MotoGP™ slick tyres are completely smooth and are designed to perform optimally in dry conditions. They don't have any tread or grooves on them, which, contrary to intuition, means they actually provide more grip than grooved tyres, when used in the correct context and circumstances.

On a road bike, a smooth, bald tyre would be considered dangerously worn out. So why are the fastest racing motorcycles on the planet - machines capable of exceeding 360km/h - deliberately equipped with tyres with no tread at all?

The answer may seem counterintuitive, but it’s all about the key element of ‘grip’. The typical grooves in the tyres on road bikes actually take away some of the surface area that would otherwise be in contact with the road. A race tyre doesn't have these grooves, which increases the ‘contact patch’ between the tyre and the road, which in turn gives more slick tyre grip, allowing the rider to go faster.

The riders in MotoGP do not race with slick tyres in fully wet conditions. They instead race with grooved MotoGP rain tyres (known informally as ‘wet tyres’), which more closely resemble the typical tyre you would see on a road bike, although in fact they are still specifically built for racing. There are specific rules about tyre use in MotoGP which you can read more about here.

In this ultimate guide to slick tyres used in MotoGP we’ll look more closely at how they function and dive deeper into the importance of grip and the aforementioned ‘contact patch’. We’ll examine the different types of slick tyres the riders use in MotoGP and we’ll also explore rain tyres and how they work in contrast to slicks.

MotoGP slick tyres are not as durable as road tyres as they are also designed to perform optimally over the typical distances of 110km-120km which are covered in MotoGP races.

This video explains the importance of grip from slick tyres in terms of how tyre wear (degradation) impacts the riders over the course of a race:

There are also specifically designed ‘soft’ slicks - more on this shortly - which provide even greater grip, working functionally for even shorter distances and used by the riders to set fast laps in qualifying.

THE SCIENCE: WHY NO TREAD MEANS MORE GRIP

The level of grip that can be achieved between a tyre and a road or track surface is mainly dictated by two things: the size of the area of rubber in contact with the road (the contact patch) and the quality of the rubber compound itself.

The tread and groove patterns you see on road bikes and MotoGP ‘wet tyres’ serve one purpose, which is to channel water away from the contact patch so the tyre does not aquaplane in wet conditions.

On a perfectly dry track, tread and grooves are in fact a disadvantage in MotoGP as they reduce the area of rubber in contact with the track surface, which reduces grip.

A slick tyre, with no grooves, puts the maximum possible area of rubber onto the dry track surface, providing the rider with more grip for acceleration, braking and cornering.

MotoGP bikes lean at extreme angles of up to 64 degrees from vertical on corners. At those lean angles, maximising the contact patch is critical. A treaded tyre at those lean angles would deliver significantly less grip than a slick.

The rubber compound in a MotoGP slick tyre is also fundamentally different from a road tyre, being much softer, designed to reach an optimal working temperature range of approximately 80°C to 120°C. At that temperature the rubber becomes stickier, which dramatically increases grip.

A road tyre is designed to work at ambient temperatures across all conditions, including in the rain (hence the treaded pattern) so it never gets as grippy as a slick racing tyre at optimal temperatures.

WHAT HAPPENS WHEN IT RAINS? THE SWITCH TO ‘WETS’

Slick MotoGP tyres are designed for use in dry conditions. But often during the MotoGP season the riders face wet, damp or mixed ‘wet-drying’ conditions out on track for practice, qualifying sessions and races, meaning they can’t optimally use their slick tyres.

On a wet or damp track, slick tyres can be extremely hazardous to use, as their smooth surface provides no way to displace the water film between the tyre and the track, causing the tyre to start aquaplaning and lose grip entirely.

This term aquaplaning refers to the phenomenon of the tyre literally floating over the thin film of water in between the track surface and the rubber, which quickly leads to a lack of control and often to crashes.

MotoGP riders therefore switch to specially designed rain tyres, which have deep grooves to channel water away from the contact patch, just like a road tyre.

In mixed or drying conditions, riders must decide whether to stay on rain tyres (safer, but slower on dry sections) or switch to slicks (much faster, but dangerous if the track is still damp). Getting this call wrong can end a race.

Under the ‘flag-to-flag’ race procedure, as explained in this video, the riders can change bikes from a dry to wet set-up mid-race - or vice versa - if they judge it to be the right move: 

THE VARIOUS TYPES OF SLICK TYRE: SOFT, MEDIUM, HARD COMPOUNDS

All MotoGP slick tyres are smooth and might look the same from a distance, but not all slick tyres are identical. The key variable is the rubber compound, in terms of how hard or soft the rubber is.

Michelin - the official MotoGP tyre supplier through 2026, before Pirelli become the official supplier from 2027 onwards - supplies three dry compound options: soft, medium and hard. They bring two of the three specifications to each Grand Prix depending on the characteristics of the circuit.

