Image by Andreluiz Cunha from Pixabay Tyre sensors, such as tyre pressure monitoring systems (TPMS) were a major step forward in vehicle safety. Since their first appearance in the 1980s (yes, really), they must have saved many lives – and countless tyre failures. Good as they are, though, tyre sensors have one glaring weakness: they’re powered by batteries, which eventually run out. In most cases, these batteries aren’t replaceable – not because of some conspiracy by the manufacturers, but because they have to survive a hostile environment. As such, they have to be held firmly in place with ..read more

In a May 2023 opinion piece appearing on the Top Gear website, motoring journalist Paul Horrell concludes that modern tyres are a disgrace. More specifically, it’s their vulnerability that is disgraceful. His reasoning runs as follows: Cars, during their R&D phase, are tested against all manner of climates and assaults, just to be sure they deserve their lengthy guarantee. No such luck with their tyres. A one-inch nail or sharp pothole will strand you, and you’ve got no warranty against that. He goes on to say: After all the pain of a product that can’t even do the principal job it’s ..read more

Here at BK Tyres, we sell some hefty everyday tyres. At the time of writing, our range of more than 6,800 tyres goes up to a 24 inch rim and a 295 mm width. But even our biggest offerings are teeny-weeny compared to some of the colossal tyres out there. In the first part of this occasional series, we’ll tell you about some of them, starting with the humongous Firestone Alaska Tundra Tyres (we’re not sure if that’s what their official name was, but it will serve). “It’s the US Army. They need some ten-foot tyres.” The TC-497 Overland train. Look at that monster! In the 1950s, LeTourneau Inc ..read more

Image by Pexels from Pixabay Just a few weeks back, half the UK seemed to be underwater after weeks of relentless rain. Driving conditions in many parts of the country have been terrible. As the UK climate gets ever damper, tyres that perform well in wet conditions are going to become even more important. No wonder many drivers are on the lookout for a tyre that can deliver outstanding performance in wet conditions. With that in mind, Bridgestone’s Turanza 6 might just fit the bill. Released last year, this high performance tyre ticks an awful lot of boxes. Not so slippery when wet Based on ..read more

Pirelli’s P Zero E tyre has been crowned 2023 Tyre of the Year (Prix Point S) at the Automobile Awards in Paris. A jury of 40 industry experts picked the UHP tyre for its combination of performance, innovation and sustainability. So what’s so good about Pirelli’s latest offering? Let’s take a look. The P Zero Range As many driving enthusiasts know, Pirelli’s P Zeros are top-ranked high-performance tyres. As Pirelli puts it: A milestone in the development of the Pirelli range, P ZERO has been chosen as original equipment for the most performance oriented and powerful model ..read more

Charles Goodyear, the grandfather of modern tyre chemistry. Southworth & Hawes, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons Let’s say that you live in Oxford and decide to nip down to Devon for the weekend. In your modern car, traffic aside, it takes just a few hours. You travel in relative comfort, without the exhausting, bone-jarring journey that your ancestors would have thought normal. None of this would be possible without the super-compound used in all modern tyres – vulcanised rubber. Let’s meet its inventor, Mr Charles Goodyear. Iron tyres for 2,000 years. We begin with a bit of context ..read more

Prices shown is for 19th October 2023. GT Radial has upgraded their Sport Active 2 range – and what was already a popular and reasonably priced UHP range has become even more appealing. GT Radial has been our star buy company for a number of years now, because they offer a great all-round range at a price point our customers like. The GT Radial brand is part of Singapore-based Giti tyres, the tenth largest manufacturer in the world, and which can boast a 60-year pedigree. GT Radials are trusted as OEM tyres by automotive giants such as Citroen, Peugeot and Dacia… so they must be doing someth ..read more

Anyone interested in fast cars already knows what a burnout is, but in case you’ve never come across the term, the first few seconds of this video will give you the idea: Essentially, it’s a practice where the tyres of a vehicle are deliberately spun, which makes a lot of smoke and noise. There’s a practical purpose to this: burnouts heat up the tyres and make them stickier, which allows for better traction. Burnouts: car fans love ’em However, just focusing on the practicalities misses the point. Burnouts are part of the racing and drifting culture. What’s the appeal? Well, maybe it’s the sp ..read more

Image by 3D Animation Production Company from Pixabay Last time, we looked at some of the reasons why tyres are currently so expensive. The good news is that there are some simple things you can do to ensure you don’t fork out more than you need to, nor more often than is necessary. Let’s dive in… 1. Choose the right supplier Obviously, the first step to keeping the cost of your tyres down is to shop around. Costs do vary between suppliers, and businesses with high overheads inevitably pass those onto customers. Top tip: if you’re not going to use a mobile supplier, don’t forget to factor in ..read more

Image by Mediamodifier from Pixabay Let’s face it, even when you buy tyres from a competitive supplier, they’re not exactly cheap. For many people, it’s a mystery why an apparently simple rubber ring can cost so much. So, in the first part of this article, we’ll be delving into why tyres are so expensive (then in part two, we’ll look at what you can do to keep costs down). Let’s go! 1. Tyres are technological masterpieces A smartphone is obviously a technological masterpiece. It’s a camera, a GPS, a health monitor, a mobile banking facility, and much more. And yet, in its way, the humble tyr ..read more