Sport/Touring Tyres

[Groins_NZ]

Hi all,

I need a new rear tyre fairly soon and I'm thinking I wouldn't mind something I can get a little more mileage out of. I currently have a Michelin Pilot Power fitted front & rear which have given excellent performance. Considering my riding profile, however, I think I should fit some sport/touring tyres instead.

Does anyone have any riding experience with the following brands?

#1 - Diablo Strada > Extended Mileage > Sport/Touring

#2 - Michelin Pilot Road > Sport/Touring

#3 - Metzeler Roadtec Z6 Radial > Sport/Touring

#4 - Avon AV45/AV46 Azaro-ST > Sport/Touring

Many thanks,
M.


Update: 07/09/2005

Well in the end I went for the Diablo Stradas - basically because one of the reps offered me a price that I would have been raving mad to refuse. Latest comments at the top of the thread for your convenience.

Previous Update: 20/08/2005 "Still fresh and unscrubbed... maaaatttte!"

Got the Pirellis fitted today. Thought I'd post a couple of pics. Rear tyre tread is very chunky looking & rubber very supple. Ride home over Paekak Hill was sweet, just cruising and the bike felt nice and smooth - I think the tires take some of the bumpiness out of the ride.

Here ya go, after the first 30km...









07/09/2005: The Latest...

Diablo Strada update…

Thought I’d post a running update on the Diablo Stradas I got fitted last month. I’ve just done over 2000Kms (2105 to be exact) on them now. I’ve been running 36ish front and 42ish (psi) in the rear.

Impressions of the tires are good if not excellent and I haven’t got anything bad to say about them… so far. I commute everyday to work on them – 30Km one way, weekend scratches and an occasional hoon (like the 300Km I did last night through the Wairapapa and Manawatu).

It’s noticeable how quickly the tires warm up, or maybe it’s just the inherent ‘stickiness’ they exude. I live around the Pauatahanui inlet so each morning I have a few twisties and chicanes to ride straight out of the gate, which doesn’t give the tires much time to warm up yet I have never felt paranoid about loosing grip. Albeit I’m probably what you might call a ‘nanny’ rider and not pushing the tires as far as they might go.

Another thing I’ve taken considerable notice of is my increased speed through corners. I seem to be riding much more aggressively on these tires yet I feel totally comfortable in doing so. In fact a lot of the time, mid-corner, I’m very aware that “it feels comfortable” and I’ve “got room to move” or “tighten up” – that’s a nice feeling. Very stable under moderate to heavy cornering.

I think the tires also help in smoothing out the ride.

I’ve experienced some loose gravel and road works without any problems – nothing out of the ordinary anyway. I went out one night and ventured out onto Moonshine Road (off Haywards Hill road) for the first time; what a gnarly road! A bit like doing the Makara Road only narrower and ‘twistier’. I didn’t get to see much of the surroundings being night time so I went again a couple of days later after work. Turn’s out there’s a whole section of road with a new surface that I didn’t even notice the night before. Not that I’m condoning spooning on a couple of Stradas and riding like a bastard on gravel roads.

They do turn in differently compared to the Michelins I had. I don’t know what it is but you soon get used to it. I’ve had a few ‘thangs’ up Paekakariki Hill road and that’s I real buzz on these tires. I seem to be able to switch side to side uber quick, with little effort, making for an exhilarating ride. The bike doesn’t fall into the corners, it’s still a progressive/smooth turn in.

Riding in the wet has been limited due to favourable weather conditions of late. I did make a trip to Wanganui the other weekend and left home in ‘piss-sisting’ rain and a howling Northerly. Not too much to worry about here (unless diesel is involved of course). If you ride to the conditions the tires keep traction and are still as predictable as if riding on a dry surface. The black tar seams that the ‘roadies’ use to repair cracks in the surface aren’t so much of a worry either. Nor are manhole covers and road markings it seems – I’m always paranoid about these obstacles since my seat height (or is that short stature?) means only my toes being on the deck when stationary.

Tread wear is minimal and the profile seems to be even still - at least I can’t really tell after just 2000kms (that must be good, right?) but it looks all good. It’ll be interesting to see how they wear when the weather warms up.

I’m registered to do the Rusty Nuts GC next month and I’m hoping there’s still plenty of rubber left for a few more thousand Kms after that. Can’t think of anything else to comment on so that’s it folks, cheers.

Some more pics after 2000Kms...

 

[vifferman]

I've had Avons, but I had the AV49-SP front, and an AV46-ST rear on my VTR1000. Good combo, but I don't think the feel was as good as Bridgestones.

Hitcher swears by the Z6s, and so I'm either going to go for those next on my VFR, or maybe the Pilots.

