BRIDGESTONE have developed a non-pneumatic concept car tyre that may enter production.
The airless tyre uses a structure of spokes stretching along the insides of the tyres, supporting the weight of the vehicle. The concept has been in development by Bridgestone for over two years.
Airless tyres are not a new concept, they have been widely used in industrial and military vehicles, however Bridgestone's concept has been developed to be cheaper to produce and easier to recycle.
Although heavier than a standard tyre, a non-pneumatic tyre would never puncture like a normal tyre could.
None conventional tyres are nothing new: in 1932, Les Blackborough an English dirt-track rider created a new back wheel featuring wooden balls mounted on the rim making it possible to 'broadside rapidly on hard surfaces'. Not ideal for today's rider.
Would you fit a non-pneumatic tyre to your motorcycle?
