Tire thoughts

Lost Sheep · 04-12-2009, 05:07 PM

Well I have burned thru so many tires that I'm thinking of some extended wear tires, such as the Pirelli Strata It would be nice to get 6500 miles before the wear bars instead of 2500.
another decent article it basically says the strata starts out with 50% more tire tread bike land article
Has anyone had any experience with this?

vegaseric · 04-12-2009, 05:51 PM

I've never installed any of the sport/touring tires on my ride, but the Pilot Power/Pilot Road 2 combination on Pat's Zrex is pretty decent. There's just a bit of squirm from the rear Pilot Road 2 when the tire gets all of the way over on its sidewall, but it's all good.

Are you wearing out your front at the same rate as your rear tire?

vegasvideo · 04-12-2009, 07:34 PM

I like my Pilot road 2s. They are a nice compromise tire. I have the same issue. I only get 3K miles out of pilot powers

VEGASRIDER · 04-12-2009, 10:08 PM

I don't know how you can get only 3-4000 miles out of a tire. I got over 13,000 miles on my stock Dunlops and I almost have that many on my Pilot Powers. Based on the amount of tread I currently have, I'll probably get 15,000 out of these. These are the same tires I have carved Palomar Mt. and Big Bear, Malibu Canyon in Southern California and the Las Vegas Drag Strip during the Friday Night Midnite Mahem.

BlueRider7o2 · 04-13-2009, 03:11 AM

I don't ride super hard in twisties too much but I love my Dunlop Roadsmarts. They are a dual compound sport touring tire. The manufacturer claimed they'd get 10k miles and i'm around the 10,500 mark on mine and have plenty of tread left. Best guess is i've only used 60% to 70% of them. I did get a flat spot around the 5k mark from all the freeway miles I do, but still nothing getting near the threads or anything.

I think Chaparral has had a pair for the cheapest i've seen (around $260). And they have free shipping on orders over $100.

vegaseric · 04-13-2009, 05:14 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by vegasvideo

I like my Pilot road 2s. They are a nice compromise tire. I have the same issue. I only get 3K miles out of pilot powers

Did you swap out your front Pilot Power with a Pilot Road 2 yet?

vegaseric · 04-13-2009, 05:22 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by VEGASRIDER

I don't know how you can get only 3-4000 miles out of a tire. I got over 13,000 miles on my stock Dunlops and I almost have that many on my Pilot Powers. Based on the amount of tread I currently have, I'll probably get 15,000 out of these. These are the same tires I have carved Palomar Mt. and Big Bear, Malibu Canyon in Southern California and the Las Vegas Drag Strip during the Friday Night Midnite Mahem.

My co-worker, who has the same bike, experienced the same tire life on his OEM Dunlops as you. Those tires seem to have the rubber composition of a hockey puck. He just got a pair of Pilot Road 2's and I'm curious to know his impressions after riding on the new Michelins for a couple weeks.

Bikes with more weight/torque will wear through tires faster than lighter, lesser powered rides. Riding style will affect tire life as well. (of course)

toddulu · 04-13-2009, 08:44 AM

I run a strada in the back w/ a regular diablo on front on the vfr. Substatially more mileage and I'm happy w/ the performance. I only got 3500 miles out of the regular pilot power i had on before...

Spooby · 04-13-2009, 10:18 AM

Continental Road Attacks, about $275 a set, shipped from tireexpress.com, they're supposed to last 16,000 miles. I put about 2K on my last set and barely noticed any wear.

2upFZ1 · 04-13-2009, 12:05 PM

Dood, go with some goldwing tires. They prolly won't grip for shizzle on the mighty CBR, but you'll get more miles on them than my ex-wife.

I can't believe that you're getting such poor life out of the PP's. I thought they were supposed to last decent, similar to the regular Diablo. I can only rave for the Diablo's, the set I have on my bike has prolly 6k miles and 2 trackdays, and they got a while before the wearbars.

vegaseric · 04-13-2009, 01:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Spooby

Continental Road Attacks, about $250 a set, shipped from tirerack.com, they're supposed to last 16,000 miles. I put about 2K on my last set and barely noticed any wear.

I didn't know that the Tire Rack sold motorcycle tires and I can't find them on their site. Do you have a URL?

