What is a Difference between a bias - ply tire and a radial tire?

Radial tires are worlds beyond bias ply tires. In radial tires, the steel chords are placed in a criss-cross pattern. Whereas bias ply tires are placed flat across the face of the tire. Bias ply tires are much, much harder for the engine to turn and are much harder for the suspension to compensate for. Bias ply tires are almost no longer used. That goes for America at least.