mixing tyres

You'll be fine but you can't get away with it the other way round.

Don't put a steeper profile tyre like a z6 on the back and leave the shallower d220 on the front. The back will drop into corners faster than the front. Its horrible and makes the back end "feel like" theres no grip (theres plenty) and pendulum about from one side to the other on changes of direction.

Originally Posted by SmudgeK3

has anyone got rid of the chicken strips on Z6's i still have 7mm on mine and Ive had my knee down n not ridiculously hanging off either

Yes (diablo strada, same tyre), but sometimes I'm rather lazy and can't be arsed to either lean off or brake for corners. They soon come back at this time of year, although the shiny bits gone forever!

[northwind]

Originally Posted by SmudgeK3

apparently they do go from having loads of tread left to the steel band within a 100 miles

Nah, they go from being out of tread to steel band very quickly, but the problem is people ignore it when they get low. Here's an example, this guy reckoned he had plenty of tread left...



I mismatch tyres all the time, pretty much indescriminately. A lot of people say not to put a stickier tyre on the rear than the front. The logic is that it's better to slide the rear than the front, which is fair enough but I say the front doesn't become more likely to slide, so the only time it's a problem is if you ride about using sliding at the rear as a sign to slow down. I don't, so, it's not an issue. But I do prefer a matched pair.

Oh very dear.

Originally Posted by northwind

I mismatch tyres all the time, pretty much indescriminately.

+1

As I only commute on my bike, I really don't overtly care how it 'handles' as long as the way it reacts is predictable ... I just go for whatever I can get 2nd hand ... {squeak squeak}

You have to have a matched pair if you want the bike to behave 100% properly, but even then, is the 'pair' matched to THAT bike?!!?

Even with a matched pair putting a 70 profile on the front I felt made the bike feel horrible ... so it isn't as simple as any 'matched pair' ... it has to be a matched pair that works on the SV ... the only ones you know are guaranteed to is the pair it was originally fitted ... presumably Mr Suzuki knew what tyres he would be fitting when he designed the rest of the bike?!!?

Originally Posted by Blue_SV650S

presumably Mr Suzuki knew what tyres he would be fitting when he designed the rest of the bike?!!?

You'd like to think so but alas no, he didn't have a clue, he was just getting nice backhanders from Dunlop.

The D220 is fine until you try a diffeent tyre, then you realise they were awful. I think the Z6 / Diablo Strada is a fantastic tyre on the SV in the standard sizes.

[dirtydog]

Originally Posted by -Ralph-

You'd like to think so but alas no, he didn't have a clue, he was just getting nice backhanders from Dunlop.

The D220 is fine until you try a diffeent tyre, then you realise they were awful. I think the Z6 / Diablo Strada is a fantastic tyre on the SV in the standard sizes.

Ditto for the Z4's that were fitted to curveys, they were utter pants!

[Lissa]

Originally Posted by dirtydog

Ditto for the Z4's that were fitted to curveys, they were utter pants!

+1 for both Ralph and DD. The cheapest possible tyres were fitted on a budget bike. Besides, how long is it since the Curvy was first produced. Tyre technology has come along in leaps and bounds since then. Plus, they possibly went for a tyre with a less aggressive profile so they didn't scare the newbies, the people the bike was mainly aimed at.

its like mixing your drinks...........

its not recomended, but people do it

[21QUEST]

Originally Posted by Lissa

+1 for both Ralph and DD. The cheapest possible tyres were fitted on a budget bike. Besides, how long is it since the Curvy was first produced. Tyre technology has come along in leaps and bounds since then. Plus, they possibly went for a tyre with a less aggressive profile so they didn't scare the newbies, the people the bike was mainly aimed at.

Well, I disagree with both Ralph and DD.....heck with Lissa as well...feeling brave this haha

Nothing wrong with the MEZ4 and D220 per se.....now if you are are a cack handed lol rider, that's another thing .

I've said it before and I'm not exactly fast(not ****e either), don't think I'm that easy on the throttle(perhaps being a bit harsh on myself?) but I went alright with them when I got my first SV and some years later sticking a rear that I came by.

No matter what tyre you have on, it's all about riding within the limits of the tyres. One could even discribe the less sticky tyres as very forgiving.....see the logic there

As for mixing tyres, Yep. Come to think of it, it seems like it's been ages since I had a mixed pair hmmm. Currently on a Diablo front( new) and Avon storm rear(t new)

Bluey makes a good point regards "reacting predictably". To a certain extent any combination of tyre will infact always react predictably . More a question of a rider being able to deal with a characteristic that may be JUST different.

I've always said, I prefer the way the 120/60 feels(road here) but I sort of now, don't mind the 120/70.
What's changed? Nothing much really apart from deciding to put up with the less nuetral "feel"(IMHO) because not a bad trade off(?) for the extra rubber at edge....something like that anyways.

Saying all that, sometimes still do think, I'd like want to go back to a 120/60 but haven't yet. It's a "Head thing", I tell you


Ben

[Lissa]

Originally Posted by 21QUEST

Well, I disagree with both Ralph and DD.....heck with Lissa as well...feeling brave this haha
Ben

You're allowed to disagree with me, I won't bite you