Cold damp roads, what's the best tyres?

[madkiwi]

Been out riding today, couple of hundred kms in fog and crap. even when it did warm up checked tyre temperature by touch and they were only warm.

What is the best tyres for these conditions?

More or less air pressure?

[blackdog]

Live with it.

Summer is jus' round the corner.

[PirateJafa]

Anything that's not slick.

Riding style accounts for more than tyres do.

[Conquiztador]

Anything that's not slick.

Riding style accounts for more than tyres do.

Sorry, have to fully disagree with that comment. Fitted a new Pirelli Sports Demon on my old bike and the grip in the wet just disappeared.

[roadracingoldfart]

Cold , Damp roads ? .... a Japanese snow tyre is what you want , get into them.

[Ocean1]

Must admit I didn't like the SuperCorsas on the Buell, too dependant on temperature which just ain't there this time of year. Best I found in the wet is Pilot Power 2, good grip from cold and very predictable. Haven't tried the new ones but.

[Pwalo]

FWIW I'm running Conti Road Attacks which seem to suit the smaller SV. Never had a problem with any road conditions (bar ice).

[vifferman]

Cold damp ones? :confused:


I've had no problems with Avon Storms, in any conditions. Apparently (according to other VFR owners), the Pilot Power 2'S are very good too.
If my Storms ever wear out (front's been changed, but the rear's like 200 years old), I may try them next.

[jack_hamma]

Any modern road/sport tire will do..... maybe you have lost faith?

Pilot Power 2'S I would try, mates have them and they are in the Waikato... never lost it :)

[davebullet]

I'm running Pilot Road 2 and they are ok. But they also suffer from a lack of warm up (but that is what you get with a dual compound tyre designed for long life rather than grip). Although Michelin rates the PR2 wet performance up there. I also ride like a nana so if you like to cane it, I might not be the best advisor.

I've read some tyres start to get shabby in terms of grip as they wear, even if they are WOF legal. What are you running on now?

As far as pressure- I believe less helps to generate heat. But this assumes the tyre will heat up to restore normal running pressure. If it runs cold, less pressure may be detrimental.

[2wheeldrifter]

Had all the Pilot powers, Road/sport... pp2 ct's and now the pure and never had a problem, never let go on me, other than a few power slides etc. Have spent 6 hours in pouring rain from Welly back to Tok and the CT2 were never missed a beat.

In saying all that, you have to be real, so it's cold and damp and your riding at the speed limit... sounds like maybe even slower etc because of the conditions fog etc... 80k - 60k? taking it easy.... really mate your not going to get alot heat in your tires....



Remember be smooth on the throttle in shitty conditions.

[MSTRS]

Remember be smooth on the throttle is shitty conditions.

And 'ease' your lines as well

[beyond]

Pilot Road 2's I've found the best for grip and wear overall in the wet and dry.
Plus when they do go, which takes a good lean and a bit of gas in the wet, they are very controllable.

[madkiwi]

I am riding with BT016 tyres and think they are great, I have not slowed down still sticking to the hundred K speed limit (on 25k corners :innocent:the topic comes as a friend of mine came off his blade last week and it is put down to cold tyres. My next tyres will probably be Pures, whe on the track I use less pressure some say so tyres sont overheat, some say to warm up faster. Me i do it cause thats what i was told to do.

[vifferman]

I've read some tyres start to get shabby in terms of grip as they wear, even if they are WOF legal.
True.
My rear Storm has lost a lot of its stick - even though it's (just) legal, it's done its heat cycles. The front Storm was replaced more'n 6 months ago (VFRs tend to be a bit hard on fronts), and I was kinda sad the rear one still had too much meat left on it. It's still OKish, but whereas when it was new the only times it slipped were on tar snakes in the wet, now I can get it to slide in the dry by hammering it on tight corners in first or second gear.
When/if I'm cleared to ride again, I might just turf it. Or do some twisties and wear the fooker out enough to not feel bad about chucking it out.

