Sport-Touring tires

l'timbré · 02-24-2005, 9:05 PM

Got to be polite and cool on the side of the road but behind my keabord at home I think not

Quote:

Originally Posted by Newfie TLR

Leave him alone, he was probably hanging out in the confiscated goods room again today!!

soon2b954 · 02-24-2005, 9:07 PM

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Originally Posted by phobiaphobe

You ever head up into Northern Ontario? There are some great backroads in muskoka area that I never got a chance to ride on a bike when I lived there.

507

Red Rider · 02-24-2005, 10:26 PM

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Originally Posted by Newfie TLR

I mean, jeez, there's no turns here unless I go someplace like the Black Hills (close to RedRider's neck of the woods).

I've never heard of the Black Hills.

Tell me more...

Chain · 02-25-2005, 1:50 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by l'timbré

didn't you just say that one would not loose any stick

you got to make up your mind here

I think you're confused. The 020 is a several years old design. There are currently better sport touring choices on the market, at least in my view.

All I was saying was the Michelin Pilot Road is, again in my opinion, a stickier tire than the 020 that came stock on my FZ1. It was easy to spin and didn't inspire alot of confidence compared to, say, the AVONS I had on my 954.

Chain · 02-25-2005, 1:53 AM

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Originally Posted by Newfie TLR

Wasn't getting bent Pal, just asking.

I didn't think you were Newf. Sorry if the tone in my post sounded a bit off, it wasn't intended, honestly.

Scout · 02-25-2005, 3:25 AM

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Originally Posted by Newfie TLR

I had the 020's on the Bandit, and on the track I wore the weld off the pipe on the right side, and the feeler off the left peg, and never felt a slip.

ditto w/ D220's on my Bandit 12, minus the weld (Yosh s/o), plus beveled my boots.

I now run 220 rear, 208 front on the Bandit. I would only move on to sport touring Avons ("the" Busa owners choice), because the torque and weight from these bikes square off tires like you wouldn't believe.

l'timbré · 02-25-2005, 9:40 AM

ok so if you do not loose grip from supersport(bt-10) to sport touring(bt-20), yet you get more sticky with the pilot road what you are saying is that the pilot road sticks more then the bt10? how am I confused?

Quote:

Originally Posted by Chain

I think you're confused. The 020 is a several years old design. There are currently better sport touring choices on the market, at least in my view.

All I was saying was the Michelin Pilot Road is, again in my opinion, a stickier tire than the 020 that came stock on my FZ1. It was easy to spin and didn't inspire alot of confidence compared to, say, the AVONS I had on my 954.

phobiaphobe · 02-25-2005, 10:22 AM

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Originally Posted by soon2b954

507

That's what I'm talkin bout.

Chain · 02-25-2005, 10:27 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by l'timbré

ok so if you do not loose grip from supersport(bt-10) to sport touring(bt-20), yet you get more sticky with the pilot road what you are saying is that the pilot road sticks more then the bt10? how am I confused?

Brushing in broad strokes here. My opinions only....

010s were a good sport tire, but have been outclassed by the company's new sport rubber, the 014.

020s are tried and true sport touring tires, but are getting a little long in the tooth. Despite decent longevity, I found them to be a little slippery...

...as opposed to the more modern sport touring rubber available, say, the AVON AV45/46 as I put on my 954 or the Pilot Roads which I plan on putting on my busa.

Another tire that is getting great reviews for both stick and life is the Metzeler Z6 Roadtech, the newest sport touring meat from that company, the tire that sort of carries the torch now for the elderly MEZ4 (a that came as OEM on my SV650 - good life, relatively slippery however).

General point: the tire manufacturers have made some real strides in sport touring rubber the last couple/few years and you give up less now that you might have ~5 years ago when making a switch from 'sport' tires to 'sport touring'.

l'timbré · 02-25-2005, 11:27 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Chain

Brushing in broad strokes here. My opinions only....

010s were a good sport tire, but have been outclassed by the company's new sport rubber, the 014.

020s are tried and true sport touring tires, but are getting a little long in the tooth. Despite decent longevity, I found them to be a little slippery...

...as opposed to the more modern sport touring rubber available, say, the AVON AV45/46 as I put on my 954 or the Pilot Roads which I plan on putting on my busa.

Another tire that is getting great reviews for both stick and life is the Metzeler Z6 Roadtech, the newest sport touring meat from that company, the tire that sort of carries the torch now for the elderly MEZ4 (a that came as OEM on my SV650 - good life, relatively slippery however).

General point: the tire manufacturers have made some real strides in sport touring rubber the last couple/few years and you give up less now that you might have ~5 years ago when making a switch from 'sport' tires to 'sport touring'.

phobiaphobe · 03-09-2005, 5:29 PM

So what about combining a metzler z6 or avon av46 rear with my bt014 front?

I expect to get at least 10k out of my front tire, so I don't want to replace it if I don't have to.

