Michelin Macadam 100X Tyre review

[DemonWolf]

Purchased a set of Michelin Macadam 100X tyres for the TL1000s
(wanted Pilot powers, but were out of my price range)

After scuffing the tyres (which was a very interesting and not confidence building experience :Pokey: ..) after 80-100km's I was still not very confident in the tyres, especially the front.. Going to work Friday I was very tentative, I was starting to think I may have blundered :buggerd: getting a harder compound tyre for the longer wear.. but the ride home was much better as I started to get use to the tyres and them scuffing in properly.

Had a trip to Wanganui in the weekend, and I've rebuilt and gained more confidence in these tyres and my riding ability, the cornering performance has improved immensely with also more feel\control and I can also be more aggressive :banana: :2thumbsup:

Of course this has to be all put into perspective, I've never had 2 brand new tyres on a high performance bike before... the front tyre prolly should have been replaced long long ago. And I've been told that the Z6 rear was more than likely over inflated.. which attributed to it be shagged after 3.5-4k (grrr).. and dont trust Service Station tyre gauges!

I'm enjoying these tyres :cool:

[froggyfrenchman]

Yeah i just did hastings to pearoa and back (up the coast and back down through taupo) on a borrowed fzr750 running two near new macadams. Wasnt too confidant with them from hastings to gisborne, but through the opatiki gorge i got real carried away and started scraping everything that could touch the ground, stopped 1/2way through the gorge and my mates 1 and a half inches of chicken strip was gone. The rear had big rolls of rubber ripping from the front of the tread patterns and the missis was white as a ghost! Took it much easier for the rest of this weekends 1100 odd km. I was truly impressed with those tyres for the price.

[Zapf]

And I've been told that the Z6 rear was more than likely over inflated.. which attributed to it be shagged after 3.5-4k (grrr)..

did they say why over inflating your tires will make them wear out faster?

[DemonWolf]

The centre of the Z6 were gone with plenty of tread on the sides :angry: but no they didn't say why.. but I'm guessing there was no 'good' tyre contact on the road...
-
well I wasn't ripping it up as much as that... a couple pics after 300k's done over the weekend.

[steved]

I'd be interested in the real-world durability of a tyre like this. If you could update this after 6 thousand kays or so, that would be cool.

[merv]

Here's a recent post by me commenting on the 100X tyres on my VFR http://www.kiwibiker.co.nz/forums/showthread.php?p=483913#post483913

[DemonWolf]

Will update =)

[Lou Girardin]

They're factory fit on the Bandit, I was wary of them at first, but they haven't let me down yet. They don't feel as secure as the Z6's when pushing on a bit and the rear was well feathered out to the edges after the East Cape ride. Older tech tyres don't seem to cope with hard use quite so well.
I think I'll stick with the Metz's.

[MSTRS]

Wear-wise 100X's are great. Value for money - yep. Performance over all conditions/riding styles - you gets what you pays for eh.
Had one on the front of the 1100 with a Mez4 on the rear. Only whoopsy moment was in the wet on a 25kph-rated corner & then it was both tyres in equal measure (the bike slid sideways maybe a foot). Did a trackday at Taupo & had no issues with slippage. BUT I would say "100X is a touring tyre so don't expect too much of it in the roadholding stakes when it is cold and/or wet"

[DemonWolf]

Cheers MSTRS, will watch it when winter swings on by..

[MSTRS]

Perhaps I should add that I only dropped (unfortunate term, that) the 100X when I replaced the Mez4 on the rear. I went with matched Z6's. This was after maybe 12,000ks. The 100X looked good for at least the same again, with minimal & even wear.

[Fishy]

A mate of mine used to run them on his CBR600 and said they were good all round tyres but weren't the best when really pushing them on the road.

