Finished off a Michelin Pilot Power & the cost of tyres - Yes tyres again ! [Archive]

Morepower

28th March 2005, 19:40

The Pilot Power has come off at just over 4700kms which is pretty good mileage , about the same as a standard Diablo / GTS. Overall its a good tyre and if you have had Michelins you would be more than happy with one.

I was going back to a Pirelli Diablo Corsa because I like the way they feel and the confidence I have in them.

HOWEVER I have just worked out the real cost based on 3000kms from the Corsa and 4700kms from the Pilot vs the retail price of say $270 ( Pilot) against $370 (Corsa) ,( I am guessing a little with prices here )then the Pilot gets 17.4 kilometers to the $ and the Corsa a horrendous 8.1 kms to the dollar !

May need serious thought.

pritch

28th March 2005, 22:23

The Bike review that I've quoted before said that the Corsa is too much tyre for the average rider/bike combination. That is to say you are paying for grip that most bikes won't let you use. But if it makes you feel good....

One comment in the article I thought was interesting was to the effect that, the more honest you are with yourself about what you need from a tyre, the better service you will get from your tyres.

So as much as i would like Diablos or BT014s, my next tyres will likely be Diablo Strada or BT020. (I do love the look of those 014s though :-)

White trash

29th March 2005, 07:45

Needs serious thought alright.

Try 4km/$ on a racetec rear and not much better for the front.

Costs me twice as much in tyres as it does to put gas in the tank.

riffer

29th March 2005, 08:04

HOWEVER I have just worked out the real cost based on 3000kms from the Corsa and 4700kms from the Pilot vs the retail price of say $270 ( Pilot) against $370 (Corsa) ,( I am guessing a little with prices here )then the Pilot gets 17.4 kilometers to the $ and the Corsa a horrendous 8.1 kms to the dollar !

More evidence that TL's are tyre eaters. Have you replaced that dodgy rotary damper? People I've talked to that have thrown Ohlins or even the TL1000R shock in there have reported vastly improved mileage on their tyres.

And another thought - that tyre looks like you still have a good 4,000 on the edges - or is it just the photo? Are you down through the rubber in the middle?

BurnCycle

29th March 2005, 09:06

Good to hear that about the Power. I'm running BT-012's on my TL. I like them but I'm always open to try something else. The Powers may be my next tyre.

Oh, that comment on a TLS rider using a TLR shock... :killingme

Morepower

29th March 2005, 12:27

More evidence that TL's are tyre eaters. Have you replaced that dodgy rotary damper? People I've talked to that have thrown Ohlins or even the TL1000R shock in there have reported vastly improved mileage on their tyres.

And another thought - that tyre looks like you still have a good 4,000 on the edges - or is it just the photo? Are you down through the rubber in the middle?

I have an Ohlins but havent yet experienced the increase in tyre life claimed by others.
Its down past the tread wear indicators in the middle , I guess it could go another 500kms or so but I dont like pushing my luck, I would rather get wallet pain than body pain. :whistle:

Dave

Yarg

29th March 2005, 12:31

Interesting calculation of km per tyre $. Have just checked (Tyre$325 for 12,500km) equals 38.46km per $. :ride:

Biff

29th March 2005, 12:54

9000K's on a BT057 fitted to my BigBiffBird, and they probably still had a couple of months left in them life left in them. I vote BT's 057 or preferably 020's everytime for my style of riding. I paid $300 for a new one.

Diablos would be wasted on me.

Lou Girardin

29th March 2005, 13:05

I have an Ohlins but havent yet experienced the increase in tyre life claimed by others.
Its down past the tread wear indicators in the middle , I guess it could go another 500kms or so but I dont like pushing my luck, I would rather get wallet pain than body pain. :whistle:

Dave

Maybe you're riding harder with the Ohlins set-up.

**R1**

29th March 2005, 13:08

Needs serious thought alright.

Try 4km/$ on a racetec rear and not much better for the front.

Costs me twice as much in tyres as it does to put gas in the tank.

Try slowing the fuck down...

Powers are wkd, i get 6000k's out of mine and pay $280 =
21k's per $$$$

but i ride like a nana and have a nice smooth inline 4.

And fronts seem to last for ever:whistle: not sure why

Morepower

29th March 2005, 17:46

Maybe you're riding harder with the Ohlins set-up.

