Metzeler Lasertec ME55 Vs Pirelli Sport Demon for the back of a Katana 1100

[katben]

Metzeler Lasertec ME55 Vs Pirelli Sport Demon for the back of a Katana 1100

Opinions please which is better and for what or why

I mostly do "sports" riding in the hills around nelson

One of my mates swears by the Metzeler, but I'm itching to try the Sport Demons (as they have the word sports in their name and there fore must be more grippy)

I currently have a Continental TK 17 back there which is a disaster

Opinions please which is better and for what or why

[frogfeaturesFZR]

Had Sport Demons on my FZR400. Loved them, but from memory they were H rated ? Might not be enough for a 1100.

[MSTRS]

I know little about the ME55, but Sport Demons are great tyres for stickability.
But do not expect long life out of them. My lad tore his rear out (oops!! doesn't sound right...) on a Spada in about 10K. On a Kat 1100 you can prolly halve that.
Michelin do a a bias tyre called the Activ that has had great reviews.

[unstuck]

VF runs sport demons, great tires, bit soft so do not last long. I find they stick quite well on the gravel too.:Punk:

[katben]

Thanks :)

Good point the Pirelli comes in a V form what I cans see, and the Metzeler is available in both H and V but it isn't clear which is in stock

[Hitcher]

Why have you limited your choice to just those two models of tyre?

[MSTRS]

Hitch - it's an old Kat. Not a lot of choice anymore.

[katben]

I know little about the ME55, but Sport Demons are great tyres for stickability.
But do not expect long life out of them. My lad tore his rear out (oops!! doesn't sound right...) on a Spada in about 10K. On a Kat 1100 you can prolly halve that.
Michelin do a a bias tyre called the Activ that has had great reviews.

I'm wasn't a fan of the Michelin Macadam 50 in the wet, and a bit reluctant to go there again. There are a couple of things in the blurb on them that make me nervous, "Intended for fitting on medium sized touring bikes" and "with greater wet or dry grip, ... appreciable mileage performance"...

medium sized makes me nervous, as the old kats are quite heavy and can be hard on a tyre (I think I've read up to 600cc on another website)

and I'm not sure how you magically get both more grip and more milage, or maybe it's code for what I just said above, the Macadam 50 are a bit crap (in the wet...)

[katben]

Why have you limited your choice to just those two models of tyre?

further explanation to come I'm getting there....

BT45's don't work on the front of the Kat (been there done that not doing it again)

Wasn't keen on the wet performance of Macadam 50 I had on a different GSX

I'm keen to get something that I can get in pairs

If I could go back in time and get a Dunlop K591 to fit the rear I'd do that... had one once it worked well...

[MSTRS]

Um....I know the Macadam is made by Michelin. I had a 100x on an older oiler GSXR1100. Certainly wasn't the grippiest tyre and I replaced with Z6. But then that bike had 17's and could use modern radials. I mentiopned the Activ as it is a model tyre that should be suitable size-wise for your bike and they have had good reviews. The Activ is not a 50 or 100 Macadam.

[Hitcher]

further explanation to come I'm getting there

I hope you realise that tyre technology has moved on quite a bit over the past 20 years and that there are way better tyres available for your Katana than those arcane models?

[MSTRS]

Why don't you PM Katman in Taupo. He will know exactly which tyre/s are right and available.

[katben]

I hope you realise that tyre technology has moved on quite a bit over the past 20 years and that there are way better tyres available for your Katana than those arcane models?

Alrighty then, what are these way better tyres in a

100/90 19 front
103/90 17 rear

[katben]

Um....I know the Macadam is made by Michelin. I had a 100x on an older oiler GSXR1100. Certainly wasn't the grippiest tyre and I replaced with Z6. But then that bike had 17's and could use modern radials. I mentiopned the Activ as it is a model tyre that should be suitable size-wise for your bike and they have had good reviews. The Activ is not a 50 or 100 Macadam.

again agreed...

the Activ is the Macadam 50 replacement, "The profile remains identical to the Macadam 50"

once bitten, twice bitten, I don't want to buy more Michelins and be sacred of cats eyes and while lines in the wet ~ wary of not learning from my mistakes :)

[Katman]

I've been running Sport Demons on my 1100 for quite a while now.

