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View Full Version : Another "Which tyres?" thread - sorry.


Paul the 6th
12-05-08, 11:10 AM
Been away for a while after having a mini off and only just fixed my bike over the weekend. I've only been riding a year and have never bought replacement tyres so I'm not totally sure what to look for/where to go. I remember reading a post a while back with someone barking about how new rubbers had made them feel so much more confident with the bike - not having to fight it through corners.

I've had a gander through some of the previous posts asking which tyres but they all seem to have a specific touring/commuter/wet/winter/carrot cake suffix.

Basically, which tyres last a decent amount of time, give quite alot of grip (and a fair amount of grip in the wet just in case we have another moist summer) and are useable everyday?

Bridgestone BT0**'s (does the number dictate the tyre model? - that's what I've guessed so far) always seem to get mentioned quite alot, as do conti(nental?) road attacks.

Any advice/companies/websites are greatly appreciated :)

thanks in advance pt6

G
12-05-08, 11:15 AM
The bridgestone 020 have been superseded by the 021

Both are good and dual compound so the centre of the tyre is harder wearing than the more grip edges of the tyre.

I will be torn between one of the 02? ranges or the Metzler Z6 when the time comes, which is soon.

yorkie_chris
12-05-08, 11:17 AM
Avon storms get raved about by everyone who's tried them, me included.

jumjum_0214
12-05-08, 11:18 AM
Hi mate, i have just had conti road attacks fitted and they are superb.

Very sticky IMO, they look great and have given me bags of confidence :-)

Avon storms are popular too ..............

Paul the 6th
12-05-08, 11:19 AM
thanks for replies so far everyone, what prices have you all paid for your respective tyres?

yorkie_chris
12-05-08, 11:28 AM
Avons are 140, or 180 fitted.

chasey
12-05-08, 12:30 PM
I got some conti road attacks the other week and coming from a miss-match pair they are fooking awesome!

They definitely inspire confidence as JumJum said.

I paid ?170 fitted.

Drew Carey
12-05-08, 12:34 PM
Avons are 140, or 180 fitted.

+1 for the price and Avons. I got these fitted after my off and the confidence they have given me is amazing. They are apparently not quite as good as the BT021's in the dry, but are the better in the wet, from what I have seen / heard. As for life......who knows.....depends how you ride on them.

yorkie_chris
12-05-08, 12:38 PM
The avons performance in the wet is frikkin awesome, I've had pegs down before in the wet without even a twitch from them.

sv-robo
12-05-08, 04:46 PM
Got some michelin pr2s fitted a few weeks back £209 all in,seem to be a very good tyre.

Tim in Belgium
12-05-08, 08:21 PM
I've found Pirelli Diablo Stradas a great all round tyre, better than Bridgestone BT-202s and good enough for track days/'Ring trips and touring.

Dangerous Dave
14-05-08, 12:14 PM
We all have different riding styles and want different things from our tyres, but as Chris said everybody that has tried the Avons raves about them!

Avon Azaro or Avon Storms

Jabba
14-05-08, 12:44 PM
I've got Conti Road Attacks on my Hornet - I'm happy with 'em and they seem to last well, too.

Draper
14-05-08, 05:07 PM
these bridgestones with the dual compaund business sound pretty good (as i am getting abit squared off and as a result avoiding the motorway)

do the storms have the same property?

yorkie_chris
14-05-08, 05:57 PM
No, what the storms have is progressive compound, which means you don't get a bit step and a very wierd wear pattern where the compounds meet.

I've had 8k out of a rear storm and the profile is still very good considering.

The 010's they replaced were very square

ThEGr33k
14-05-08, 06:27 PM
As always ill recomend Pilot Road 2's.

Baph
14-05-08, 06:57 PM
As always ill recomend Pilot Road 2's.
I'm with you!

Defender
14-05-08, 07:09 PM
https://www.bctmotorcycles.co.uk/index.jsp

Cant see the Storms on here - Any see them please?

yorkie_chris
14-05-08, 07:14 PM
http://www.bustersclassic.co.uk/products.asp?id=174

http://stores.ebay.co.uk/RoundAndBlack_Motorcycle-Tyres_Avon_Storm-ST_W0QQcolZ2QQdirZ1QQfsubZ6498999QQftidZ2QQtZkm

Have dealt with roundnblack before, was quick delivery.

Lozzo
14-05-08, 09:48 PM
I've had Pirelli Diablo Stradas, Metzeler Z6s, Michelin Pilot Road2 2CTs and Avon Azaro 3 AV 45/46STs on 4 different bikes over the last year. All of them have been great tyres, and I managed to get 8K miles out of the Michelins on a hard used Triumph Daytona 955i.