[DemonWolf]

Gotta agree with you Fishlayer,

Lastnight went on the local Pie'N'Pint ride.. We done the Carrington Street loop hooking up to SH45 with a couple detours.. well I was finding under heavy braking that the rear was sliding out on me slightly going around very sharp cornering... also had a moment going over a single lane bridge with wire mess on it... a rather interesting experience of sliding off the designated 'raised' tyre path and into the rut. (the guy 20m behind me was wondering what the fuck I was doing!).

I've got every confidence in the tyre's for the daily commute (though I naturally take it easy on some sections of it.. not overly fond of large black tar with no sign of stone chip.. and of some shady road repairs and reseals) and I'm also confident in pushing on nice open roads without any below 45 KPH corners.

Gotta keep reminding myself that these tyres are 'touring' class, not high performance sport tyres that are ultra sticky.

Also found that out the other day pulling up to my driveway.. locked the rear, and had to take a detour straighthrough or I wouldn't have made the driveway.

Tyres still look in very good nic =)

[rustys]

I sell lots Mich Macadams 100X tyres to mates of mine. These are going on all sorts of bikes, and i've never had one complaint about them, these are more designed for the touring market type bikes, and are good value for money.Slightly cheaper than Bridgestones.They do take a little longer to warm up so dont push them to soon.I have a GSXR-750v with them on and run 42psi rear 36psi front, softing them down a bit for colder and wet weather.On average i'am getting 9 to 10000klm out of them, if i was going push the bike hard i would change over to more softer compound tyre.We put some Mac 100 on a Honda SP1 V twin and got 8000klms out of them.I also run Mac 100s on my Suzuki GSX 1100 and get 10000klms rear and up to 12000klms front. I say to some people to order tyres early before you need them, let them sit awhile i think you get a little more mileage out of them, also the shipments of tyres are fairly small coming into the country that the selection when you want a specific tyre you may not be able to get, as lots are pre ordered from the supplier before they arrive,we all ride differently, and everyones opinion is different. Hopes this helps guys.

Have fun and "GROW OLD DISGRACFULLY"

[DemonWolf]

Cheers Rustys... very good comments.

I suspect that the tyre's weren't up to full operating temperatures.... though I should be careful not to try and push it to hard on the tight corners especially when I'm not 100% confident.

Your other tidbits will come in handy =)

[DemonWolf]

Well I'm nearing the end of the rear tyre's life.. I'll have to calculate how many K's I've put on it (later)...

Ok, done a quick calc here.. I've done commuting to work approximately 8732km's this is not counting the 11 weekends where I've done approximately off the top of my head another 2000km's (at least, I would imagine) So in 80 days, the tyre has done approx 11000km's.. the rear is quite stable, though even when warmed up under heavy engine braking will give a little slide\wiggle nothing major at all (perhaps the rear suspension isn't setup correctly for me.. haven't had it looked at).

I've had a couple 'moments' on wet white centre lines under heavy acceleration, black tar patches also on accerleration (which now I tend to avoid doing any acceleration when I'm on them).. also had a 'moment' this morning in the wet outside work's entrance where the front (by the way its got shiteloads of tread left.. I suspect it could outlast 2 more set of rears, or at the very least 1 more and be changed on the 2 set with the rear) slid coming off (turning into the driveway) a uneven reseal patch (lefthand lane had been resealed and the righthand lane was normal) with alot more stone chips embedded to a more 'worn out' normal road strip thats smoother it was a leg out action and a momentary 'fracken hell' nearly a change of undergarments as half metre ahead is a cattlestop.

meh.. looks like I'm going to have to sweettalk my darling partner into buying me another rear in acouple weeks.. chances right at the moment aren't looking good at all =(

[steved]

Well I'm nearing the end of the rear tyre's life.. I'll have to calculate how many K's I've put on it (later)...

Ok, done a quick calc here.. I've done commuting to work approximately 8732km's this is not counting the 11 weekends where I've done approximately off the top of my head another 2000km's (at least, I would imagine) So in 80 days, the tyre has done approx 11000km's.. the rear is quite stable, though even when warmed up under heavy engine braking will give a little slide\wiggle nothing major at all (perhaps the rear suspension isn't setup correctly for me.. haven't had it looked at).

