Tyre Choice

[Riktus]

Good Morning
hope all you RTers are well. A question about favorite replacement tyre options for 1200RT. Not ready for a set yet but will be by September trip to France / Spain. i currently have Metzellers on and they seem fine - would be happy to replace like for like but interested to know if anyone feels that there are better out there?

Thanks in advance.

Rik

 

[Tilly]

Good Morning
hope all you RTers are well. A question about favorite replacement tyre options for 1200RT. Not ready for a set yet but will be by September trip to France / Spain. i currently have Metzellers on and they seem fine - would be happy to replace like for like but interested to know if anyone feels that there are better out there?

Thanks in advance.

Rik

Not long purchased a new RT which came with Metzlers but will be going back to the Bridgestone 023s I had on my last RT as soon as they need changing. Can't fault the Bridgestones.

 

[GFJ]

Pilot Road 2's

I've kept with Pilot Road 2's on mine. Dual compound tyre with good grip. My last set wore out on the shoulders 1st, still a few mill left on the centres.

Usually get 5-6k out of a set. Some report more.

 

[ducatiparts.110mb]

Maxxis touring. £150 a set and you can't tell the difference between them and Michelin / Metzeler / Pirelli etc.

4000 miles each - as before no diifference between them and Michelin / Metzeler / Pirelli etc

Mark

 

[Riktus]

Thanks for replies - it seems to be down to personal choice rather than a particular strong favorite.

Thanks
Rik

 

[Martyn H]

Good Morning
hope all you RTers are well. A question about favorite replacement tyre options for 1200RT. Not ready for a set yet but will be by September trip to France / Spain. i currently have Metzellers on and they seem fine - would be happy to replace like for like but interested to know if anyone feels that there are better out there?

Thanks in advance.

Rik

I think it's fair to say I've pretty much tried all the main makes - & none of them will serve you badly.
My current favourite is the Conti Road Attack, although at work we use the Dunlop Roadsmart's, & they are also very good - IMHO.

 

[Our Gee]

My RT came with Pilot Roads which where O.K. I changed them for Pilot Road 2 and am now on my second set which will be replaced before a trip to France next month. I tend to find that it's not "running out of tread" which dictates a change of tyres but the degredation in general ride quality, handling, feel and that bloody awful racket when leaned a few degrees off the vertical. All of the above starts at about three thousand miles and at about five thousand Iv'e had enough and change them. They would probably run for another three thousand and still be legal but that's not the point. Putting new rubber on (any make) is always a revelation. Magic carpet ride, bike can be positioned within a millimetre and oh so quiet. Then three thousand miles later the magic is fading and I'm asking the same question as
Rik.

 

[zoltan]

Pilot Road 3

After some people raved about them I went for a set , not tried them in the rain , but in the dry they are superb. I had Z6 before and I chaged them for PP3 at around 6000 miles. Not cheap

http://www.michelin.co.uk/motorcycles/michelin-pilot-road-3

 

[The smudger]

My RT came with Pilot Roads which where O.K. I changed them for Pilot Road 2 and am now on my second set which will be replaced before a trip to France next month. I tend to find that it's not "running out of tread" which dictates a change of tyres but the degredation in general ride quality, handling, feel and that bloody awful racket when leaned a few degrees off the vertical. All of the above starts at about three thousand miles and at about five thousand Iv'e had enough and change them. They would probably run for another three thousand and still be legal but that's not the point. Putting new rubber on (any make) is always a revelation. Magic carpet ride, bike can be positioned within a millimetre and oh so quiet. Then three thousand miles later the magic is fading and I'm asking the same question as
Rik.

Absolutely spot on! Great tyre post

I have BT 020's on mine at the moment, they have well and truly 'gone off'. The bike is starting to handle like an old tractor, wiggle about under heavy braking, and generally feel shite.

One thing i will say for these though is they were about 1/3 to 1/2 worn when i got the bike, i have done about 5k miles, and theyre still (just) legal

I too am thinking Maxxis..............

 

[rttim]

Interesting stuff!

