| Author | Message | ||
     Avc8130 |
So at 4k the factory rubber was pretty much TOAST. I did a bunch of research and settled on a set of Pilot Road 2's. I mounted them up on Sunday and finally got out on the bike to commute Monday and Tuesday. I INSTANTLY noticed how much better the bike handled. Previously the bike had some handling quirks as it turned in. I will chock that up to the wear on the old tires (flat in the middle). With the new rubber it turns in great. I got caught in major rain last night. These tires performed excellent. The wet grip is excellent. I will definitely keep everyone posted on mileage. Supposedly these tires should be good for 10k+. ac | ||
| Metalrabbit |
I have heard they are very good tires, specially in the rain. I'm out riding almost every day tryin to keep the last of my Corsa's round, I have 4,400 on those. I think I may go with the Conti Attack's on my next set. Just put a new set of Qualifiers on my 99VFR800 but havent even rode the bike back home yet. (Message edited by Metalrabbit on August 19, 2009) | ||
| Carbonbigfoot |
I'm probably 1K away from a front and back tire change, and was talking to my "tire guru" about what to plan. I think I am going to do a Pilot 2CT on the front, and a Pilot Road on the back. Might get em to wear out at the same time like that.... R | ||
| Xl1200r |
I'm starting to think about tires as well. The Pilot Road 2 looks like a good tire, but I like track days, so I'm not sure how well they'd hold up. I might just try the standard Pilot Power this time around - I hear they're really good. | ||
| Avc8130 |
I am not a fan of Continental motorcycle tires. I mount a lot of tires (side business) and I just do not like them. Talking to owners they claim to love them, but once I tell them about my history with Michelin (PP 2CT and PR2s) they realize their money could have been better spent. I use PP 2CTs on my track bike. I LOVE them for Novice/Intermediate use. I get 8+ track days out of a set. I would always suggest you get 2CT over plain PPs. The sides are softer so they will wear more evenly to the center. You can get them as cheap as $260/pair! ac | ||
| Xl1200r |
But the 2CTs are only softer at the very extreme edges - places you'll only be wearing when on the track. Since the track is such a small part of where I ride, I don't know that the difference in cost would be worth it. How cheap can you get a standard set of PP? | ||
| Xl1200r |
PS - I also do not like Continental tires. I had a set of Road Attacks on my XB, and there was dry-rot cracks in the tread within months. | ||
| Chadhargis |
DO NOT run Pilot Roads on the track. I was at Barber last year, and took a spin on my friends girlfriends SV650. I lost the front end braking into turn 5. They got greasy on me. Luckily I saved it on my knee and pulled it back up. The Pilot Power 2CT last me about 2 to 3 track days, but I had a big rear end slide my last track day. I'm going to step up to the Pilot One race tire next. I hear they are really good. | ||
| Carbonbigfoot |
Y'all realize that we are totally living in the golden age of motorcycle tires, right? Not only are tires available that do virtually race level performance, and have durability that makes them practical for street use, but there are multiple brands from which to choose that do all of the above. Just a minute to stop and smell the rubber! Rob | ||
| Dirty_john |
Ive got some Pirelli race compound super corsa ready to fit on the spare wheels for dry use - can't wait | ||
| Avc8130 |
Am I allowed to post a link to a non-sponsor? Some forums are picky about that. I buy all Michelin from 1 place. Ac | ||
| Xl1200r |
The the Pilot Powers wear more evenly front to back? My Diablo IIIs are getting pretty close to shot in the rear, but still look pretty good on the front. | ||
| Fresnobuell |
New tires are always oh so sweet! It's amazing how a squared off set of tires compromises handling. | ||
| Avc8130 |
I don't worry about even wear front to rear too much. Usually tires wear even enough. I have tried the whole 2 rear to 1 front mantra. What I wound up with? A BALD front tire only 1/3-1/2 way through the 2nd rear. Tires are individually cheaper as a set than buying individuals when each goes. The bike is only down for maintenance for 1 day. Performance tires on the street are lucky to last 5k miles. ST tires are usually good for around 10k. I buy ST tires so I can buy 1 set of tires each year. ac | ||
| Bertman |
I have two sets of rims and new tires are going on both of them. This weekend for a track day I am trying some Michelin Power One race tires. For my street set up some PR 2's are going on. That should be the extremes of the spectrum, although I love the PR 2's on my Firebolt already. | ||
| Jlnance |
I am not a fan of Continental motorcycle tires. I mount a lot of tires (side business) and I just do not like them. Talking to owners they claim to love them, but once I tell them about my history with Michelin (PP 2CT and PR2s) they realize their money could have been better spent. I would like to know more. I have been running Continental Road Attacks because they seem to last a while. Longer than the Syncs at least. Do the Michelins last longer? | ||
| Avc8130 |
Reports I have had are people happy with 8k miles from Road Attacks on SV650 (my other passion). Pilot Road 2s generally last 10-12k on an SV650. At ~$30/tire to mount/balance and 25-50% more mileage...it quickly justifies the extra cost for the PR2. On the SV board the "continental swing" went through. Continentals became the "unofficial" tire as everyone started running them. People were lured in by the pricing. My PERSONAL opinion is that the Michelins are better tires. Plenty of tests support my opinion also. Sport Rider did a track tire test. The PP2CT (90) scored 10 points better than the Sport Attacks (80). Side note: Michelins take very little weight to balance from my experience. Definitely seem to be less than most other tires. ac | ||
