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View Full Version : VTR1000 - Metzler M3 or Michelin P-Power



manyrevs
10th November 2006, 15:52
I have a VTR1000 - 06 and I have 3300km on the clock and still have the standard Dunlop Sportsmax D20x (whatever) and am right on the point of replacing them with either the Metzeler M3 or the Michelin Pilot Power...

Q1... How do either of these tyres compare to the standard Dunlops..???

Q2... Which is better for the VTR..???

I am not too worried about tyre life. I just want a good tyre for grip through the hills and other more sporty style of riding... Apart from the Pirelli Corsa the Metzeler M3 and the Michelin PP are the only two which catch my attention...

Opinions...!!!

Fatjim
10th November 2006, 16:17
I'm pretty happy with the diablo's, other love the PP's. I'm sorry, never tried the Metzlers.

oldguy
10th November 2006, 16:30
I have just put a set of M3's on my VTR, haven't really had a chance to scrub them in proper yet. done 1 thursday nite ride, and a blast out to Kaiaua and back, love them, I normally use Metzeler RoadTec,

Don't Know much about the P-Powers but from what I here they are a great Tyre,

SixPackBack
10th November 2006, 16:32
I prefered the Diablo's to the Powers [powers last REAL well tho'].
The M3's was shit on me K4 never heated up in the winter to give anything like real grip [let go without warning] and the front tyre was all but consumed on a norfland ride in one afternoon.

APPLE
10th November 2006, 19:04
there both good tyres mate,m3's ( i think) are the newer out of the to,i've herd good things about both.i got the old p/sports on me TL,they do the stuff.i'd go with the M3's mate.(buy a whisker)

TerminalAddict
10th November 2006, 19:20
m3's do alright on the 919 .. haven't tried the PP's

boomer
10th November 2006, 19:21
never had the m3's but currently got the PP's on; i don't like 'em on the road however they were good on the track; i rate the dunlop 208rr's as the best i've tried and tested, easily.

kiwifruit
10th November 2006, 19:27
dont listen to boomer, he's full of it :yes:



powers all the way

Motig
10th November 2006, 19:29
I'd go for the horniest looking tread pattern.:yes:

boomer
10th November 2006, 19:29
dont listen to boomer, he's full of it :yes:



powers all the way

i think this explains it all..

kiwifruit
fast, in a straight line




:yawn:

kiwifruit
10th November 2006, 19:30
i think this explains it all..


kiwifruit
fast, in a straight line




:yawn:

you and me, a race (in a straight line) its over for you :yes:

boomer
10th November 2006, 19:36
you and me, a race (in a straight line) its over for you :yes:


Sorry bro, i don't do 'fast'...

ps.. you know i'm slow.. it took 5 hours to get to fkin Taupo .. 'member?

did i mention the Dunlop 208's or qualifiers as a good buy for matey?

kiwifruit
10th November 2006, 19:55
Sorry bro, i don't do 'fast'...

ps.. you know i'm slow.. it took 5 hours to get to fkin Taupo .. 'member?

did i mention the Dunlop 208's or qualifiers as a good buy for matey?

fair enuf mate :lol:
pilot power all the way btw... what a tyre

nsrpaul
10th November 2006, 20:13
powers rule:second:

Mental Trousers
10th November 2006, 22:05
Ditched the powers for the m3's. The powers were good, but the m3's suit me better (Metzelers always have suited me better than Michelins)

manyrevs
11th November 2006, 08:00
Hey thanks for the cross section of answers. Now I'm more confused than ever - Hahahaha, just kidding...

Seems that no matter which I get, I could get a tyre which could suit me down to the ground or a tyre that I just don't like. That's why I asked. It's been a while since I last rode a bike, way back early-mid 90's (GSXR-750 - last of the oiled cooled ones - M or N or something)... Back then I had Metzeler K's and they were as good as tyres got,, but with Michelins, although nice 'n' sticky, they always gave me an uneasy feeling of "where's the limit?" and don't dare go past it or you'll get gravel rash on your arse as you slide off the road into that ditch. In the few Michelins I did have, I got good traction but when they let go, they LET GO,, whereas many other tyres seemed to start sliding a bit before giving out...

I've been doing a bit of reading about tyres lately and have no doubt that the technology that's gone into them has increased a great deal since the 90's. One friend loves the Michelins (Pilot Road - I think) on his SV650, while another loves his Metz M3's on hi 'Busa. I look at myself as the piggy in the middle of these two. No matter which one I get, one of them will say "Why did ya get those man?"...

