MRF Nylogrip Zapper–FV

MRF is slowly gaining a reputation. Unfortunately not all aspects of the growing legend are good. Pros first, they’re easily the most prolific of Indian tyre makers. They supply the lion’s share of OEM tyres and do rather well on the replacement market as well. Their tyres are usually beyond reproach, although they’re still less grippy than I’d like them to be. However, the cons are that many believe MRF is getting complacent about their leadership, which isn’t good. Suddenly Ceat and TVS are both making comparable or better tyres. And today, we were delighted to find a MRF Nylogrip Zapper-FV in a shop. And the chap was all praise for the tyre but said, ‘it is a rude company. They treat you like dirt.’ QED.

But this post isn’t about MRF. It’s about the tyre. The tyre looks quite normal. It has three ribs down the middle, with a normal Zapper style edge tread. It wears a night-glow ‘radium’ strip along the tread edge on the sidewall and is the stickiest front tyre MRF makes. Hard to find, I’ve spotted this tyre most commonly at race track, where race teams use it. If you ask them where they got it from, the answer is always the same, ‘MRF gives out a few to special riders only. Like us.’ Why?