Buddh International Circuit is one of the places you want to visit over and over again. The racetrack has hosted F1, MotoGP, and other regional championships. It is India’s fastest racetrack. So that itch to experience it once more is quite justified. I have ridden here quite a few times on all sorts of motorcycles. But this time, the purpose was a little different. I came to ride, test and understand how a set of performance-oriented tyres behave when the pace starts getting serious. So, here are my thoughts on Reise TraceRad tyres. 

The motorcycle I rode was the KTM RC 390, equipped with Reise TraceRad tyres: 110/70 on the front and 150/60 on the rear. A racetrack is perhaps the best place to experience what the tyres are doing. There is no traffic and no unnecessary noise. And you can really push the motorcycle and the tyres to the limit to see what they can really do. Heavy braking into the corners, accelerating hard out of the corners, and quick direction changes: this is asking a lot of the tyres. Hence, the best place to test a set of tyres. 

The Reise TraceRad has been developed with features aimed at delivering a balance of high-speed stability, cornering confidence and everyday usability. Among the highlights are the Spark Groove and Zero Degree Steel Belt, designed to contribute to high-speed performance and stability. The tyre also gets a Dual Radius profile, aimed at offering better straight-line stability while providing confidence as the motorcycle is leaned over.

Then there is the promise of grip across different weather conditions, but since I rode only on a rather hot racetrack, I’ll keep my thoughts centred around that. But specifications and impressive words on paper are just that. The real question is how they felt on the racetrack with me and the RC 390 doing our best to put the tyres through their paces. 

The first few laps around BIC are always about getting into the rhythm. You familiarise yourself with the braking zones, understand the grip levels, find your reference points and gradually start increasing the pace. The RC 390 feels perfectly at home in this environment, with its lightweight character making it particularly enjoyable through the technical sections of the circuit.

As the pace kept building, I felt more and more confidence in the TraceRad tyres. In the high-speed sections, the motorcycle felt planted. The Dual Radius profile also comes into play as higher pace means higher lean angles. Usually in these sorts of conditions, some tyres start to move around a bit, and you are under a sensory overload. TraceRad tyres communicated just the right way so that I knew exactly how much grip was on offer and focused on utilising that. 

With more laps, I started thinking less about the tyres and more about improving my lines through a corner, hitting the apex, and braking later and later. This is the point where track riding   becomes almost instinctive. You stop thinking about individual inputs and start riding the circuit as one continuous sequence.

Other than the fun on the racetrack, one of the highlights of the experience was getting the opportunity to meet Mr Bhavin Devpuria, General Manager and Head of Marketing at Reise Moto. Our conversation went beyond simply talking about a particular tyre. We got the opportunity to understand the philosophy behind Reise, its products and what goes into developing tyres with riders and their requirements in mind.

It was particularly interesting to discuss tyres from a rider’s perspective, understanding how factors such as construction, profile, grip, stability and durability come together to influence the overall riding experience. And when you are standing at a racetrack, surrounded by riders, racers and motorcycles being pushed to their limits, these conversations become even more meaningful.

Another experience that stood out was getting to see the Reise pit stop at Buddh International Circuit. It wasn’t just a display or a branding setup. The pit stop was designed as a space where riders could come in, have their tyres checked and tested, and get a better understanding of their tyre condition.

After spending considerable time on track on Day 1 and completing multiple laps, we returned on Day 2 and got our tyres checked as well. The team inspected the tyre condition and alignment, giving us an opportunity to understand how the tyres had performed after a full day of riding. For me, this was one of the most important aspects of the experience. When you ride hard, tyre condition isn’t something you should leave to guesswork. Having technical support available at the track gives riders an additional level of confidence and, more importantly, encourages them to understand their tyres better.

The other person I was particularly happy to meet at the circuit was Mr Abhishek Vasudev, a racer himself and the founder of Mad Rabbit Academy and Racing Team. What makes Mad Rabbit Academy interesting is that it is built around more than just racing. Abhishek and his team strongly believe in giving back to the motorcycling community.

Racing is a sport that demands tremendous dedication, discipline and investment, and for many riders, getting the right guidance and a safe environment to learn can be a challenge. That is where Mad Rabbit Academy comes in. The idea is to take the passion and experience gained through racing and channel it towards helping other riders become better, more confident and more responsible riders.

Spending time at the academy and watching riders being trained at a circuit like BIC made that philosophy very evident. There is a genuine passion for riding and racing, but also a strong focus on sharing that knowledge with the community. For me, that is what makes initiatives like this special. You race because you love it, but you give back because you want the sport and its community to grow. And that seems to be at the heart of what Abhishek and the Mad Rabbit team are trying to build.

What stood out to me about Reise was how closely the brand seems to understand the needs of riders, racers and athletes. Performance riding isn’t only about chasing lap times. It is also about understanding the rider, the equipment, the environment and the conditions in which the product will actually be used.

That philosophy also seems to be reflected in Reise’s association with Mad Rabbit Academy. The academy’s first training programme at Buddh International Circuit brought together riders who wanted to improve their skills in a controlled and structured track environment. Having a tyre manufacturer supporting a riding academy makes sense because both ultimately share the same objective: helping riders understand their motorcycles better and ride with greater confidence and control.

Interestingly, my experience with Reise during the weekend wasn’t limited to tyres. I also got the opportunity to check out Reise’s riding gear and accessories, and explore their base layers. And I have to say, the base layers were one of the pleasant surprises for me. When you spend hours riding, especially inside a racing suit, comfort and breathability become extremely important. The Reise base layers felt comfortable and breathable, which made a noticeable difference during long sessions on track. 

This whole experience was made possible through Reise Tyres × Mad Rabbit Academy, bringing together a performance-oriented motorcycle, a challenging circuit and an environment where both rider and tyre could be pushed progressively. For me, this wasn’t just another track day. It was an opportunity to experience the KTM RC 390 in its element, put the Reise TraceRad through a series of high-speed riding situations and, at the same time, understand the people and philosophy behind the brand. 

Till the next time… Ride Hard. Ride Safe.