Sport Touring Tires? Best bang for your buck?

[ImolaFem]

I plan on doing a lot of commuting and road trips on my bike this summer... over 3k miles a month. So I need some tires that will last.

Can someone give me recommendations on sport touring tires they liked? I want to get the best tire for the money I'm spending... and something that lasts.

[Mista Black]

staying with decent tires (no ching shen's) i'd say dunlop 220's. they're cheap, they stick and they seem to last (from the people i've talked to who've run 205/220s for a while).

[Coloradoray]

I run a D220 rear and have been very happy with it so far. Has about 4.5k on it and still has plenty of tread. This is on my SuperHawk.

[Mista Black]

i just put on the rear and gave it a good thrashing this past weekend... it sticks nice. it's the first 220 rear i've had on the bike but i know quite a few others who've gotten good milage.

[Devaclis]

I really love the Dunlop GT 501 front I have. Just under 4 k on her and no reall signs of wear yet.

http://www.ridedirect.com/showProduct.php?id=68

[Mista Black]

unfortunately they dont have a size for a F4i front or back... and the F4i runs radials not bias...

but it is a nice tire. i ran 591's (the predecessor - sp - to the GT501) and it sticks!!!

[kevplus2]

avon av45/46

great grip and wear. wet traction is really good too

[BigE]

I just got Pirelli Diablo Strada's and they are sweet! They're basically the same as Metz SporttecZ6's.
I ran Metz Z4's and they worked well also and since they're being discontinued you can find some good deals on them.

[ImolaFem]

I just got Pirelli Diablo Strada's and they are sweet! They're basically the same as Metz SporttecZ6's.
I ran Metz Z4's and they worked well also and since they're being discontinued you can find some good deals on them.


What sort of mileage do you see with the Pirelli Diablo Strada's/ Metz Sporttec Z6s? Or, how did you do with your Z4s? With what sort of riding style?

[ImolaFem]

avon av45/46

great grip and wear. wet traction is really good too


What sort of mileage do you get out of these with what sort of riding style?

Reading on here, people say those Avons are a low-side waiting to happen....

[«TigerTamer»]

I just had a set of Metzler Sportec M-1's put on my bike and so far I love em. Don't know how long they will last, but for a heavy bike like mine, they stick like glue!

[kevplus2]

so far i have 4000 on a set on the zrx and the rear probably has another 3 or 4000 left in it (more than that out of the front). the tires have seen everything from commuting to 2 up in the cold rain up poudre canyon at a rather "spirited" pace to weekend runs over peak to peak and i have yet to have a problem. the zrx isnt a light bike either

i also run avons (av49/50) on a tls and havent had them slip either. they have been pushed harder than the ones on the rex and so far feel really good (dont have alot of miles on them yet)

i would agree that the old avons were pretty much crap but in the last few years they have been putting out some great tires

[Mista Black]

the M1's stick but they wont last as long.

ImolaFem: i ran an Avon on back of mine and it stuck just fine. the only time the bike drifted with em was when i was trying to drift it. i think i only got about 3,000 miles from it though.

[ImolaFem]

Looks like the 220s seem to be the cheapest and longest lasting tire... still with the ability to keep my bike in good traction during some canyon carving...

[BigE]

I just got Pirelli Diablo Strada's and they are sweet! They're basically the same as Metz SporttecZ6's.
I ran Metz Z4's and they worked well also and since they're being discontinued you can find some good deals on them.


What sort of mileage do you see with the Pirelli Diablo Strada's/ Metz Sporttec Z6s? Or, how did you do with your Z4s? With what sort of riding style?

