A LATERALLY STABLE PNEUMATIC TIRE

A high deflection and laterally stable pneumatic tire (10, 28) comprises a trapezoidal structure defined in an unloaded cross section passing through an axis of the tire and delimiting a tire interior. The structure is configured with a tread portion (2, 30), a widest tire region at or near the tread portion, two opposed, substantially straight sidewalls (7, 34) extending obliquely from a corresponding lateral end of the tread portion, and a bead at a corresponding terminal end of each of the sidewalls which is engageable with a rim of the tire. Axial bead spacing between two of the beads and defining a width of the rim is significantly less than a width of the tread portion, so as to generate a footprint which engages an underlying ground surface by a substantially uniform pressure during high deflection conditions.