What influences your tyre choice?

[Big Dave]

I have to come up with a new print advertising campaign for a leading tyre brand.

When you were forking over that last 'six hundy' what would you say were the factors that influenced your decision to buy wot you dun?

[Laava]

Shape?:corn::corn::corn:

You expecting any serious answers?

[James Deuce]

Price. If I spent $600, I failed.

[boman]

Reliability and brand, the tyre is going to wear out, not fall apart and stickability, the tyre is going to keep me on the planet.

[Madness]

Whether or not the tyre has Pirelli stamped on the side, if not - no purchase.

[Jantar]

My last set was chosen based on the fact that my first three preferences weren't available.

So maybe a big selling point would be that the tyres are available when wanted.

[Big Dave]

Price. If I spent $600, I failed.

Spot the man who never looks at the 240 section rears. They can run to near $500 on't Pat.

[Slingshot]

My last set was chosen based on the fact that my first three preferences weren't available.

So maybe a big selling point would be that the tyres are available when wanted.

Agreed!

I never plan ahead enough...when I decide I need new rubber, I need it now...so I'm often constrained to what the shop has on their shelf.

An in-stock guarantee would be nice.

[slofox]

For road riding, a combination of stickability and durability...

[Big Dave]

Reliability and brand, the tyre is going to wear out, not fall apart and stickability, the tyre is going to keep me on the planet.


What would you say has shaped your perception of brand/s?

[puddytat]

price & availability....plus recommendations & opinions of you lot

[LBD]

I have to come up with a new print advertising campaign for a leading tyre brand.

When you were forking over that last 'six hundy' what would you say were the factors that influenced your decision to buy wot you dun?

Wouldn't that depend on your target market?
ie a phrase like "sticks like the preverbial to a blanket" would be lost on a long distance touring tire.

Or, "super tread clearing lug profile gives exceptional traction in muddy conditions " would be lost when the target market is racing around Ruapuna every weekend.

How about some clues BD?

[vindy500]

pretty tread patterns

[Big Dave]

My last set was chosen based on the fact that my first three preferences weren't available.

So maybe a big selling point would be that the tyres are available when wanted.

Notes: explore 'stock and availability angle'.

taa.

[Big Dave]

How about some clues BD?

Road tyres. All sorts. Cruisers to sprotsbikes.

[Taz]

Whatever I could get for <$25 bucks off trademe at the time.

[MIXONE]

Colour....

[Big Dave]

Shape?:corn::corn::corn:

You expecting any serious answers?

A mixture. A spark of inspiration maybe.

[Big Dave]

Colour....

From the look of your avatar you get quite attached to your tyres.

[Dave Lobster]

What would you say has shaped your perception of brand/s?

I've bought a lot of bikes with none Bridgestones on. Avons on a Triumph.. Pirellis on an R6. Several others, all equally rubbish.

Within seconds of scrubbing in Bridgestones, every bike was transformed into a bike, instead of an expensive shopping trolley.

[carver]

other peoples opinions
i need grip in the wet on the road

[=cJ=]

If I'm changing tyres, what has been reviewed to be the best grip and remain road legal. Otherwise, I tend to stick to what the bike came with stock unless there's a good reason to change. I do this as AFAIK, the bike has been tested and designed with that particular type of tyre, so should work best. If/when I'm better at figuring stuff out I might be less conservative :-)

[Big Dave]

I've bought a lot of bikes with none Bridgestones on. Avons on a Triumph.. Pirellis on an R6. Several others, all equally rubbish.

Within seconds of scrubbing in Bridgestones, every bike was transformed into a bike, instead of an expensive shopping trolley.

Paint me a scenario that would tempt you to try another brand?

[carver]

Paint me a scenario that would tempt you to try another brand?

pick me! pick me! pick me!

[LBD]

Jantars point is valid....How often do we end up in the shop saying...."Well, what have you got thats suitable?"

******Tyres...helping keep the rubber side down since*****

We have the tyres to match your.....

[Big Dave]

pick me! pick me! pick me!

