Tourance Next - Good or Bad

[Deleted account 190920001]

Not sure if this will give the exact post

http://www.advrider.com/forums/showthread.php?p=21842511

 

[Pablo1]

There is a thread over on Adventure with a letter from Metzeler stating the pressures should be 38-42 front and 40-42 rear. The interesting comment was that running less than 40 front or rear would adversely affect wear. It also states that OEM Next tyres have 1mm less tread than the standard aftermarket Next

This is bollox, the latest info on bmw manual has not changed the tyre pressures at all, also the metzler site concurrs with this, correct pressure for tourance next
solo 2.2 front 2.5 rear
loaded 2.5 front 2.9 rear

drove bike one day at pressures suggested in post above and it felt like driving on bricks

 

[Deleted account 190920001]

Yes sure ok so the guy from Metzeler doesn't know what he is on about. Will be sure to ask you any and all things bike related in the future since you are the expert.
Close the forum Pablo is the man!

 

[Adventure Boy]

2.2 and 2.5 seems too low to me that equates to 31.9 PSI front and 36.2 Rear
Mine are 36 front and 42 rear and they feel fine theres not a 5mm chicken strip on either tyre so they do go round a corner at that pressure

on the other hand 2.7bar= 39.1 psi and 3.0Bar= 43.5psi seems too high as when the tyre gets hotter the pressure goes up the rear when Hot could be up to around 48psi that really seems too high

Pressure convertion taken from here
http://www.centauro-owners.com/articles/psibar.html

Im no tyre expert and may stand corrected but I wouldnt run those pressures

 

[Pablo1]

Yes sure ok so the guy from Metzeler doesn't know what he is on about. Will be sure to ask you any and all things bike related in the future since you are the expert.
Close the forum Pablo is the man!

just saying the bike rides like shit at those pressures, took the trouble to ring the motorrad dealer who fitted the tyres and looked up metzlers own website, no evidence that next need to be run on anything other than the pressures in the bike handbook.
good tyres in my opinion.

any further bike related advice you need dont hesitate to ask

 

[Cooky]

if you go to the pdf link posted by David Lee above then, as I see it, Metzler recommend a 36 front and 42 rear (atleast for my 2010GS) even for solo riding. I ride mine at those pressures and find the bike to be good.

What is awkward about these tyres is that any slippage from those pressures makes a negative impact on the handling (not terrible). My Roadsmarts I could leave for month or so (commuting every day) and not notice any handling difference.

 

[Martyn H]

This is bollox, the latest info on bmw manual has not changed the tyre pressures at all, also the metzler site concurrs with this, correct pressure for tourance next
solo 2.2 front 2.5 rear
loaded 2.5 front 2.9 rear

drove bike one day at pressures suggested in post above and it felt like driving on bricks

Like others, I'm confused.

I have just looked at the Metzeler site, & for my GSA they recommend the Next at 2.5 front, 2.9 rear. I understand that to be 36/42 psi.

 

[Nick V]

I know nothing about the Tourance Next as they don't seem to be available here yet.
But within the last week, I got hold of a set of nearly-new OE Tourance EXPs (off a 2013 GSA to which the owner had fitted new Metzeler Karoos) and fitted them to the '06 GS.

These tyres replaced a set of Heidenau K60 Scouts, which I never liked - they were noisy and unstable. At anything over 160 Km/h, you needed to treat the bike with kid gloves - it would start weaving and trying to tank-slap.

The EXPs have transformed the bike. It's now dead calm and composed at an indicated 210 Km/h, even over slight bumps. It's difficult to make it tank-slap, even if I poke it with a stick - I can now chase guys on R6s and GSX-R 600s without the front end going mental.

I'm 1.86m tall and weigh 80 Kg. My settings:
Front tyre: 2.5 Bar cold.
Rear tyre: 2.9 Bar cold.
Front preload: notch 3 of 5.
Rear preload: midway.
Rear rebound damping: two turns back from maximum.

If you are at all enthusiastic about fast tarmac riding, my advice is: stay away from the Heidenaus. They will eventually bring you to grief.

 

[Roymondo]

http://www.metzeler.com/site/uk/products/technical-databook.html

This is the link - download the PDF and it gives the info..its quite a big document though

I think you may have misread the info. Nowhere in that document does it recommend 2.9 Bar Front & Rear for a 1200GS of any flavour. It quite clearly states 2.50 Bar front and 2.90 Bar rear for all 1200GS variants with all Metzeler tyre models. Those are the same pressures listed in my GSA's handbook for two-up and/or heavy loads

 

[Pablo1]

I think you may have misread the info. Nowhere in that document does it recommend 2.9 Bar Front & Rear for a 1200GS of any flavour. It quite clearly states 2.50 Bar front and 2.90 Bar rear for all 1200GS variants with all Metzeler tyre models. Those are the same pressures listed in my GSA's handbook for two-up and/or heavy loads

+1

 

[DutchBryn]

I have these things on my 1150. They follow-on from TAs.
Compared with the Contis, the Nexts are very, very stiff.
And with what was my previous standard 36/42 set up, the bars oscillated when crossing white lines etc. A bit like a pair of past half-worn ME33/99s from the '80s

Now, with 33psi in the front, it's become tolerable through being less sensitive. Not as comfy and complaint as the TAs at the higher pressures, though.

Not going to be a repeat purchase for me

 

[Roymondo]

I have these things on my 1150. They follow-on from TAs.
Compared with the Contis, the Nexts are very, very stiff.
And with what was my previous standard 36/42 set up, the bars oscillated when crossing white lines etc. A bit like a pair of past half-worn ME33/99s from the '80s

Now, with 33psi in the front, it's become tolerable through being less sensitive. Not as comfy and complaint as the TAs at the higher pressures, though.

