Another tyre thread!

Rasher

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Not much else going on so thought it might be time for tyre talk, plus they bring out new tyres so often.

Been running Roadsmarts for a decade now, but recently the Metzeler Roadtec 01s seem to be the latest and greatest, and Michelin Road 5s get great reviews, they also came 1st / 2nd in a ride magazine wet weather test by quite a margin from 3rd tyre.

Saying that the ancient Tourance Nexts on my 1090 felt amazing in the wet, but could be more down to the great front end setup and / or narrower sizes.

Anyone tried either roadtec01 or road 5?
 
For road use I think the Pirelli Scorpion Trail 2's take a lot of beating. Grip in wet or dry is excellent and good mileage too.
 
Had/have both. Road 5's good for fast road and wet. 01's same, very quick steering, but I had a few slides on them in damp conditions despite the reviews. The Road 5's get my vote.... great tyres.


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I'm the opposite to Apex.

I didn't like the Michelin Road 5's on my 1290, love them on the NC750 but thats only 55 hp so different kettle of fish. The Michelin's were fine new but squared off a lot quicker and the feel went off. They also had a strange wear pattern the tyre fitters had seen before. Tyre pressures were correct and checked every week.

Loved the Roadtec01, good in wet and dry and lasted better than the Road 5's. I'd would use again though I have just fitted a set of Conti road attack 3's but too early to comment on them but wanted to try them.
 
BDG said:
Loved the Roadtec01, good in wet and dry and lasted better than the Road 5's. I'd would use again though I have just fitted a set of Conti road attack 3's but too early to comment on them but wanted to try them.
Click to expand...

I splashed out big on the Michelins, got a set for the CB500X commuter (which I am really looking forward to as the OE tyres are bloody awful!) and for the 1290, Got a Pyrenees trip coming up and if I don't like them I will swap them out before my Alps trip in July and then use them up locally over Winter / Spring, at home I only need an "average" tyre as we don't anything resembling an Alpine pass - it is mainly pottering along on narrow back roads.

With the 1190 and 1290 both doing the Alps trip I will not have any problem getting through tyres this year, if I really don't like the Michelins I will try the Metzelers next.
 
BDG said:
I have just fitted a set of Conti road attack 3's but too early to comment on them but wanted to try them.
Click to expand...

I found the Conti RA3's to be superb in all conditions; that said, I'm having a set of Conti Trail Attack 3's out on this week to give them a try :D
 
I’ve now put some miles on the Conti RA3’s and am very pleased.
For me they are first, followed by the Roadtec 1’s and lagging behind somewhat the Michelin Road 5’s despite others loving them. One mans meat is another mans poison
 
BDG said:
I’ve now put some miles on the Conti RA3’s and am very pleased.
For me they are first, followed by the Roadtec 1’s and lagging behind somewhat the Michelin Road 5’s despite others loving them. One mans meat is another mans poison
Click to expand...

Out of interest how did you find the OE tyres, I have found them "fine" so far, but when I hop on my 1190 with Roadsmart 3's it just "feels" nicer to me, I am expecting he Road 5's to at least be as good as the Roadsmarts in the dry and hopefully even better in the wet.

Got some 5's to go on the CB500X when the OE dogshit finally wears out, they seem to struggle to contain the Cb's 47BHP, wooden feeling in the dry and borderline scary in the wet - they certainly put things into perspective when comparing the latest and greatest tyres money can buy.
 
Rasher said:
Out of interest how did you find the OE tyres, I have found them "fine" so far, but when I hop on my 1190 with Roadsmart 3's it just "feels" nicer to me, I am expecting he Road 5's to at least be as good as the Roadsmarts in the dry and hopefully even better in the wet.

Got some 5's to go on the CB500X when the OE dogshit finally wears out, they seem to struggle to contain the Cb's 47BHP, wooden feeling in the dry and borderline scary in the wet - they certainly put things into perspective when comparing the latest and greatest tyres money can buy.
Click to expand...

I found the OE Pirelli’s ok but like you have found better choices. I’ll be curious to see how you like the Road 5’s.

My NC750 OE tyres sound as bad as yours on the CB500, lethal in the wet. I threw them away after 2,000 miles. Dreadful
 
Just off the point slightly, but I’m going to order a set of road tech 01 for my 1090s... there’s 150:70 17 on the rear, but from a vanity point of view it looks a bit skinny... can I put on a wider size, if so how much wider and how would it effect the ride?
 
R800 said:
but from a vanity point of view it looks a bit skinny... can I put on a wider size, if so how much wider and how would it effect the ride?
Click to expand...

Depends if you want form to follow function, or function to follow form ;-)

As soon as you fit a bigger tyre it will be more squeezed by the narrower rim, so if you tried to fit a 170/60 as per the 1190/1290 it will probably be squeezed back to a 160/65 - altering the designed profile and contact patch - unlikely to improve handling or ride, quite possibly making everything worse.

Could also have implications if you are involved in an accident and it is discovered you had fitted a tyre that was not of the correct size for the bike / rim.

I loved the handling of my 1090S on standard tyres, it steered more sweetly than my 1190 and handled beautifully and I certainly did not posses either the skill or gonads to push the "skinny" rear beyond its limits....

...as for looks, I prefer form to follow function.
 
Nippy Normans supply Touratech, Wunderlich, Desert Fox and many other makes of accessories.
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