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Baggermike
| | Posted on Monday, April 07, 2008 - 09:38 pm: | 
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I got this little book on light weight touring from aerostich,
it was free when you spend so much and is really good at tips like the newspaper,
only five dollars and small and easy to carry if anyone is interested.
glad you had a good trip,
weather is just starting to warm up I think,
they say if you do not like the weather in New England wait five minutes,
the weather men can not even get the weather right.
Mike |
Cataract2
| | Posted on Monday, April 07, 2008 - 11:48 pm: |
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Zack, what seat was it you had on there again and how did it do for your butt? Also, how was the wind protection on the bike for the trip? |
Timmyusmc
| | Posted on Monday, April 07, 2008 - 11:55 pm: |
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Well it sounds like i am going to need to get the touring seat for sure. Zac how tall are you ? i am 6'2" and am thinking i might need to get new XBS pegs. I am only planning on 3 to 4 hours a day on my journey south to my new home. How long did it take to become uncomfortable with the foot position? |
Baggermike
| | Posted on Tuesday, April 08, 2008 - 12:06 am: |
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Timmy I bought my bike at a dealership over 110 miles away and ride up and back no problem and find it quite comfortable which surprised me.
I am 5'11"
Mike |
Timmyusmc
| | Posted on Tuesday, April 08, 2008 - 01:13 am: |
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i plan on riding around 2-300 miles a day for 6 days straight. While it might be comfortable the first day or two i think that it will catch up to me by the 4th or fifth day. |
Zac4mac
| | Posted on Tuesday, April 08, 2008 - 06:00 am: |
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I put the tour seat on the day I got the bike.
Don't know if it gave me any more leg-room.
I plan on getting a set of Lightning pegs soon.
I could go a half-hour or so before needing to move my legs.
I alternated between "heels against the peg" to "balls of feet" to letting my legs dangle behind.
I took off my passenger pegs but they would make a better place to hang your feet than dangling them.
Worked well, several times in the saddle for 2+ hours before a stop..
Wind protection is good when you tuck.
I have 3 fused disks in my lower neck, tucking is hard but doable.
You need to get your chin over the gas-cap to hit the "quiet zone".
2-3 hours at a time, you shouldn't get sore.
I did 1100 miles in 3 days going down and 2 days coming home... Kinda rough but I survived.
First leg of the trip home was almost 700 miles on Saturday. Ouch.
I'm 53 and no-doubt a bit stiffer than you.
Next day was a little less than 500 miles but I was losing too much body-heat for the first half.
After I got warm, it was easier, and fun again.
Got home and took a pain-killer.
Good to be home, even if it's snowing.
Z |
Zac4mac
| | Posted on Tuesday, April 08, 2008 - 06:15 am: |
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Forgot to add -
I bought a set of HIDs for the low-beams right before I left.
Decided not to make that big of a change that late.
OEM lights are very good, had zero visibility issues.
Still unclear as to needing one or two relays for the pair of lights.
Relay says 15 Amps and lights say 10A startup current each.
Stock tire is almost gone, tread is flattened but still good with 5703 miles.
I think I'll get 6000 before replacing.
Again, undecided on Pirellis again or Metzler M-3s like I put on the Firebolt.
Both are excellent tires, Metz's are 50 bucks cheaper.
Z |
Fresnobuell
| | Posted on Tuesday, April 08, 2008 - 02:17 pm: |
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I am going to use the corsa iii again on the rear, mainly to match the front. ON the next change both will be ready for replacing, so a decision will have to be made. Zac, i would be interested in your experience if you go with the M3s. I like those alot. |
Zac4mac
| | Posted on Tuesday, April 08, 2008 - 06:10 pm: |
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Harlan, I decided on the Pirellis.
I figured I'll get an extra thou or more from them vs. the Metzlers.
The M3s on my old Firebolt have a little over 4 thou and they're getting long in the tooth.
The Corsas on Loretta have half-again more mileage.
Hell I might HAVE to do some burnouts just to finish them off.
Really scratching my head as to how Asbjorn killed his in 2500 miles but I get 6000 out of mine.
I refuse to accept that I'm that conservative of a rider...
Z |
Jdugger
| | Posted on Tuesday, April 08, 2008 - 06:38 pm: |
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It depends on two things:
1. how much you get on the throttle, in particular wheelies.
2. corner speed
My first Corsa III rear lasted about 2200 miles. My second rear lasted about 1200.
By the time I replaced the second rear (3500 ish total), the front was also shredding and the soft parts of the tire had worn significantly more than the harder center, creating a chattering around corners.
One the second tire, I was not riding the Buell so much harder as much faster in the corners. That eats tires.