Not going to be a repeat purchase for me

Mine came with the TAs from new. I thought they were pretty good - until they got to about 50% worn, when they changed character and became very wobbly and twitchy on white lines and overbanding and made the bike reluctant to lean into the bends. Very disconcerting. I changed to Dunlop TR91 and have been very, very pleased with them over several tyre changes. I am tempted to try the Michelin PR3 Trails, but TBH with the TR91 suiting me as well as they do, I'm not really looking to change.

 

[Blobby]

...I am tempted to try the Michelin PR3 Trails, but TBH with the TR91 suiting me as well as they do, I'm not really looking to change.

+1 for the TR91.

Brilliant confidence-inspiring grip in all weather on tarmac and a few lbs either way with tyre pressures doesn't cause any issues whatsoever.

 

[DutchBryn]

Mine came with the TAs from new. I thought they were pretty good - until they got to about 50% worn, when they changed character and became very wobbly and twitchy on white lines and overbanding and made the bike reluctant to lean into the bends. Very disconcerting. I changed to Dunlop TR91 and have been very, very pleased with them over several tyre changes. I am tempted to try the Michelin PR3 Trails, but TBH with the TR91 suiting me as well as they do, I'm not really looking to change.

What ever (dumb-luck) combination of where I ride etc resulted in the TAs maintaining much of their original shape/form. Even at the end (not much left), they still behaved themselves. The only odd thing they did was to produce a thrumming sensation when leaned over.

The promise of better wet-weather performance lured me away to the Nexts-an advantage I still have, but at the cost of (to me), reduced comfort and stability.

The Dunlop TR91s are said to supple, like the TAs and to have everything the Nexts have, except longevity. That was the decider for me - I need to ride at least an hour and a half on motorways before I reach anywhere worth riding around

 

[Nick V]

Mine came with the TAs from new. I thought they were pretty good - until they got to about 50% worn, when they changed character and became very wobbly and twitchy on white lines and overbanding and made the bike reluctant to lean into the bends.

This describes the behaviour of a similarly-worn rear K60 Scout pretty well.
The tread is so deep that when the tyre starts to square off (which it does pretty soon, because the compound is quite soft), it's profile becomes nearly flat. When you finally manage to force the bike 'past it's limit' and lean in, the rear breaks away all too easily.

I had this happen to me on my old F800GS - I was riding home on the M1 one night when I hit a slightly greasy patch while leaned over, changing lanes. The back stepped out with no warning. If I'd held the throttle open a half-second longer, I'd have gone down the road on my @rse.

Two new Anakee 2s later: Sorted.

 

[sagalout]

Just done 2000 miles on my Next. Look as if I will get more miles out of them then EXP as there is lots of tread depth. I find the handling has been excellent, surefooted wet and dry. I have been riding a few miles at weekends on unsurfaced roads, and gravel and find them adequate as long as it is not wet and muddy. Can't say I have noticed any tendency to be upset by lines. Less influenced than my Tiger 1050 on PR3's. My only complaint is that the rear is squaring very quickly though I can't say I can tell in the handling. But I am a new owner of the GS, so not sure what the benchmark is. But very happy so far on feel and handling wet and dry.

I am on 2.2 2.4 bar, simply because that was the way they were fitted and I liked it.

Completely off topic, but did you used to have a Versys a few years back? I'm sure I did a ride out with you and sold you a few bits when I got rid of mine for a ZX12R.

 

[sanensafe]

Put a pair of these on yesterday. Completely transformed the ride. Very stiff in the sidewall, so a little more harsh ride than EXP's. Turn in is nice and controlled and holds line beautifully with no tip in mid corner, need to force it upright though as fails to come up on throttle. Bike feels more racey, now needs an extra 30bhp. Coming your way hilltop.

Sent from my tablet with spelling and grammar as if I'm on them.

 

[oldnfat]

What ever (dumb-luck) combination of where I ride etc resulted in the TAs maintaining much of their original shape/form. Even at the end (not much left), they still behaved themselves. The only odd thing they did was to produce a thrumming sensation when leaned over.

The promise of better wet-weather performance lured me away to the Nexts-an advantage I still have, but at the cost of (to me), reduced comfort and stability.

The Dunlop TR91s are said to supple, like the TAs and to have everything the Nexts have, except longevity. That was the decider for me - I need to ride at least an hour and a half on motorways before I reach anywhere worth riding around

+1 for TR91s on my GSA - great tyre wet and dry. A lot of motorway mies and squared off at 7000 miles. I will be sticking with these as they are the best of the many tyres I have had so far.

 

[David Lee]

Just thought I would post an update on NEXT's now that I have covered 3000miles on them.

After my initial responses, these tyres have started to grow on me

Upping the pressures certainly helped with the uncertain grip when travelling over uneven or broken surfaces during the first thousand miles.

Since then, the NEXT's have become grippier and more confidence inspiring. I have kept the pressures high at 2.7bar/2.8bar front & back and am now very happy with them.

Wet weather grip is excellent too

So, would I have another set? the answer is 'yes'

 

[Nick V]

Just thought I would post an update on NEXT's now that I have covered 3000miles on them.

After my initial responses, these tyres have started to grow on me

Upping the pressures certainly helped with the uncertain grip when travelling over uneven or broken surfaces during the first thousand miles.

Since then, the NEXT's have become grippier and more confidence inspiring. I have kept the pressures high at 2.7bar/2.8bar front & back and am now very happy with them.

Wet weather grip is excellent too

So, would I have another set? the answer is 'yes'

Odd that some of us end up taking the role of Development engineer for a longer span of time than we take the role of 'biker'.
(Yes, that applies to me, too. )