Chain · 03-09-2005, 5:32 PM

I'd stick to same-manufacturers. Put a BT020 on the rear and run your 14 up front if you like, but I'd avoid too much mixing/matching.

scottymac · 03-09-2005, 7:15 PM

My two cents:

The 020s are a decent choice. They served me pretty well on my FZ-1, all things considered. They take a while to warm up, but are confidence inspiring in the wet. However, the front cupped out about halfway through it's tread life, (seemed to be a common affliction at least among FZ owners) so I expect that the front on my Rex will do the same. For that reason alone, I might shy away from buying 020s as mileage tires, but if the price was right, they're really not bad performers. That's pretty subjective though, YMMV.

Instead, you might consider the new Metzeler Roadtec Z6 (replaces the aging Z4), or the new Pirelli Diablo Strada. Both are being marketed as "sport-touring" tires and are supposed to offer reasonable mileage returns without sacrificing much sporting performance.

I've only owned one set of Michelins, Pilot Sports, on my R6, and I hated them. Probably my least favorite tire of all time. Yet there's tons of folks who love the Pilot Roads, so those might be worth considering as well.

Personally, if I had money to burn, I'd tear the OEM 020s off my brand-new Rex and spoon on D208s.

But that's more of a statement of profound love for 208s than a hate for 020s really. I prefer a sticky tire, even if that means I'll sacrifice longevity. That's just me though. (I might think differently, if I was racking up huge miles on a regular basis....)

RepsolRacer · 03-09-2005, 9:02 PM

Tyres i think are a personal choice, and tyre life has more to do with riding style than compound.

On my R6 the stock dunlop 208's basically i threw away cause the inspired zer0 confidence, put on a set of pirelli diablo's and she was a new beast, got 12000km's out of a rear which is pretty good.

On the 1000rr, she came with diablo corsa's changed tyres at 6000km's with estimated 30% tread left(had big trip and track days so wanted new rubber) awesome tyre just took a bit to warm up

Now running Bridgestone 012ss's these tyres are awesome one lap around the track they are warmed up never give an inch, and tyre wear looks to be equal to the diablo corsa's.

And id rather keep rubber side down for the sake of a few less km's than chance a lowside cause my tyres arnt warm.

Hehe fairings are way more expensive than a new set of tyres

Newfie TLR · 03-09-2005, 10:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RepsolRacer

snip......On my R6 the stock dunlop 208's basically i threw away cause the inspired zer0 confidence, ....snip

+1.

They were on my TLR when new and I hated em. I had 3000 kms and I gave 'em away.

Scout · 03-10-2005, 5:43 AM

Listening to everyone down on the 208's,

boy, I'm going to be flyin' (at the track) if I switch to some other tire.

I've had NO problems with them sticking, have had no 'near' front tucks or spin ups in the rear. This may be due to the area I live in (arid, hot as hell pavement in the summer), or riding style - though I think I'm more on the agressive side of "The Pace" than some.

I think if you hear something long enough, you look for it to be true.

Anyway, D208's are great for road riding (as that's where I've tested them), and are domestically inexpensive.

D220's are great for sport touring on bikes that aren't pushing more than 75 pounds max torque, warm fast, and are decent in the rain (also tested in those conditions).

No I don't own stock in Dunlop, though I probably should after writing that.

I think they make a decent tire (IMHO).

tignanello · 04-13-2005, 7:49 AM

[quote=Chain]

010s were a good sport tire, but have been outclassed by the company's new sport rubber, the 014.

I agree with you there Chain, the 010's were good, but the 014's more advanced and obviously a softer compound. I liked the wear a lot better on the 010's though, I've seen the 014 rear dissappear on me quickly, and I've recently discovered the front doesn't last long either. It's not the typical cupping one normally sees, it's pretty much shaved down on either side of center much alike an "A" frame design. So the front lasted 2 rears in the end. Time to move on to the Pilot Powers which should be at my door today.

Originally I was going to try the Diablos because I heard the wear factor was pretty darn good; however, a recent 3 day trip to Arkansas had me witness a fellow riding partner make it last 800miles...poof, its gone. Is it the tire manufacturers having to make softer and softer compounds for the added hp in the bikes these days? I'm at a loss, I guess one can't expect to have a tire for much longer than 2000 miles these days.

Scott954 · 04-13-2005, 3:22 PM

I currently have OEM Bridgestone 012's on my 954 and will be replacing them very soon with Continental Road Attack's. They are sport-touring tires which came out in 2004. I'm not an aggressive rider and want more mileage from my tires so it was either the Avon 45/46 ST or the Conti Road Attacks. I decided on the conti's and will probably try the Avons next.

OldBob · 04-13-2005, 4:14 PM

I just replaced Bridgestone BT012 tires with BT020 (front and rear). Although I didn't change tire size, the front feels MUCH different than the 012; almost as if it wants to fall into the turn. I supposed that I will adapt, but I'll probably go back to a BT012 on the front when the 020 wears out.