I've had a couple 'moments' on wet white centre lines under heavy acceleration, black tar patches also on accerleration (which now I tend to avoid doing any acceleration when I'm on them).. also had a 'moment' this morning in the wet outside work's entrance where the front (by the way its got shiteloads of tread left.. I suspect it could outlast 2 more set of rears, or at the very least 1 more and be changed on the 2 set with the rear) slid coming off (turning into the driveway) a uneven reseal patch (lefthand lane had been resealed and the righthand lane was normal) with alot more stone chips embedded to a more 'worn out' normal road strip thats smoother it was a leg out action and a momentary 'fracken hell' nearly a change of undergarments as half metre ahead is a cattlestop.

meh.. looks like I'm going to have to sweettalk my darling partner into buying me another rear in acouple weeks.. chances right at the moment aren't looking good at all =(
Cool. Are you going to be getting the same set or is the front, after 11,000kms, still good?

[DemonWolf]

The Front will be left on until it needs to be changed.. not made out of money so can't really change it if I wanted.

As for the rear..

Well that entirely depends on what the partner says... though I'd like to get a stickier tyre for the winter months.. we've only had a couple real wet days since february that I've been out in... So I can't really say how they hold up in wet wet conditions, or even wet cold conditions.

[The Stranger]

Ok you just upset my morning.
I note in your first thread you say you only got 3.5-4k out of the Z6.

I went to the Z6 on the understanding this was a sport touring tyre and I should expact to get 10-12k from them.

What milage should I expect from a Z6?

On the plus side the Z6 is a nice tyre and excellent in the wet, I would rate it ahead of either the Avon Azaro or the Avon Viper in the wet, however to be fair to the viper I had FA time on it in the wet.

One thing I found interesting going from the Viper to the Z6 though. The performance of the Z6 is noticably better if I stiffen the compression damping one click from where was ideal for the Viper.

[MSTRS]

The Front will be left on until it needs to be changed.. not made out of money so can't really change it if I wanted.

As for the rear..

Well that entirely depends on what the partner says... though I'd like to get a stickier tyre for the winter months.. we've only had a couple real wet days since february that I've been out in... So I can't really say how they hold up in wet wet conditions, or even wet cold conditions.
I'd never put a stickier tyre on the rear, without being very sure of the front's performance. Rear washout is preferable to front, surely?

[DemonWolf]

Ok you just upset my morning.
I note in your first thread you say you only got 3.5-4k out of the Z6.

I went to the Z6 on the understanding this was a sport touring tyre and I should expact to get 10-12k from them.

What milage should I expect from a Z6?
....

I've been told that a possible reason why my Z6 didn't last long was due to the fact I used unknown quality petrolstation air gauges (which I'm told there are only a couple known to be calibrated correctly) which I've also gone and got my own gauge. And the riding I did over the summer period was.. shall we say quite spirited.. getting to know the capability of the bike =) :rockon: and that I've got a VTwin and not a inline4...

[DemonWolf]

I'd never put a stickier tyre on the rear, without being very sure of the front's performance. Rear washout is preferable to front, surely?

Yep, that would be preferable.. I'd get some concensus going before I chose another rear to ensure rider safety.. its just that I'm wary with the current slight sliding\wiggle of the rear under braking etc.. I would prefer not to have this while in the winter months, especially out here in Kapuni where its very cold, wet and windy in winter.

[Blackbird]

It's that old chestnut of "fitness for purpose" again. When I bought the Blackbird, it had the 90X forerunners of the 100X tyres on it. Tyre life was incredible (>10000 km) but the rear tended to step out if I got on the gas too early coming out of corners and I wasn't all that confident as a result. I'm not interested in a super grippy tyre like a Viper which only lasts for 3000 km as I simply couldn't justify the expense, so settled on the "B" load specification Azaro ST45/46 combination which gives me reasonable grip and a life of around 6000 km.

There are probably very few genuinely bad tyres on the market these days. It's all about what's right for your particular riding style and bike weight.

