Favorite Tire Brand?

JExpress

Have just got a rear flat with only 1700kms on the OEM Dunlops that came with the new bike and it's now in the shop being looked at ...my weekend is fading away with no riding to be had

Just looking over this post to choose a replacement tyre if they can't fix it...looks like the Pilot Road 2 is the way to go.

CanadianBird

I doubt the dealer will plug your tire, mine wont.

Sandsquidxx

Just replaced my Avon Storms with a new set, but installed the viper up front. I was able to get 11,400 miles out of them since Jan 08. I could have went another 1k but picked up a staple in the rear.

CanadianBird

After 10,000 kms my Pirelli rear has flatten. Too much touring I suppose. Fully loaded, two up, slabbing it and being cautious. Lots of tread left, front and rear. I'll replace it in the spring with the new riding season. I was pleased with the Avons, I just tour a great deal and eventually the rear flattens in the centre. I'm pleased with the Pirelli as well. Keep the tire pressure at 42 psi, check it regularly, use a proper gage. I flatted the rear Avon with a nail.

SSUXX

Update: They still rock but are done at 3000 miles.
Front has plenty of meat but cupped and the rear is into the wear bars and flat.

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"My cat would prison rape that dog"

fasterspider

My Pilot Road 2ct tires have 4500 miles on them with no real visible signs of wear yet.
No chicken strips either.

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Ray#1 The fasterspider
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CBRRich

I've read though all the postings on tires (great info by the way) there is one piece of "data" that might be really helpful. Michelin boasts on thier website the Pilot Road 2 finished First in "Wet grip and durability testing was performed in 2006 by CERM (Centre d’Essais Routiers Mécaniques)" supposedly dsome credible unbiased test organization.

What about the rest of the catagories? Does anyone know how to get the complete results of this report (hopefully in English)? I'd be interested inknowing how they fared inother catagories against the others.

Strek

If its a french testing organization I would be warry of any kind of results out of that. The key words are credible and unbiased. I haven't seen those traits employed in of any kind of french testing organization. I might be biased myself based on what I have seen out of their sporting and political organizations. Not trying to slam the good people in France. Everyone raves about those tires though.

CBRRich

Still,
They

CBRRich

Still, they finished first in only 2 catagories, it would be interesting to see where they ranked in the others (lap times, dry braking, wet braking etc.).

drs

For me it has to be Bridgestone, plenty of feedback

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Strek

I like my bridgestones too.

GrahamcUK

Pilot sports on project 1200. Bt016's on my blade

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"Project 1200" the making of a monster.

Helvet

These figures are correct. Even the Dunlop sales-person here in Holland told me that the MPR2 was the best in the rain. On all other tests the Dunlop Roadsmart performed better. The German testers also agree on that.
The Bridgestones BT021 were the worst in the rain (no surprise).

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fasterspider

I find it hard to believe that you would actually ride your Blackbird in the rain.
If it was to rain here in So Cal, my motorcyles get locked up in the garage until the rain has past and the streets are dry & clean.

Daredevils ride in the rain here in So Cal and I am not a daredevil, there is nothing that can make my motorcycles get wet except a sponge full of soapy water and then a garden hose to rinse her off. I even scrub my PR2ct tires with soap and scrub brush until they are clean.

Dunlop tires have a bad rep as far as I am concerned, "Stick good on dry roads for 1500-2000 miles then throw them away for a new pair". The same with Metzler & Pirelli.

I personally do not like to change tires all that much on my own motorcycles because I have had to change tires on customer's bikes for so many years. Those years have taught me the Michelin tires are the best bang for the buck.
Just stick with Michelin and you cannot go wrong.

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Ray#1 The fasterspider
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Helvet

Sorry to disappoint you....
Here we ride untill the roads get icey.... If we would only ride in dry and warm weather we would lose about 250-300 days a year......

Michelin is good, but the new Dunlops really are better for our heavy bikes. Most motorcyclemagazines do agree (if they test with heavier bikes).

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Para045

Have to agree with Helvet there as I ride my BB almost all year round here in West Australia, there have been only a handful of days I didn't ride to work and that was when I got up in the middle of winter and it was belting down rain and cold
If it was going to rain on the way home or was just a bit damp on the roads I still rode with some wet weather gear on

I still love the PPf & PR2r though

fasterspider

I could never live in a place that has so much precipitation, that was why I left little ole Long Island, New York for Sunny Southern California. We get 345 days of sunshine a year and my bike has to stay parked for 20 days of rain. Big deal, I can handle a couple of days with no riding.
I cannot handle how the roads turn into rivers here when it does rain and the cagers who do not know how to drive in the dry attempt to drive in the rain. It is just too dangerous to ride a motorcycle in the rain in So Cal.

Dunlop tires have no treadlife, I do not care what any magazine says. I go on personal and professional experience. I see guys running Dunlops and complaining that they do not last more than 1500-2000 miles.
It may well be a good 1500-2000 miles but, that is just a couple of weeks riding to me.
Changing tires on my own bikes does not put money in my pocket, but, I will put Dunlop tires on a customer's bike because that does put money in my pocket since I will be changing those tires in short order, it puts more money in my pocket.

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CiscoKid

Thoughts on tire choice of one of the 3 guys as I am getting tirred of reading lol,

Bridgestone BT021 - $240 US shipped
Prelli Diablo Strada - $249 US shipped
Metzeler Roadtec Z6 - $269 shipped

I wanna keep purchase price under $300 US so the Michelin Pilot Road 2CT weren't opted for. I will be mostly touring so I want mileage with 20% being aggressive fun riding, I imagine I will flatten the centre requiring replacing the rear before the sides are near being down to wear bar

If there is another option that could come in at $220 US mark shipped I will consider if a decent brand.....

Strek

Bridgestone BT014s are under the $300 mark. I had the BT021's on and now have the BT014's. I hear this is what they are fitting on the ZX14's which is a bike with a similar mission.
I don't have enough miles on mine to know how well they will wear.

xxxron

One thing I've learned over many years of wearing out tires is that when it comes to tires, you get what you pay for and you're not really saving any money by buying cheap tires. Just thought I'd throw that in.

CiscoKid

I agree with you to a degree but I have been riding long enough and have found that I can go buy the best for $$'s only to find that a step down would have saved me cash and given me 85-90% what the tires costing 75-100 more would do.

Sure the Michelin tires look good but for me they are not worth the extra dough, I will not benefit from it with the type of riding I know I will be doing. I am about performance/value for the buck.

CBRRich

Thanks for the feedback. I think everyone's personal experiance is valuable but I still would like to see the complete test done by CERM (or any other independant testing orgainzation is it exists). Somehow getting professional riders to ride different tires, back to back, on the same bike, on the same track with sophisticated telemtry under wet and dry conditions is probably the only way to get somewhat genuine comparitive data.
Also it would be great to see the data insteatd of just the ranking. If the entire range of dry braking for say 10 tested tires is 5 feet from best to worst, then it would not matter which one you choose.

Anyone have access to the complete test by CERM that Michilin quotes or any other test results?

XXDAD

I have been running mich. roadies. But I will give metzeler touring tires next.