I've had a couple of sets of Conti Road Attacks. They grip well, wet or dry, but don't seem to last very long. But they are usually a bit cheaper than Bridgestones, Michelins or Dunlops, so the cost per mile probably works out about the same. The tread groove pattern seems to prevent them going 'noisy' when worn. With Pilot Road 2s, the feathering at the trailing edge of the tread 'blocks' is what causes the noise.

I'm currently using a pair of Metzeler Z8s. They're good too, although it's too early to comment on longevity yet (only about 2k miles on them), but they still look new. No squaring off evident. Good grip in all weathers (I've recently been to Scotland! ).

I thought about Maxxis when buying the Metzelers. I might try a pair next time. Very attractive price and they get good reports in various bike mags.

As stated by earlier posters, a new set of anything always feels better than the worn-out set of whatever you've just taken off!

 

[Riktus]

Thanks for all your posts and advice.

I have the Z6's on at the moment and they are coming up to 3000 miles in. The bike was new in May and I have a long trip planned in September to France and Spain - not sure weather to change prior to trip or not. The Z6's look like new and are more than capable of catering for my riding style, just worries me that you guys see the tyres "going off" shortly after 3000 miles.

I think in fairness I have a couple of months to get my head round it and the bike will have done another 1000 miles by the trip time so I can then see if the problem occurs.

Cheers for all your advice though

Rik

 

[Capt Over-reaction]

CONTI ROAD ATTACKS, cheaper now they have released the Road Attack TWO

 

[iftikartaxis]

tyre wear

a very good post
my tyres although not wore out it saled through the MOT test
i thought i was losing the plot the bike didn't feel right going round corners
i was following my mate he has a 1200gs and it felt as if i was being steered into the curb
brand new tyres the bike is fantastic again
just shows it creeps up on you i will be changing them well before they are too low

 

[The smudger]

CONTI ROAD ATTACKS, cheaper now they have released the Road Attack TWO

Just ordered a set off ebay, £202 delivered, got to be a good deal?

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=400109645323&ssPageName=STRK:MESINDXX:IT

 

[Myke Rocks]

Nearly correct!

My RT came with Pilot Roads which where O.K. I changed them for Pilot Road 2 and am now on my second set which will be replaced before a trip to France next month. I tend to find that it's not "running out of tread" which dictates a change of tyres but the degredation in general ride quality, handling, feel and that bloody awful racket when leaned a few degrees off the vertical.
Rik.

Noise was so bad I thought my front wheel bearings were gone with these tyres on.
After a week or so, I realised it was related to road surface, ols asphalt being the worst.
Never fitted pilots to RT since. Usually Metzler on front, but any shit that comes to hand on the rear. Usually 2/3 rears a year.
Myke

 

[Our Gee]

I would be interested to know if anyone has tried the Bridgestone BT023 on the 1200RT. I have been in contact with Bridgestone and explained what I think are the short comings of my current Michelins, ie unacceptable wear pattern after 3000 miles. Although they didn,t say that their BT023 would wear evenly they did say that they have achieved 9000 miles with that tyre on an RT and that Ron Haslam has fitted them to his Race School bikes !!!
Just what that proves (CBR600,s around a Race Track) I fail to comprehend. However, if anyone does have experience of the BT023 over extended mileage it would be nice to hear how they are wearing. Thanks.

 

[Martyn H]

I would be interested to know if anyone has tried the Bridgestone BT023 on the 1200RT. I have been in contact with Bridgestone and explained what I think are the short comings of my current Michelins, ie unacceptable wear pattern after 3000 miles. Although they didn,t say that their BT023 would wear evenly they did say that they have achieved 9000 miles with that tyre on an RT and that Ron Haslam has fitted them to his Race School bikes !!!
Just what that proves (CBR600,s around a Race Track) I fail to comprehend. However, if anyone does have experience of the BT023 over extended mileage it would be nice to hear how they are wearing. Thanks.

Personal experience, no BUT our local group of "Blood bike" riders are using these, & seem to be universally in favour, & they are getting some 8K out of a pair.

 

[The smudger]

Just fitted the new tyres, plus a new front wheel bearing.

What a revelation! It is true you dont realise how bad your old tyres were till you fit a new pair. Magic carpet ride is a good description..