I'm keen to hear about 18" tyres, let's face it, there is not a lot to choose from out there from the main manufacturers is there? Every time you read about the latest greatest tyre, then go to the website and search 18" the same crud comes up that had been in production for the last 10 or more years. Actually less crud come up as they drop one or two of their lines. I plan on tyres being replaced every 3 years or less but that is still a long time to be stuck with a dud. So what is good? Wet weather? Lifespan? I tried Pirelli Sport Demons on my Mk1 and Mk2 around the same time and my Ambo surprisingly came with a pair. They don't last too long, especially the front. The higher performance Mk2 chewed out the sides of the front in around 4,500kms which gave it a disconcerting pitch onto the sidewall upon turn in, and a slide in the wet. It was bad. As a warm day/summer rider's tyre it is very sticky and after my track time on them I was pretty impressed with the performance. The flip side is poor wet weather grip and in winter rain etc they barely heat up at all. On the weighty Ambo they are even more slippery on wet roads but in the dry and warm roads they are faultless. Now I am considering going back to Pirelli Route tyres, which are good hard wearing and relativly grippy tyres in all conditions, but what else is out there that would suit year-round 'sports' riding?
I used Pirelli Route 66 on my XJ550 and they were good enough to get my knee down at Ruapuna and they were 10,000km and probably 1/2 worn at the time On the MHR it came with Metzler Lasertech which is the ME33/ME55 combo and it seemed to work quite well, they were well worn when I got them and 3K later I'm just replacing them with Bridgestone BT45 which are my favourite "old school" tyre. I doubt they will do the mileage of the Pirelli Route 66 but after running them on my RD350LC race bike and cleaning up GSX1100,GS1000, Z750 etc etc in the pissing rain at Teretonga I'll happily trade grip for wear
Yeah,what happened to 18in tyres? They were once the most popular size...for all uses.When I was riding adventure bikes they had 17in rear wheels,and had to use what was available.I longed for an 18in wheel and being able to have real tyres.Then I got an adventure bike with an 18in wheel - and there are practically no DOT tyres in that size! Looking forward to the BMW with 18in front and rear...and not much available. You can't trust my choices - someone who doesn't feel comfortable on a bike unless the tyres are sliding at moderate speeds obviously knows nothing about tyres.But I love my K70's,would jump at K180's,and think the K81 (TT100) is the best you can get.Just to prove my incompetence - the Spitfire is perfect at 8 psi.
I run BT45's on my 'sports bike'...... Kenda or Shinko probably do something for Guzzis or have you tried the John Deer agent?
Good job it's coming into summer I've just put sports demons on the GS. Hopefully come next winter they'll be knackered.
I like the Bridgestone BT45 Battlax too. Dual compound, sticky wet or dry. Very confidence-inspiring. Lifespan for the rear wasn't too flash at only 6000km though . . . . I now have a BT45 on the front and a Bridgestone S11 Spitfire on the rear. The S11 is still a dual compound affair, but is more touring-oriented and is much better wear-wise yet still grippy in the wet. Works for me.
I havnt had any issues with the wet grip of Sport Demons, lighter bike tho, BT45 and Sport Demons have a good range of sizes, What are the sizes available in the metzlers? http://www.nwa.co.nz/product_detail.php?P_ID=3150
Metzlers have a few 18" selections but I have had issues with their front when it is worn to just about WOF thickness- they break out on cornering, Max has also had this issue. I want to be able to run a tyre with predictable performance all the way through the wear cycle, sometimes on tour it is not possible to replace a tyre exactly on a wear level so having a tyre let me know when it is worn by not performing is not a good thing IMHO. I know it is worn, I check them often, I don't need some health and safety tyre maker to have the tyre tell me it's worn
I run sport demons on front and rear on my cx, good in the dry, bad in the wet, i'll try bridgestone spitfires next time.
On my older TZ's I run KR124A and KR164 Dunlops. made from the latest Dunlop slick compounds, but not road legal sorry folks! (wickedly sticky!!!!!) I have used TT900GP's a bit too - make BT45's and the like a little sad in the grip deparment (they are seriously good and are the Dunlop GP compound), I've raced the TZ on them and Dunlop have even fitted to the 1975 YZR500 that Ago Ddemonstrates in Europe. Hard to get here but they are still available - Peter Stevens Motorcycles in melbourne will airmail them over. Are 90/90 100/90 120/80 and 140/70. The 100/90 is a rear but is fine reversed and run on the front. These are my pick of the road ones along with the Avons if grip is key. There are also some smaller BT39SS's and BT12ss in 18's 110/80 and 160/60 in a radial for 2.5 and 4 inch rims. Dunlop do some 140/60 and 150/60 GPRA10's in a sticky one, but no front. Avon still do a good rang in AM22 "traK" (ie road!) or Sprint (ie sticky) compounds. The Club race is a not for highway use. Al
Like Jace, I swear by the Sport Demons, wet or dry. I've run 3 sets on the 850 now. They're not 18" though. My only complaint is they eventually cup up on the front tyre.
What are you running on the 1100 Diesel?
Still got the Metzlers that it came with. I've only put around 2K on the bike since I bought it on '07. It's not a show pony. It just plays second fiddle to the 850.
Has anyone tried Heidenau Tyres? Race tyres but think they are Dot road legal