Hmmmm, maybe the Corsa is looking better all of a sudden... I will have to do a bit more thinking, or maybe I'll just decide when I am at the shop...

Grahameeboy
11th November 2006, 08:05
Cycletreads doing Pilot Sports for $450 inc fitting..........Powers work really well on my SV and just about to replace rear Sunday after 9,000 k...still has about 1,000k's left.....and mostly fastish rides as have not squared off plus with the Powers the front does not scollop which the Sports did as I had to replace front at time despite have lots of tread left....still a good tyre though.

Mental Trousers
11th November 2006, 14:28
My opinion is that if you never used to feel comfortable with the Michelins then you won't now either. I was in the same position.

The philosophy, techniques and design goals within each company tend to remain the same or similar over the years. So if Michelin didn't suit you back then it's very likely they won't suit you now.

Morepower
11th November 2006, 22:50
Stick a pair of Bridgestone BT014 s on it and dont look back , brilliant street tyres if mileage is not an issue . You can go hard in the wet too !

Pilot powers way overated in my book . will never use them again.

Dave

Mort
11th November 2006, 23:07
waaayyy back when - I put D207RR's on my VTR..... I suppose the equivilent is the D208RR which I am told is better..... anyway... They were bloody impressive on road and track and in the wet especially. You'll not go far wrong with them.

boomer
12th November 2006, 08:06
the qualifiers are the most recent dunlops.. i'll be trying them next

manyrevs
12th November 2006, 08:51
My opinion is that if you never used to feel comfortable with the Michelins then you won't now either. I was in the same position.

The philosophy, techniques and design goals within each company tend to remain the same or similar over the years. So if Michelin didn't suit you back then it's very likely they won't suit you now.
===================
You have a point there. Funny thing is that I tried Michelins over many years and yes I never did feel "that" confident with them once I ran near to their limits. They all started hopping, skipping, jumping around once really pushed. It was at this point that I eventually learned to back off or pay the price. Other tyres like Continentals, Metzelers, Dunlops all tended to start sliding way before they threw you off...

At first, in the earlier years, I liked the stickiness of Michelins and hated the slippy feel of many others, but once I learned that sliding could save my butt, and pushing past the Michelins limits meant instant accident, I tended to shy away from them. In those days I actually used to think that any tyres which slid were because of poor design (probably half true too), then all of a sudden tyre wars started with the likes of Pirelli Phantoms, Dunlop Elites (remember those in their original forms way back then!!!) and then my personal favourites, the Metzeler Comp-K back in the early 90's. Now that was a tyre that could be made to slide in a controlled fashion. I can remember laying many big streaks of rubber on the road after exiting a corner and watching onlookers eyes bulge as I power slid almost sideways for about 20 mtres or so on a few GSXR's. They loved the Comp-K's...

My philosophy of liking a bit of slide, still stands...

Ham
12th November 2006, 09:52
I just fitted some M3's to mine and I can't believe how good they handle!! just make sure you get some knee sliders! :yes:

Grahameeboy
12th November 2006, 10:02
Ditched the powers for the m3's. The powers were good, but the m3's suit me better (Metzelers always have suited me better than Michelins)

Yep I have gone threw tyres and you are right. I don't like Pirelli as they have a pointed profile and I feel too tippy...that's enough for me but found the Powers suit me..I guess at end of day most sports tyres these days are a muchness eh and all good.

Devil
12th November 2006, 20:11
I've got a similar opinion to Boomer. The powers felt good on the track, but I don't like them on the road. The M3's felt better and tip more progressively.
Unlikely to go with the powers again. I would definately have M3's again though.

jonbuoy
12th November 2006, 20:18
I like pilot powers. Sharpened up the steering and are unbelievably grippy from cold. Good in the wet too. I wouldn't want to get caught in a shower with supercorsas - not if you've a long way to ride home. Good feedback as well, I've had three sets, had diablos before which were not as good on the VTR imho.

elphick
8th December 2006, 17:25
I use Pirelli Diablos. Good stick. Predictable. No surprises.

dveus
8th December 2006, 19:16
I loved the powers on my VTR but they would send me broke with how often they need replacing. I now have a Power front and a Pilot Road rear, no where near as nice feeling but seems to be more than enough for the road.

madmal64
8th December 2006, 19:19
Another one for Pilot Powers. Sweet tyres that I trust and give reasonable milage.

imdying
8th December 2006, 19:35
You would fine that Pilot Sports did all you need. Plenty of wank factor in the super sticky tyres... the tyre companies must love how so many people buy stickier (read faster wearing out) tyres than they need. Sure, the best tyres are cheap insurance, but realistically if a Pilot Sport has cause to biff you, you've probably put yourself in a situation that the having Powers wouldn't have made any difference.