| Sparropie |
I love the pilot power 2ct. I think the corsa's are greasy feeling. They slip without letting me know what's up. | ||
| Chadhargis |
I've had the opposite effect. At the same track, on the same bike, with the same suspension....I ran a 1:13 with the Corsa III and the best I could do with the Pilot Power 2CT was 1:17 and that was because the rear end broke loose and scared the crap out of me when it tried to spit me off the highside. I have no confidence in that tire now. I hear the Power One is supposed to be awesome though. I've only spun up a Corsa III once, and that was in turn 10 at Jennings on the tires 5th track day. | ||
| Gentleman_jon |
I love the Pilot Road 2's on my XB12SR, but I don't do track days anymore. I have read some great reviews of the new Dunlop Qualifier 2, also known as the Sportmax Q2. Should be coming out soon. Supposedly optimized for the track, but with a dual compound for longer life on the street. Might be good for all you speed demons.  | ||
| Bigblock |
I like the pilot powers on my 11, I think as good as the corsa III, but I haven't done a track day on this bike, and the corsa IIIs were 9,000 miles and 16 months ago... Definitely look to wear much longer than the corsa, too. | ||
| Avc8130 |
Wait, you have 9k miles on Pilot Powers? ac | ||
| Redscuell |
"So at 4k the factory rubber was pretty much TOAST. " Must've been on a track, because my Corsa IIIs have passed 15,000 km on the street and could go to 20,000. | ||
| Bigblock |
??? Not me, I have never had more than 3,000 miles from anything on my 11, the corsa were done at 1900. The Pilots have less than 1,000 so far, but look real good, I'm hoping they'll surpass the 3,000 mile mark. | ||
| Avc8130 |
15000 km is like 5k miles...right? Lol That is insane. I went from 1/4 tread to past the wear bars in 1500 miles on the Corsas. There is no way dedicated performance rubber should be lasting more than 5k...let alone 10k! Ac | ||
| Jdugger |
Avc, The tire thing comes up here from time-to-time. I'm going to venture a guess most 1125r riders aren't heavy corner carvers based on the mileages they are getting. They are riding very smoothly, but with high tire pressures, relatively low corner speeds, and easy, easy, easy on the throttle in the corners. Probably mostly slab/commute duty on the bikes. There are people here getting 5-6k out of tires I don't get 1k out of! Case in point: I mounted a brand new (regular) Diablo last week. I took it to Arkansas last weekend. Rode my balls off for about 650 miles over Saturday and Sunday. The tire is 75% worn out now! It will barely make 1,000... if. My riding buddy was on a KTM 690 Motard -- a thumper! He also had a brand new Diablo rear. His was at the wear bar in the same mileage! My tires wear out in the shoulder area first... I often take them off (or sell them to the local squids) with 1/4 to 1/2 of the center tread left, depending on if they were track or Arkansas take-offs. | ||
| Bigschwerm |
same way with my tires 2000 miles and they are completely gone | ||
| Bigblock |
Well, I could get LESS mileage out of my tires if I tried, but who can afford that? My tires are always toast on the edges first, although I will often get even wear on the rear. After watching tread fly off at a very rapid pace, you can still ride spirited, but keep your tires for a little while. Don't spin the rear up out of every turn! It's easy to take a run up your favorite twisty section on this thing, and see the edges of your tire all molten and with rubber all balled up, but if you ride like this all the time, well, you are going to get less than 1,000 miles out of your rubber. Sounds Like you and your KTM buddy were being a bit competitive there Dugger! But, if that's your style, hey! My last track day on my Cyclone, and 96 miles on the track, and my tires were about 25%? done, I think I got another 1500 or 2000 miles from them on the street after, they were an Avon sport tire. But, then again, some people get less, some people get more, and some people get more with less! Or less with more! I do tend to run my tire pressures a few lbs higher than stock to hopefully get a little more mileage. (Message edited by bigblock on August 20, 2009) | ||
| Chadhargis |
I tend to waste a set of sport tires on the road in about 2000 miles, but I don't run my track pace on the street. I have a wife and kid that need me. Now, on the track, I can chew up a set of tires with relative quickness. | ||
| Jdugger |
Competitive: I'm never competitive on the street. Too dangerous as has been articulated so well. Instead, we ride a "pace". So, we will ride say "70" pace or "75" pace. That means, do your best to maintain 75 no matter what the road does. But, in the straights, we are not above 75. The challenge and goal is to maintain that steady speed. When someone sets "75 pace" on a twisty arkansas road with with a whole series of marked 25 and 30 corners... you know it's going to be a wild ride! ... and a 75 pace on an arkansas road.... well, let me tell you, that's gonna eat some tires in a hurry, and that's what we did this weekend! ... and, as for my buddy on the KTM... I might have him in the marked 20-40s, but when the road gets tight and into the marked 10-20s mostly... like the staircase stuff... fuhghet about it.... I'm getting left behind by the motard and the guy that knows how to ride the piss out of it! |