MotoGP tyre compound types are marked in terms of hardness specification by the following identification system:

Softer compounds heat up faster, deliver more grip immediately, but wear out more quickly during a race. Harder compounds take longer to reach working temperature, give slightly less peak grip, but last longer, so are often the better choice at specific circuits where tyre wear is a major factor.

The medium compound is a compromise between the hard and soft, offering less than peak grip, but greater durability than the soft option.

Each rider receives 22 slick Michelin MotoGP tyres per Grand Prix weekend - 10 front, 12 rear - choosing from the available softer or harder options for their allocation. Teams and riders must choose which compound combination to use for each session and race based on track temperature, circuit abrasiveness, race length and the rider’s specific riding style.

 Check out this complete guide to MotoGP tyre selection and race strategy.

THE HISTORY: HOW SLICK TYRES CAME TO DOMINATE RACING

Until the 1970s, treaded tyres like the ones used on road bikes were used in motorcycle racing.

However, by the early 1970s, increasing motorcycle power was pushing the limits of what treaded tyres could handle and teams started experimenting with removing tread to increase the contact patch.

By the mid-1970s slick tyres were becoming standard in racing. In 1975, Giacomo Agostini won his final 500cc world title using a smooth rear tyre, combined with a still-treaded front tyre, a transitional combination that reflected the sport adapting to the new technology.

By the early 1980s, slick tyres were universal in top-level motorcycle racing and have remained so ever since. The development has never stopped: modern MotoGP slick tyres bear little resemblance to those 1970s pioneering versions beyond the basic smooth-surface concept. The compounds, construction, and manufacturing precision are worlds apart.

WHO MAKES MOTOGP TYRES? AND WHAT IS CHANGING IN 2027?

Michelin has been the sole tyre supplier for the premier class of MotoGP since 2016. In the Moto2 and Moto3 classes, Pirelli has been the official sole tyre supplier since 2024.

From 2027, Pirelli takes over as the sole tyre supplier across all classes: MotoGP, Moto2 and Moto3. Meanwhile, Michelin will become the exclusive supplier for the FIM Superbike World Championship (WorldSBK) as of the start of the 2027 season.

Alongside other major changes to the regulations of MotoGP in 2027, such as the reduction in engine size from 1000cc to 850cc machines, this is one of the most significant changes in MotoGP in a decade, a new era of rubber for the sport's top tier.

RACE SPECIFIC SLICK TYRES ADD TO THE SHOW

Every time a MotoGP rider leans into a corner at over 60 degrees from vertical, brakes from 360km/h to 60km/h in three seconds, or squeezes the maximum grip from the rubber in a daring overtaking move, slick tyres are at the centre of the story.

Understanding why those smooth, grooveless tyres are the right tool for the job is one of those pieces of knowledge that makes every race even more interesting to watch.

Q: Why do MotoGP bikes use slick tyres with no tread?
A: MotoGP bikes use slick tyres because on dry tracks. A smooth tyre maximises the area of rubber in contact with the surface, delivering more grip than a treaded tyre. Tread grooves serve only one purpose: channelling water away in wet conditions. On dry asphalt, grooves are empty space that reduce grip. Slick tyres eliminate that wasted space entirely.

Q: Are MotoGP slick tyres dangerous?
A: MotoGP slick tyres are designed for dry track conditions only. On a dry track they are significantly safer and faster than treaded tyres. In wet conditions they become trickier to ride with because they cannot displace water, which is why MotoGP riders switch to dedicated rain tyres when conditions are wet or damp.

Q: What is the difference between soft, medium and hard MotoGP tyres?
A: All three options are slick tyres with no tread, but the rubber compound differs. Soft tyres warm up faster and deliver maximum grip but wear out more quickly. Hard tyres are more durable but take longer to reach working temperature. Medium tyres offer a balance between the two. Teams choose compounds based on track temperature, circuit abrasiveness and race length.

Q: What temperature do MotoGP tyres need to work?
A: MotoGP slick tyres are designed to work within an optimal temperature range of approximately 80°C to 120°C. At that temperature the rubber compound becomes slightly sticky, dramatically increasing grip. Below that range the tyre is underperforming, which is why teams use tyre warmers on the grid and why the first lap of a race can be critical for tyre management.

Q: Do MotoGP bikes use the same tyres in the wet?
A: No. In wet or damp conditions, riders switch from slick tyres to rain tyres, which have deep grooves to channel water away from the contact patch and prevent aquaplaning. The decision of when to switch - and potentially when to switch back to slicks on a drying track - is one of the most strategically important calls in a wet MotoGP race.

Q: Who makes MotoGP tyres?
A: Michelin is the official sole tyre supplier for the MotoGP premier class through the 2026 season. Pirelli supplies Moto2 and Moto3. From 2027, Pirelli becomes the sole supplier across all Grand Prix classes - MotoGP, Moto2 and Moto3 - marking a significant change in the sport's tyre landscape.