Tyres - What do you fit??

First topic message reminder :

Who runs what, just coming up on fitting a set to replace my 020s

Wild-Kat-Wolf wrote:Well there's obviously no hope for me.... as I'm on BT021's .....though my chickens strips aren't too bad

Fi

there's no way i'd have the BT021s fi ... there's just too much tyre hitting the road for me with those ... you wanna get some dunlops ... my chicken strips are getting there but doubt i'll get them off as although the bike was personally set up for me that's only because half of it has been surgically removed to make it suitable for a dwarf ... don't think ezzy would take kindly to any more tinkering with her undercarriage .... but maybe thats where i've been going wrong mayhap i'll ask a man to tinker

I'm off soon to donnington to see Colin from 100% suspensions to have the kwak done
pete

Toxic Tom wrote:
I am running Maxxis Supermax front & rear, they where on the bike when I bought here & are only 400ish miles old. They are very very sticky in the dry & when up to tempreature & are etremly comfidence boosting.
Different story in the wet, they seem a bit squirmy, also if you havnt let them warm up & it is wet then they are not too good, I have had the back step out more than once.
Definitly a dry tyre & I will probably be swapping them for some more tour biased tyres when they need replacing. That said I bet they are great on a dry track.

Are you running the supermaxx sport [You must be registered and logged in to see this link.] or the supermaxx touring? [You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]

Wiz wrote:

Toxic Tom wrote:
I am running Maxxis Supermax front & rear, they where on the bike when I bought here & are only 400ish miles old. They are very very sticky in the dry & when up to tempreature & are etremly comfidence boosting.
Different story in the wet, they seem a bit squirmy, also if you havnt let them warm up & it is wet then they are not too good, I have had the back step out more than once.
Definitly a dry tyre & I will probably be swapping them for some more tour biased tyres when they need replacing. That said I bet they are great on a dry track.

Are you running the supermaxx sport [You must be registered and logged in to see this link.] or the supermaxx touring? [You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]

I think they are the touring ones, at least thats what the tread looks like.

I'm on my second pair of D208s, I'm used to them to I'd rather not fit anything else. Yam dealer in Glasgow refused to sell them last time telling me they were crap, although I bought the 1st pair on their recomendation first time round after they couldn't supply D207s. So I glasgow Ducati does my tyres now and they seem to be the cheapest :O

I was going to get Pirelli Angel tyres. Anyone used them? Not sure if they are new or not.

Gaz

The Angel recently replaced the Diablo Strada as the 'sports tourer' tyre. The Angels get a good write-up; I'm on a pair of the Stradas after years on Bridgestones and am really liking them.

I fitted a pair of Dunlop Qualifiers to my Fireblade and did the trip to France with them.

They seemed to be ok. Didn't square off much at all considering the amount of straight miles we did.

I only got to really try the tyres out "in anger" once on a set of bends used for a hill climb near Franks down in France. I must admit they did feel a bit weird. Now, it could have just been me as I haven't had much chance to ride over the last year, or it could have been that I haven't had these tyres before. They were filled with Nitrogen when I had them. For those that don't know, when your tyre is filled with air and the tyres warm up the air in the tyre expands and the pressure goes up (probably why people on track days run with lower pressures). However, Nitrogen stays constant and I wonder if it was because of this that the tyres felt weird.

Either way, when I've sorted out the Regulator problem I now have, I'll report back again.

Tony

I've just swapped to Maxxis supermax sports. Superb 600 miles so far. Not had them out in the really wet yet but giving me confidence in the dry. Dont know how many miles i'll get out of them as they seem to be sticky and soft. Will update all as I pile on the miles.

Oh Tony, Tony, Tony! You've only gone and fallen for the 'nitrogen tyre myth'! All gases expand and contract in exactly the same way under changes in temperature. The use of nitrogen in road tyres is a complete waste of money with no discernable benefit - needless to say I would cross the nitrogen off of your list of reasons for the weird feeling.

weasley wrote:The Angel recently replaced the Diablo Strada as the 'sports tourer' tyre. The Angels get a good write-up; I'm on a pair of the Stradas after years on Bridgestones and am really liking them.

I'm on them too after my Dunlops - only changed because i got a good deal - tbh i don't feel any difference between the 2 but thats probably because i wouldn't know what they felt like if that makes sense - anyway - i feel secure in dry and wet on them so i suppose thats a good thing!

weasley wrote:Oh Tony, Tony, Tony! You've only gone and fallen for the 'nitrogen tyre myth'! All gases expand and contract in exactly the same way under changes in temperature. The use of nitrogen in road tyres is a complete waste of money with no discernable benefit - needless to say I would cross the nitrogen off of your list of reasons for the weird feeling.

Oh well. The chap in the tyre place has gone and made a fool of me then. Thanks for that Paul. Numpty point maybe?

So, to update my report then. Tyres felt a bit weird when pushing them a bit but that might just be because I haven't ridden hard, or really ridden much over the last year or so.

Oh yeah, they were quite good in the wet. Trust me, we rode through monsoon conditions going down to and coming back from Franks in France. They certainly gave me a fair bit of confidence.

