Alternative tyre choice...

[Decompressing]

You see plenty of people who put pure road tyres on GS's but has anybody done the opposite with an RT, i.e put a dual-purpose tyre on an RT?

Somebody commented on another thread about the massive difference in tread depth between pure road and trail/dual-purpose tyres when new and it got me thinking.

I'm not proposing putting knobblier on an RT but my favourite tyre on a GS is the Trail Attack 3 which stick like shit to a blanket. Now I know that Continental do the Road Attack version which isn't bad, but I don't think its as good and, of course, the tread depth from new is significantly less.

So, has anybody tried?!

 

[snelly]

You see plenty of people who put pure road tyres on GS's but has anybody done the opposite with an RT, i.e put a dual-purpose tyre on an RT?

Somebody commented on another thread about the massive difference in tread depth between pure road and trail/dual-purpose tyres when new and it got me thinking.

I'm not proposing putting knobblier on an RT but my favourite tyre on a GS is the Trail Attack 3 which stick like shit to a blanket. Now I know that Continental do the Road Attack version which isn't bad, but I don't think its as good and, of course, the tread depth from new is significantly less.

So, has anybody tried?!

Is'nt there some Dunlop mutant tyres along the same sort of design with more tread. Or are you looking for even more tread depth?

 

[zoltan]

No, never. Why do it? They do come in RT tire size. So yes can be done. But is not recommended. Only 3gt & 4gt is recommended by Continental, speed rating is the same.

 

[Decompressing]

Is'nt there some Dunlop mutant tyres along the same sort of design with more tread. Or are you looking for even more tread depth?

Looks interesting!

 

[Decompressing]

No, never. Why do it? They do come in RT tire size. So yes can be done. But is not recommended. Only 3gt & 4gt is recommended by Continental, speed rating is the same.

I think I covered the reasons why in the initial post! TA3 grip level is off the scale, especially in the wet and is definitely better than the RA4.

The only reason that I can see for not doing it is, upon closer looking at the specs, the front TA3 has a load rating of 57 as opposed to the BMW spec for 58. The rear TA3 is fine.

 

[zoltan]

especially in the wet and is definitely better than the RA4.

If you are after wet grip the Roadtech 02 is unbelievable, now they have a £30 promo. I have them on the RS, done 4500 miles and still have some life left in them. Half of that distance was in rain. Expensive. But will have them again.

Metzeler | Brand

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[Morety]

Don't discount the original Road tech (01). It's still available and whist not up the 02 levels of front grip is still great as is rear tyre mileage. Fronts seem to go off at between 3 and 4K miles. Rears are long lasting, typically 5 to 6K miles. Off road/dual sport tyres whilst good on longer travel suspension for grip may not perform the same on the suspension and geometry of the RT, as they were specifically designed for big trailies and adv bikes. Another worth considering is the relatively cheap heavy duty BT023's. I've had good mileage from these in the past on big bikes and they offer very good levels of grip and good wet weather performance.

 

[Decompressing]

I'm right off Metzeler these days. My new 1250RT that I picked up just before Christmas has only done 800 miles and the front tyre has already become cupped, a staggering world record by any measure (and I'm used to heavy tyre wear on my previous K1600's).

I'm probably going to try a set of Road 6's on it (the demo RT I rode had those and they were great on a wet days test ride).

Of course, most tyres are great when they're new, I find its how they wear (particularly the fronts) as the miles increase that is the deciding factor for me.

The last time I had Michelins was on my K1600 and the Road 4's were fine (I wouldn't say anything more than that) when they were new but when the front started to go, the handling went off big time.

Pirelli Angel GT's have been the best so far for me (on the K). Even when the front started to square, they were still rideable for quite some time after.

Of course, all this is an individual experience.

Just remembered the other thing I hated about the Metzeler Z8 was the way the rear could go from looking 100% legal to showing cords in a single days ride! Have had Roadtec 01 and 01SE and they were ok but, for me, not as good as the Pirellis.

 

[zoltan]

Just remembered the other thing I hated about the Metzeler Z8 was the way the rear could go from looking 100% legal to showing cords in a single days ride! Have had Roadtec 01 and 01SE and they were ok but, for me, not as good as the Pirellis.

