get in while they're hot!
On a slightly tangential note, I do wonder at the faith we place in the established companies.
If someone comes into the market with a great product, they struggle against our faith in the established brands.
Few of us are keen to be the test pilot of motorcycle tyres though, unless of course we were given a free pair. I'd hate to pay for a set then find they are dreadful.
Interesting post, thought provoking.
Originally Posted by Jane Omorogbe from UK MSN on the KTM990SM
Both good choices.
The tyre choice situation is complicated by the fact that new bikes sometimes come with a special budget version of a known tyre. There is nothing to suggest the tyres are different to what you'd buy retail, until they frighten the crap out of you on a wet road.
There is a grey blur, and a green blur. I try to stay on the grey one. - Joey Dunlop
Yup, had a bike eons ago with OEM Bridgestones, same designation as I was using on another, identical, bike. Loved the tyres I'd had fitted but the OEM's were dreadful. They were so bad for handling feel I thought their was something wrong with the new bike. And don't mention rain.. Again.
Weird and a common story I believe.
Manopausal.
Peter, I had 2 sets of Metzler 01's on my GSX-S1000 and found them to be excellent, then went to the Road 5's. The turn-in on the 05's was quicker and grip in both wet and dry conditions was similar (I run out of talent well before the grip of most reputable brands ). Unfortunately, I then got a whole string of punctures on the Road 5's, including one which wrote the rear tyre off. I could never be certain whether the 5's were more susceptible to the conditions I rode in or whether it was sheer bloody bad luck. Anyway, I changed to a KTM not long afterwards and got rid of the Maxxis OEM pure sport tyres as they didn't grip in cold, wet conditions. Replaced them with Bridgestone T31 sport touring tyres which did the biz but lost their shape badly by 8000 km. Now back on Road 5's after deciding to give them the benefit of the doubt re punctures. Just loving the "feel" of them for my type of riding. Wet weather performance is exceptional and dry is just fine too. Just hoping not to get punctures......
Some photos here: https://geoffjames.blogspot.com/2020...res-again.html .
Like a sportsbike tyre for the GSA. Least mileage from any set of Roads I've used (sub 10k and the edges were gone first), but holy crap, the grip was insane. Fully leant over, didn't even have to be careful and really smooth on the throttle, it gripped, kept gripping, hmm, off the edge of the rear, better just ease off ya idiot
Originally Posted by Jane Omorogbe from UK MSN on the KTM990SM
TOP QUOTE: “The problem with socialism is that sooner or later you run out of other people’s money.”
I had a pair of Angel GT's on my bike and at about 60 % wear on some gravel roads down the line the rear tyre just absolutely collapsed. It was delaminating according to the mech who removed it. It had multiple punctures that all happened at the same time and despite using both dog turds and a tyre plugger, the only thing that got me to safety was a tyre pando. As we reinflated after the tyre pando it was spooging out in about another 6 places where there were pinholes. Since then have gone to PR 05's and am now on my 2nd set, the 1st one wearing down to the canvas. I know they now do a GT version as well for the bigger machines but they are a lot more money as well
Only a Rat can win a Rat Race!
Interesting! I've read about delamination problems with ordinary Angels when they first came out but haven't seen any complaints for a long time. When the Avon Storm first came out, they had a quality control problem with the front tyre which caused a slight shake through the bars above 30 km/hr. It was thought to be a bad batch and I had one of them. It was replaced free of charge.
One of my IAM mates has had a series of punctures with Road 5's on his KTM 1290 GT but again, it may have been sheer bad luck rather than a light carcass. There's no disputing that their performance is exceptional.
What mileage did you get from the Road 5's? I've been running the Metzeler M7RR on the R1 for a few years now, which have generally been great and last well for a sports tyre. But the rear tyre I fitted at Christmas has not felt the same as the previous ones and seems more skaty somehow, so I may try something different.
Bridgestone were the guilty party in my experience too. The OE Bridgestone 020 (IIRC) tyres were tossed after the first wet ride.
The Bridgestone OE tyres on the Hornet were so dire that if it was raining the day you were due to take delivery of the bike, the owners groups recommended that you leave the bike at the shop. It was wiser to wait for better weather.
There is a grey blur, and a green blur. I try to stay on the grey one. - Joey Dunlop
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