I've only got about 300 miles on the Strada's so far (only had them a week). Very sweet riding!
The Z4's I got about 8k out of. I commute 75 miles a day(and I rode all but five days from April 1 to around late Oct./early Nov.) and hit the canyons as much as I can. Did two trips to Durango on them so about 2.5k of the miles there. Had them worn to the edges (no chicken strips) and down to the wear bars on the sides of the tread, center got pretty flat from commuting the last couple thousand miles. Put a Z6 on the rear with the (worn) Z4 on front and didn't like the handling much. But then got a big nail/screw/spike thru the rear after two months so that solved the problem :lol:
Umm, my riding style in canyons, ask Volition or Nilelator :lol: My big ol' Triumph hangs alright :D

[ImolaFem]

The one thing that I'm concerned about the flatness is I notice that the tread is basically useless right in the middle on my current tire. So if I hit rain I'll imagine I'll be hydroplaning. Do the sport touring tires have deeper tread than the streetbike tires?

[kevplus2]

not usually. they are usually just a little harder compound or less "pointy" of a profile. some have less siping in the middle to put more rubber on the road when commuting and hopefully you will get more mileage (the z6 is this way)

http://www.us.metzelermoto.com/MEDIA/TyreCatalog/11500237_Roadtec_Z6.gif

[towneh]

I have Metz Sporttec Z6s on my Bus(a) rigged for touring. hard compound takes them a bit to warm up (don't push in the canyons when they're cold). my first set lasted 10k miles including the 24hr border2border ride and 3k in 3 days ride. somewhat extreme conditions.... my second set has nearly 3k with only nominal wear. i am happy with them.

other info: BT56 lasted 2.7k, metz M1 lasted 3k,
BT020 lasted 6k

[~Barn~]

I would try Michelin's Pilot Roads. But then again, I'm kind of a Michelin guy.

[ImolaFem]

Have you run the pilot roads? To what sort of mileage?

The Z6s are looking good...

[voncon]

I agree with Kevplus... the Avon's were fantastic on the R1 for Sport Touring. I used them for an article and on my trip to Barber and back for the AMA's. I got about 8,000 miles out of them and gave them to a friend as take-offs while I ran their sport tire. He's got another 1800 miles on them so far. Once they got warm I was able to take them all the way to knee dragging status with all the luggage installed.

The article is posted on our E-zine under Features and is titled "Avon Calling"

Kurt

[~Barn~]

Have you run the pilot roads? To what sort of mileage?

The Z6s are looking good...

No, but I have to think that they are on par with the rest of Michelin's Pilot line-up. And I've never had any trouble getting less than 3000 miles out of Pilot Sports, so the "Roads" should at least double or triple that. :dunno:

[noskills]

Blowin' the dust off this old thread.

Anyone have a new input on this subject. My ST bike has stock BT020's with 4600 miles on them and the rear tire is just at the wear bars in the center. The outside of the tire has some wear but is pretty much fresh.

I'm looking for a tire that can get more miles but still lean when needed.

Opinions?

[Devaclis]

Ho

Lee

Shit


Zombie thread!!!


To contribute, I really like the Dunlop Road Smart tires. They lasted about 10-12k, did great in the rain, and were nice in the canyons.

[TFOGGuys]

Multicompound is the way to go these days: Pilot Road 2, Roadsmarts, BT021. Got most of them in stock, best prices!

[asp_125]

Ho

Lee

Shit


Zombie thread!!!


To contribute, I really like the Dunlop Road Smart tires. They lasted about 10-12k, did great in the rain, and were nice in the canyons.

+1.. except over tar strips. I've had my Roadsmarts last over 9K before the wear bars.

You know Ho Lee? I think he's my cousin in the old country. :D

[dirkterrell]

I'm looking for a tire that can get more miles but still lean when needed.


I like the Pilot Road 2 a lot on the VFR. Sticky on the sides and you can put a lot of miles away on the center. I've got 9K on mine and they still have a ways to go.

Dirk

[OUTLAWD]

my brit had bt020's stock...and they weren't called slipstones for nothing...I got 10k out of those.

this next time around I am going to have to go with Conti road attacks again, had them before and replaced them at 8k due to some bad cupping on the front because of my shitty suyspension setup...

great mileage, good in the rain, stuck great, except for when they were really pushed on hot days, but still very predictable. and the tread looks freakin awesome.