[DemonWolf]

Blackbird, I agree totally... riding style is a huge factor and bike setup (for the rider).. Will have to look into the Azaro when I get the chance.

cheers

[nadroj]

Either stick to the Macadam or Pilot Road as going any stickier will compromise wet riding as they have less grooves to pump the water out.
Also check out the Michelin web site where the comparison chart shows the wet & dry angles of lean on specific tyres.

[DemonWolf]

Well the Macadam has done its bit. Canvas is showing so now I'm 'borrowed' the partners car to get to work.. until I sort out another rear tyre.. and I'll prolly stay with a Macadam for now.

So at last tally I figured roughly 11k which is prolly a tad bit optimistic. So I'll class it as at least a good 9-10.5k continous commuting with some good blats put in.

Once the new tyre is on (again prolly a Macadam) I'll know how it holds out during the winter season. All in all, its a good stable tyre, I've had a few 'moments' with it, though thats more likely my riding style. i.e. heavy engine braking into corners. One moment on white road marking lines. All in all I'm happy with the performance of the tyre for its type. Just need to be aware that it takes abit longer to get up to running temperature.

[steved]

Sweet as DemonWolf. Thanks for the long-term testing. Almost 10,000km out of a rear tyre is pretty amazing for a bike as powerful as yours.

[Lou Girardin]

I've ditched the Macadams for Z6's. They are like chalk and cheese, one circuit on the Coro loop with the Mich's really put me off. I had no confidence in the front at reasonable lean angles, the Z6's feel like they'll never let go.
BTW Can, I get 9 - 10,000 out of Z6's, but you're bike is heavier and more powerful, not a good combination if you push it a bit.

[DemonWolf]

Lou Girardin

I've tried a Z6 rear.. but didn't get much over 4k on it (perhaps it wasn't inflated at the correct psi).. which is why I tried the Macadams... but you are right, the Z6 is a much more stickier tyre for sure.. though I was looking for longer wear.. as I'm a tight bstard with a partner that spends like mad renovating =/ and keeeps yelling at me when I buy stuff for the bike =(

[The Stranger]

Well the Macadam has done its bit. Canvas is showing so now I'm 'borrowed' the partners car to get to work.. until I sort out another rear tyre.. and I'll prolly stay with a Macadam for now.


Ok, now to get shot down in flames.

Try the Avon Azaro.
The Azaro did 8,000km on the Blackbird and only looked about half worn. Was a bloody good tyre, only 2 minor issues in the wet (both under full power)

The Z6 I have now on the X11 is a better tyre, but really doesn't look like it is going to last me 10,000, that was the target I had in mind when I bought it.

After the Macadam on the Yamaha at Taupo, I will go to the Azaro on the X11 next time.

[Zapf]

just a reminder that one is a 4 cylinder and another a TWIN... and we know Twin's are harder on tires :)

[Hitcher]

and don't trust Service Station tyre gauges!
Or check your tyre pressures once your tyres are warmed up. Always do them cold.

[James Deuce]

The Azaro 45/46 combo is a much better than the Macadam 100X, and if anything you'll get better mileage, dry grip, and astonishing wet performance from the Azaros. The Azaros let go progressively and you can feel it happening, giving you plenty of options (more wheelspin or more grip - up to you buddy). The 100X's just let go *BAM* and then lie there on their sides laughing at your misfortune.

[Mr. Peanut]

I can use what I like (150kg wet) :rockon: :yes:

[The Stranger]

The Azaro 45/46 combo is a much better than the Macadam 100X, and if anything you'll get better mileage, dry grip, and astonishing wet performance from the Azaros. The Azaros let go progressively and you can feel it happening, giving you plenty of options (more wheelspin or more grip - up to you buddy). The 100X's just let go *BAM* and then lie there on their sides laughing at your misfortune.

Ok, that is my experience with both, including the macadam on it's side laughing. Only thing is I don't plan on finding out the milage on the macadam, it is going long before it wears out.