OK - I'm thinking: The Michelin Man look...a ramp....lots of rolling....maybe some fire....a chasm...and some heavy collateral damage - but hey, don't go in the kitchen.

[Clivoris]

I am definitely influenced by the opinion of riders I respect and know. Overlaying this though are some negative experiences with certain tires that I just don't think suited me or my bike set-up. Dunlop 207s were unstable on one of my bikes. Michelin Pilot Sports had some quirky characteristics, like tracking along surface changes and seams in the road. Continental sport attacks handled fine but chewed through the last 3rd of wear so quickly I got caught out on a day ride. Had to ride home on the wire carcass. I wasn't impressed with the mileage at all. It would take a very special situation or deal to get me back on any of these brands. In saying that, I will often chat to my current bike shop geezer and see what her/his opinion is of the latest options. I pay attention to the articles in mags as well. I like to try things out to make comparisons with previous experiences and a decent discount can swing the choice. But I have found tires now that suit my riding style and how I set my bikes up.

[carver]

OK - I'm thinking: The Michelin Man look...a ramp....lots of rolling....maybe some fire....a chasm...and some heavy collateral damage - but hey, don't go in the kitchen.

how about the michelin man going over a ramp on your triumph into the chasam with fire in it?

[justsomeguy]

The stickiest, affordable tyre that conforms to the opinion of people I respect reiterating which particular model that tyre is.

[Maha]

Michelin = Confidence.

[Dave Lobster]

Paint me a scenario that would tempt you to try another brand?

Hard to say really. I don't use my bike all that often any more, so I don't go through a set every six weeks like I have in the past.
I'd be tempted to say Bridgestone going out of business. But that would be a bit childish.
But, I can't think of another reason. Free tyres wouldn't tempt me. Maybe.. free tyres but swap them back for nothing if I don't like them.. that might tempt me. But probably not..

[LBD]

how about the michelin man going over a ramp on your triumph into the chasam with fire in it?

Pick me :wacko: ...12 months in the office and I can do you a fairly good Michelin man likeness.....:crazy:

[justsomeguy]

Big fella: I think you need to be more specific, wouldn't the power ranger homos have different needs to the tassled village people, who in turn wouldn't go for what the tranvestites with both sprot and touring appendages have crushes on?

[325rocket]

reviews.
im one of those "stupid" people that spend about $18 a month to get a copy of superbike (u.k.) magazine. Ive been getting it for about four years now so ive got a feel for the guys and girls and their riding preference / style. i have read enough of their reviews now to put a bit of trust in them.
once i get an idea of what im after i look for online reviews.

or you could hire taupo track for a day, get 5 identical bikes (pref cbr600rr's ;) ) with different tyres on them and let me decide haha

[Big Dave]

Big fella: I think you need to be more specific, wouldn't the power ranger homos have different needs to the tassled village people, who in turn wouldn't go for what the tranvestites with both sprot and touring appendages have crushes on?

Little fella - I think you shouldn't skim the thread.
:-)

[Motu]

I like to experiment...to make bad decisions consistently the price needs to be in the bargain basement area.Who would use Dunlop K70's in this day and age? Best choice of tyre I've ever made.Using a Kenda Cruiser instead of a Metzler Laser - half the price,and for a dummy like me it's a shit hot tyre.

''We've had this tyre for 2 years and nobody has even looked at it - put it in the bargain bin,get what you can for it''......like a fly to dog turd,I just can't control myself.

[AllanB]

First I decide I really need the most sticky tyres my hard earned money can buy.

Then I get on the net and research street legal almost race tyres. This tells me that I really do not need the same tyre you'd fit to a 180hp CBR1000RRRRRR on my Hornet.:yawn:

But the voice in my head still tells me that they would look seriously shit hot when parked up. :yes:

I then start designing a power tool that will scrub off the small chicken strips that would be on the edge of the sticky shit tyres. This tool will also leave little balls of rubber all along the edges.:woohoo: Using The Tool would be preferable to lending my pride and joy to a friend who can actually ride really hard.

