Are Riken Tires Quiet Or Noisy? (Read This First!)

Riken is a Japanese tire company that specializes in the production of low-cost tires for various vehicles.

The company’s tires are attractive to individuals who want durability, handling, and performance at an affordable price.

Are Riken tires quiet or noisy?

Riken competes in the budget tire segment, making its tires affordable. The downside is that Riken tires lack noise reduction technology and are bad at minimizing the effects of road noise. Still, Riken offers certain tires that have manageable noise levels.

Are Riken Tires Quieter Than Other Brands?

From all appearances, Riken is a manufacturer of budget tires.

If there is a thing low-cost tires are bad at, it is noise suppression.

Premium brands, such as Goodyear, Michelin, and co., have more high-tech noise suppression technology and are quieter.

However, these premium tires are more expensive; thus, it is unfair to compare a Riken to a Goodyear that probably costs twice as much. So, we can say that Riken tires are noisier compared to tires from premium brands.

However, if we compare Rikens to other tire brands in the discount tire class, they fare better. Some Riken tires, such as the Allstar 2, use computer phasing to decrease tread noise.

This feature counteracts noise by matching tire treads to the same pattern.

How Are Riken Tires Tested for Noise?

Before mass production, Riken tests its tire designs to determine the amount of noise they produce.

These tests cover interior noise and exterior noise to ensure all-round comfort for buyers.

Exterior (External) Noise Test

External noise denotes noise created as the tire tread meets the road.

This noise seeps into the atmosphere, eventually causing noise pollution.

Testing for external noise on Riken tires requires engineers to conduct the Pass-by Test. This simple test measures pass-by noise from a vehicle to determine sound pressure levels (SPL).

The Pass-by Test takes three forms: The Coast Test, the Cruise Test, and the Wide-Open Throttle Test.

These tests follow the same procedure, with minimal differences in execution:

Pass-By Test Procedure:

1. It occurs in a test zone that measures 20 meters on all sides, with a track in the center.
2. Before the test, engineers place two microphones in the middle of the track to measure pass-by noise from the test vehicle.
3. These microphones are placed 7.5 meters away from the central track.
4. The test requires the driver to travel across the track in the manner instructed.
5. The microphones pick up noise from the passing vehicle (pass-by noise) and measure the sound pressure level.
6. The unit for measurement includes black sound waves (1-3) or decibels (dB).

Pass-By Test Continued:

1. Coast Test:
   In the coast test, the driver enters the racetrack at a stipulated speed.
   • Then they put the transmission in neutral and switches off the engine, allowing them to “coast” through the track.
   • They repeat the maneuver up to eight times, entering the zone at different speeds.
2. Cruise Test:
   The method here requires the driver to enter and exit the test zone at a stable speed.
   • Thus, the driver does not accelerate or decelerate while on the track.
3. Acceleration Test:
   Also called the Wide-Open Throttle test, this procedure requires the driver to enter the track at around 31 mph with the car in second or third gear.
   • Once in the test zone, the driver has to step on the accelerator and sprint across the track.

Interior (Internal) Noise Test:

Interior noise is tire noise that seeps into the cabin and affects passengers.

Testing for interior noise or internal noise occurs in both indoor and outdoor settings.

In the outdoor test, test drivers travel over various surfaces, using tires with distinct tread patterns. Thereafter, they describe the prevalence of tire-induced cabin noise on the vehicle.

The purpose of using different tread patterns is to determine what tread makes lesser noise on a particular surface.

A notable pre-test activity is the preparation of the practice road to resemble regular roads. This involves placing objects that contribute to tire noise on the test course, expansion joints, speed bumps, manhole covers, and so on.

In some cases, engineers use sound sensors placed in the vehicle during the test rides to monitor interior noise.

These sound sensors monitor fluctuations in-cabin noise resulting from tire operation, giving engineers better insight.

What Riken Tires Are the Quietest?

Although Riken is not a brand known for exceptional ride comfort, you can get some relatively quiet tires from the company.

To save you time on researching for such tires, we have come up with a list of the quietest Riken tires on offer:

1. Riken Raptor VR

The Riken Raptor VR is a high-performance tire engineered for today’s coupes, sedans, and compact cars.

