When Angels go bad

**Hitcher** · 11th July 2010, 16:53

A calm, cool, sunny morning after weeks of Shitola(TM). Sun on my back, birds on the wing, god in his heaven. What could go wrong?

Unwrapping my Shiver with breathless anticipation, I notice immediately that all of the air has gone to the top of my rear tyre. Dead flat it is. Gahh! Thud.

Nail or screw, methinks. So I start the process of detection by rubbing my hand over the surface of the tyre and rolling it forward incrementally (no mainstand on a Shiver). On the second iteration of this process, I note that Mr Pirelli is right: an Angel is indeed a steel-belted construction. There's a great stretch of exposed belt in a patch down the centre of the tyre. Bugger.

Interestingly other parts of the tyre still give the appearance of having another couple of thousand km of life still to run.

I had a similar and not so spectacular experience some years ago with a Metzeler Z6 on an Kawasaki ZRX1200R. Both tyres are similar in that they have no tread in the centre of the carcass, so it's hard to ascertain exactly how much rubber exactly may be left to wear. The rear had only recently shown signs of squaring off too.

This rear has been on for approaching 12,000km, so not too bad on the life stakes.

So it's off to see the lads at TSS this week for new tyres, chain and sprockets.

Although I can't fault the Angels for handling and general performance, this time I'm going to give Continental one last shot at redemption and fit a set of ContiRoad Attack 2s.

The images show what a sad Angel looks like and what an un-sad part of the same tyre also looks like.

I strongly recommend that all Angel users take careful note of this.

**Mom** · 11th July 2010, 17:30

Originally Posted by Hitcher

I strongly recommend that all Angel users take careful note of this.

Oops... there's nothing to see here. Either you do not have access to these photos, or they don't exist at this web address. Please contact the owner directly to gain

Hey Hitcher, could pressure variations cause that kind of wear pattern? Just a crazy thought, I have just had to replace a couple of tyres on my car for exposed canvas with sufficient tread over most of the tyre surface.

**MSTRS:Me** · 11th July 2010, 17:42

A tyre that has experienced a big lockup, or is out of round/balance is the most likely

**Pixie** · 11th July 2010, 18:17

Isn't the fabric there to indicate when it's nearly time to replace the tyre?

**st00ji** · 12th July 2010, 15:44

Originally Posted by Mom

Oops... there's nothing to see here. Either you do not have access to these photos, or they don't exist at this web address. Please contact the owner directly to gain

Hey Hitcher, could pressure variations cause that kind of wear pattern? Just a crazy thought, I have just had to replace a couple of tyres on my car for exposed canvas with sufficient tread over most of the tyre surface.

were you tyres worn on the shoulders, the centre, or just one shoulder? i hope you got a wheel alignment done with your new tyres regardless.

wouldnt have thought bike tyres would suffer in the same way car tyres do from slight over or underinflation, cos the way they sit on the road is different (narrow contact patch)

i hope the above comment was intended as humor! (pixies that is)

**scumdog** · 12th July 2010, 16:14

Originally Posted by Pixie

Isn't the fabric there to indicate when it's nearly time to replace the tyre?

I always though of it as a '2nd tread' - designed to give you grip so's you can ride for the rest of the week until pay-day whereupon you get the needed new tyre...

**Hitcher** · 12th July 2010, 19:56

Images of decimated Angel now included in original post. Posting to KB galleries is a bit of an obscure mission now after the "upgrade".

New tyres go on tomorrow. Seeing the rear rim is rated for it and Mr Aprilia says it's OK, I'm going for a 190/50 rear instead of the usual 180/55.

**sinned** · 12th July 2010, 21:09

Originally Posted by Hitcher

Although I can't fault the Angels for handling and general performance, this time I'm going to give Continental one last shot at redemption and fit a set of ContiRoad Attack 2s.

Hitcher - have you had the ContiRoad Attack 2s on a bike? I was about to fit Angels - not so sure now but they are lower priced than BT016s I have on the rear and am pleased with.
Decisions!

**Hitcher** · 12th July 2010, 21:57

The ContiRoad Attack 2s will be something new. If they don't go well, then I shall forever return to the comforting world of Avon Storms.

**sinned** · 12th July 2010, 22:09

Interesting comment on the Avon Storms. I have had them twice and found the squaring off early disturbing otherwise okay. The BT016 on the Busa rear is almost worn out and with minimal squaring/flattening and I will get better distance out of them than the BT015 OEM or Storms on the Speed Triple. The BT016 has tread in the center so the problem you had with the Angel should not happen without warning. I am now seriously thinking of staying with the BT016.

**Hitcher** · 13th July 2010, 19:36

The dreaded 020 cured me of Bridgestones some years ago. These were the OEM rubber on three bikes I've owned and were equally crap and singularly uninspiring on all three. The 021 is a crap attempt at "upgrading" it and the new 022 has mixed reviews and feedback on sports touring bike forums. It would be a very dark and desperate day before I fitted Bridgestones.

**sinned** · 13th July 2010, 21:03

I think they may have found out how to make a decent tyre since the 020. The BT016 appears to be very good. However, I have ordered a set of Angels and will be watching the wear rate to make sure I don't have a Hitcher deflation problem.

**sinned** · 1st August 2010, 10:46

The Angels are fitted and wear rate table created. The depth of tread at the nearest measurement point to the center is less than the BT016. However, the BT016 lost a lot of rubber at the center in the first 1000Kms. The bike feels nice on these tyres but I guess most tyres feel good until they lose their shape. I will be watching the tyre wear to avoid the Hitcher problem. It will be interesting to see how long the Angel pattern lasts.

BT016 wear table here