Tony

i'm on the maxxis supermaxxis touring. No issues with them but the rear now needs changing and I've done less than 3000 miles on them. They're cheap but looks like that is offset by lack of wear. Wouldn't put anyone off them though.
There was a good article in MCN 3 or 4 weeks ago that went through the vast range of tyres available these days. I'm afraid my choice comes purely down to cost. I usually find one make or another is having a promotional offer when I go into the tyre fitters and I will end up with them.
Steve.................

weasley wrote:The Angel recently replaced the Diablo Strada as the 'sports tourer' tyre. The Angels get a good write-up; I'm on a pair of the Stradas after years on Bridgestones and am really liking them.

Thanks, think I will give them a go. As I am a new rider, and want to commute a bit, I need something which isn't going to square off straight away and they seem like they will do the job.

Will let you know how I get on.

Anybody tried conti motions I have read several good reviews and therefore I am off to Thunder Road Sat to get a pair fitted.
Just wondered if anyone use them on their Cat and how they performed.

I haven't tried Conti Motions, though I've heard they last well. I had Conti Road Attacks on another bike a while ago and didn't like them at all compared to the BT020's that were on previously. The front was much too sensitive to grooves etc. in the road, and the wet grip was suspect. But they did wear well, so they were still on the bike when I flogged it!

A week ago I was out with a mate who has recently bought a FZS600 with a Road Attack fitted on the rear and without any prompting from me he said he felt the back end was sliding around in the wet. He's a Diablo fan, by the way.

I've got D208's on the Thundercat at the moment - so-so grip but not very good for wear. I'll be fitting Roadsmarts when they're done - I've had them on the FZ6 for a year now and they are really good - solid as a rock, good in the wet and last really well - 8,000 on the rear and looking like well over 10,000 on the front. So although they're pricey I think you get your money's worth.

Thank you for the feedback I have the cat booked in to thunder road on Saturday I will let you know how they go.

Good Points

Feel, stability at speed, traction. Roundness!


Bad Points

Because of the great performance I suspect the tyre may not last. We will see. 2 more mm of tread would be good !!


General Comments
Dubious about Continentals after poor performance of road attacks with my 1200 Bandit, but since the price of bridgestone 021's went through the roof I thought another go with these new Conti Motions for my Honda CB1300 which were a whole £45 cheaper than the 021's were in order. 1st impressions were good with virtually none of the teflon type release compound evident on the tyres, and in the hand the tyres felt more flexible than the bridgestones which do have a firm feel. I was still dubious that my big CB13 would rip these puppies to death in 2k miles like it did with Dunlop Roadsmarts..so a pair fitted and did the usual quiet first 70 miles to scrub them in and had no moments at all and everything was fine. The scrubbing in was done in wet weather and "washed" the tyre off nicely before the first dry day for ages, so time for a 80% scratch around the Forest Of Dean, the tyre behaved brilliantly and gave me great feel, better than the Dunlop Roadsmarts, and around the same grip levels. The tyre was noticeably hotter (which is good) than i have noticed before with other makes and at this time I would say with the much better feel of the road and the same level of grip as the Dunlops I would say the Conti's are better all round. When the big CB gets on the edge of the tyre it gives a little "feel" that you are approaching the limit which the Dunlop didnt and I personnally liked that although the Dunlop never did anything it shouldnt! Done 1200 miles now and the tyre is now in my mind a great Sport Touring tyre which as long as it does the minimum of 3.5k which I feel should be the minimum for a ST tyre then I will be a happy bunny.

Sorry but I can't stand Bridgestone (sadly my Cat has got 021's on it at the mo.) I have had experience with bridgestones on the Blackbird I owned and frankly they were rubbish! I have mainly gone for Metzler (not sure if they do a set for the cat). But fitted Metz to both my Varadero and the Blackbird and the results were superb! So much so that the Blackbird would power lift the front when taking off in first just because of the grip and with the varadero I was able to flick from peg to peg with no worries. These gave me the feedback I wanted so they would let me know when I was getting close to the limit. Come rain or shine they performed brilliantly. But again as many people have said it depends on what the individual requires from the tyre. I am stuck with the 021's for now as these were already fitted to the bike (and the wife would kill me if I changed them before they were worn out!).

Ok new tyres fitted 80 miles of taking it easy to go but first impressions are good I had to stop and check they had given me my bike back because it feels completly differen't.

If first impressions are anything to go by I wont be touching avons or bridgstones again.

Tygra wrote:Ok new tyres fitted 80 miles of taking it easy to go but first impressions are good I had to stop and check they had given me my bike back because it feels completly differen't.

If first impressions are anything to go by I wont be touching avons or bridgstones again.

280 miles on conti motions now and no complaints well worth the money.

I've not long ago had a set of Avon Storm Ultra 2 fitted to mine and so far so good

I have the avon storm Ultra 2 and apart from next to no grip when brand new they are ace on the track, in the dry and wet too. Not sure about in the snow

Cheers
Rosco

Rosco wrote:I have the avon storm Ultra 2 and apart from next to no grip when brand new they are ace on the track, in the dry and wet too. Not sure about in the snow

Cheers
Rosco

4 wheels only in the snow for me mate