I think I've made an expensive **** up!

Not knowing much about bike tyres I've replaced my OEM Dunlop Sportmax D220 rear (on the wear indicators after 4250 miles), with a Bridgestone BT020 (£120 fitted, no local dealers had Metzeler Z6 in stock). But the front is still the OEM Dunlop.

Been for a 300 mile run today on the new tyre, I've had two problems, even after it was well scrubbed in,

1) rear grip in the wet is awful compared to the old Dunlop, several definate and clear losses of grip today

2) one strange handling characteristic - as you tip the bike into corners its like the rear tyre is eager to lean into the corner, but the front doesn't want to go down. Rear swings around behind you slightly in a pendulum effect a you change direction. This gives the false impresion that the tyre is starting to slide away from you.

Now I've read the tyre forum I think I can see the error of my ways. BT020' are crap in the wet and I shouldn't mix manufacturers front and back!

Are the handling characteristics above to be expected?

Is it just handling goes a bit screwy up a bit or is my set up now dangerous?

Why did two different tyre dealers tell me it was OK to mix and match a BT020 with my front Dunlop, when they could have sold me a front tyre as well?

Has anyone got experience with this set-up?

How long should I expect the front to last? If only another couple of thousand miles I might decide to live with it and replace with two Z6's when the front needs replaced.

Or should I just write off the best part of my £120, get two new Z6's now, and put the BT020 on ebay (unless anyone on here wants it).

Sorry to ask so many questions & thank for your help.

ive got 020s on the bike and i love them in the wet, have never had any problems with them in the 5 years ive used them. i get about 9500 miles out of a set but thats coz i ride like an old woman and dont brake lol

but then everyone is different

[northwind]

020's still a good tyre, even though it's a bit old. I prefer the Roadtecs all round, they do everything the 020s do but a bit better, but I've got an 020 on my spare wheel at the moment and it's measured up far better than I'd expected. My only criticism- apart from having a bit less grip all round, but that's OK- is that they seem to overheat if you really hammer them- I've got my commute down to a fine art, and the 020 spins up on 2 of the corner exits that the Roadtec just deals with. But, not a bad tyre. Strange to hear about your problems tbh...

[fizzwheel]

The 020 should feel alot better to ride on thann that D220. I'm assuming that you had scrubbed the new tyre in on a dry day before you did your 300 miler ? If not then I woud imagine that the rear tyre still has gunk on it and it that might be what your problem is. I was always told to discount wet milleage when scrubbing in tyres.

The 020 is a pretty good tyre. I certainly found the 020 to be an improvement over the Dunlops. The Z6's are an improvement again over the 020 IMHO.

I would think your handling weirdness might be because the Front Dunlop and the rear 020 have different profiles which is accounting for the funny handling characteristics. When Liz went to replace the rear Dunlop she was told by the tyre dealer that Dunlop specifically say that you should not mix and match the OEM D220 for the SV.

If your not happy with the bike then if I was you I would be getting that front tyre changed to. I had 3 sets of 020's I really thought that they were OK in the wet. But after switching to Z6's I realised just how good the Z6's are.

No harm in changing to a front 020 IMHO. The other thing as you say, change both for Z6's and sell your 020 on Ebay ?

One more thing I would check would be tyre pressures. I sometimes find that dealers will inflate tyres to what they think the right pressure for the bike is and that to me I dont always find the standard pressures work / suit my riding style.

Have you checked your pressures. If they are off from standard ( 33 front, 36 rear ) then put them back to standard pressures ride it again and either increase or decrease the pressure by 1 or 2 psi at a time until you find a setting that you feel comfortable with.

But dont go a huge amount away from the standard pressures.

HTH

I've used 020's on my last 2 bikes currently a 1050 Sprint St, and have found them to be very good, just returned from a 2000 mile jaunt round Ireland half of it in very wet conditions with no grip problems at all. It may be a miss match of profiles between the front and rear that is the cause of your handling difficulties.

I recently had BT020s fitted to my K5. Dramatic improvement over the stock Dunlops, particularly noticeable in the wet.

Very pleased with the 020s at the moment. I was gonna have conti RAs fitted for circa £40 less but got caught out with a flat rear on the stock Dunlops and the 020s were the first tyres I could get my hands on.

[Viney]

Originally Posted by colinbal4

Not knowing much about bike tyres I've replaced my OEM Dunlop Sportmax D220 rear (on the wear indicators after 4250 miles), with a Bridgestone BT020 (£120 fitted, no local dealers had Metzeler Z6 in stock). But the front is still the OEM Dunlop.

Been for a 300 mile run today on the new tyre, I've had two problems, even after it was well scrubbed in,

1) rear grip in the wet is awful compared to the old Dunlop, several definate and clear losses of grip today

2) one strange handling characteristic - as you tip the bike into corners its like the rear tyre is eager to lean into the corner, but the front doesn't want to go down. Rear swings around behind you slightly in a pendulum effect a you change direction. This gives the false impresion that the tyre is starting to slide away from you.

Ok, get the bit out of the way. I had 4 sets of 020's. They where great. I went to conti RA's and didnt like them, i now have Z'6s which i think are as good, if not slightly better than the 020's. Well, i have a Diablo strada rear, but its the same tyre.

The handling would be slighty odd, due to the profile difference, in the dunlop, and the fact that its probably squared off a tad. I know some poeple say that different manufacturers front and rear are a nono, and some say its ok. The thing is that YOU notice the difference and thats what matters. Its no good all of us sitting here say its ok, if you dont like then you should change something. An 020 front, or as you say a set of Z6's or diablo stradas. I have never ridden on dunlops so cant comment. I liked the 020 as a tyre and in all honesty, NO motorcycle road tyre is good in the wet, some are better than others, but thats about it.

Try adding a few PSI in the front tyre, or let a bit out until it feels better and until you can afford to change.