A quarter of a century has passed since 1987 when Michelin launched the first radial motorcycle tyres for use on public roads - three years after they had made their competition debut.

With conventional tyres unable to handle the power of a modern 1,000cc bike, every middleweight and large capacity motorcycle is today equipped with radials.

Because they run cooler and generate less internal heat than conventional tyres, the rubber compounds used in their construction can be much softer to offer enhanced cornering grip.