[rustic101]

Pilot Power 2,

Running a new set front and rear and swear by them - I really don't do wet corners, yeah I know, wuss.. However these are excellent in the wet if you warm up a little first.

They work like shit with lots of frost on the road though haha ;)

[2wheeldrifter]

I am riding with BT016 tyres and think they are great, I have not slowed down still sticking to the hundred K speed limit (on 25k corners :innocent:the topic comes as a friend of mine came off his blade last week and it is put down to cold tyres. My next tyres will probably be Pures, whe on the track I use less pressure some say so tyres sont overheat, some say to warm up faster. Me i do it cause thats what i was told to do.

True drop your pressure on the track a few psi's does help to warm up faster and stay hotter and will be softer and flex more giving you a bigger surface footprint etc.

Try the PP's next... the sport/ CT's and the Pure will wear fast, but hey they grip and all good then :)

[george formby]

I rode the Old Russell road last week. For those who don't know it's very windy, some parts get no sun at all at this time of year (moss grows!) & it suffers from bad surfacing, gravel & various other detrimental surfaces. It rained & the sun shone, prick of a day but oh well. Coming into a corner would be dry, the apex damp/wet & then who knows on the exit. I had no problems at all just being smooth & conservative, my tyres never got above luke warm & I had minimal chicken strips when i got home. It is not the road temperature that generates heat it's the friction from contact. I would worry less about the tyres & more about being as smooth as possible & anticipating changes in road surface.
Sliding the sole of my boot along some very slimy looking tarmac I was amazed at how grippy it felt despite appearances.
I have mixed BT021/Conti road attack on the bike.

[skippa1]

They are good wet or dry. Scrubbed them to the edge in the wet when they were new.:niceone::niceone:

[CTD]

I can tell you what tyres are crap in the cold...

dunlop q2's

[crazyhorse]

FWIW I'm running Conti Road Attacks which seem to suit the smaller SV. Never had a problem with any road conditions (bar ice).

You should try the Conti Attack 2's. They are great. Been riding summer and winter, and I've not experienced any problem in the wet either. But commonsense will prevail on cold, slippery corners.....

[bluebird]

Cold tyres need lower pressure, quality tyres in good condition are still no substitute for riding to the conditions.

[insomnia01]

Tried them all & wont put anything but Avon Storms on scooter now, good price ( always buy from Boyds ) excellant footprint in the wet, great in the dry & I get good milage out of a set also

[Swoop]

Have run Pilot roads and they never gave a hint of trouble. Superb!
Currently running Road 2's and they have been superb this winter. No hassles at all.
Have had good recommendation on the Pilot Powers for winter riding as well.

Smooth lines and sensible on the throttle.

[Pixie]

Have run Pilot roads and they never gave a hint of trouble. Superb!
Currently running Road 2's and they have been superb this winter. No hassles at all.
Have had good recommendation on the Pilot Powers for winter riding as well.

Smooth lines and sensible on the throttle.

Yesterday coming back from Mangawhai:Pilot road 2 with 1000 km on it,following a car at 70 km/h just before the Port Albert rd turn off,no acceleration just a steady speed - the rear wheel spins up.

Not the fault of the tyre,just veeery slippery roads out there.

There was a continuous trail of diesel through Wellsford.I couldn't see,it but it probably continued down SH16

[Banditbandit]

Sorry, have to fully disagree with that comment. Fitted a new Pirelli Sports Demon on my old bike and the grip in the wet just disappeared.

Naaa .. that's riding style - not riding the bike to match the condition of the bike and the road surface ... I'd expect a sport tyre like that to function less well on a wet surface ... the difference between wet and dry on a sports tyre will be much greater than the difference bewteen wet and dry on an al-rounder like the PR2s ...

I run PR2s on my 1250 long distance bike - great all round tyre.

I run Continental Road Attacks on my 650 .. fuken wonderful tyre .. and more grip in the wet than I expected from a tyre with such minimal tred patterns ... I'd recommend either ..

[ellipsis]

...ive always found that the round black sticky ones that i cant generally afford are the ones i should have put on, then the sun comes back and everything is just all right.....