VEGASRIDER · 04-13-2009, 07:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by vegaseric

Bikes with more weight/torque will wear through tires faster than lighter, lesser powered rides. Riding style will affect tire life as well. (of course)

My dry weight for the FZ is 430lbs, about 100lbs heavier than the R6. My bike has 98hp, not as much as the R6 but I can stay pretty close down in the low-mid range, but after that I'm toast. My roomate has an R6 and his tires are starting to flatten out at 3,000 miles, and he really hasn't experienced much twisties. It definately comes down to riding style, you guys must be gunning it everytime you pull away from a stop.

Slejor · 04-13-2009, 07:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by VEGASRIDER

... you guys must be gunning it everytime you pull away from a stop.

Nah, just doing burnouts with the Gixxers.

vegasvideo · 04-13-2009, 08:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by vegaseric

Did you swap out your front Pilot Power with a Pilot Road 2 yet?

I put another Pilot Power on. I had a new one I hadn't mounted yet.

vegasvideo · 04-13-2009, 08:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by VEGASRIDER

My dry weight for the FZ is 430lbs, about 100lbs heavier than the R6. My bike has 98hp, not as much as the R6 but I can stay pretty close down in the low-mid range, but after that I'm toast. My roomate has an R6 and his tires are starting to flatten out at 3,000 miles, and he really hasn't experienced much twisties. It definately comes down to riding style, you guys must be gunning it everytime you pull away from a stop.

It also has to do with the bike. My ZRX is 100lbs heavier than your bike but it also has twice the torque. High torque, high HP motors eat up rear tires. I get 6K out of my fronts.

Spooby · 04-13-2009, 09:04 PM

Anyone ever balance their tires after they get them mounted initially? I bet not, maybe 1 or 2 people on here, but for the most part once the tires are "mounted & balanced" people tend to just say "they're good"

Now on the other hand if you had something that always keeps your tires balanced, (cough, cough, dyna beads) then maybe you'll have more tire life.

I had put over 10K on my pilot powers on the TLR, more torque than I knew what to do with, burnouts here and there and plenty of tire slippage. Still got 10K out of them

Got2Go · 04-13-2009, 09:35 PM

Huh?

Spooby · 04-13-2009, 10:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Got2Go

Huh?

That pic makes me think: "Have mercy" -Full House

I was saying if your tires are balanced you'll be able to get more life out of them.

vegasvideo · 04-13-2009, 10:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Spooby

Anyone ever balance their tires after they get them mounted initially? I bet not, maybe 1 or 2 people on here, but for the most part once the tires are "mounted & balanced" people tend to just say "they're good"

Now on the other hand if you had something that always keeps your tires balanced, (cough, cough, dyna beads) then maybe you'll have more tire life.

I had put over 10K on my pilot powers on the TLR, more torque than I knew what to do with, burnouts here and there and plenty of tire slippage. Still got 10K out of them

10 kilometers isn't very good for Pilot Powers

Not sure how you pulled that off on a TL but...good for you. I can't seem to do it. Of course I don't use my tire till the cords start to show either!

Spooby · 04-13-2009, 10:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by vegasvideo

10 kilometers isn't very good for Pilot Powers

Not sure how you pulled that off on a TL but...good for you. I can't seem to do it. Of course I don't use my tire till the cords start to show either!

LOL, no seriously, I used them until the tread indicators were flush with the rest of the tire. In theory balanced tires will wear more evenly, and should last longer than an unbalanced tire. I've experienced it before, the real test is that I have about 600 miles on these new BT-016's, we'll see how much mileage I get out of them. Oh and they've had dyna beads in them since they were mounted on the rim.

djmell762 · 04-14-2009, 10:34 AM

if i were really going after price and longevity i'd probably try these tomahawk retread mc tires. they are supposed to be a reputable aircraft tire retreading company.

example: eBay Motors: 190/50ZR17 TOMAHAWK MOTORCYCLE TIRE T3 FREE SHIPPING (item 250365807824 end time Apr-30-09 16:18:16 PDT)

Road Block · 04-14-2009, 11:56 AM

I am pushing 13,000 today on my Metzlers. I have all of you beat on weight, and probably pretty much on the tourque as well. I am amazed at how well these things are holding up. I run the spectrum as far as ridding styles and types! These tires are lasting pretty well. The only down side is that it takes a while for them to warm up.

