The Introduction
When it comes to motorcycle tyres, CEAT is a fairly well-known brand and has been around for a while. It recently launched a new line of tyres called the Sportrad. These are specifically developed for motorcycles in the leagues of the KTM 390 Duke, TVS Apache RR 310, and the Bajaj Dominar 400.
Moreover, I own a 2015 KTM 390 Duke, which was due for its fourth set of tyres as the current ones were pretty beaten up and were nearing the end of their life span. Coincidentally, CEAT sent us a pair of the Sportrad and what better bike to test them than the first-generation 390 Duke?
But before we start testing them, here is a brief introduction to the new CEAT rubber.
The Specs
The Sportrad are CEAT’s radial tyres and are offered in 110/70-17 for the front and 150/60-17 for the rear. As mentioned earlier, these will suffice for bikes like the ones mentioned above as well as the BMW G 310 R, KTM RC 390, TVS Apache RTR 310, and the Honda CB300R. The asking price for a set of the Sportrad during the launch was Rs. 12,500.
Now, with the front tyre’s asking price set at Rs. 5,999 and the rear unit costing Rs. 7,500, a pair of Sportrads will set you back by Rs. 13,499.
On the construction front, the CEAT Sportrad gets a steel belted radial build with silica blended tread material. CEAT says the focus for its new tyres is towards high-speed stability in straight lines, maximum contact patch while leaned over with its slick shoulder design and mid-crown groves for water dissipation and adequate grip on wet surfaces. Goes without saying, the Sportrad tyres are tubeless. The front tyre weighed 4.8kg and the rear tipped the scale at 5.7kg.
What's Next?
The worn-out Michelin tyres have been making my 390 Duke go sideways a lot and that's only fun until it's not. And I would also like to go back to spirited riding in the ghats. Now that we have the CEAT Sportrads for Duke, daily commute is expected to be faster and Sunday rides too should be more fun than before.
Plus, these will not only see canyon runs but also witness the broken and patchy roads of Mumbai. Followed by this summer will be the monsoon when the Sportrads will go under severe testing to see how well they grip. So, let's get riding!
Photography by Kaustubh Gandhi
Gallery
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KTM 390 Duke Front View
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