Pilot sport

[MSTRS:Me]

Current front tyre is an Avon Azzaro AZ49 SP. I don't like it. Doesn't fill me with confidence in the tighter corners at speed. Was probably an ex-track tyre as the sides are 'ground back' considerably whilst the centre looks all but new.
Anyways, the thinking is to replace it with a Pilot Sport (to match the rear). Question is do I go 120/70 at $275 or 120/65 at $170 ???? Cheaper is good of course, but is the lower profile a problem? Or perhaps an advantage, in that it would emulate a spacer in the rear shock??

[cowpoos]

stick with the 120/70 17.....
thats a very expensive front tyre and didn't think they still made pilot sports???

I say shop around.....and probally outside of hawkesbay....nothing was cheap when I lived there for bikes

[James Deuce]

Which is the standard fitment?

The guys that make the bikes tend to build supension and chassis geometry around a particular tyre size and profile.

There'll be people who'll say, "who cares?" But you won't know if the bike will be turned into a twitchy mofo or a slow steering bus by fitting the wrong profile tyre until after you've paid for it.

[vifferman]

Current front tyre is an Avon Azzaro AZ49 SP. I don't like it. Doesn't fill me with confidence in the tighter corners at speed. Was probably an ex-track tyre as the sides are 'ground back' considerably whilst the centre looks all but new.

Race take-offs are a bad idea. Surely if they're no good for the track any more, then they're even worse for the road?

I've got an AV49-SP on my VFR. I really like it, but I've found that you have to have the pressures high, as it has very soft sidewalls and will flop into corners when the pressure gets below 36psi. Also, it will wander a lot on coarse-chip seal.
I've now running 38 all round, and that's good.

Anyway - what's the normal profile for your bike? Is 5% going to make that much difference (I estimate 6mm max.)? I'd say the biggest effect will be due to the shape of the profile, and the transition when tipping in (i.e., a lower and presumably more rounded tyre will tip in slower??)

[MSTRS:Me]

Normal profile is 120/70. Book says run at 36psi - could explain why sides are 'well worn'? Prolly too late to save it, since it is now distinctly triangular in appearance.

[sugilite:Me]

Race take-offs are a bad idea. Surely if they're no good for the track any more, then they're even worse for the road?

Hmm, I don't agree with that, I bought second hand race tyres for the ZX9R I raced, even won a race or two on them, then when the lap times dropped off, I'd put them on my Post Classic ZXR750 and win a few races on that, then when the wear dots were almost gone I would groove them and use them on the road with absolutely no problems with grip or handling, and I'm not known to hang about.

Racers will sell their tyres when the lap times drop by a second or so, road riders will not use their tyres to any where near the levels that racers do, and if they did, they should be on the track anyways.

[MSTRS:Me]

Yay for new shops!!!! Mainjet M/C Taradale....$189 + fitting $35 on the bike.
Job done and even unscrubbed still feels better. Spirited riding here I come?