[Pixie]

The Z6 will give you the best durability and near sport tyre grip,the pirelli are apparently the same technology (pirelli own metzeler)
I've used avon but have had several sets of Z6

[stify]

got z6's on me vtr,although I'm not hard on them they seem to wear ok
good grip,wet & dry(well better than the oe dunlops anyway) and did get a rear punture,after bout 4000 kms on it,don't think tyre was at fault

[madboy]

For what it's worth, I was gonna buy the Z6 but they were outta stock so I bought the M1s instead. Haven't had them on long enough to comment on durability, but they've come through two track days (I'm a pussy). I'm told they will wear square from all my commuting, but no sign of it yet touch wood.

I think Jimbo runs M1s.

Much better than the Dunlop D208 on the back when I got it. And the Avon front tyre was worse than crap.

[Hitcher]

Yeah, Z6s truly rock. Your Hornet will love you for them. The ST gave some dude on a GSXR1000 a good hurry up on his ascent of the Takas on Sunday. I suspect he would have gone quicker if he had concentrated more on his own ride rather than on the large red bike that was all over his arse. Suffice it to say the Z6s inspire rather more cornering confidence than the former Battlax 020s...

[vifferman]

Suffice it to say the Z6s inspire rather more cornering confidence than the former Battlax 020s...

Yeah, yeah... blah blah blah... (I told you Hitcher liked 'em)
Just how much commission do you get, by the way?
Seriously, I'm doing my best to wear out the Bridgestones. I think I'd like them better with a more sporty front; I don't like the way the transition from 'leaned' to 'leaned a bit more' feels, which is odd for such a rounded tyre profile. It's also odd given that I absolutely LURVD going from Azaros to Bridgestones on the 750 (but then that had a BT012 on the front).
Maybe some more fettling of the suspension (such as there is available) might help....

[Groins_NZ]

All awesome replies - thanks very much lads n' lasses!

P.S. I found this on the Web...
http://www.sport-touring.net/cgi-bin...;t=34913;&#top

[James Deuce]

I had the Avons on my GSX600 and they transformed it from an unweildy pig to a precise steering pleasure. They lasted well and were the best tyres I've had on a bike in the wet. They are the only tyre that have given me the confidence to play with my traction limits, not because they are super sticky but because they are utterly predictable. There's no, grip, grip, grip, "ahhhhh wtf why am I 20ft in the air?" with them. You can use them right to the edge and the feel when you get there is really good.

[Lou Girardin]

I vote for Z6's too. Sold a few to guys that have used sports tyres previously and they seem happy with them as well. We still have a deal at AMPS on them.
A pair for $459.00 inc.

[Firefight]

Blah blah, blah,I think we have done this b4.... Yes I totally agree that the Z6s are a good tyre, as I have stated b4, very good in the wet, fantastic for corners, a very grippy tyre.

I can not boast the claimed high mileage that some do, but they are a far better tyre than the dunlops that Yamahas seem to come with, well IMHO

Have bought them off Amps, WMCC, and Motohaus, all have given good deals at the time.

F/F

[Sensei]

Due to my high corner speeds I have gone for a M1 front & to get some K's out of the back have put Z6's on there . Got 7500k out of the 1st rear in the summer but . Should have gone for a M1 in the winter as the cold has not let the tyre get up to temp & when been caned it has ripped the shit out of it with 5500k looking like it may be about it . Still I'll be putting another Z6 back on as they have as much grip as all but the best would need . At $289 for a Z6 rear & $199 for a M1 how could you not go past these .

[Groins_NZ]

Due to my high corner speeds I have gone for a M1 front & to get some K's out of the back have put Z6's on there . Got 7500k out of the 1st rear in the summer but . Should have gone for a M1 in the winter as the cold has not let the tyre get up to temp & when been caned it has ripped the shit out of it with 5500k looking like it may be about it . Still I'll be putting another Z6 back on as they have as much grip as all but the best would need . At $289 for a Z6 rear & $199 for a M1 how could you not go past these .

I read that it was unwise to run a different front tyre if you had the Z6 on the rear as both the Z6 front & rear worked in unison when riding in the wet i.e. the front is meant to disperse water for the rear - or something like that?

[Hitcher]

I read that it was unwise to run a different front tyre if you had the Z6 on the rear as both the Z6 front & rear worked in unison when riding in the wet i.e. the front is meant to disperse water for the rear - or something like that?

As the resident cheerleader for Z6s, that's exactly right.

[Groins_NZ]

Well, believe or not, after all that I've gone with the Pirelli Stradas as the guy I get my tires from offered them at a price cheaper than all the other options!!! I know, couldn't believe it myself. I can't post the price here because it's just too obscene (okay maybe when I get home).

I couldn't find many reviews on the Web for them as they are new to market so I’ll post my impressions here for others in the near future.