Tyres - Lets revisit

[Frankiesan]

Hello,

Some nOOb questions for you all.

Firstly cause I'm no where near my bike and for future reference, what are the Tyre sizes for the rappy? - Are there any variations e.g. on a car you have a different profile with little impact (See Barryboys.com )

Tyre history is as follows;
(first 12 months)
F - Conti Road
R - Conti Road attack (went through 2 of these)

Now I learned to ride my bike quite bloody fast with these tyres. To get through a turn I had to push the bike down into the corner (It would always push it's self back upright) and could therefore control the line I took by simply letting it pull out of the corner or push harder if I needed to tighten up.
Now I know they weren't perfect tyres nor did they provide Ooodles of grip.. They moved around allot and never seemed to get to a normal tyre temperature. However I built a riding style around it and those chicken strips were non existent. After speaking with my mechanic he agreed that this was because of the shape of the tyre, it's more of a ) shape than a > shape.. This means drop in would be slower.

(Ever since)
So upon suggestion and to get me round Europe my mechanic suggested the Pilot Road 2's I'm now sporting. Now I'll not argue these tyres have done far more miles than I ever expected, however there shape (which is more like '>' ) now that I'm not fully laden with gear is causing me some troubles. It seems the bike now drops in 2 stages into a corner, the first is ok for sit up riding and not going at mad speeds. The second for me is totally unusable as it makes the bike want to turn so bloody sharp I nearly 'clipp the apex' (aka smashed my face into the inside kerb) a few too many times to be funny... I'm also in the position when I do go at speed I'm finding the bike doesn't want to come out of the corner only tighter into it. Now I appreciate I should be able to ride round the problems and the different feel the tyres give, but, I'm not a racer I don't have to abide by any rules except those set in Law so I don't have to use these tyres...

What I'm looking for now is a tyre who's profile is more rounded so that I can return to riding style I preferred, because lets face it the rappy is already a quick turning bike for what I need. It has been suggested I find some Bridgestone's as they're more of a mid ground in terms of profile and that I should avoid Meltzer and Michelin, even maybe Dunlop's. But I definitely don't want conti's.

Any suggestions folks

[vassilis67]

I have just put on a pair of pirelli diablo corsa. i think they are what you need, a ) type of profil than a < type.They allow the bike to lean in a way that won't frighten you.Of course i have a Mille rear swingarm on so the rear tyre is a 180 -55/17 than the original 160.

[shebee]

020 bridgestones...

[weirdo]

Avon Storm ultra 2's, had 'em on over a year and i think they're the best i've ever had.
I used to use the "sticky race" type tyres all the time, but normal road use didn't get them hot enough to work properly that often.
http://www.raptorchapter.org.uk/viewtop ... ilit=tyres may help.
180 is standard on the thou.

[dizzyblonde]

What Weirdo said

I'm far from a racer....more like Miss Daisy. I've had Avon Azaros, Storms on both my SVs. I got a Storm Ultra 2 fitted last year on the rear of the Raptor, as I like Avons, and being of the tourer type needed a tyre for the rap thats equally good round corners as longevity on motorways. Not only that I'm not overly keen on wibbles in rain....so I wanted one that stuck like glue. Upto press its coupled with a Avon Viper Sport on the front...which, much as its sticky as a sticky thing in the sun, its abismal in the rain. It is rather sharp, than rounded, and it flops into a corner like no tomorrow, but its really not the tyre for me, so next week the Raptor gets a new front shoe. Storms give excellent feed back, great cornering, just great everything TBH.

My OH has new Metzler roadtec Z6s thingies on the ZZR14, he always has Bridgestones. Reluctantly, and cause we're skint took the Meztler roadtec thingies. .... and was actually very surprised as to how quickly they warm up in comparison the the Bridgestones and also how numb the Bridgestones have been shown up to be. Do very well in all circumstances, and stick well enough to have zero chicken strips, without even attempting a knee down......not that he does try that....the last time he did, his knee stayed on the tarmac and they couldn't stick it back on
I've thrown perfectly good Metzlers away because I hated them so much...but that was some years ago, so maybe they have come a long way

[snapdragon]

Bridgestone 020s, have had (and very liked) an 021F 020R combo

Have been seeing some good reports on the 023 which folks are saying they find even better than the 020s so might be worth trying next time , should by my reckoning be a pair nex time - so I best start saving now

[RaptorJo]

