Misplaced Brand Loyalty / Snobbery

[DJP]

For the past 15 years I've used Michelin tyres. However, my current bike came with a nearly new set of Bridgestone 023s. At first I looked down my nose at them but I'm too tight to bin a new set of tyres so I kept them. Well, I've now ridden on them for 2,000 miles through winter and not noticed a single issue: They give good grip wet and dry. OK, I'm not a knee-down merchant but for my use I'd happily buy them again.

Likewise brake pads. I've always used EBC but yesterday I was doing my usual post-winter brake clean and I didn't recognise the pad brand. A quick bit of Googling and it turns out that they're Goldfren. Now these seem to get a lot of stick on the web, but for me they perform much the same as the EBCs and, like the tyres, they're almost new so they'll be staying. And, like the tyres, I'd happily buy them again.

I started biking 35 years ago when there were some truly awful tyres and pads and so I got used to buying “Good” brands. But now I can't help but wonder if I've just been wasting money all these years, assuming Brand X to be the best and not realising that maybe the rest have all caught up in the meantime.

What say you good people?
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[blurredman]

No brand loyalty here. I've always bought cheap.
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CBT: 12/06/10, Theory: 22/09/10, Module 1: 09/11/10, Module 2: 19/01/11
Past: 1991 Honda CG125BR-J, 1992 (1980) Honda XL125S, 1996 Kawasaki GPZ500S, 1979 MZ TS150.
Current: 1973 MZ ES250/2 - 18k, 1979 Suzuki TS185ER - 10k, 1981 Honda CX500B - 91k, 1987 MZ ETZ250 (295cc) - 40k, 1989 MZ ETZ251 - 51k.

[trevor saxe-coburg-gotha]

i recently bunged a pair of pirelli diablos on my bike - 120 front 180 rear - £125 inc. VAT...got just over 3k on them now and they really should do 4k. I have to pay £50 to have them fitted. They are *very* good on cold, wet roads - loads better than I anticipated.

I had some slight Bridgestone loyalty before that, cos was into the T30s - but a rear alone is £150, and I wouldn't really want to do more than about 5k on a pair (on my bike, the front seems to go first - looks okay to the eye, but feel it and it's chamfered to fvck on the offside thanks to crown camber, which makes for truly horrible riding on more minor roads - total supermarket trolley vibe).
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Mobylette Type 50 ---> Raleigh Grifter ---> Neval Minsk 125

[Polarbear]

I like Triumph triples. I've had 4 and loved everyone. The only other bike I would consider other than another Triumph triple now is a Wing. Is that brand loyalty or just a like of a certain engine configuration?
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Triumph Trophy Launch Edition

[stinkwheel]

A bit that way. Other than if you go really high-end.

Sintered brake pads were a real eye opener, purely for their wet performance but beyond that, all brake pads seem much of a muchness (within reason) unless you spring for Brembos, then you'll really notice the difference.

In fairness, having been a bridgestone man for years, the Michelin road 4/5/6 seriesd has been an absolute revelation. That said, I ran Maxxis for years and they were fine too but not in the same ballpark.

Things like suspension componants and brake callipers, if you go high-end, you'll notice. Usually by them highlighting the inadequecies of the other parts of the bike. So when I fitted a set of pretec callipers, I realised how outrageously undersprung the bike was. Then I fitted a wilbers shock and realised how poor the front damping setup was.

In all, it opens up a rabbit hole.

Fork seals and bushings are somewhere where the cheaper end of the market really let themselves down.
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I did the 2010 Round Britain Rally on my 350 Bullet. 89 landmarks, 3 months, 9,500 miles.

[chickenstrip]

For me it's not so much brand loyalty as sticking with things I know work well for me, since it costs money to experiment. If I was better off, I'd try more different products.
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[WD Forte]

I went to Protyre for new tyre
they asked me what sort I wanted
"One o them cheap black ones please" I replied

I know of the snobbery but ridden on them all and couldn't tell the
difference if I'm honest
If I was trackday type rider then I'd probably be more picky
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bikers smell of wee

[MarJay]

I used to have only Bridgestone tyres, and then they came out with the 016 which was pap, so I switched to Pirelli. Then I stuck with Pirelli for a while, but then I bought a bike with Michelin Pilot Road 4s on it, and... they are bloody good. Maybe it's just that Bridgestone and Dunlop don't make tyres suited to me.
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British beauty: Triumph Street Triple R; Loony stroker: KR1S; Track fun: GSXR750 L1; Commuter Missile: GSX-S1000F
Remember kids, bikes aren't like lego. You can't easily take a part from one bike and then fit it to another.

[Diggs]

[xX-Alex-Xx]

I always stick with Michelin for the hoops, just because I've always had great experiences with them and I know what I'm getting. Won't touch Dunlops with yours because of the opposite...
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DILLIGAF

[LessIsMore]

[arry]

The only tyres I've ever felt genuinely uncomfortable on were Bridgestone BT021's. They didn't feel great from the start but wore horrible undulations across the dual compounds and sapped confidence like you wouldn't believe. I'd never buy another set.

They were replaced with Pilot Road 3's - picked because I'd had Pilot Road 2's on my CBR and they were fine, which replaced the Dunlop S whatevers they were on there to start with which were also fine.

I've had Conti Attacks on the KTM that everyone seems to hate but felt they were excellent (apart from getting 3k out of the rear).

I've got Avons on the Enfield that everyone seems to hate but again, they're excellent (apart from what can you really tell with a bike with sub 30 horses).

I've got Metzeler on the R NineT which again, get some pretty mixed reviews. I think they're great (apart from getting 5k out of the rear).

So in summary, I won't buy Bridgestone again due to bad experience. With that said, I suspect if I bought a bike with Bridgestones fitted they'd be fine and I wouldn't bother to change them unless worn.

[Fizzer Thou]

I rode for many years on Pirellis,but when they moved production to the prc I switched loyalties to Michelin,mainly because several friends were using the PR3s to good effect.I now use them on all of the big bikes and may well look into buying the enduro tyres for the KTM as the majority of Michelins are made in Spain,or so it appears.

I once rode on some rising sun tyres which were not Bridgestone but were lethal and did not help the handling of my Honda 750.They were ditched at the local recycling place as soon as was possible,replaced by Dunlops made in Birmingham,namely K91 Red Arrows.Back in the day they were top notch,but when production was switched to the far east I bought Metzelers as they were made in Germany.Production of many of that companies tyres has now moved to the prc,so they are no longer on my shopping list.

As for brake pads,for many years I have relied on Ferodo.But the performance of some HH rated Gold Fren pads installed during the big rebuild on the FJ1200-3XW surprised me on the ride around the continent in the following years after the big rebuild.

I avoid brake pads like vesrah like the pandemic.....
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