Touring Tyres for a CBR500R

[DUCAUDI]

My son and I have been fans of the S22 for some time now and I struggle to think of a time when we didn't have them (or the S21, as in its previous guise) on our bikes.

However he started a new job last year and has been commuting from Maidstone to Orpington and back 5 days a week (275 miles per week).

He's now got a HUGE flat spot on his rear tyre. Hasn't really been a huge issue for him throughout the winter as he's only been using the bike for motorway commuting, however the last couple of Sunday we've gone out and it's quite badly affecting his handling and he's lost confidence in the tyre. There's tread on the tyre, it's just very badly flattened out in the centre. With the warmer weather not too far away with sunday rides and bike nights beckoning, clearly it's time to change that tyre.

I've always paid for his tyres in the past when he was living at home and said not to worry about the cost just get the best tyre for the bike, but he's trying to be more independent now and has moved out etc. and wants to start paying his own way in life (gotta respect that, wish I could say I was the same at his age) and is therefore looking at things with cost effectiveness more in mind. He doesn't want to put another S22 back on there if it's going to scrub straight back out again very quickly afterwards.

He's looking at getting something a bit more touring-orientated however, like me, he enjoys a spirited Sunday ride as much as the next person and enjoyed the grip that the sticky S22s provided. He's asked my advice and without any real knowledge on the subject (I've just always stick to S22s because they work well for me) I've kinda suggested considering the T32s but I don't really know how much extra appreciable wear they'll give and whether there'll be any noticeable reduction in confidence on the side of the tyre.

Can I get all your thoughts on selecting a relatively sporty tyre for his CBR500R that's going to be better wearing than the S22s? I appreciate that it's largely going to be a sliding scale in terms of how much you are prepared to compromise one way or the other regarding wear and grip, but is there a tyre out there that delivers better than expected on both fronts?

I heard a load of people rave about the Michelin Road 6s before.

The Multi V4 Pikes Peak should be delivered first week of March, with a bit of luck, I might start looking at racking up more miles myself now the warmer weather is on its way with trips to France once or twice a year as usual and the 200 mile round trip to Cambridge every other week. I think it comes with Diablo Rosso 4s. With that in mind, any recommendations what to replace them with when those wear out would be greatly appreciated as well, weather to replace with the same again or move to something different.

Thoughts?
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2023 DucAudi Mehrstraße V4 Hechte Gipfel - "Objectively the best motorcycle ever produced" - "You can have any colour, as long as it's red"
2021 Honda CMX500 Rebel S
2006 Suzuki DR-Z400SM

[Rob W]

Road 6's.

Not a 'sports' tyre but I doubt you'll ever find the limits of these on the road. I've got them on my GSX-S and they're absolutely amazing, in all weathers and conditions.
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'16 GSX-S1000F

[stinkwheel]

Pilot road 4, road 5 or road 6 won't dissapoint. They will square but a good twisty blast will shape them up again.

Mate had some on his Blackbird for our Spain tour last year. Rode it to Portsmouth from Perth for the ferry and the rear was looking about done, just off the wear bars so he was planning on getting it replaced in spain. Did 1500 miles in Spain on twisties and it looked better, still just off the wear bars. The he rode it home, still ok. Then he did another two 300+ mile club runs on it. It's on the wear bars now so it's getting replaced for spring.

Wet grip is amazing. The further up the series you get the better the wet performance gets and the better the grip when well worn is. According to the bumf, a 6 grips as well when 2/3 worn as a 5 does new.
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“Rule one: Always stick around for one more drink. That's when things happen. That's when you find out everything you want to know.”
I did the 2010 Round Britain Rally on my 350 Bullet. 89 landmarks, 3 months, 9,500 miles.

[Kentol750]

T32s would be fine, although (and I don't have a problem with any manufacturer) I wouldn't go away from road 4 onwards unless the price was really good. Road 4 are excellent, 5 better, 6 cost more but last longer than 5s apparently.
Didn't think the stock tyres were too bad on the 500r I did 2k on, the very simple suspension and lack of power probably helped.
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Some bikes.

[DUCAUDI]

Thanks everyone for your input

I don't know what the CBR500R stock tyres were from new as we bought it with around 25k on the clock.
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2023 DucAudi Mehrstraße V4 Hechte Gipfel - "Objectively the best motorcycle ever produced" - "You can have any colour, as long as it's red"
2021 Honda CMX500 Rebel S
2006 Suzuki DR-Z400SM

[c_dug]

You don't tend to get many plain touring tyres anymore, they pretty much all have the "sports touring" title.