I like their stickability and the feedback they give but I've found that the front wears a little oddly. I'm wondering if the 1100 is slightly heavier than the Sport Demons' are designed for.

I'm going for a pair of Lasertecs next time.

[Katman]

I hope you realise that tyre technology has moved on quite a bit over the past 20 years and that there are way better tyres available for your Katana than those arcane models?

Sometimes it's better to remain silent.......

[katben]

I've been running Sport Demons on my 1100 for quite a while now.

I like their stickability and the feedback they give but I've found that the front wears a little oddly. I'm wondering if the 1100 is slightly heavier than the Sport Demons' are designed for.

I'm going for a pair of Lasertecs next time.

Cheers for that, pretty much validates what I was thinking to start with.

Are you getting cupping on the front? I'm not too worried about wear or long life. I've never really had anything on the front that was working (well), or anything for that matter that gives much feedback :)

[Kickaha]

I hope you realise that tyre technology has moved on quite a bit over the past 20 years and that there are way better tyres available for your Katana than those arcane models?
Hope you realise that on older bikes with narrow rims these are the sorts of tyres that are available and there's nothing much wrong with them

Haven't tried Sport Demons but have used both BT45 and Metzler and they were fairly similar

BT45 on the front of the 750 Kat I had, no problem at all

[mouldy]

Alrighty then, what are these way better tyres in a

100/90 19 front
103/90 17 rear

Go Metzeler Lasertech (Me33) 350 x 19 Front With Bt45 rear . This works well even though not a matched set . Trust me , if its black , round and goes on a bike I know

[MSTRS]

again agreed...

the Activ is the Macadam 50 replacement, "The profile remains identical to the Macadam 50"

once bitten, twice bitten, I don't want to buy more Michelins and be sacred of cats eyes and while lines in the wet ~ wary of not learning from my mistakes :)

What do they mean by 'profile'? Shape of the tyre across the tread? Or size - ie 110/80 x 19?

Because for the life of me I don't see what difference either would make in a tyre of different tread pattern and compound.

I'm just saying that the Activ has had great reviews, so perhaps should not be dismissed.

[retrotech]

Hi Guys

I have an '88 Katana 1100 which came with Kenda Kruz tyres. They are going and I'm looking at the Metzelers. Really keen to get an update of what they were like

[Katman]

Hi Guys

I have an '88 Katana 1100 which came with Kenda Kruz tyres. They are going and I'm looking at the Metzelers. Really keen to get an update of what they were like

The Metzeler Lasertecs will be fine on your Teapot.

[retrotech]

The Metzeler Lasertecs will be fine on your Teapot.

Thanks! ....Teapot?

[Katman]

Teapot?

http://www.katanatom.co.uk/pagemaker.php?page=teapot

[retrotech]

Ah ok so it's the full faring half faring thing. :laugh:

[retrotech]

I got the tyres from Don at Pit Lane, what a good dude!

They are really nice compared to the shite Kanda Kruz crappola that was fitted, why people go cheap on tyres fitted to an 1100 I'll never understand.

I saw Dons daily driver what a ride! :eek:

[gjm]

Older Suzuki + Metzelers = work well together.

I used Me33 / 55s and never had a problem. Tried Avons once... Not going there again. Didn't suit my bike at all.

[retrotech]

Thanks that's good to know

[george formby]

They look suspiciously like Conti TKC 80's...

Unusual choice of tire for that style of bike.

Whats he up to then?

[retrotech]

They look suspiciously like Conti TKC 80's...

Unusual choice of tire for that style of bike.

Whats he up to then?

I assumed he's living on a gravel road somewhere out Darfield way, that's where the shop is. The tyres are if a BMW 1200 he said