I’m more than certain that you’re familiar with Dunlop, one of the largest tire manufacturers in the entire world. Although founded in Dublin, Ireland, more than a century ago, the tire manufacturer is present in all corners of the globe, and is managed by several companies. The brand has one of the widest selection of tires, but has recently begun investing heavily on motorcycle tires, more specifically, performance-oriented motorbike tires.
To do this, the company is pouring in 16.5 million Euros to beef up the technology in its Montluçon plant in France. This is certainly good news for motorcycle enthusiasts, as well as employees of the Dunlop facility in France, as we can certainly expect more tires focused on two-wheelers to come out of the factory, adding to the brands already pretty impressive repertoire of tire choices.
At present, more than half of the plant’s output is already focused on motorcycle tires. However, the company wants to make even more tires specifically for two-wheeled applications. Dunlop sees the motorbike tire market as an extremely high added value segment, especially as tire technology continues to be on the forefront of performance not just in racing, but in street and off-road applications, too. Indeed, the company already has a variety of impressive tire options that are produced in the Montluçon facility. Tires such as the Qualifier Core, RoadSmart IV, and SportSmart MK3 are all made in this facility.
The Montluçon facility already has a specialized two-wheeler tire research and development unit, with a focus on all tires intended for racing. What’s to come is certainly interesting, as the company is set to spend no less than 16.5 million Euros in the next year-and-a-half. At present, Dunlop has yet to make any announcements or drop any teasers surrounding any new products. However, the business has begun working with representatives of its workforce on a project to turn this manufacturing facility into "a European center of excellence for the production of high-end motorcycle tires with high added value."