Storm ultra 2 for me aswell, seem to just stick like glue, they have not let me down. Had a few incidents in wet conditions last year and I reckon if I hadn't had these tyres on, bike and I would have parted company down the road. Plus you get good mileage out of them ( unless like me you get a screw in it with only 3000 mile )

[pod]

I like the Pilot road 2. havent noticed the sudden drop in thing , mileage is great and no funny issues in the wet.
lasted lots longer than previous Bridgestones

[superaptor]

Wow very interesting thread. I used avons on my buell and yes its sticks well however cant ride agressively especially with the rear tire it took me one skid to make a bold spot on the tire. Well the new tire saved my life though when i almost crashed into a blind driver with a horse trailer!!!! Anyway on my cagiva i have an outgassed michelin road pilot? on rear. i reconditioned the tire it helped a lot its a great long trip commuter tire it doesnt melt at all and i do long skids to impress my lady fans ;p its 6 a year old tire with still 90% tread folks what do u expect? Anyway im a pirelli corsa guy too after going thru metzelers(good all weather commuters) Avon vipers, battlax' even retreaded race tires called (tomahawk) pretty good tires actually if vulcanized right by the remanufacturer aircraft company and they were the only colored motorcycle tires until they stopped making them anyway. oh diablos those little devils if u got the money buy diablo corsas! They are the best tires ever! i butchered a rear until 7 cables started showing and went to a 150 mile trip on that tire! i was not able to destroy the tire completely though and i gave up on it. one thing about the triangular design diablos is if u put a way too many miles on the rear on straight roads the rear will become square and feel awkward on slow turns on 190s so some people prefer 180s for that reason especially on aprilia mille- very heavy bike. Anyway so i was just going to upgrade my rear tire with a 190 supercorsa to match my front diablos traction though My 07 650 raptor has 180 michelin on rear and has plenty room for a 190. Or am i wrong? who has 190s on their bike besides my fellow mille lover Vassilis. Oh that sexy alloy banana swing arm on the mille! she was the love of my life with some pirellis

[superaptor]

Wow very interesting thread. I used avons on my buell and yes its sticks well however cant ride agressively especially with the rear tire it took me one skid to make a bold spot on the tire. Well the new tire saved my life though when i almost crashed into a blind driver with a horse trailer!!!! Anyway on my cagiva i have an outgassed michelin road pilot? on rear. i reconditioned the tire it helped a lot its a great long trip commuter tire it doesnt melt at all and i do long skids to impress my lady fans ;p its 6 a year old tire with still 90% tread folks what do u expect? Anyway im a pirelli corsa guy too after going thru metzelers(good all weather commuters) Avon vipers, battlax' even retreaded race tires called (tomahawk) pretty good tires actually if vulcanized right by the remanufacturer aircraft company and they were the only colored motorcycle tires until they stopped making them anyway. oh diablos those little devils if u got the money buy diablo corsas! They are the best tires ever! i butchered a rear until 7 cables started showing and went to a 150 mile trip on that tire! i was not able to destroy the tire completely though and i gave up on it. one thing about the triangular design diablos is if u put a way too many miles on the rear on straight roads the rear will become square and feel awkward on slow turns on 190s so some people prefer 180s for that reason especially on aprilia mille- very heavy bike. Anyway so i was just going to upgrade my rear tire with a 190 supercorsa to match my front diablos traction though My 07 650 raptor has 180 michelin on rear and has plenty room for a 190. Or am i wrong? who has 190s on their bike besides my fellow mille lover Vassilis. Oh that sexy alloy banana swing arm on the mille! she was the love of my life with some pirellis

[superaptor]

Correction i have a 170 on rear.and looks like got room for a 180 or a 190.

[Frankiesan]

Wow thanks Guys, Some tyres there i didn't even know exisited..

Pod I'm really surprise you don't agree with the feeling I get from these tyres. Are you on a 650 too?
It's more of a quicker rate of drop in that's just a bit too quick for my tastes.

It does seem like anyone I ask this question of always someone comes back with the Bridgestones.. Guess I'll look into some prices on these for now.

Everone else Cheers for the input.. If this Bs are useless I'll look into the other sugestions.

[superaptor]

good choice mate. I had a set of Battlax on my duke monster and that was the only thing which made up to the unstable rear of the pre monsters. good tire burn some rubber and enjoy your ride

[Frankiesan]

Guys, what are the tyre sizes you use?

I had a passing glance the other day and I'm sure it says 160 on there....

[Frankiesan]

Speaking to my mechanic I do have a 160 on the rear, how come you guys are using 170 and whats the benifit?