Tyres advice

[Celera]

Morning all.

I've come to the point where I'm going to have to change my tyres for the first time and I'd really appreciate it if there are any pointers or advice you could give.

I've got a Z800 and most of my mileage, unfortunately, is motorway/main road commute. I'm after something that will have a decent amount of durability in them, but I don't want it to be something that doesn't allow me to enjoy tilting the bike in either. Possibly looking for conflicting things, I don't know.

So, is there anything in particular I should look out for, or any specific recommendations people can make?

Cheers

[Musketeer]

For a non-sport road bike used for commuting mainly on motorways I would go for Michelin Pilot Road 4. Longevity is good, dual compound give you decent levels of grip, they are awesome in wet. Look no further.

No fun in buying a sport tyre that will square off in no time. PR4 has a very durable compound in the middle of its profile.

If your bike was a weekend toy for twisties (like mine) then I would say Pilot Power 3, Battlax S20 etc.
____________________
Current Bike: Yamaha XSR900 Previous bikes: Honda CBR1000RR Fireblade, Kawasaki ZX-6R Ninja, Aprilia RS125 2-stroke

[Wonko The Sane]

I've just put road pilot 3s on my ZZR for the intended same use. Happy with them so far and people claiming some decent millage out of them.
____________________
Looking to pass your CBT / Bike tests in Bury Lancashire? try www.focusridertraining.co.uk Would recommend.
They're also on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/pages/Focus-Rider-Training/196832923734251

[stonesie]

I have just put Metzeler Z8's on my Street Triple and they are a great tyre, I haven't noticed any lack of agility or feedback and they should last well. In fact they give me more confidence than the Rosso Corsas.
If you go to a tyre fitter that knows what they are doing then they should be able to get the slightly revised version with a duel compound rear, it doesn't look like I got that but I did get 6K out of the Rosso Corsas so should be up near 10 on these.

They were also rated better than the PR3 for wet grip by the Germans




The thing with Tyre threads is that everyone has a different opinion, stick with a big name sport touring tyre and it will do anything you ask of it, just NOT MAXXIS DIAMONDS!!! The one guy I know personally who tried them thought they were alright, until he rode in the wet then he was doing a burnout at most traffic lights to get rid of them.

[iooi]

Just swopped from Pr3's to Avon Storm 3d x-m.

Difference is like night and day..... Avon all the way.
____________________
Just because my bike was A DIVVY, does not mean i am......

[Dibble]

[weasley]

[Bubblin77]

Go for the pr3 or 4's and you'll never look back, I have the same bike and it transformed the handling in the wet, plus last linger than the 2000 miles I had out the d214's it comes fitted with.
____________________
Kawasaki Z800 (SOLD)

[P.addy]

[iooi]

[Karl Bird]

I have a Z750 and have gone from Pirelli Angel st which square off to quick for my liking, to Avon Storm 3d x-m and love them. Only been on for about 300 miles but the grip is good wet or dry.

[Fizzer Thou]

A friend has PR3s on his '07 Blade and is able to keep up with me when we 'make good progress'.So I put a PR3 on the back just before I went to France and it gave a vague feedback as has been said above.Not in any way as positive as the Pirelli Diablo Corsa 3 that I normally have on the back wheel.But in the 2,200 miles that i rode around the Continent,it never gave me any cause for concern,even at ***mph on a certain three lane road going towards Millau
____________________
Just talk bikes.What else is there?

Always have a 'Plan B'

[evoboy]

[P.addy]

Couldn't fault the Avon vipers I had on the GSXR, however for the money I'd have others.

[Musketeer]

[bikertomm]

I too need tyres for my hornet early next year...

I would get PR3's but I don't ride in the wet at all.. would PR2's be good for more summer road?


____________________
07' Honda Hornet now full powaah! My guide on performing an oil change!

[evoboy]

[P.addy]

[evoboy]

[Fizzer Thou]

[Pigeon]

[iooi]

[c_dug]

OP. What you should take from this thread is that everybody has a different opinion on tyres, and that it might take you a few go's to find something you are comfortable with.

What I will add, and that nobody seems to have touched upon, is that the age of a tyre itself has a fair effect on the grip it offers, in the case of BT023's the difference is Night and... err... dusk?

I quite recently replaced a punctured rear BT023 with a part warn BT023 with very similar wear to my original. The part worn had lost it's black look though, it was a faded grey colour. When I got around to checking the date of the replacement it turns out it is over 10 years old!

In the dry I haven't noticed any difference in feel between the original fresh tyre and the old replacement, though visibly the rubber snots up a lot more on the fresh one than the old one which would suggest something is different, but, in a blind test I don't think I would know the difference.

In the wet the old rubber locks a lot easier and feels more vague. I find myself riding a lot more cautiously too, I can't seem to trust the tyre. I'm not entirely sure how much of it is what I am feeling through the bike and how much of it is placebo effect from just knowing that it is old rubber. Still, I can't help but feel that in a blind test I would know the difference.

If it was the front tyre I think I would have changed it now, just to feel safer if nothing else.
____________________
I am a bellend, I am a man of constant sorrow, I am a gummy bear, I am a rock.

[weasley]

[chickenstrip]