Running an 014 and 020 tyre

Bad idea???

Now im strating a new job soon, im only doing 12 miles instead of 27. I've always found with the 020's i use to take quite a while to warm up and makes winter riding "interesting" for the first 10 minutes.

Now i've recently put a new 020 on the back (before I quit my job), but now i need a new tyre on the front this weekend. Im unsure whether to put on the softer 014 so it'll warm up quicker and allow me to ride the bike to work, instead of riding the bike on ice sticks.

Im assuming the tread pattern will be the same, but is it a bad idea running the softer compound on the road on the front over the rear?

Im assuming it "should" be ok as thats what racers do isn't it??

[fizzwheel]

I ran an 010 and an 020 on my SV for a while and it was fine. I would think you'll be OK with an 014 / 020 mix.

I didnt however find that on my GSXR the 014's got heat in them particularly quickly, especially on cold wet days. Its one of the reasons I didnt like them.

I think the general plan is to put the stickiest tyre on the front which is what you'll be doing.

Trial and error I guess then. I've not used the 014's, so may give them a go, see how I get on with them. As you say, i'd of thought it would be fine having the softer comp on the front as thats the control, and I control what happens to the rear.

I had an the 020/014 combination as you've decribed. I dont push the bike hard, I had no problems with it at all, it felt very solid from the off. The 014 didnt last long and thus for me was uneconomical. I'm now on matched Avons.

[jambo]

Mis-matched tyres are not the perfect solution, but I never like binning a tyre with tread left on it

One thing to remember is that you've not quite got the deal of "The softer tyre on the front will always have more grip" in really cold rubbish conditions the 020 may actually be closer to it's effective operating temperature sooner. This is one of the reasons people don't recommend it. Just something to bear in mind...

I ran an 010F 020R on my bandit 600 (at the time they didn't do a 110 front in the 020) without any problems, the bike felt nicer on the matched 020s when they released the front 110 fitment though. That said there may have been a bit of "old tyre was rubbish, new one was nice" going on....

Bridgestone say you don't need to run a softer compound front because they've already taken that into account with the matched pair compounds anyway. An 020 front is softer than the 020 rear, so you're wasting money by putting an 014 on the front. Besides, an 014 front has a different carcass profile to a 020 front, so you may find it steers weirdly.

Years ago I realised that good sports touring tyres are all the average rider, and most fast riders will ever need. I think half of the reason manufacturers sell sticky compound road tyres is to play up to supposed fast rider's egos and fleece them for their foolishness.

This is very apparent with some good inters standard trackday riders I know who use things like Pilot Road 2s in favour of Pilot Powers. You hear all the tall stories in the canteen at lunchtime of some riders getting the rear spinning on their sticky tyres yet those running PR2s are faster overall with no such stories to tell. Maybe the Pilot Power users should just learn how to ride properly and save a few bob.

[Viney]

In simple terms it isnt going to do any harm Daimo. Same brand is always advisable, but then again, plenty of poeple out there on mismatched brands/types of tyre

Originally Posted by fizzwheel

I ran an 010 and an 020 on my SV for a while and it was fine. I would think you'll be OK with an 014 / 020 mix.

I didnt however find that on my GSXR the 014's got heat in them particularly quickly, especially on cold wet days. Its one of the reasons I didnt like them.

I think the general plan is to put the stickiest tyre on the front which is what you'll be doing.

Massive +1

014 are great in the dry, but i don't like them in the wet/cold. Poor life as well.

Nahh theres been some good advice.

I'll see what they charge for a 014, but if its a lot more, i'll just go for another 020. I rarly ride really hard on the road as i dont trust traffic/wildlife/people so im thinking maybe another 020 would be better.

I may go on a track day in the summer, but again, would be my first, so im not going to be giving it hell for leather anyway.

I've always gone for 020's due to the mileage i do. Had another set on there last time round (have to double check) but they didn't last long, put pater got me the set for under a £100 (Dunlop Sportmax rings a bell?).

[dirtydog]

I had 014s on my 955i and i didn't rate them that highly tbh. Get an 020 on the front it'll be more than adequate