Why Do Some Motorcycle Front Tires Look Like They're On Backwards?

If you've ever taken a close look at the treads on the tires of a car, you'd see that all four treads seem to point in the same direction. The "arrow" of the tread faces downward, rolling into the road as it spins. If that's what you're used to, then it'd be understandable to be confused when you look at a motorcycle's tires. After all, while the rear tire on a motorcycle has a similar downward-facing tread to a car tire, the front tire may appear to be backwards, with a tread "arrow" pointing upward and rolling in the opposite direction.

If you've noticed the treads of your motorcycle's front tire facing upwards like this, you didn't get the wrong kind of tires last time you went to a garage; it's supposed to be like that. This is because, due to the slightly different ways in which a motorcycle tackles the road, the front tire's treads need to be configured in a different way to ensure the front wheel can handle its vital duties of steering and braking.

On most motorcycles, the rear wheel is responsible for acceleration, while the front wheel is responsible for elements of handling like steering and braking. The main difference between a motorcycle's tires and those on a car is that, due to the way a motorcycle handles, only a small patch on both tires actually makes contact with the ground when you're leaning into a turn. This is why motorcycle tires have their distinctive grooves, to ensure your grip on the road stays firm even with the reduced contact patch.

So why, then, are the threads and grooves on the front tire reversed? There are a couple of reasons. Firstly, when you pull the brakes on your motorcycle, the top of the front wheel experiences friction as a longitudinal force. It's pulling "up" on the tire, relatively speaking. Having the arrow shape in the treads pointing up helps it to catch the road and distribute force more evenly, which both improves your handling and ensures it'll last as long as possible.

The other main reason has to do with managing water on the road. When you drive through a puddle on a motorcycle, water can get trapped beneath the treads, which can mess with your handling and lead to aquaplaning. By angling the treads on the front tire backwards, it gives any water your tire picks up an avenue to eject out without affecting your handling. If the arrow were pointed down, it would all just get stuck in there.