#1990: StealtHeater

I’ve been reading about people who drag race motorcycles. This is a perilous activity in which riders spin the tyres against the tarmac -primarily to warm them up before a contest.

This may be spectacular but I can’t help thinking it’s lessening the life and safe performance of a very expensive piece of rubber.

In certain car races, the tyres are prewarmed by wrapping them in electric blankets.

Today’s invention is a heating tape which lies between the wheel and the tyre on a racing bike. This allows the rubber to be heated very precisely to match the track and atmosperic conditions.