Pirelli owns Metzler so one can assume there is cross sharing of R&D, one can assume also that GT2 will be replaced, it's older than 02 and more expensive? Cupped after 800? Wow! Can't comment on Road6, but Road 4 was a good tire.

Promo £30 on Michelin until 30 April

Michelin

offer.michelin.co.uk

 

[Wrigsby1]

You see plenty of people who put pure road tyres on GS's but has anybody done the opposite with an RT, i.e put a dual-purpose tyre on an RT?

Somebody commented on another thread about the massive difference in tread depth between pure road and trail/dual-purpose tyres when new and it got me thinking.

I'm not proposing putting knobblier on an RT but my favourite tyre on a GS is the Trail Attack 3 which stick like shit to a blanket. Now I know that Continental do the Road Attack version which isn't bad, but I don't think its as good and, of course, the tread depth from new is significantly less.

So, has anybody tried?!

I once mentioned it re 1150RTs... The 1200 GS rear size fitted fine and had a tougher carcass and more tread... I'd had puncture probs with the flimsier road tyres and obviously mostly rear, especially Michelin and had/have plenty of mix n match experience over many bikes... BUT, the later bikes will have far less variety and judging by the regular tyre appraisal threads on here, way way less rider tolerance...

 

[Neil W]

Is'nt there some Dunlop mutant tyres along the same sort of design with more tread. Or are you looking for even more tread depth?

From experience Mutants are much better in the wet than in the dry and they are not that good a wet tyre !!!!!!!

 

[Robbieben]

I've currently got Pirelli Diablo Rosso IV's (not the Corsa version) on a couple of bikes and will be fitting the same to the GSA when the Mich Road 6's are ready for change. They are a far better tyre than the Road 6 in every way in my view, they both perform very well in the wet but when dry and warm the Pirelli's are so much better than the Michelin which don't like to be pushed under hard acceleration and will slip/slide a bit, it's nothing terrible and only on occasions it happens on poorer surfaces but the Pirelli is just very, very good IMHO.
M1000R currently done 3500 miles on the Rosso IV's about 75% worn.
Kawasaki H2 SX currently done 5600 miles on the Rosso IV's and will be changed in the next few weeks.
Even wear, no cupping, good in the wet on 200 Hp bikes, fantastic in the dry and in my view as good as full on sports tyres on a track day with the M1000R I had total confidence and no issues at all with pressures dropped front & rear by 6 & 8 psi.

 

[tojj29]

From experience Mutants are much better in the wet than in the dry and they are not that good a wet tyre !!!!!!!

That's strange, I recently bought a 1250GS Rallye TE with a new set of Mutants on it, and I have to say I'm mightily impressed so far. Not ridden them in the wet yet, but in the dry I find them just as good as the PR6's that were on my previous GS. They've been ridden hard so far, warm up fairly quick and give me great confidence in the twisties

 

[Neil W]

That's strange, I recently bought a 1250GS Rallye TE with a new set of Mutants on it, and I have to say I'm mightily impressed so far. Not ridden them in the wet yet, but in the dry I find them just as good as the PR6's that were on my previous GS. They've been ridden hard so far, warm up fairly quick and give me great confidence in the twisties

Found them scary in Europe on any tarmac overbanding (especially in the Alps) they would break traction and they are even worse on any striated motorway surfaces .
They are less than half worn but will be getting replaced asap, both my KTM 1090 and BMW R1150GS are running Tourance Next 2's and they are a much better tyre

 

[Neil W]

Found them scary in Europe on any tarmac overbanding (especially in the Alps) they would break traction and they are even worse on any striated motorway surfaces .
They are less than half worn but will be getting replaced asap, both my KTM 1090 and BMW R1150GS are running Tourance Next 2's and they are a much better tyre

After a rear puncture on the Daves Day run I had the excuse to junk the Mutants and replace them with Continental Trail Attack 3's, did a couple of hundred miles yesterday in mixed weather (torrential rain and then 23 degrees heat) .
What a difference , the bike just feels so much better and it is not just the placebo effect of new tyres,