TVS Eurogrip Roadhound Tyre Review - Getting to Grips!

Making tyres for superbikes is indeed a challenging task, and I have no doubt about it. Tyres are the only point of contact between the motorcycle and the often unpredictable road, laden with dust and debris, that keeps the rider upright and straight, allowing them to go over speeds of 200km/h. The difficulty is compounded when these are meant for sports touring, for they demand a versatile set of features. For instance, they need to be able to carry luggage and a passenger, should be able to take corners with a knee down, stay stable on highways at triple-digit speeds, and shouldn’t get worn down for at least 10,000 – 15,000km. And that’s where TVS Eurogrip comes in, for they seem to have come up with a solution.

TVS Eurogrip Roadhound Review: Looks the Part

Did I forget to mention design? Well, yes, even the design of the tyre plays a big part in how well it performs and, to some extent, also adds to the overall look of the motorcycle. Some superbike owners, especially in India, also base their tyre buying decision on how nice it would look in their Instagram profile picture – not ideal, but true! 

First and foremost, a tyre must perform, and that’s what makes the Roadhound tyres interesting. Conceived at TVS Eurogrip’s R&D centre in Madurai, they are built with patented compound technology and have been tested across different road conditions and race tracks in Europe. And all this happened even before their thorough testing in India commenced. The Roadhound radial tyres are purpose-built for longevity, performance, safety, and load-bearing. To cater to the majority of sports-touring / naked big-capacity motorcycles available in the Indian market, the company offers these tyres in just one size for the front (120/70 R17) and two sizes (160/60 R17 and 180/55 R17) for the rear. The load-bearing capacity for the rear tyres is 69W (325kgs) and 73W (365kgs), respectively.

TVS Eurogrip Roadhound Review: Feels the Part

TVS Eurogrip has taken a meticulous approach to designing the front and the rear tyres for specific purposes – while the former has been designed for grip and handling, the latter has been designed for better braking and acceleration in the middle, with softer compound on either side for better cornering. The Roadhound tyres have a thoughtfully-designed tread pattern that aids in stability and comfort while riding. It allows water to escape properly from underneath the tyres, keeping the rubber in contact with the tarmac in wet-weather conditions and maintaining a good grip. Now, while we would have to wait for a wet monsoon day to test that claim, we did test the tyres in dry weather conditions at the track. 

The Roadhound tyres feature TVS Eurogrip’s Zero-degree steel belt technology, which is meant to prevent the expansion of the rubber as the temperature rises. Furthermore, the silica compound of the tyre enhances the grip in wet conditions, even though it may lead to slightly faster wear. Here is an interesting fact – the use of silica was a revolutionary development in the 90s, aimed at providing race bikes with better grip in wet conditions. Now, to address the concern of faster wear and to increase durability, Roadhound tyres also use a chemical called Carbon Black, which increases the life of the tyre, decreases its rolling resistance, and enhances the handling. All in all, TVS Eurogrip’s aim wasn’t just to create the best Made-in-India tyres but the best tyres available in the market. So, let’s put the rubber down on the road and see how they perform.

TVS Eurogrip Roadhound Review: Goes the Part

For our comprehensive test of the TVS Eurogrip Roadhound tyres, we evaluated their performances on a wide range of motorcycles, covering almost all categories. Among the bikes we tested, the Honda CBR 650RR stood out as the fastest and the most at home with these tyres, while the Harley-Davidson Street Rod 750 felt out-of-sync in our testing conditions. We even had the likes of the Kawasaki Z650, Ninja 650, Benelli Leoncino 500, and TRK 502. On all motorcycles, these tyres offered an immense amount of grip irrespective of the lean angle or attempts to upset the bike mid-corner. The tyres inspire confidence progressively, thereby allowing you to not only lean in more confidently but also to handle hard acceleration out of corners. This was especially apparent while riding heavy, torquey motorcycles like the Street Rod 750 on a technical circuit like Kari Motor Speedway. The only chink in its armour that we could notice was that mid-corner transitions felt a bit heavy on bikes with stiffer suspension setups. On the other hand, the tyres felt a lot more forgiving on light but softer-set Kawasaki Z650 and the top-heavy-natured Benelli TRK 502. Overall, the Roadhound tyres impressed us with their remarkable stability and high-speed comfort. Not to mention that they offer an undeniably addictive performance around corners, adding to the overall ride experience.

TVS Eurogrip Roadhound Review: Plays the Part

The TVS Eurogrip Roadhound Tyres are a real surprise entry into the world of superbiking in India. As a home-grown manufacturer, TVS Eurogrip has boldly entered the high-performance tyre market and come up with a competent product that can rival the offerings of renowned brands like Michelin, Metzeler, and Pirelli. That said, my first impressions were formed in a controlled environment, so I would reserve any further judgments about these tyres until I get the opportunity to test and experience them in real-world conditions. So, stay tuned.