What's a good front wet weather tyre?

[BornToLean]

Back in the 80's and early 90's when I rode bikes every day, the best front wet tyre for me was a Metz ME33. I'm back in the saddle again, but I've completely lost touch with the different tyres.
Around town my FZR750 has no feeling in the front on a wet road, there's no feedback, it's just dead. It makes me think it's about to let go at any moment so I end up ridiculously slow around intersections and roundabouts. The front tyre is about 1/2 to 2/3 worn so I thought I would replace it to see if it makes a difference.
The current tyre is a Michelin Pilot (Road) - whatever that is - so what's the latest sticky wet tyre?

[XTC]

Sportbike riders don't ride in the rain....

[riffer]

Bollocks.

Go a Metzeler Z6. Great in the wet.

Not too bad in the dry either.

[sAsLEX]

metzler rennsport for me! works just great!

[BornToLean]

Thanks for the reply's.

[dhunt]

Back in the 80's and early 90's when I rode bikes every day, the best front wet tyre for me was a Metz ME33. I'm back in the saddle again, but I've completely lost touch with the different tyres.
Around town my FZR750 has no feeling in the front on a wet road, there's no feedback, it's just dead. It makes me think it's about to let go at any moment so I end up ridiculously slow around intersections and roundabouts. The front tyre is about 1/2 to 2/3 worn so I thought I would replace it to see if it makes a difference.
The current tyre is a Michelin Pilot (Road) - whatever that is - so what's the latest sticky wet tyre?
You can still get a ME33 Laser. I was quite please with the one I had on my bike before I umm buckled the rim,

[loosebruce]

Pilot Power on the road, no question what so ever, these tyres are the shit wet and dry, and you get surprising amount of wear out of them for a high performance sports tyre as well.

[emaN]

Funnily enough, the very tyre you have on there saved my a$$ BIG time!

I had scampered on ahead of mates in heavy rain (my excuse was I had to keep tyre temp up) when a right-hander (it was in France) closed right up on me with traffic coming the other way.

I feathered the front, hung off, leant, feathered it some more, as much as i dared and at any second expected the front to wash out...amazingly it held!

Never demanded that much from a front in the wet, before or since. I was blown away. I even pulled over in the next town to try and figure out why I hadn't fallen off, (and to calm down!).

I'm thinking the fact that it's worn and probably incorrect pressure has more to do with it... These tyres have a massive amount of silica in 'em, which is s'posed to be the shizzle in the wet.

[APPLE]

metzler rennsport for me! works just great!
Rennsports in the wet????? thats brave man?

[APPLE]

pilot sports,in the wet......really good.obviously more tread patterns on a tyre the safer and better you are in the wet:ride:

[Sensei]

Superbike mag tested the top tyres & they went like this

1st Pirelli Diablo *****
2nd Metzeler M1 *****
3rd Power Pilots ****

* where ratings on 5 different areas
1 Grip & wear
2 Feel wet & dry
3 Stability at speed
4 Corner tip in
5 Braking ability
These 3 tyres are at a level that most well never find so buy them with confidence >:yes:

[Mr. Peanut]

Just get a car FFS :rockon:

[Lou Girardin]

What riffer said. Sport/touring tyres warm up quicker in foul weather. Great for the first wet corner from home.

[R1madness]

Try a late 80s tyre to match your bike. Go for ME33 Metz or Continental TKV11 or Bridgestone BT(used to be BT%^ but the model number has changed now i think) or AVON AM22/23 i think (the old model). All were great tyres on the FZRs.
When was the last time the fork oil was changed? That will help heaps.
Regards
Ian
Just Motorcycles
165 Bowhill Rd
New Brighton
Christchurch

[Hitcher]

I'm with Riffer. I've run five sets of Z6s now on two different bikes. Fantastic tyres in the wet. Run them as a set too -- don't fanny around with different compounds front and rear.

I may do a change to Conti Road Attacks next time, if they do a 120/70 18.

[BornToLean]

Try a late 80s tyre to match your bike. Go for ME33 Metz or Continental TKV11 or Bridgestone BT(used to be BT%^ but the model number has changed now i think) or AVON AM22/23 i think (the old model). All were great tyres on the FZRs.
When was the last time the fork oil was changed? That will help heaps.
Regards
Ian
Just Motorcycles
165 Bowhill Rd
New Brighton
Christchurch
Went for a Warrant and was told the fork seals were close to leaking, and the steering head bearings could do with attention. So I guess the fork oil is well used as well. (I've only had this bike a few weeks.)
I'll give the front-end an overhaul, but then keep the same tyres and see what the difference is.
I think I shouldn't have been so quick to blame the tyres! That said, there's clearly a wealth of information within this group - it's great. I've taken note of the suggested tyres, as I'll need them shortly anyway.

[riffer]

Having owned one of these bikes, I can vouch for the difference a fork oil change will make.

