Tyre question

Amanda M · Post by **Amanda M** » 18 years ago

Hi everyone

my lovely lovely raptor needs some new tyres. Which ones are good but not extortionately expensive because I'm skint after just buying a new rear disc for it...

Cheers

Amanda

Post by **snapdragon** » 18 years ago

For me it has to be Bridgestones BT 020, or look for a special offer on 010's as they're being replaced by the 012's I believe.
I know a guy who bought the retread type which were cheap but they developed a blister - not good

wreckah · Post by **wreckah** » 18 years ago

hi amanda, i finally found this place too

what do you want from your tires?

sports riding? go for sportecs, diablo's or pilot powers (powers best in rain)
moderate riding? go for metz Z6's, michelin pilot roads or something

BT010's are quite good too, although they can develop assymetrical wear, and then they become useless (i have seen this on numerous occasions)

i personally don't go for BT020's anymore, they're getting old. Z6's do the same, but offer better grip and even better mileage... (i used to ride on 020's all the time)

ozzy · Post by **ozzy** » 18 years ago

bridgestone 020,s are what are recommended,tried a few different combinations,but have found the bridgestones best. for even betting handling try a 010 on the front.
many people have different views on tyres. different riding styles suit different tyres as do different bikes.so listen to people who ride like yourself and have tried the tyres they are recommending/slagging on a RAPTOR.
In peterborough we have the famous roundabout that performance bike mag often goes on about,usually deserted, big with a perfect camber. with bridgestones you can hang off the side of a raptor knee down and often go past the plastic fantastics at very fast speeds.mate has same tyre combo on his buell and has same performance and gets round even faster.maybe bridgestones better on big v twins.

Adam · Post by **Adam** » 18 years ago

For those of you who advocate the 010 front/020 rear combo, I suggest you take a little stroll over to ukbeg.com and look at the 'stickie' article on tyres. It's written by Glyn who also works for Bridgestone. It may change your mind

I've got 014 tyres on my Raptor and both Buells.

wreckah · Post by **wreckah** » 18 years ago

great read! thanks

Amanda M · Post by **Amanda M** » 18 years ago

Ey-up Wreckah matey

I'm probably going to go with Michelin Pilot Sports. Can get a set for £165 and they seem to get good write ups. I thought about Z6s but they're out of my price range at the moment (£200 ish for the set...)

Cheers for the advice folks

ozzy · Post by **ozzy** » 18 years ago

having read the article on ukbeg a couple of times i can see nothing to change the mind of those who use the 010/020 combo. take the point about tyres running out evenly,but that was never an issue here. As th the bit about mixing 010/020s causing instability, he states generally mixing tyres can cause instability, there is no mention that mixing the bridgestones will, afterall he is involved in testing them and if there was any noticable instability (bearing in mind they are tested by proffesionals who ride much harder than 95% of us), he would have been able to state that as gospel, rather than saying they have to look at worse case scenario and advise with that in mind.
Cagiva also test there bikes with different tyres and till a few years ago raced them here in the uk, based at silverstone.cagiva recommend 020s.and thats after testing all available.

Adam · Post by **Adam** » 18 years ago

Couldn't agree more. I'm not surprised that Cagiva endorse the use of 020 tyres (front and rear I presume) because they are a fine tyre. I even used them on my racebike at Pembury once when I'd forgotten to take my wets and there was standing water on the track. Managed to get 6th place in class during that session (but quite a few of the really quick boys fell off

).
Were the 014 tyres available when Cagiva were testing?

DeanoSeadog · Post by **DeanoSeadog** » 18 years ago

I had 020's they were ok but not real grippy. Now got avon vipers. Noticably grippier, and seem to be wearing ok so far. I don't ride in the rain though. 020's are more "sport touring" than sport so I guess it depends what you want from a tyre. If your into touring though you probably have a bmw.

ozzy · Post by **ozzy** » 18 years ago

adam, im not sure what other tyres they tested, and i actually doubt they used 020s to race with.but have seen photos of atleast one of there 2 bikes with 020s on. so the fact cagiva reccomend them is probably out of testing and not because they have a deal with bridgestone to supply tyres for all there makes and models.
looking through previous posts on here about tyres it seems 020s and 010s seem the most popular,however that might be because their raps came with these on and theres been no reason to change them.
when most people on here recommend tyres it not nessecarily because they are the best tyre for performance, but a good all rounder,offering good grip,good milage and a fair price.think thats why bridgestone 020s are winners.
best gripping tyre in the dry for sunday afternoon windys in found was the old dragons.got a cheap set to try from local dealer when they undated them. fantastic grip,but as like most people on here i ride in all weather conditions,found the dragons were useless in cold and wet as i never wet far enough to get them hot.only got 2k out of rear as well.
another consideration when buying tyres. if you do alot of motorway driving you dont want expensive high performance soft compound tyres.i went from peterborough to edinburgh and back on softies,A1 all the way there and back same day.squared off 2 expensive tyres which then felt unsafe playing on the twisties afterwards.

Shlockengronk · Post by **Shlockengronk** » 18 years ago

ive tried dunlop 208s and michelin pilots (not sports but older ones in 2003)and found both nice and sticky when new but too loose when there was at least 75% to go in the tread, i'll be trying 014s next. i dont worry about long mileage too much though, i'd rather have grip

Demonbaker · Post by **Demonbaker** » 18 years ago

looking through previous posts on here about tyres it seems 020s and 010s seem the most popular,however that might be because their raps came with these on and theres been no reason to change them.

Sorry ozzy but that is BS. The majority of people on here incuding myself that use the 010/020 combination do so because we find it works well gives ample grip and durability. The bikes DID NOT come fitted with this combination but are the recommendations of riders that have a mixture of experience and a lot of milage

ozzy · Post by **ozzy** » 18 years ago

demonbaker, i never said that raptors came new with this combo,or with just 010s or 020s, the reference was that people like myself brought there bikes secondhand and where fitted with bridgestones.that very likely in most cases as bridgestones are the recommended tyre (020s) and most popular.if you dont have a grip or durability problem you would probably never change unless your looking for a cheaper option.hense bike would come with them. IF YOU HAD BOTHERED TO READ all the posts on this subject,YOU WOULD SEE i recommended the combo your using it was someone else who alerted me to possible dangers.i have no disagree ment ,i endorse and currently use that combo.

Demonbaker · Post by **Demonbaker** » 18 years ago

Ozzy, I have read all the posts and note what you say. However the comment that maybe most people yoused the 010/020 mix is maybe because that is what they came with did sound a pit patronzing(sp).
Sorry if it came across a bit strong but its not been a good week what with losing one mate a a fatal head on and finding another mate only has a couple of weeks left.