The next day I post a question on KB "What tyre for a XXXXX" I discover that many many tyres are wonderful and apparently, and most concerning, as a Honda owner there is a slight chance that I'm gay :eek5:

I get on the net again.
Dual compound Sport Touring sounds like me - sticky edges, hard centre, good life.
I narrow it down to a few brands. I check out the pretty tread patterns.

I head off to my tyre man and tell him - "dual compound sport touring" he shows me the options, and offers comments on wear and grip relevant to the area I live and ride in.
If you are still reading Dave - that last bit is important- relevant to the area I live and ride in. South Island roads are harsh.
Price is discussed and a pair of hoops are ordered.

What made me choose one over the other technically identical tyre? It could be an opinion from someone I respect, price or the spunkiest tread design :whistle:

Brand is not very relevant here, I'll change if there is something that is genuinely considered superior for my type of riding and is within say $20-30 a set.

I'm extremely pleased with my PR2's - something new and impressive will be required to change.

[carver]

Pick me :wacko: ...12 months in the office and I can do you a fairly good Michelin man likeness.....:crazy:

listening dave?

[slydesigns]

pretty tread patterns

hahaha I just bought a new rear and finally bit the bullet and moved away from uber $$$, ultra fast wearing Pirelli Super Corsa Pro SC's and on to Michelin's and while looking came across a tyre called an ANGEL. The gay thing was it actually had little Angels on the tread!! Worse, as it wore the Angels would disappear and a Demon face would appear!!! Least that was the serious sales pitch...


I laughed, walked away... laughed some more... then cried when i realised they were serious!

And as a note... if the tyre is intended for sports bikes, it needs to work on sports bikes. I have a 675, the SC's were awesome for grip, shite for wear - happy with that, but when thrown a Diablo to try out for a laugh, i didn't laugh much. It sucked the big one badly. Tire pressures were experimented with but in the end it was awkward feeling, had crap grip on hard acceleration (rolling burnouts were a novelty until then!) and wore as bad as the SC. It seemed more a sport tourer or older model 600 sport tire and if thats what it IS, maybe they should advertise it as such.

That helped me decide to move on from Pirelli's. The SC's were awesome, the Diablo was ass. I now have a yard stick to measure the competition against and find something between the two.

[boman]

What would you say has shaped your perception of brand/s?

13+ years in the tyre industry. You get to know who makes the right kind of tyres and who makes round black rubber things. But I think that the written media, advertising, and motorsports also helps us make an educated decision. Also other peoples experiences makes a large portion of the choice also.

Edit: I don't really favour one brand over another. I have run pirellis on one bike, and run Michelins on my Sv. Pirellis because they were recommended to me by someone who has ridden for 20+ years. And Michelins because I liked the way the first set handeled so I replaced them with a slighlt better set.

[tri boy]

If the rubber came from sustainable/virgin/native rubber trees. Found in small clusters close to Amazon villages populated with sexually voracious women, that desire retarded kiwi white men.
Actually, I just go into panic mode, and barter John at Boyds down with my ranting and pleading.
M/cycle tyres are a complete rip off, so I may as well get some pleasure out of the purchace experience. Maybe a trinkit, or god forbid, a sticker or puncture repair kit.

[slydesigns]

If the rubber came from sustainable/virgin/native rubber trees. Found in small clusters close to Amazon villages populated with sexually voracious women, that desire retarded kiwi white men.

ok... now your describing my girl... have we met?

[1wheel riot]

shap i like the corners so i wont as much tire on the road when its on its side tread patern so it pumps water and mud well and safe to at leasd 250km so i ended up with a metenza m3 and am very happy with it.

[carver]

If the rubber came from sustainable/virgin/native rubber trees. Found in small clusters close to Amazon villages populated with sexually voracious women, that desire retarded kiwi white men.


where is this place?

[Big Dave]

Listening Dave.

[Big Dave]

can i borrow your triumph?

No, but you can hire it. $NZ12,500 flat fee.

[AllanB]

i am 3 inches...

Won't require much rubber on that then!
;)

[Big Dave]

The chick in the gimp suit has been done.