Known for its affordability, the Raptor VR offers the same level of performance and handling as some rivals, even if the latter cost twice as much.

On this tire, an all-season tread compound combines effectively with a directional tread pattern for increased handling and cornering abilities. Additionally, this tire bolsters steering response, as its sidewall boasts high modulus content.

The Raptor VR is a champion on wet roads and dry roads. In particular, it gets an excellent grip on slick, water-covered surfaces, as it has wider tread channels and multiple sipes.

The model also gets above-average tread life and is durable. This is because it uses double nylon-reinforced belts, which provide extra strength.

The Raptor VR is one of the few Riken tires that offer a somewhat silent ride. In designing this tire, Riken used a computer-phased tread pattern to reduce road noise.

This helps enhance ride quality and overall comfort.

2. Riken Raptor HR

The Riken Raptor HR is an all-season high-performance tire that offers a mix of impressive grip, handling, and cornering qualities.

As typical of Riken tires, the Raptor HR offers superb performance at a budget-friendly price. In fact, this model is among the cheapest performance tires you can get on the market.

The tire sports an optimized tread design with an advanced tread compound and a directional tread pattern. These features work together to give the tire superior traction and handling in summer and winter. The high modulus content in the tire’s sidewalls enhances cornering response.

With this tire, you can drive in wet weather with confidence. It comes with a collection of circumferential grooves that prevent the buildup of water in the tread while driving on rain-covered roads.

This eliminates the chances of a hydroplaning accident, which is common on slick roads.

Riken designed this tire using computer-phasing tread design technology. The result is a tire that has minimal noise levels and exceptional ride quality.

What Riken Tires Are Noisier?

Since we have reviewed some of the quietest Riken tires, it is only fair that we also list the noisy ones.

Here is a list of the noisiest Riken tires:

1. Riken Raptor ZR

The Raptor ZR is one of Riken’s high-performance tires.

Not only does it get good traction on dry surfaces, but it is also stable at corners.

Likewise, the Raptor ZR offers high levels of grip in wet weather and has better-than-average tread life. These impressive qualities explain why the Raptor ZR is ranked among the best low-cost models in the performance tire segment.

However, one significant blot on the Raptor ZR’s impressive record is its noisy performance. According to reviews, the tire is prone to loud road noise, especially as it wears out. This ultimately contributes to rider discomfort and reduced ride quality.

Real-world users of the Raptor ZR tires have confirmed their susceptibility to high levels of road noise. One owner on a Honda Civic forum we found reported that his newly purchased Raptor ZR tires were “loud and noisy.”

According to this owner, the tires had barely reached 1,000 miles, yet the noise was so bad that he could barely relax while driving.

Similar reports online further confirm the Raptor ZR’s proclivity to noisy performance.

Seeing this, we would advise you to weigh your options carefully before springing for this tire.

Can You Make Riken Tires Quieter?

Excessive tire noise contributes to ride discomfort and a decrease in the quality of your riding experience.

In some cases, tire noise may be a sign that the tires are worn and need replacement. However, if you still have significant tread life left on your tires, a simple set of procedures can help reduce noise on your tires.

Below is a guide to making your Riken tires quieter than ever:

1. Keep to the Maintenance Schedule:

Tire maintenance mostly comprises regular rotations at the repair shop.

Tire rotations counteract uneven tread wear, which is a major cause of increased tire noise.

If your tires are extra-noisy, you may have to rotate them regularly.

2. Ensure the Wheels Sre Properly Balanced and Aligned:

Imbalanced and unaligned wheels contribute to noisy performance on tires.

If you detect higher noise levels on your Riken tires, get them re-balanced/realigned as soon as possible.

3. Replace Wheel Bearings and Suspension Components:

Worn or faulty wheel bearings and suspension parts will cause increased tire noise.

Replacing the faulty or worn component in either setup will decrease road noise significantly.

Which Tire Brand Is The QUIETEST?

Here are the quietest tire brands based on expert reviews and customer feedback:

1. Pirelli

2. Bridgestone

3. Cooper

4. Dunlop

5. Michelin

6. Hankook

7. Continental

8. Firestone

9. Goodyear

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