I'd go for another pair of Pilot Road2s next time I need tyres on an SV, I really liked them.

ThEGr33k
14-05-08, 10:37 PM
I've had Pirelli Diablo Stradas, Metzeler Z6s, Michelin Pilot Road2 2CTs and Avon Azaro 3 AV 45/46STs on 4 different bikes over the last year. All of them have been great tyres, and I managed to get 8K miles out of the Michelins on a hard used Triumph Daytona 955i.

I'd go for another pair of Pilot Road2s next time I need tyres on an SV, I really liked them.

Indeed. They are great for wear as they dont flatten with the hard middle compound and in the corner they are great cos fo the softer compound. Everything you need for a really resonable price.

Got to say though I dont know what the other dual compound offerings are like... But I cant say I want to risk finding out :rolleyes:

Lozzo
14-05-08, 11:05 PM
I had BT020s on a few bikes, and they were the best available back then, but time marches on, and technology follows. I tried some a few weeks ago on a mate's bike, and they felt crap compared to the latest offerings.

Defender
15-05-08, 08:37 PM
I have Dunlop D220's on the front and back. The back needs changing.

As the front tyre only has 2000 miles on it can I just change the back tyre to anything I want?

Tim in Belgium
15-05-08, 08:45 PM
You could buy a car tyre but it is going to handle like a bag of cow manure ;)

Most people "advise" if mixing and matching tyres tio try to do the following:

Fit tyres of similar profile (some tyres are more triangular than others).
If anything have a slightly stickier tyre at the front if they are different stickinesses.

However tyre companies will always say never mix.

Personally I'd bite the bullet and make a fresh start on some modern decent rubber of some description, but then it depends on your budget, bike use etc.

Defender
15-05-08, 08:49 PM
Thanks Tim :)

Money, money, money.

Car needs 2 new tyres / bike needs new tyres
Bike gets new tyres first ;)

Tim in Belgium
15-05-08, 08:52 PM
If money is tight, go for some Conti road attcks or similar, I believe they're quite cheap at the moment but still good. Also the sport touring tyres from Maxxis got a good write up in Bike magazine, it may be worth considering as an option.

PS if money is not tight fit the most expensive tyre that you want, you'll soon find that slicks for the road are a right hassle after the 20 mins warming them up in tyre warmers first ;)

Draper
18-05-08, 04:46 PM
who here fits their own tyres then?

is it something many people do?

yorkie_chris
18-05-08, 04:48 PM
PS if money is not tight fit the most expensive tyre that you want, you'll soon find that slicks for the road are a right hassle after the 20 mins warming them up in tyre warmers first ;)

And the 6 points every time you get pulled!

P.s race wets are also illegal as they have too much tread for the road! Though I do fancy sticking some on when it's proper pi$$ing down!

yorkie_chris
18-05-08, 04:48 PM
who here fits their own tyres then?

is it something many people do?

Yeah I do.

Just the tight ones!

Dangerous Dave
19-05-08, 11:42 AM
I have Dunlop D220's on the front and back. The back needs changing.

As the front tyre only has 2000 miles on it can I just change the back tyre to anything I want?
Mixing tyres can work, however I do not recommend that you mix tyres with the Dunlop D220's. They are a terrible tyre and any replacement is going to be far superior and may cause you problems in handling by having a rear tyre that out performs the front!

Defender
25-05-08, 09:46 AM
Went to get the tyre changed and was told I was okay for another 500 - 1000mls!

Best price given in Leeds are on the Avon Storms - ?183 for the pair fitted

neio79
25-05-08, 10:32 AM
What about the new Dunlop roadsmart??

Many reviews about them at their launch where they were directly compared to the Roadsmart2, 021's. Aparantly the Dunlop performed better against both.

Dont know how they compare to the Storms. THat said everyone i know raves about them. What are their life expectancy??

I have finished off my BT-015's in 3000 mile. i may squeeze an other 500 out of them if i am lucky.

yorkie_chris
25-05-08, 10:58 AM
8k or so on an SV, they hold their profile very well with general use.

neio79
25-05-08, 12:16 PM
So i could expect about 5-6K on the kwak then. almost double the 0-15,s. And they will be better in the wet.

dizzyblonde
25-05-08, 12:24 PM
AHHHH the Storms...so nice for your bike, and as nice as comfy pair of sliippers, even with that horrid smooth stuff on after fitting. Yes you have to go a bit careful to scrub em, but TBH I didn't find them a problem......one warning..I've not known anyone to be able to get rid of the chicken strip completely on them....lol, but that is on an SV. I haven't, YC hasn't and even Im Indoors has had a go, and he couldn't........and hes very very very good at getting right over on the SV, on a road.....so theres a challenge for someone

neio79
25-05-08, 12:26 PM
I know LP hasent got rid of his on the storms either.

dizzyblonde
25-05-08, 12:35 PM
Its something to do with the profile, but you may as well be talking double dutch explaining that to me!! They stick to the road like plop to a blanket and thats all I'm bothered about, and mileage per tyre of course:-) cause i'm stingy!

neio79
25-05-08, 12:37 PM
and mileage per tyre of course:-) cause i'm stingy!

