New Pirelli Strada

**vifferman** · 27th July 2005, 10:32

Originally Posted by Zed

For sure oldfart, anyone who buys cheap tyres (eg. Shinko) for their bike is just asking for trouble IMO...unless you're only a fair-weather rider that is!

Not true.
I had Stinkos on my VFR750 when I bought it, and they actually were fine for grip, including in the rain - it was only feel they were lacking in. Because they didn't give good feedback, I never had a lot of confidence in them, so I rode accordingly, and never had any scary moments.

Having said that, I wouldn't compromise on tyres, due to that year of riding on Stinkos, and the fact that my well-being depends on a very small tyre contact patch. And having ridden on (and enjoyed!) much better tyres than the Stinkos, why would I go back?

**Zed** · 27th July 2005, 12:14

Originally Posted by vifferman

Not true.
I had Stinkos on my VFR750 when I bought it, and they actually were fine for grip, including in the rain - it was only feel they were lacking in. Because they didn't give good feedback, I never had a lot of confidence in them, so I rode accordingly, and never had any scary moments.

Not true for you maybe...a tyre-shop guy told me the other day of half a dozen 'incidents' that he knows of personally where Shinko's have fallen well short of the mark of a good bike tyre, in one case a big chunk fell off of one like it was a retread! I thought you would have known Shinkos had a bad rep?

**bane** · 27th July 2005, 20:49

plan to have a pair of Strada's fitted to the gsxf in the next couple of weeks - had been eye'n up some BT020's, but heard good things about the Pirelli's.

In terms of $, rrp for the Strada (from everywhere it seems)
120/70 17 $255
160/60 17 $295

a couple of places are asking just under $500 fitted - (compared to around $450 for 020's), which by the sounds of things is okay.

**Zapf** · 27th July 2005, 23:38

ermm... ever played connect the dots?

trace the tread patten of the Strada's and entend them and round some of the corners and you get a Z6! can anyone confirm if the rear profile of the Strada is similar to a Z6?

**Lou Girardin** · 28th July 2005, 08:21

metzeler and Pirelli are the same company, it' snot that big a surprise that the tyres are similar.
I checked the US prices for Stradas and Z6's and the Strada's are cheaper, so who's doing the shafting in NZ?

**Sparky Bills** · 28th July 2005, 09:07

Originally Posted by Lou Girardin

I checked the US prices for Stradas and Z6's and the Strada's are cheaper, so who's doing the shafting in NZ?

Does it really matter????
You cant do anything about it, so live with it.

**vifferman** · 28th July 2005, 09:36

Originally Posted by Zed

Not true for you maybe...a tyre-shop guy told me the other day of half a dozen 'incidents' that he knows of personally where Shinko's have fallen well short of the mark of a good bike tyre, in one case a big chunk fell off of one like it was a retread! I thought you would have known Shinkos had a bad rep?

Why would I care? They were on the bike when I got it, they behaved themselves while they were on there (apart from not giving enough good feedback that I trusted them enough to push the bike in corners), and lasted about a year, the same as any other tyres I've since used.
Of course, as soon as they wore out, I went to more reputable tyres (Azaros, then a set of Bridgestones). Was supposed to scout around to see what sort of reputation they had, and then throw them away despite the fact they were giving adequate (if not particularly brilliant) service?
In any case, they're made by Inoue Rubber Company, who also make/made Yokohama tyres, which used to be a reasonable bike tyre brand. I've heard of other more 'upmarket' brands that have delaminated, worn unevenly, and generally misbehaved too, so the fact that "a big chunk fell off one" is not much better than hearsay, as far as I'm concerned.
But I'm not defending them, just citing my experience with them, and I reiterate that I wouldn't buy them myself, or recommend them to anyone else.

**Lou Girardin** · 28th July 2005, 10:21

Originally Posted by Sparky Bills

Does it really matter????
You cant do anything about it, so live with it.

I can actually,I like Pirellis but I buy Metz's.

**Zed** · 28th July 2005, 15:41

Originally Posted by vifferman

Why would I care?

Too true, I mean who cares what tyres you've got fitted if you ride like a Nana anyway, it's not as though you're in much danger of losing grip! You're probably petrified of the twisties?

**vifferman** · 28th July 2005, 15:43

Originally Posted by Zed

Too true, I mean who cares what tyres you've got fitted if you ride like a Nana anyway, it's not as though you're in much danger of losing grip! You're probably petrified of the twisties?

Yeah, that's it.