I put the Diablo Rosso on this time. They feel great so far after a weekend in hill country texas. I'm hopeful I'll get 3k out of them. |
Timmyusmc
| | Posted on Tuesday, April 08, 2008 - 11:05 pm: |
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Well being that the 'lil lady wont let me take off her pegs I will be using them a lot on the highway. Looks like all I will be getting is the touring seat for the time being. I thank you very much for all of the input and insight that you have provided. This site and the folks on it are a godsend for me being as I will only have about a week from the time I pick up the bike until the time that I hit the road. And there is no way in hell that i will trailer or put the bike in the truck bed for the trip south. |
Fresnobuell
| | Posted on Tuesday, April 08, 2008 - 11:21 pm: |
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Jdugger, Rossos are an option. Please keep us posted on how they wear and perform.
I wish that one of the sport mags would do a shootout on the new dual compound tires and maybe throw in a few of the most popular single compound for comparison (Pilot powers, M3s, Rossos).
Zac, looks like I will get about 4,000 on the stock Pirellis which is about identical to what I got on my last set of M3s on the XB. Whatever that means... |
Doerman
| | Posted on Tuesday, April 08, 2008 - 11:37 pm: |
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Keep in mind Zac that you have had winter to deal with and as a result had to be conservative. 
Not to rub it in or anything, but I've not. 
I put Pirelli Stradas on mine and I'm going to get a lot more mileage out of those compared to the first set. There seems to be minimal to no compromise in corner performance with the Stradas either. |
Jdugger
| | Posted on Wednesday, April 09, 2008 - 03:05 pm: |
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Jdugger, Rossos are an option. Please keep us posted on how they wear and perform
I have about 1k on them now after a ride in the TX Hill Country, and my report so far is they are very good. Very sticky and seems to offer a slightly faster turn in than the Corsa III.
They are stable in the corner and transition well. At my skill level, I'm not riding all the way to the edges of the tire on the street, so if you carry more corner speed than I do, you might get different performance.
I'll know more after this weekend when I do 1,500ish in a weekend trip to Arkansas.
The Corsa III felt a bit more sticky to me, but they wear out so fast under agressive riding...} |
Jdugger
| | Posted on Monday, April 14, 2008 - 11:13 am: |
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Diablo Rosso report:
After about 2300 miles of twisties, I have worn out the Diablo Rossos.
The back did very well and finally wore to the cords (steel). The shoulders of the tire were at the wear bars. Also, the center wear bar indicators are just now at the tread, so know that when you hit the wear bars on this tire, you are DONE.
The fronts are worn out on the shoulders completely. They are smooth in some parts, and cupped and along the tread cut lines work unevenly now. The bike shakes in a corner on these worn tires.
As a tire, I really liked them. Very confident and with great grip on the sides. The front performed perfectly stable until it had just been beat up.
I would say under agressive sport riding, you can get around 2-2.5k out of the Rossos. A little bit less for really fast riders, and a little bit more on the slab. |
Chameleon
| | Posted on Monday, April 14, 2008 - 06:06 pm: |
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I got 5300 miles out of my Corsa 3s.
Switching to Metzler Z6s now. |
Jdugger
| | Posted on Monday, April 14, 2008 - 06:41 pm: |
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> I got 5300 miles out of my Corsa 3s.
> Switching to Metzler Z6s now.
How?!?!?! Are you just riding slab at 45mph or something?
I get anywhere from 1200 to 2000 from the Corsas, depending on how hard I'm riding.
You must just be nursing those tires. 5.3k! That's amazing for a tire I only get as little as 1200 out of! |
Zac4mac
| | Posted on Monday, April 14, 2008 - 08:50 pm: |
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I'm pulling my OEM rear tire tonight.
The photo-burnout yesterday did its job.
I have about a foot of steel just showing its edges.
6060 miles.
At the price of these tires, I'll milk 'em till they bleed.
Tomorrow I'll have a new tire AND wheel!
Gotta pull the disk and sprocket off the ugly blue-black wheel and put them on the shiny Amber wheel.
Then Mikey can balance it and I can ride again.
Still waiting on a couple of pieces of bling and Loretta will be stylin'.
Zack |
Xb9
| | Posted on Monday, April 14, 2008 - 08:57 pm: |
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Scorpion Syncs for the road, you'll never go back. Save the Corsa 3's for the track! |
Jdugger
| | Posted on Monday, April 14, 2008 - 09:29 pm: |
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Zac4mac,
Can you take a picture of your rear tire for me?
This is gotta see. |
Bigblock
| | Posted on Monday, April 14, 2008 - 10:58 pm: |
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I had 1,962 on mine and the rear was threads, no rubber left, and the front was well into the wearbars on the sides. They were shite the last 300 miles, just didn't feel too good.
I have switched to scorpion syncs.