My 2cents.

Got2Go · 04-14-2009, 11:57 AM

Road Block · 04-14-2009, 12:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by got2go

huh?

toddulu · 04-14-2009, 12:17 PM

beat not beet

BlueRider7o2 · 04-14-2009, 12:18 PM

2upFZ1 · 04-14-2009, 12:24 PM

I had to re-read PK's post to find "Beet". Knowing it was there was like "Where's Waldo"

vegaseric · 04-14-2009, 12:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Road Block

I am pushing 13,000 today on my Metzlers. I have all of you beet on weight, and probably pretty much on the tourque as well. I am amazed at how well these things are holding up. I run the spectrum as far as ridding styles and types! These tires are lasting pretty well. The only down side is that it takes a while for them to warm up.

My 2cents.

Now we're comparing apples to... beets.

I'm going to take a SWAG and say that the tires you're running are a made of a compound that considers ultimate performance an afterthought. If you put a tire with a compound remotely similar to a Pilot Power on a VTX, it would spontaneously combust.

Road Block · 04-14-2009, 01:01 PM

I understand what you are saying to a point. I am saying that a harder compound, which these tires represent lasts longer. I used to ride a V45 saber and would run Avons back in the day, my mileage suffered, but performance was great. The harder compounds lasted a lot longer, and I just had to warm up the tire a lot more.

I know that i can't run pilots or bt016s on my bike, knowing me, if I could I would try it!!

Spooby · 04-14-2009, 02:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by djmell762

if i were really going after price and longevity i'd probably try these tomahawk retread mc tires. they are supposed to be a reputable aircraft tire retreading company.

example: eBay Motors: 190/50ZR17 TOMAHAWK MOTORCYCLE TIRE T3 FREE SHIPPING (item 250365807824 end time Apr-30-09 16:18:16 PDT)

NEVER BUY TOMAHAWK TIRES

I have personally gone through 6 sets of these! First set were "ok" they slipped like no tomorrow when ever it rained, even sprinkled, this was in Florida, so the roads were always clean, it rained everyday.

Then I went through a giant experience on the other 5 sets that the company kept sending me, only because every tire set they sent me were "out of round" It was like experiencing a tank slapper at 10mph, I seriously couldn't go over 50 without looking like a totally moron shaking uncontrollably down the road. Everytime I had these tires mounted they were jacked, so I called the company, they sent a new set, picked up the old set.

After 5 sets I said that's it, and switched to Pilot powers, same rim (so I know that wasn't the problem) and everything way A- OK!

Spooby · 04-14-2009, 03:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by vegaseric

I didn't know that the Tire Rack sold motorcycle tires and I can't find them on their site. Do you have a URL?

Sorry Tireexpress.com

shortstack08 · 04-14-2009, 07:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Spooby

NEVER BUY TOMAHAWK TIRES

I have personally gone through 6 sets of these! First set were "ok" they slipped like no tomorrow when ever it rained, even sprinkled, this was in Florida, so the roads were always clean, it rained everyday.

Then I went through a giant experience on the other 5 sets that the company kept sending me, only because every tire set they sent me were "out of round" It was like experiencing a tank slapper at 10mph, I seriously couldn't go over 50 without looking like a totally moron shaking uncontrollably down the road. Everytime I had these tires mounted they were jacked, so I called the company, they sent a new set, picked up the old set.

After 5 sets I said that's it, and switched to Pilot powers, same rim (so I know that wasn't the problem) and everything way A- OK!

+1 i would never buy a retread for a bike!

VEGASRIDER · 04-14-2009, 09:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by djmell762

if i were really going after price and longevity i'd probably try these tomahawk retread mc tires. they are supposed to be a reputable aircraft tire retreading company.

example: eBay Motors: 190/50ZR17 TOMAHAWK MOTORCYCLE TIRE T3 FREE SHIPPING (item 250365807824 end time Apr-30-09 16:18:16 PDT)

The only thing remotely close to aircraft tires and motorcycle tires is what they put in to keep the tires inflated, and thats Nitrogen. Like other members have mentioned, "retread" should not even be in your vocabulary when your talking about putting tires on a motorcycle.