I have pilot roads on the brit now(not road 2's), and they feel horrible IMO, they turn in very slow, and don't seem to be as stable in sweepers...I don't look forward to riding the bike with the tires on it. They are geat on the slab...but what fun it that...I like the look on johnny crotch rockets face when I blast by him in the canyons or take the beast to the track.

You can make any tires last alot longer by keeping on top of tire pressures. I got over 6k on a set of 2ct's including a few track days and a few burnouts...now the 2ct's on my gixxer didn't fare so well....~3k miles...but a fun 3k miles

[TFOGGuys]

I like the Pilot Road 2 a lot on the VFR. Sticky on the sides and you can put a lot of miles away on the center. I've got 9K on mine and they still have a ways to go.

Dirk

+1 for the Pilot Road 2s

I have 10,753 miles on the ones on my FZ1, and they still have a bunch(maybe 4-5K) of life left. I can drag pegs pretty much at will, they work in the rain, and they have resisted my best attempts at trying to square them off.

[noskills]

Ho
To contribute, I really like the Dunlop Road Smart tires. They lasted about 10-12k, did great in the rain, and were nice in the canyons.

So at 10-12k both hoops needed changed? Thanks for the input, that's what I'm looking for. I'm also looking at the PR2's. I've been a PP2ct junky with my RR and would like to try the PR2's if the milage will be there.

[sag]

i like continental road attacks but i think theyre do for an upgrade or model replacement soon

[noskills]

i like continental road attacks but i think theyre do for an upgrade or model replacement soon

running these on your SV1000? What type of riding and how many miles do they go before change?

[Jason ON]

I've used Pirelli Stradas on my SV for the past 3 years and love them. Long wear down the middle (couple of long trips) and surprising stickiness on the sides.

[Nick_Ninja]

Avon Storms

I'm runnin Dunlop Roadsmatrs curently but the jury is still out on them. 5K and maybe 1K left.

[salsashark]

i like continental road attacks but i think theyre do for an upgrade or model replacement soon


running these on your SV1000? What type of riding and how many miles do they go before change?

I run road attacks on my Speed Triple. This is the second bike I've put them on and I like them. Great all around tire with plenty of tread life. Good performance in all weather conditions and I've put several K on them this summer without any issues.

[Dogsbody]

So, who locally has a decent price on the Michelin Pilot Road 2s? I need a set in 120/70ZR17 and 190/55ZR17 - bike is an 08 Kawi ZX10R (got 7200 out of the stockers).

[Nick_Ninja]

So, who locally has a decent price on the Michelin Pilot Road 2s? I need a set in 120/70ZR17 and 190/55ZR17 - bike is an 08 Kawi ZX10R (got 7200 out of the stockers).

TFOG or 303

[IT WASN'T ME!]

I plan on doing a lot of commuting and road trips on my bike this summer... over 3k miles a month. So I need some tires that will last.

Can someone give me recommendations on sport touring tires they liked? I want to get the best tire for the money I'm spending... and something that lasts.
Dunlop D205. I just picked up one on clearance at Performance Cycles for $70. I have a D205 on the rear of my bike right now with 10,000 mi on it and I think it still has another 2,000+ mi left in it. It has also given me good predictable traction wet and dry. I have a D207 on the front that I will probably get 20,000 milles out of.

[MileHighColt]

To contribute, I really like the Dunlop Road Smart tires. They lasted about 10-12k, did great in the rain, and were nice in the canyons.[/quote]

I have the Road Smart tires on my FJR1300 and they are really good tires. I've got a little over 2k miles on them and never a problem. I commute about 40 miles a day year round in all types of weather. The tires are good on hot/cold pavement and in the rain and even the occasional snow.

[Flyin Hawaiian]

+1 on the Road Smarts. Great all around with great mileage.

[Keepitgreen]

i like continental road attacks but i think theyre do for an upgrade or model replacement soon

I ran a couple of sets on the old Zx7 and loved them.. They warm up quick and grip nicely as well.. Had full confidence when caught in the rain as well.