The stickiest tyres

[DarrenSV650S]

I'm going to try get my bike booked in for its 4000 mile service for this Friday. The tyres are getting quite low, especially the back, so I think I'm just as well to do it now, so that I have the new tyres for the whole summer.
I really need 100% confidence in my tyres, so I don't want ones that will last a long time, I just want to have as much grip as possible (obviously within a reasonable budget )
I will only be using the bike in the dryer months as I am thinking of getting a commuter when I can afford it.
I've never bought tyres for the SV before as I only got it last September. So the only ones I've bought were for the old 125.

So, to get to the point, can anyone recommend me a set of sticky tyres

Thanks

[fizzwheel]

You can get tyres that give good grip and last a decent amount of time... a tyre that lasts well doesnt necessarily mean that it isnt going to give you good grip.

Personally I'd pop a set of Metzler Z6's on your bike. I find they work well warm, cold, dry or wet. I've not found a better set of tyres for the SV and they are reasonably priced to. Unless your some kind of road riding or track riding god IMHO you dont really need anything more than these for most types of road riding.

Failing that if you want something a little stickier but that give reasonable life. Try a set of Michellin Pilot Power 2CT's, these will be a little more expensive. Hard in the middle so they dont square off, but sticky on the edges where you want the grip.

I can only recommend these two as they are all I have experience of. I've tried Bridgestone BT014's and personally I wouldnt waste my money on them if I were you.

Other tyres to research, certainly my next set of tyres will be one of these

Pirelli Diablo Corsa 3
Dunlop Sportmax Qualifier

I've read good things about these and been recommended them by a few other people.

HTH

Z6's on the SV were superb!

[STRAMASHER]

The sticky-est tyres will just show up the budget nature of the SV's suspension. More likely to get the front to go "slappy" too due to a sharper profile. If you don't warm up the proper sticky ones they will slide well before a road/sport touring tyre, rear AND front. So they are not any better unless you are doing track days(which will show up the budget nature of the sussies... no matter what tyres you are on)

Buy a good ST or road tyre which will give you more confidence cos it will stay in profile longer than a Supersport tyre that squares off in no time and ruins rolling quickly and smoothly into corners.

I like Avons, so use viper sport(cheap as well). I can't lock the front unlike the plastic teflon OE dunlops and 60odd bhp is never going to trouble the rear.

[DarrenSV650S]

Thanks for the advice.
Ok I think I'll try Metzler Z6's then. Does anyone have a guide price for a set?

[mattSV]

Down south they are about £170 -180 a pair ride in/out

That will be about £250 for you then

[DarrenSV650S]

Originally Posted by mattSV

Down south they are about £170 -180 a pair ride in/out

That will be about £250 for you then

I hope that includes fitting!

Originally Posted by fizzwheel

.....
Pirelli Diablo Corsa 3
Dunlop Sportmax Qualifier

I've read good things about these and been recommended them by a few other people.

HTH

I had the same question end of summer last year. I found the Dunlop Qualifier was OK but didnt ball up as much as the Dunlop Race Replica which came fitted with the bike (Qualifier superseded them). Others swear the other way around. I put the qualifer on mid way through an Alps trip and it just didnt heat up and slipped out on hairpins a couple of times which didnt happen once with the RR. Thankfully a puncture meant replacment.

Now running Diablo Corsas which are great. If you want stick they are the daddy IMO. Warm up super quick which I also like.