Recommend me some tyres?

[yambabe]

My back tyre is about a week away from being if not illegal then certainly inadvisable to ride on, so it needs to be replaced. Front is much better but certainly won't last until the summer!

Now this is the first time I have been responsible for choosing my own tyre (usually Himself has already got a spare hanging around that will fit) and I'd like to get it right.

I know some of you lot are prety much experts on this sort of thing so I thought if I list the specs and criteria you can give me some advice about what to get?

The bike is a '93 ZR400 Zephyr, and they tyre size (well the one on it at the moment) is 120/90/18.
I do about 6000 miles a year, all fun no commuting, but well over half of those are touring/camping so involve mostly upright A-road riding with not only my weight ( ) but usually carrying luggage as well.
Some weekend playing out is involved too though!
No plans at the moment for any track or race riding.

Apparently there is at least one type of tyre that is fairly hard in the middle but softer and stickier at the edges so it might suit my type of riding quite well, Himself can't remeber what it is though!

Help me..... please........
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Sod falling in love, I wanna fall in chocolate.

[MarkJ]

It's the Michelin Pilot Power's that are dual compund (maybe some others though). I had a quick look on the net and found the Continental TKV12 and Bridgestone Battlax BT-45 for a 120/90/18. No idea what they're like though.

[craigs23]

What's on the front?

[yambabe]

Front is a Dunlop Arrowmax.

Current rear is a Cougar Sprint GPI1.
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Sod falling in love, I wanna fall in chocolate.

[iooi]

Got BT 45's on my 600 diversion and seem to be very good even down to the same point as you, in that the wear indicator is now level with the rest of the tyre. Still plenty grippy in both wet and dry.

New rear BT45 goes on on Monday
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Just because my bike was A DIVVY, does not mean i am......

[Itchy]

BT45s as per usual , long lasting enough for motorway commutes m soft enough on the edges to get knees/toes down.
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[beatnck]

ive just put some dunlop gpr80's on my cb1 400, and now they are scrubbed in i think they are pretty good.
i can also reccomend bt45's too, but bear in mind they are bias ply, so you cant fit a rear one if your front tyre is a radial - hence why i changed tyres
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no silly comment here!!

[Itchy]

Mostly upright A road riding? , why not get Magic tyres? , the type that Craig and TobyR have , BT45s are ok
for motorway commutes my NTV has crammed 7500 miles on mine and still have plenty of wear left on them
and thats with chasing fast sports bikes , horrible motorway commutes and all weather riding.

Though knocking it up a notch or two BT45s are unsuitable , I had a go at a bloke on a ZX10R he overtook me
on a corner going at least 120 when I was hitting it at 75+,

I naturally gave chase and for a heart beat I felt them let go and twitch just for a moment, I eased off and he
vanished off into the distance.
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Spain 2008France 2007Big one 2009 We all die. The goal isn't to live forever, the goal is to create something that will. In the end, your life will flash before your eyes. Make sure it is worth watching.

[Dazbo666]

I use my GPZ for commuting, as well as the weekend blast and the occasional motorway trip... BT45's all the way for me.
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1st bike (Sept'06 - May'10) : 1991 GPZ500S / Current bike (since Nov 2009) : 2003 Suzuki Bandit 600N
Word of the day : DILLIGAF

[cestrian]

Avon Azaro St are dual compound but they have just been discontinued. You may find some on the shelves somewhere but you would need to phone around.

I have done 6K on an Avon Azaro rear tyre, it has about 1000 miles left on it I think.

[Type_Mo]

Michelin Pilot Roads or BT45's
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- Typhoon ?0 - Yamaha DT125R - Aprilia SR125 - Yamaha DT125R - Honda Hornet 600 -

[yambabe]

Well doing a quick google it seems BT45s are widely available in my size so I think that's the decision made! Thanks to everyone for their input.

I've decided to do the front one at the same time btw, seems daft not to when it's probably only a few weeks' riding away from needing it and I can scrub them both in at the same time if I get them done together (or is that a bad idea?)
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Sod falling in love, I wanna fall in chocolate.

[MarkJ]

Good idea . And also you have the same tyre on both wheels, rather than mixing and matching

[yambabe]

Hmmmm. Bike is now booked in for new front and rear on Sat morning. Himself did the booking, and despite me showing him this he has spoken to Mr Salt and apparently it will be getting a set of Avons (but he can't remember what sort).

Apparently they are dual-compound and come in the right size for my wheels.

Can't help wondering if I am being fobbed off with some end-of-ranges though and then thinking I may just be paranoid!

However, having ridden in the rain this weekend and encountered a back end that was squirmier than a squirmy thing suffering from a bad dose of squirms I reckon any new rubber is going to be an improvement on what I have now!
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Sod falling in love, I wanna fall in chocolate.

[veeeffarr]

I've got a Dunlop Arrowmax on mine and a BT45 on the back, I've just bought my second BT45, they're really good tyres and put up with me being a nutter.

Pity the rest of the bike doesnt tho

[quik_d]

[Diggs]

If you are getting an Avon Storm ST, which you may well be, it is a good tyre for most situations IMO.

If on the other hand you are getting a circa 1979 Avon Roadrunner... lol

Anyone remember that zenith of tyre technology - the 'Gordon'?
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[Itchy]

[Itchy]