Top 10 most expensive tyres

1. LeTourneau L-2350 front-loader - Each pneumatic tyre weighs 6.8 tonne, is 4m in diameter, 1.8m wide and is covered in chains to extend the life to 12 months. Price: $63,000 each.

2. Caterpillar 797 dump truck - Michelin 59/80R63 XDR are 3.9m in diameter, weigh 5.3 tonnes and replacing a tyre means you'll be undoing (and tightening) 47 nuts. Price: $42,500 each.

3. Bugatti Veyron - Michelin Pilot Sport PAX (run flat) 245/690 R520 (front) and 365/710 R540 (rear) tyres. Made to sustain 406km/h and a brisk 0-300km/h time of less than 14 seconds. Price: $10,000 each.

4. Space shuttle - The main landing gear tyres are only good for one landing while the smaller nose tyres can do two. The bigger tyres are pumped on nitrogen to 340psi, are rated at 56 tonnes load and 420km/h. Price: $5500.

5. Monster Truck - Made by Goodyear and Firestone to a specific size of 2.6m high and 1.7m wide. The average monster truck team goes through eight tyres a year. Each is hand cut - taking up to 50 hours per tyre - for specific track conditions and driving style. Price: $2500 each.

6. Boeing 747 - Uses two nose and 16 main tyres with the mains good for about six years with retreading. The tyres weigh 110kg each and have a 1.2m diameter. Price: $2000 each.

7. Formula One - control tyres at 265/55R13 (front) and 325/R13 (rear) last a maximum of 200km and at the end of their useful life are recycled. Teams generally have a minimum of 20 tyres per car on hand. Price: $1500 each.

8. 1929 Leyland Lion bus - The pride of the Lincolnshire Road Transport Museum needed new tyres to celebrate its 50th anniversary. They were specially made in the US. Price: $800 each.

9. Porsche Turbo - rubber choices for the rear include Toyo Proxes R888 at 285/30ZR18 that may last 30,000km if you're nice. The tyres suit a range of cars but not Proton S16. Price: $500 each.

10. Tufo Elite Pulse tubular bicycle road tyre - High traction Silane tyre features 10 per cent less rolling resistance than rivals and weighs only 230g. Comes only in black and size 700x22. You'll need two of these and a bicycle too. Price: $150 each.