Snap!! cant be doing with replacing my rear tyre every 3000 miles :confused:

dizzyblonde
25-05-08, 12:44 PM
I know that the set of Bridestones I had on Suzy before the Arzaros I have on her now lasted about 10,000...I kid you not! but I didn't get on with them at all( perhaps because I inherited them square...lol) I took to the Azaros straight away. Although they've been on her a couple of yrs, as shes been off road, they're great( did the NW3 on them)
I bought my black SV with some Metzler sportec things on, brand new, and came back from France after 2000 miles and got the guy at the tyre shop to bin them I hated them that much, as soon as the Storms were put on I was like a happy bunny again, but so far I couldn't tell you how many miles I've got on them, as that bikes off road:-( but they have been in a lot of rain last year and were brilliant



They are very confidence inspiring, I know Melody, once persuaded to get some, found her riding improving instantly

sv-robo
25-05-08, 05:42 PM
AHHHH the Storms...so nice for your bike, and as nice as comfy pair of sliippers, even with that horrid smooth stuff on after fitting. Yes you have to go a bit careful to scrub em, but TBH I didn't find them a problem......one warning..I've not known anyone to be able to get rid of the chicken strip completely on them....lol, but that is on an SV. I haven't, YC hasn't and even Im Indoors has had a go, and he couldn't........and hes very very very good at getting right over on the SV, on a road.....so theres a challenge for someone
My next door neighbour has avon storms on his er6n and has hardly any chicken strip yet never really banks the bike over:scratch:whereas ive got pr2s on the sv,have banked the bike over so far that i've shaved the little stud off the left hand side riders footpeg,yet still around 3/4inch of chicken strip remain:confused:.

yorkie_chris
25-05-08, 09:20 PM
It's the SV's ground clearance that limits it as well as the fact that the rim is on the small side for a 160 section tyre, this pinches it so the sidewalls are closer to vertical meaning you have to lean further to use all the tyre.

Excellent performance in the wet, you can get away with being very silly.

Neio I think lozzo's had about 8k out of a rear on a 955i which is a heavier and gruntier bike than a ZX6.

Decent mileage and grip, what it says on the tin really. And for 140 quid plus fitting what more can you ask for.

neio79
25-05-08, 10:20 PM
silly.

Neio I think lozzo's had about 8k out of a rear on a 955i which is a heavier and gruntier bike than a ZX6.

Decent mileage and grip, what it says on the tin really. And for 140 quid plus fitting what more can you ask for.

True it is that, LP, has had about 8K out of his VFR rear as well. that is about the same BHP but heavier. and yes i was amazed at their value for money.

yorkie_chris
25-05-08, 11:05 PM
No, he's destroyed his in 3k

Twinny
25-05-08, 11:42 PM
If you want the best in grip then gonna be the Supercorsa's ? D208r(these are the sticky ones rigth??) or even the dunlop qualifers , these shouldnT be to bad on a sv650? as its not exactly bursting with power?

neio79
26-05-08, 08:44 AM
No, he's destroyed his in 3k

:confused:

If you want the best in grip then gonna be the Supercorsa's ? D208r(these are the sticky ones rigth??) or even the dunlop qualifers , these shouldnT be to bad on a sv650? as its not exactly bursting with power?

Its for a ZX6-R, I would rather have longer life than all out max grip as i am not really going to push a tyre to its limits on the road.

yorkie_chris
26-05-08, 10:51 AM
Yeah was at his house on saturday and he was having a good old moan that there's probably 500 miles left in it, and he's only had it on for 3000 miles.

The viffer is a really heavy bike though and I've never heard of one being used up so quickly before.

fizzwheel
26-05-08, 11:10 AM
I've never managed more than 3500 miles out of any rear on my GSXR.

2CT or Diablo Corsa III is what I've been running.

I think the only way to go if you want proper milleage is to not get a sports tyre. I'm getting Z6's for it next as I have some long trips coming up, be interesting to compare how the bike rides and whether I'll be able to tell any difference.