These small spikes on motorcycle tires, known as vent spews, are actually a by-product of tire manufacturing and have no effect on the tire’s performance.
What are Vent Spews?
Vent spews, sometimes referred to as sprue nubs, tire nibs, gate markings, or nippers, are fibers that play an important role in the tire manufacturing process.
How Tires Are Made
To understand their purpose, let’s look at how tires are made:
- The Green Tire: A green tire is a tire compound formed into shape but lacking markings, information, or tread patterns. It is placed into a tire mold.
- Heat and Pressure Application: Heat and pressure are applied to the green tire. The rubber expands to fill the mold, forming the tread pattern and any labels, such as those from Toyo Tires like Proxes or Open Country.
- Role of Vent Spews: During the application of heat and pressure, air bubbles can develop between the rubber and the mold, which can prevent proper molding. Vent spews, or vent sprues, are tubes that allow excess air and pressure to escape. This prevents air bubbles from forming between the rubber and the mold and helps in the proper molding of the tire.
Toyo Tires’ technical manager, Steve Burke, explains the function of these vent spews:
“Air exits through the vent spews, ensuring that no air bubbles form between the tire and the mold, and they help transport small pieces of rubber. This is how vent spews are created. The spews on the tread face are mostly shaved off, but those on the shoulders and sidewalls of the tire often remain intact.”
Should You Remove Them?
see continuation on next page
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