The BFGoodrich Premier Touring tire is designed for summer use exclusively on compact passenger cars. The range of sizes includes 16 of the most popular sizes with a wheel mounting diameter of 13 to 16 inches. According to the manufacturer, the tire features excellent traction on dry and wet surfaces, as well as exceptional tread durability.
S-shaped symmetrical tread pattern
This tread pattern design was chosen for its versatility. This arrangement of tread elements allows for reliable traction with various types of surfaces, as well as low rolling resistance and a high level of comfort. Meanwhile, this tire has applied technical solutions more typical of commercial models, where all tread elements are of massive size and their number is limited. Approximately the same was done in this model, the tread of which contains only 4 longitudinal ribs, 2 of which are shoulder zones.
The central part of the tread is occupied by two rows of separate blocks, the massive size of which has increased their rigidity. This has achieved excellent course stability and high maneuverability. In addition, the presence of many sharp edges in this part of the tread, arranged at a significant angle to the direction of movement, has significantly improved acceleration efficiency.
As mentioned earlier, the shoulder zones of the tread are of massive size. In addition, these parts of the tread represent two more rows of separate blocks. They have a rectangular shape, the long sides of which are arranged almost at a right angle to the axis of rotation of the wheel. This solution has significantly reduced the braking distance. Moreover, the massive size of these tread elements has increased the rigidity of this part of the tread, which implies excellent stability when cornering.
Excellent wear resistance
Thanks to the minimal number of functional zones, North American tire makers have significantly increased the size of the tread elements. This could not but affect the uniformity of the distribution of external pressure on the contact patch. This solution has significantly increased the resistance of the tread to uneven wear, which has significantly extended the life of the tire. Moreover, the shoulder zones of the BFGoodrich Premier Touring tread have a sloping profile, which has further improved the tire's ability to resist uneven wear, while also improving traction on dry surfaces due to the increased contact patch area.
High level of comfort
When developing this model, the manufacturer paid special attention to ensuring a high level of comfort, which, in his opinion, consists of two main components - low noise level and softness of the ride. To reduce the noise level, the specialists of this North American company equipped the tire with an S-shaped tread pattern. In addition to other advantages, this design is notable for the fact that the tread blocks of all longitudinal ribs are arranged with a different pitch relative to each other. This has minimized the risk of resonance noise and vibration when driving.
As for the softness of the ride, it was achieved due to two components - the tread rubber compound and the carcass located under it. The rubber compound includes special silicone-containing components that have increased the elasticity of the tread, thanks to which it has acquired the ability to more closely fit the irregularities on the surface of the road.
The tire's carcass features a two-layer steel cord, thanks to which the tire easily withstands significant loads. On top of the steel metal cord, the North American tire makers placed two layers of polyester, which made the tire more elastic.
Excellent traction in wet conditions
The manufacturer's declared high resistance to aquaplaning is based on the high performance of the drainage system. This was achieved also due to the tread pattern, which consists of many separate blocks. The space between them is used as channels for water drainage. In addition, it is impossible not to note the large volume of the three longitudinal drainage grooves and the presence of a huge number of direct lamellas, which contribute to more effective removal of excess water from the contact patch.
Main features of the American BFGoodrich Premier Touring
- The S-shaped design of the symmetrical non-directional tread pattern is optimized for any type of surface;
- The massive size of all tread elements provides the tire with exceptional resistance to uneven wear due to very even distribution of load on the contact patch, thanks to which the tire has a very long service life;
- Four longitudinal tread ribs provide a very large contact patch, ensuring excellent traction on dry asphalt;
- Excellent resistance to aquaplaning, thanks to the combination of voluminous longitudinal drainage grooves and a large number of direct water-draining lamellas;
- Two wide central ribs provide excellent course stability at any speed with high maneuverability;
- Excellent level of comfort due to the softness of the ride and low noise level, achieved thanks to the arrangement of tread elements with an uneven pitch;
- The reinforcing ring in the area of the rim provides excellent protection of the tire from damage by the wheel disc.