They are hard to compare, going from skins to fresh rubber, and as the weather is warming up now, but they are a great tire. And with about 700 miles so far, I think they should atleast double the corsa mileage. |
Zac4mac
| | Posted on Tuesday, April 15, 2008 - 01:41 am: |
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OK - here's a shot of the tire after 6040 miles and a couple of burnouts at the end.
after 3 tries...
Z |
Chameleon
| | Posted on Tuesday, April 15, 2008 - 01:58 am: |
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Well, I didn't have the steel belts showing. Had about 1/16th of an inch tread left in the center. Could have pushed them longer, but I'd rather not risk a blowout or something.
Not sure how my tires lasted a lot longer than everybody else's...
I commute to work at least 3 times a week on the bike 28 miles one way. Probably average speed of ~80mph.
I had gone 150mph at least 3 times and up to 145 at least half a dozen other times.
Was doing power wheelies and even a few short burnouts.
Maybe our roads out here in Washington state are in better shape and are more smooth? |
Spectrum
| | Posted on Tuesday, April 15, 2008 - 08:07 am: |
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Road surface material can make a huge difference in tire wear.
Here in NC, there are sections of the Blueridge Parkway that are notorious for shredding tires with just one afternoon of spirited riding on them. |
Jdugger
| | Posted on Tuesday, April 15, 2008 - 08:31 am: |
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> Not sure how my tires lasted a lot longer than everybody else's...
> Maybe our roads out here in Washington state are in better shape and are more smooth?
I can tell looking at Zac's tire *excatly* why they lasted so long: he's doing very, very little hard cornering. That tire is basically new outside of the center, and that's typical of a commuter.
Take that bike to somewhere with a lot of twisties or a track and keep the speed up, and you will go through it a whole lot quicker.
Smooth roads do help, but the reason Zac's tires lasted so long is he basically never rode the bike anything but upright. |
Zac4mac
| | Posted on Tuesday, April 15, 2008 - 08:39 am: |
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Not a good idea to lean a lot when it's 14-30˚F outside.
Also I just got back from a 2600 mile road-trip...
The side rubber is NOT virgin, she gets leaned, just not all the time.
The Pirelli rubber is very hard when it's cold, I doubt the next tire will last that long as Summer is almost here.
Warmer roads, more trips into the mountains with twisties.
I've had the rear swing out full sideways several times and the front wash a couple of times but no drops.
I'm pushing her as hard as the climate and my abilities will allow.
Z |
Chameleon
| | Posted on Tuesday, April 15, 2008 - 08:39 am: |
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I did commute quite a bit, but I also took the long/fun way to/from work plenty and got out with some friends (or just by myself) whenever possible to rail the twisties.
My tire did have more tread toward the sides, but the wear was a lot more gradual than Zac's.
Oh well, don't care... What's done is done. |
Ccryder
| | Posted on Tuesday, April 15, 2008 - 09:17 am: |
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Just try northern AR if you want some aggressive road surface! Great traction but it DOES like to eat tires! Heck I wore off the cupping on my front tire in AR (on my ST1300). Guess I was getting a little aggressive there ;+}
Neil S. |
Jdugger
| | Posted on Tuesday, April 15, 2008 - 10:05 am: |
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> Just try northern AR if you want some aggressive road surface
Push mountain and 123! AWESOME!
This weekend we were up there. My buddy borrowed my ST1300 and completely balded the rear tire except about 1/2-inch of tread at the very edge. It looks like a racing slick! The front looks like it was melted -- completely smooth on the shoulders.
On my 1125r on the same roads, I killed a new set of Diablo Rossos in about 2,000 miles. The front sides are cupped and on the outside of the treads they are worn a whole lot more than the center. They are smooth at the edges even as they have some tread left in the center. At speed, you are literally "sledding" that front tire around the corner!
The rear on the 1125r is showing cords in the center, and is at the wear bars in the shoulder of the tire. I'd never worn out a set of tires on the edges before the center before, but you can do it in AR.
AR roads are SO SMOOTH and SO PREDICTABLE. Twisting our way up magazine mountain we were hitting corners at 2x and 2.5x, and yet were just swirling up and down the hills with plenty of safety margin left and riding very comfortably. Arkansas is a completely different experience than north Texas, for sure! |
Rocketray
| | Posted on Tuesday, April 15, 2008 - 11:19 pm: |
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"Not a good idea to lean a lot when it's 14-30˚F outside."
in Colorado, low temps and -sand- make for treacherous riding in the twisties. Spring has sprung but will be awhile before I can really start to hit the corners.
In May, will have the privilege to ride my bike through the state of Arkansas. Basically will be traveling through Tulsa or OK City to Memphis with some spare time to 'play'. Any suggestions on a nice route?
Thanks,
Ray |
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