How bad are standard tyres.

Evening ladies and gents

I have done some thorough searching and i'm just wondering. How bad are the standard tyres?

My new SV650 has Dunlop Sportmax D220s i believe.
Are they really a bad tyre?

I've covered 1000 miles so far on the bike and the tyres seem ok, there seems to be a good deal of feel from both ends (in the dry at least). I'm just wondering if I start using my bike a lot in the inevitably wet winter will all of my journeys be pure slippy terror?

If they are truly lethal I'm thinking about swapping for Avon Azaros or Metzeler Z6's as these seem to be very popular. I need a tyre that warms up fast wet or dry, lasts at least 3000 miles and grips well. Is this asking too much?

Cheers in advance

[fizzwheel]

Theres alot of guff IMHO been written about the D220. I've ridden three pointies with those tyres on in various road conditions and IMHO they are'tn that bad, they dont set the world on fire, but they are adequate.

Yes the Z6's etc work better, but I see no good reason not to use those tyres and then chuck them away once you've worn them out.

The D220's dont heat particularly quickly, but that means you just have to take it easier for longer on a cold day thats all.

[rictus01]

The D220 are Ok"ish", I'd never fit them myself as there's so many better ones out there, caution is needed now the weather has turned a bit as best operating temperature is quite a while in coming, if you're prepared to take it easy, money's tight then they should be fine for commuting and alike as long as you don't put to many demands on them and are aware on short journeys they aren't going to get up to temp.

Given the choice (and your critiria) I'd change them and if they have lots left in them perhaps save them for the spring next year swapping to something better for the summer once they were shot, but then I'm expecting a few more good days yet, the Z6/Azaro's and road attacks are all better tyres and heatup significantly quicker as well as providing a better grip level and should last far in excess of your mileage requirements.
Just be thankful you don't have the Z4's of the original curvy they were truly awful.


Cheers Mark.

Cheers for that. Maybe i'll swap them over in the spring then. I commuted to work this morning and they did feel a bit funny for the first 3 miles or so in the damp. Z6's are starting to sound like the way forward.

From memory, the MEZ4 were like riding on marbles, but it was character building, although the ride back from the tyre house with a pair of Z6 was like someone had taught me to ride properly.

I cant comment on the Sportmax but it seems as though original tyres are never as good as the next set. It's probably all in our heads though and it is certainly pointless throwing a perfectly good set of tyres in the skip.

[G]

5000 miles on mine when I had a pointy, nothing wrong with them at all in my opinion. Plenty of grip.

I have a K7 with the original D220s fitted and I'm finding that when out on a ride the first 50 or so miles are fine but then the back end starts getting twitchy, is this normal? The pressure is fine so it isn't that...

If you mean twitchy as in slippery, and in "normal" riding as you did for the first 50, then no, it's not normal, but I don't have an answer for you if the tyre is okay and pressure correct

On the other hand, I imagine it's perfectly possible to overheat a D220 rear if you're really "on it" hard for 20+ miles of the right kind of roads.

Touch it with your hand when it begins to happen, if it's genuinely overheated, it will feel too hot to keep your hand on for long.

I had D220s for a few thousand, replaced because of wear (second hand bike), and I noticed with the replacement "RoadAttacks" that they gave me a bit more confidence in the first few miles, especially if it's wet or damp. I reckon this higher general confidence level is the reason I am able to use the whole tyre, D220s had strips, but in retrospect I don't think this was due to lack of grip, just lack of confidence. The D220 is a perfectly usable tyre, switching to something else won't transform the bike (imo), which is what posts/threads might lead you to believe.
RAs aren't the best tyre either mind you, but they are cheap.

ive just replaced the d220's that my bike came with (2nd hand)...because they were a bit squared and also i do a lot of riding in the wet (dont we all in england?!)..and they used to slip a lot ive had some near misses and also spin when accelerating hard in the wet...in the dry they were fine...good infact...

but the dunlop roadsmarts ive just put on (yesterday)...although not scrubbed in yet...feel much better and planted imo

[G]

Originally Posted by sinbad

On the other hand, I imagine it's perfectly possible to overheat a D220 rear if you're really "on it" hard for 20+ miles of the right kind of roads.

You could never over heat D220s on the road, I have used them on the track for 15 - 20 minutes of harder riding than your ever likely to do on the road and they performed very well

Originally Posted by sinbad

I had D220s for a few thousand, replaced because of wear (second hand bike), and I noticed with the replacement "RoadAttacks" that they gave me a bit more confidence in the first few miles, especially if it's wet or damp. I reckon this higher general confidence level is the reason I am able to use the whole tyre, D220s had strips, but in retrospect I don't think this was due to lack of grip, just lack of confidence. The D220 is a perfectly usable tyre, switching to something else won't transform the bike (imo), which is what posts/threads might lead you to believe.
RAs aren't the best tyre either mind you, but they are cheap.

I never got to the edge of my D220, even when scraping the pegs accidently on the track before I learnt to get my knee down. They still had about 0.5mm - 1cm of chicken strip left, it mean nothing, different tyres just have different profiles.

Sorry to post this picture again

There is NOTHING wrong with D220's they are more than capable.