WINJA
8th December 2006, 20:32
Dont Buy Tyres Worth More Than The Bike , After All Its Just A Shitty Honda , Get Second Hand Shinkos

manyrevs
11th December 2006, 15:29
You do do best to just answer the qestion rather than to try to impress people with your silly witty humour, because you failed. It may be just a "shitty" old Honda but I wasn't quite asking for your opinion on the bike, JUST the tyres, but thanks for the reply and for revealing what a brain dead half-breed you are...

imdying
11th December 2006, 15:54
That would be 'Brain dead half breed' ;)

idb
11th December 2006, 20:47
I've just got exactly 6,000ks out of my rear Michelin PP on the 888.

They're all I've used and I've never had a nervous moment (aquaplaning in a torrential downpour excepted).
Mind you, reading some of the posts here I don't push them anywhere near as hard as most.

geoffc
11th December 2006, 20:59
I've had Michelin Pilot and more recently Pirellis on my VTR1000. The Michelins lasted longer, no question. A lot of personal preferences are listed in this thread. Talk to your dealer for their thoughts, but the key question is how hard do you plan to ride your bike? If you are going to push the limits ask for and get a sticky tyre. Happy riding.

The_Dover
11th December 2006, 21:01
Talk to your dealer for their thoughts

my dealer says the sticky shit is the best.
:mellow:

Jinx3d
13th December 2006, 21:39
Last year, super bike magazine did a monster tyre shootout. 3 riders, a prof racer, a mad journo and a wannabe trackday pilot.

2 bikes, GSXR thou and a GSXR 600.

All tests done blind.

The key point here is that, the fast guys liked one sort of tyre and the slow guy prefered others.

They ended up concludiong that you wont get the best out of a tyre unless you are using for what it was designed for.

Ergo, supersticky is not nessesarily what everyone needs regardless of price and longevity.

Did anyone else see it, it wasnt included in the NZ issue, only the UK.

Cheers ears

manyrevs
15th December 2006, 14:03
I didn't see that one but I did read a tyre shootout in another mag, and they never told the guys what tyres were on the bike at the time. They just got on each bike and tested them, like you said - "blindly", then they put all the comments and facts together and more or less came up with the same thought. The best tyre is the one you are going to get the most out of at your own style of riding. One rider was consistantly slower around the track but had a completely different outlook on each tyre, than the other testers. Some tyres gave him more or less condifence than the others...

You can make you own conclusions here...

When I asked the original question - Michelin or Metzelers? - I had made up my mind on those two, based on other riders that I know personally. Of course, each one swearing black and blue that theirs was the BEST choice... Usually a guy who has a certain tyre will give more B/S than fact when it come to the question, but, I don't see myself going wrong with either. My style of riding is in the mid speed range and some good lean angles around those tight ones. No matter which way I eventually go, one of my friends will say I was wrong - hahahaha...!!!

At the moment I am inclined towards the Metzeler...

redr1
15th December 2006, 14:52
I have M3s on my R1. They are ok, but get the feeling may not be soft enough for a lighter weight twin. Good wear life though.

manyrevs
16th December 2006, 07:46
I have M3s on my R1. They are ok, but get the feeling may not be soft enough for a lighter weight twin. Good wear life though.

I think you'll find that your R1 is about 20 kgs lighter than my VTR1000 - 170 vs 190 approx. I like to hum along at speeds a little above the 100kph limit and try not to slow down too much just because the road develops a few twists here and there... I like to lean it over too and like the feeling of knowing it wont suddenly drop me on my arse halfway around a corner. On the standard Dunlops, I have ridden the tyres right to the edge of their tread and while I don't hate these tyres, they do have a tendency to slip a little sometimes when exiting corners under a bit of throttle, as well as showing a little bit of slip n slide into corners if you change down too quickly... I've done just on 4000kms on them and they are starting to show some real wear now. I "will" replace them over Xmas/New Year... It's just a matter of "what with"...

redr1
17th December 2006, 09:02
Didn't realize the VTR1000 was around 190kg. I don't have much experience with Dunlops. Have always had michelins on previous bikes until I got the R1 with M3s on it. I have to say the grip is pretty good after spending a day at Puke track on Sat. 3 sessions each around 10-15 laps really chewed up the rubber though.