What should i do ?????

[Stef]

Pffffw. My standard Dunlops D220's are finally gone. I really hated them but my wallet didn't agree with wasting tires with a good deal of thread left on them. :lol: They where especially bad in the wet and took ages to warm up. I would like to ask you guys your opinion on the follwing tyres i'm conserdering (haven't made up my mind yet).

Sport-touring :
- Brifgestone BT020's
- Metzelers Z-6 Roadtec
- Conti RoadAttacks

Sport :
- Metz M-1 Sporttec
- Bridgestone BT014
- Pirelli Diablo (BTW, is it thrue they are the same as the Metz M-1, since i can get the M-1's cheaper)

What I'm looking for : I commute every day to work all year long (the way it should be :D ). It's not that far though (about 15 mls a day round trip) so i need tires that warm up quickly and have good wet performance. But i like to give it a blast in the twisties in the evening and at the weekends. I prefer a save, sticky tyre over a long lasting one with no grip (like the D220 :evil: ).

Thanks

[Iansv]

Well as someone who commutes short distance 365 days a year and also does alot of motorway riding i'd go for the 020... But i've heard good things about the Z6 recently

[Gforceuk]

good question. i'm interested in this answer..

[jonboy]

Although I've been leaning to the Road-attacks, looking at the lack of wear on Rictus' Z-6s after 3500 miles (which have been well thrashed) I'm amazed and could well replace my 020s with these instead.

Certainly check them out, they might well turn out to be the best all-round tyre out there.


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[rictus01]

Check out my views on tyres here
Z6 Roadtec
http://forums.sv650.org/viewtopic.php?t=12897

and Azaro's ( 5th post down)

http://forums.sv650.org/viewtopic.php?t=8241

I commute, in all weathers, all year round, and at some fair old speed at times ( several track days) so my tyres have to do everything.

I don't make recomendations lightly, only from practical use.

Cheers Mark.

[northwind]

I lack Rictus's massive mileage and velocity tests :) but I'd recommend the Z6 to anyone. In fact, I'd recommend it more highly than the Sportecs that they replaced. Certianly I've never needed the Sportec's extra grip, the Roadtecs are grippy enough, heat up slower but not badly, and are if anything better in the wet than the Sportecs due to the massive deep tread (although it's much easier to slide the rear on the flat as it has no central tread, the grips' still totally there where you need it, in the bends.)

Heard a lot of good about the Contis though, I chose the Metz's over them as they're much easier to find.

M1s and Diablos are similiar but different, both have the exact same carcass and I think they're much the same rubber composition too, but they have different treads.

[Stef]

Thanks for your recommendations.

Mark you are very enthousiastic about the Avons, but i have a little difficulty finding Avon tyres over here.

i'm kind off narowing it down to the Z-6, BT-020 and the BT-014. I know the BT-14 is in different kind of tyre (more "sport" oriented), but i was alwas told a "sport" tyre heats up more quickly and has grip to spare (safe). I also noticed that the BT-014 has a rather deap thread for a sporttyre, which (in combination with the softer compound) should result in fine wet performance. I've also read several glowing reviews in magazines on the BT-014.

How will the BT-020 and Metz Z-6 hold out on the occasional trackday were i like do do some "knee-down action" ? Will i be able to push them like i did with my Dunlop D 207RR's on my old Aprilia RS125 ?

[jonboy]

Thanks for your recommendations.

Mark you are very enthousiastic about the Avons, but i have a little difficulty finding Avon tyres over here.

i'm kind off narowing it down to the Z-6, BT-020 and the BT-014. I know the BT-14 is in different kind of tyre (more "sport" oriented), but i was alwas told a "sport" tyre heats up more quickly and has grip to spare (safe). I also noticed that the BT-014 has a rather deap thread for a sporttyre, which (in combination with the softer compound) should result in fine wet performance. I've also read several glowing reviews in magazines on the BT-014.

How will the BT-020 and Metz Z-6 hold out on the occasional trackday were i like do do some "knee-down action" ? Will i be able to push them like i did with my Dunlop D 207RR's on my old Aprilia RS125 ?


Sports tyres often don't heat up to their optimal operating temperature in normal road conditions (except during summer months). Whilst they warm up very quickly on a track, on the road they're not ideal unless you're a very fast rider and therefore you'll have less grip than a normal sports-touring tyre (020 etc) most of the time.

The 014's tread depth doesn't appear to me to be that deep and tyre life certainly isn't very long if ridden with a little spirit (Jelster on this site has gone through three rears since March though admittedly that's on a GSXR600).

Out of those tyres you've mentioned the Z-6 has the deepest tread depth, wears longer and is likely to reach and maintain ideal operating temperatures better than anything else and will most likely be my next choice of tyre (though it's a toss-up between that and the Conti RoadAttack) - I'm on 020s presently and the rear tyre wear is quite dreadful.

Doubtless you'll have a flood of other opinions so research everything carefully and don't listen to the hype. To be honest though, you'll be hard pressed to buy a bad tyre as today's standard of manufacture is really rather high.


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