not a good thing."
If you run your hands in one direction, everything is smooth. If you run your hands the other way, the scales catch and lift up, etc.
Rear tires are for accelleration... and when the tire is spinning in accelleration, the plys lay flat.
Front tires are for braking... And if you were to take that rear tire and put it up front(without turning the tire around, the forces encountered during braking would tend to separate the plys.

I wasn't talking about front and rear tires but about a front tire with backwards tread. All the other tires I've seen have the tread going in the direction of rotation so why shouldn't this one?
I've also got a Cruisemax and a D402 with the arrow going the same direction as the tread but a 491 Elite II that has tread similar to the D404 and the arrow also goes backwards. Weird!

[fredintoon]

This may be an urban legend but - -

- - there was a story that certain racers were mounting a certain tire "backwards"
because they found out that the Mfrs had put the arrow backwards to what the designers said "Because it looked faster when mounted that way."

[newc4]

I just bought and had mounted some Dunlop Elite 3s - they have a staggered V pattern. Like you, I thought the front was intalled wrong and the pattern was in opposition to the rear tire. However, looking at the rotation arrows, that was the only way it can be mounted. And after riding it a bit, I experienced no problems with this configuration.

Darrell

[TopCatGr58]

Hey Steve,

Check out this tire change tech tip , the later photos show the D404 that I put on my bike, and you'll note that the tread pattern is also appearing backwards!!! So...I don't think they made a mistake in manufacturing, but have it like Prom said, for braking efficiency. I try not to ride in the rain, but I wouldn't be concerned or worried about it's performance, I'm sure the channels will still work to funnel the water away!
T.C.

[stevec5000]

Thanks for the pictorial. BTW, you didn't balance the tire.