EUROGRIP TREADTALKS

Tyre Talk: Riding Through Madurai to Kodaikanal with some of Eurogrip's finest road tyres

- CHRISTOPHER CHAVES

There’s something oddly satisfying about watching raw rubber turn into a full-fledged motorcycle tyre — a transformation that takes place through a series of complex, almost hypnotic processes. And like clockwork, Eurogrip once again gave us a front-row seat to it all. Our journey started with an insightful factory tour near Madurai, where the mixing of rubber compounds, intricate layering techniques, and rigorous testing regimens reminded us why tyre development is equal parts science and art. And it’s great to see an Indian manufacturer go through such extreme lengths of testing to get it right. Eurogrip also informed us that they have set up shop in north America and are catering to the sport-tourer/cruiser segment of bikes, have forged an alliance with BMW Motorrad for the 310 and will soon enter the supersport segment in India (we sense a 190/55 Pirelli Supercorsa rival on the cards).

This wasn’t my first time walking the factory floors with Eurogrip, but each visit still manages to bring something new to the table. It’s always fascinating to see how multiple compounds are combined and tested, both mechanically and manually, to ensure each tyre meets a very high standard of durability, grip, and ride comfort. And once the behind-the-scenes lessons were done, it was time to hit the road — the real test bed.