Likewise the steering head bearings. Pay careful attention to the state of the steering head race sockets when you do the bearings. These first Deltabox frames had a bit of a problem with the alloy being a bit soft, and after time you get a bit of ovalisation in the race sockets, which makes the races move a bit, giving you a bit of movement in the steering head.

I resolved this by using a metal-infused epoxy resin to pack the spaces. Not altogether a perfect solution but definitely easier and cheaper than milling out a slightly larger hole for larger races and bearings.

I also found that the bike benefitted from a heavier fork weight oil (I used 10w - original spec was 5W I think) although I found it made it a bit more susceptible to tank slap.

And seriously, those Z6s are amazing in the wet. I'm not sure if you can get an 18 inch rear though...

I had an IRC on the front of my FZR - and it was crap - never again. Sounds just like what you mentioned on yours - so maybe the FZR's are crap in the wet.

[Morepower]

I am one of those (fools?) that actualy enjoys a wet road. I also go through tyres (Tl1000) have tried them all , Pilot powers , Diablos , Corsas etc.

Hands down in the wet .... the winner .... Bridgestone BT 014's in two words . bloody amazing .

[DEATH_INC.]

Superbike mag tested the top tyres & they went like this

1st Pirelli Diablo *****

Did these guys actually ride a bike with these shittas on? How come they seem to be the 'hot' tyre but anyone I know who can ride and has tried 'em thinks they're as shit as I do? WTF?????

[pritch]

How old are the tyres that are on the bike?

If the answer is several years or "don't know", it might be good insurance to replace them anyway.

[R1madness]

Riffer is on the mark. 10 wt oil and fill the fork to have an air gap of 145mm with the forks compressed and the springs removed. Then use position 3 of 4 on the dampning knob and screw down the preload half way. Yep the frames did have that little problem but a bit of shim steel works fine (or the metal epoxy). On the race bikes (it was a long time ago) we used to install the bearings and then peen the top of the casting in with a punch to stop them moving about.

[Toast]

Did these guys actually ride a bike with these shittas on? How come they seem to be the 'hot' tyre but anyone I know who can ride and has tried 'em thinks they're as shit as I do? WTF?????

I'm actually pretty sure that Sensei got it wrong.

I think that Superbike mag tyre test gave Pilot Power's the win in the road category.

Diablos fared ok, but not near the top I don't think.

I found them ok on my bike...just took an age to warm up is all. Pilot Powers on now and they're as good as ever.

[Bonez]

Back in the 80's and early 90's when I rode bikes every day, the best front wet tyre for me was a Metz ME33. I'm back in the saddle again, but I've completely lost touch with the different tyres. Still using ME33s on the front of my old beasties untill supplies run out and will move on the Lasertecs, same pattern but different compound.

[Bonez]

Did these guys actually ride a bike with these shittas on? How come they seem to be the 'hot' tyre but anyone I know who can ride and has tried 'em thinks they're as shit as I do? WTF?????Ask cowboyz about their wet weather performance........................ In a word CRAP!!!!! Fucking sliding around all over the place.

[Swoop]

Still using ME33s on the front of my old beasties untill supplies run out and will move on the Lasertecs, same pattern but different compound.
I have moved onto the lasertecs and really like them. After getting back onto and older bike with older rubber (and having several scares... losing a rear in the dry!), as suggested previously it is a damn good policy to replace older rubber.
Mmmm, grip!!!

[The_Dover]

Did these guys actually ride a bike with these shittas on? How come they seem to be the 'hot' tyre but anyone I know who can ride and has tried 'em thinks they're as shit as I do? WTF?????

Hey, I can't ride and I thought they were shit.

Pilot Powers or BT-014s.

[Sensei]

Did these guys actually ride a bike with these shittas on? How come they seem to be the 'hot' tyre but anyone I know who can ride and has tried 'em thinks they're as shit as I do? WTF?????

I ride M1's myself but use Super Corsa's in the summer on the rear . But I ride really slow , you would know better then me if Pirelli Diablos are shit so will take your word for it !

[scracha]

I'm with Riffer. I've run five sets of Z6s now on two different bikes. Fantastic tyres in the wet. Run them as a set too -- don't fanny around with different compounds front and rear.

I may do a change to Conti Road Attacks next time, if they do a 120/70 18.

Weird...I found them thoroughly awful in the wet but a lot of other tedium owners swear by them. Bridgestone BT45's (BT10's for bigger bikes??) give me the best feedback in the wet. I guess it's all down to the individual rider and bike.

[Crasherfromwayback]

For your bike, stick ('cuse the pun) with the 33's.
Notice the tread pattern is not dissimilar to a racing wet???
More grooves = better water dispersion.

[Gforce]

powers will be all my choice

[Hitcher]

(BT10's for bigger bikes??)
You cannot be serious. The only Bridgestone I would run on an ST1300 is the 020 Battlax. Not too bad a tyre, but not (IMO) as good a tyre as the Metzeler Z6.

And again, if you're not riding hard on the track or the short and winding road, I don't understand why people think they need super-sticky, fast wearing tyres, when a decent set of sport touring tyres will give acceptable performance and longer wear.