Lou you are quite perceptive :ride:

ducatijim

29th March 2005, 19:58

I've had 9Kkm from my first rear 'power, then an amazing(?) 11Kkm from the next rear 'power, and 16Kkm from the front,...looks like I ride more mundane than a 'nana' wouldn't u say? Nice grippy feel but!!!!!!

loosebruce

29th March 2005, 21:27

I love power's on my S, havn't finished a set off yet (lack of riding) but a sport rear i ended up a best of 2300km, no ohlins for me though. But the power's are wicked in the wet as well. I'll be shod with racetec's for the track though.

Morepower, go the TL1000S brother see you at Taupo, we can make some noise :niceone:

Groins_NZ

29th March 2005, 21:53

My first Michellin Power (rear) lasted for 6000km - down to the canvas :whistle:

I replaced it with the same tyre although I'm thinking and could have gone to a more sport/tourer compound for my riding style. Saying that, I really like the grippy confident feeling they give, particulary in the wet (accept on iron cattle stops - but that's another story). I'm hoping I can get a little more out of this one since the first 2500km on the previous one was riding two up around the South Island - the west coast really chewed the middle out!

Morepower

29th March 2005, 23:47

Coldkiwi

30th March 2005, 13:48

corsa's made me feel pretty good! if you don't intend to belt them then there's certainly no need to put on overly sticky tyres unless you're after pose factor (doesn't sound like it) but they gave me a great deal of fun and confidence on the roads and track before I replaced them.

vifferman

30th March 2005, 14:01

So as much as i would like Diablos or BT014s, my next tyres will likely be Diablo Strada or BT020. (I do love the look of those 014s though :-)
If you do go with the Bridgestones, try a BT-020 on the rear, and a BT-012 (if you can still get them??) or BT-014 on the front.

I've got Bridgestones on the VFR, the second time I've had them on a bike, and I love the feel. However, last time I had a BT-012F, whereas this time I had no choice, and the bike came with 020s both ends. The 020F wears weird (the tread 'scallops') and it is quite buzzy. The grip is good, although the other day I accelerated uphill past a car in the wet, and the back tyre spun up badly. Ooops.:confused:

Coldkiwi

30th March 2005, 17:48

The grip is good, although the other day I accelerated uphill past a car in the wet, and the back tyre spun up badly. Ooops.:confused:

oops? no, thats a healthy sign of a content rider and a happy bike!

Bleck K6

30th March 2005, 21:07

I'm runnin a pilot sport up front with a pilot road on the rear of the
TLR,The pilot road has been awesome so far,Grips really well & is wearing really good to.
I Think i have done about 4000kms on the pilot road with heaps of life left, The last set of tyres i had were 208's and the rear lasted 2500kms.
I wouldnt put one up front though,A friend is runnin the pilot roads on his zx12 front & rear and says the front slides a bit to much,But he is also very impressed with the pilot road on the rear.

JohnBoy

31st March 2005, 10:28

i have been of late a real tight ass and have been puttin pilot sports on and getting about 4000k out of a rear and 6000k out of a front, but this time the zed got a set of super corsas.
i have decided that they are worth the extra money as (sigh...) i dont get a chance to ride much anymore (work/polytech commitments).
plus also i have shite rear susp so it compensates for the loss in traction! :whistle:

WINJA

31st March 2005, 21:59

I have an Ohlins but havent yet experienced the increase in tyre life claimed by others.
Its down past the tread wear indicators in the middle , I guess it could go another 500kms or so but I dont like pushing my luck, I would rather get wallet pain than body pain. :whistle:

Dave
DO YOU WANT TO SWAP THEM FOR DIABLO CORSAS WITH WORN OUT SIDES?

Biff

31st March 2005, 22:47

(the tread 'scallops')

Viffie - you keep using the 'scallops' term and I keep asking you what the farq it means. Help a confused guy out, pleeeease!

Groins_NZ

1st April 2005, 15:02

Viffie - you keep using the 'scallops' term and I keep asking you what the farq it means. Help a confused guy out, pleeeease!

There a bit like "Mussels", only different.

Yarg

1st April 2005, 16:13

I Think 'Mussels' have a stronger flavour than the "scallops" :msn-wink:

vifferman

1st April 2005, 16:23

Viffie - you keep using the 'scallops' term and I keep asking you what the farq it means. Help a confused guy out, pleeeease!
Like mussels, only completely different, and less chewy.