I don't think there are many people who will truthfully outride a modern sports touring tyre on the road (or on the track for that matter).

I've ridden on the latest Pilot Road and the T32 and honestly wouldn't be able to tell you the difference in a blind test. I'd go for whichever is cheaper at the time.
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I am a bellend, I am a man of constant sorrow, I am a gummy bear, I am a rock.

[stinkwheel]

I did a full-send overtake on the VFR on road 6s in standing water at the tail end of last year, fully expecting the rear to spin up, it did not. I've not had any other road biased tyre grip like that. I was running M7RRs before that and it would for sure have squirrelled about under that level of abuse in those conditions.
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“Rule one: Always stick around for one more drink. That's when things happen. That's when you find out everything you want to know.”
I did the 2010 Round Britain Rally on my 350 Bullet. 89 landmarks, 3 months, 9,500 miles.

[P.]

I did that commute for 7 years. Pilot roads, nothing else.

[ThunderGuts]

Another vote for Road 5s (or their successor). Got them on my VFR and they're fantastic. Wearing really well, tons of grip. What more do you want from a (sport) touring tyre.
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TG.

[Zen Dog]

Just for a bit of balance, I had the back end step out on me coming off a roundabout on my VFR800's Pilot Road 5s today. I checked the roundabout on the way back, no sign of oil/gravel etc. Surface was alternating dry with damp patches. First ride of the year on it so tyre pressures had just been checked. Been riding at least 5 miles so they weren't cold. Less than a thousand miles on them. I was accelerating "briskly" but not giving it the beans.

The tyres had a white tideline from all the grit when I got back though, so that's what I'm assuming the real culprit is. Point being, Pilot Roads are good but they're not magic.
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Current - '94 VFR750FR, '00 VFR800FI Previous - '10 Street Triple R, '92 MZ ETZ301, '05 TTR250, NSR125R, KMX125, "Honda" Win (chinese copy of an old Honda design with a C90 engine)
My bike trip around S.E. Asia 2010/2011

[stinkwheel]

It's amazing how tyres have come on over the last few years though.

I was at the Dragon rally this weekend on my Bullet. My rear roadrider was pretty much down to the wearbar so I threw on a spare wheel I have with an Ensign Universal tyre on.

Had to take a lot of care on the wet bits, you could feel it "walking" sideways if I went in too hot on a road I wouldn't even have bothered about on the avons. Mind you, they grip well on wet grass for a road tyre.
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“Rule one: Always stick around for one more drink. That's when things happen. That's when you find out everything you want to know.”
I did the 2010 Round Britain Rally on my 350 Bullet. 89 landmarks, 3 months, 9,500 miles.

[PotatoHead202...]

I've been using T31 for about two years on my CBF500 and haven't had an issue until recently when they started to square and tramline. Just changed to the T32 and they're fantastic.

On the VFR1200F it came with a PR4 on the front (shit) and an Angel ST on the back - reasonable unless wet when it skipped out once or twice.
Since changed both to the Angel GT2 and they're outstanding. Not had one issue (apart from a flat) with them. Unlike the Bridgestones they don't seem to need much warming up.

I fucking LOATHED the PR4s I had on a few bikes. Whilst they gripped well they tramlined like no other tyre I've ever experienced. Put me off of Michelin for life.
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Current : Honda VFR1200F, Honda CBF500 ABS. Previous : BMW K1300GT, BMW K1200R Sport, Aprilia Tuono Fighter 1000, Triumph Sprint ST 1050ABS, Triumph Speed Four, Aprilia RS125 2T, Aprilia RS50 2T

[TbirdX]

Running Metzeler Roadtec 1's on my VFR, no issues as yet but I probably haven't put that many miles on them.

Worth a look.
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VFR800X - TTR250

[trevor saxe-coburg-gotha]

[stinkwheel]

I suppose we shouldn't get away from the OPs main concern which was squaring off on commuting. There certainly will be grippier, better handling tyres but in terms of longevity, the PR4+ series are hard to beat if you were to compare them with 4000 miles of daily riding on them.

I have some mates who are top level amateur racers (one of them just took third overall in the South Africa classic TT) and they all use Michelin road series tyres on their road bikes. He also uses PR4s as "wets" on his GSXR11 race bike because they aren't allowed race wets in that series.
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“Rule one: Always stick around for one more drink. That's when things happen. That's when you find out everything you want to know.”
I did the 2010 Round Britain Rally on my 350 Bullet. 89 landmarks, 3 months, 9,500 miles.