It's a term used on the US VFR forum, but I dunno if it's a real one or not (it's late in the week, and my brain is tyred or tired). The tread blocks wear weirdly, with the edges of the blocks sort of sticking up, and the tread blocks themselves worn down. For some reason (tread block shape?) it affects the BT020 worserer than the BT010 or BT012. When you wheel the bike along and turn the handlingbars, you can feel each tread block (imagine a tractor tyre on concrete - it's the same only not so much). And when it's 'scalloped' like this, the tyre buzzes whenever the bike is leaned even slightly. And the wear seems to accelerate once it's started, so the effect gets worse with time.
I dunno how bad it gets, and whether it has more than nuisance factor, but it's annoying enough that sensible and/or knowledgeable people don't fit the 020 to the front if they can help it.

White trash

1st April 2005, 17:29

Like mussels, only completely different, and less chewy.

It's a term used on the US VFR forum, but I dunno if it's a real one or not (it's late in the week, and my brain is tyred or tired). The tread blocks wear weirdly, with the edges of the blocks sort of sticking up, and the tread blocks themselves worn down. For some reason (tread block shape?) it affects the BT020 worserer than the BT010 or BT012. When you wheel the bike along and turn the handlingbars, you can feel each tread block (imagine a tractor tyre on concrete - it's the same only not so much). And when it's 'scalloped' like this, the tyre buzzes whenever the bike is leaned even slightly. And the wear seems to accelerate once it's started, so the effect gets worse with time.
I dunno how bad it gets, and whether it has more than nuisance factor, but it's annoying enough that sensible and/or knowledgeable people don't fit the 020 to the front if they can help it.

010s did it the worst I reckon.

cowpoos

22nd August 2005, 14:11

Tyre wear has alot to do with suspension settings...more so than the brand of shock you have...as a genral rule...if tyre wear is to high your compression is aswell and your spring preload will be a bit low...or you ride like a nutter.

DemonWolf

22nd August 2005, 14:36

Just interested to know from all the TL riders out there.. what kind of tyres are you putting on.. and whats the 'mileage' factor you are getting out of them? (and your riding style) =)

Morepower

22nd August 2005, 17:57

Just interested to know from all the TL riders out there.. what kind of tyres are you putting on.. and whats the 'mileage' factor you are getting out of them? (and your riding style) =)
Its been a while since I started this post and the Diablo Corsa Rear disappeared after 2200kms , It had tread left but it had a band about an inch and a half to 2 inches off centre where there were splits and you could see the steel belts so off it came and new Bridgestone BT014s front and rear went on.
I have posted about these in another thread but they are great tyres at this stage.
They grip very well in the wet and are good in the dry. they wont grip like a Corsa but when they do let go its very progressive and not at all unnerving.
The Michelin Power gripped well but when it slid it stepped out quickly which I found scary.

Dave

FROSTY

22nd August 2005, 18:04

holey cow guys and I get worried about my rear "only lasting" 15000 km
ahh well ya gotta love these old bikes

wendigo

22nd August 2005, 18:33

Just interested to know from all the TL riders out there.. what kind of tyres are you putting on.. and whats the 'mileage' factor you are getting out of them? (and your riding style) =)

Bridgestone 020's for winter. Done about 4 -> 4500 ks (including a track day) on them so far & still got a fair bit to go.

Had part worn Corsas before (which came with the bike) , which lasted about 4000 k. They were pretty munted by the time I did change them & where asymetrically worn.

Preferred the Corsas, as the rear had a 55 profile compared to the Bridgestones 50, so turned better.

Riding style - try to be smooth & move the body around as opposed to the bike.

Lazy7

21st March 2006, 18:26

beyond

21st March 2006, 18:44

Might help.

http://www.kiwibiker.co.nz/forums/showthread.php?t=26610

Jantar

21st March 2006, 19:19

does nobody rate dunlop?

seems you guys only interested in the Pilots or the Diablos with Bridgestone getting a small mention.

i am looking at a Dunlop D208zr which i am told is a nice sticky tyre... for the front. as it will near enough match the rear.

230 fitted. thoughts?

I had Dunlops fitted on my GS1200SS when the bike was new. Never again. They were not too bad in the dry, but gave me absolutely no confidence in the wet. They also didn't last as long as the Pirrellis or Michelins I've used since.

SixPackBack

21st March 2006, 19:26

I usually run Pilot Powers but decided to give Metzlers new M3 a go, only changed the front at this stage but a definate improvement, feels like more tyre on the road, more confidence wet and dry BUT.....they track over centre lines and cracks like a bastard.

DEATH_INC.

22nd March 2006, 20:02

I love Dunlops.....BUT the 218 rear I had only did 900km.....that means 2.57km to the $..... run a 218 front and a 220 rear, love this combo and I have over 3000km on the rear now.....it is nearly shot though....