Tyres for a 750 sportsbike - July 2008

[Devil]

everyone has there own opinion on tires, find a brand you like at right price and put them on.

Of course, never let the facts regarding profile interfere with an opinion.

If the bike is nimble as it is and you like it (except that they're feeling a bit shit and old) stick with the powers. But i'd recommend going for the M3's as they're very neutral handling and I bet you wont have any problem with them!

[phoenixgtr]

This is an interesting read...indeed.

I've got a Pilot Sport on the front of my 6R and a Pilot Road 2CT on the rear. All this stuff about the michelins making the bike turn in quicker is so true!! My bike feels very unstable, you feel every bump and it turns in like crazy, yet Ryan's bike (same model but with Contis) feels planted and slow turning. I've been searching for a middle ground but never thought the tyres would make that much impact (I always thought it was suspension settings, but both bikes were setup the same).

Sounds like the metzelers might be worth looking at when my michelins need replacing.

[Mikkel]

I'm thinking I'll go M3s. When they've served their time I'll consider something else if I feel a desire for more flickability.

[scracha]

M3's if you ride in the wet. Otherwise, go for the cheapest

[puddytat]

Theres a trackday on the 31st @ Ruapuna....
Ive had 11000 ks outta my PR2's,loved them & the rears still warrantable, but Im going to try the new Pirelli Rosso next,will be interesting to see the differances between the two

[ElCoyote]

The M3's dont have soft sidewalls, as a result they feel solid, stable and well controlled. They also have better mileage than pilot powers. I would pick them anyday, particularly for thier profile. Turn in is very progressive.

Powers however, having a shitty weak sidewall tend to squirm around like a bag of shit. The Power 2CT's seem to be a little better in the sidewall department, but the trade off being slightly less mileage.

Get the M3's.

I agree, I have logged 5k om my M3's and they are still in good condition. Because there is tread showing, some people tend to say they have "heaps of tread left". I mean useable tread and with Metzler's I have many miles left after both road riding and some track days. To each his own but I judge a tyre on 1) feel 2) wet weather ability and 3) wear. Every person puts different demands on a tyre depending on their ability. Their normal percentage of straightline useage and the type of roads they encounter on a daily basis must be taken into account therefore do your homework.

[Devil]

My bike feels very unstable, you feel every bump and it turns in like crazy, yet Ryan's bike (same model but with Contis) feels planted and slow turning. I've been searching for a middle ground but never thought the tyres would make that much impact (I always thought it was suspension settings, but both bikes were setup the same).

Yep it really does make quite a difference. On my Triumph (with the same same setup each time - suspension etc) i've had Pirelli Diablo's, Metzeler M3's, Pilot Powers, Pilot Power 2CT's, Bridgestone BT010's (OEM tyre), Bridgestone BT002R Streets. So I've been able to see the direct effect of each tyre on the handling and the differences between.

Definately impressed by the M3 for its neutral handling, good life and good grip. My favourite tyre (not really for winter though) was the Bridgestone BT002 Streets. Absolutely excellent. Stunning grip and handling, road or track and they held their shape incredibly well with day to day commuting.
I shifted to the BT002's when I started pushing harder on the track. Still got 8000km out of them too! Excellent tyre.

[Mikkel]

Their normal percentage of straightline useage and the type of roads they encounter on a daily basis must be taken into account therefore do your homework.

I'm trying - and you guys are all helping me out... Thanks a bunch

[Gremlin]

hmmm you haven't mentioned what bike it is, but it appears to be an older one... not a zx7r is it? I had one.

I ran z6 front and rear on the 7r, got around 10k I think out of each set, they warmed up fantastically quick, never really gave me grief, besides a serious aquaplane that involved both wheels, and lasted long enough to start looking at the side of the road and think... f**k Only thing that really worried me about the z6 was that I had a puncture on both rear tyres... maybe bad luck, but never had punctures on any other model/brand of tyre, and I have been on a few.

zx10, conti sport attack... fantastic tyre, depending on what 750 is it, perhaps the conti road attack? sport attack has fantastic grip, front and rear wear evenly, and normally 6k to a set (seems to vary a little).

running pilot road 2 on the cb900, really can't fault the tyre, I give it shitloads of stick, white lines, tar snakes, takes a lot to phase it. It would be roughly 220-230 with fluids, and around 100hp I think... not too sure on that. They also seem to last forever and ever (guessing around 10-12k, which for me, is forever)

[Mikkel]

It's a '96 zx7rr.

What brand are the Z6?

[Devil]

It's a '96 zx7rr.

What brand are the Z6?

Metzeler.
The Z6 is Metzelers equivalent of the pilot road.

[Gremlin]

other option, which is another competitor to the z6 and pilot road is the pirelli diablo strada (if I got all the pieces of the name right... I knew them as stradas), which is actually made in the same factory as the z6, has an almost carbon copy of the z6 tread pattern, but the middle isn't as solid, with the grooves going closer to the middle.

This results in less life in the centre of the tyre, but may reduce stuff like aquaplaning... They are also fine on heavier bikes, used a blackbird which would have probably weighed 375-400kg (inc me and gear), sustained quickish stuff, and the tyre withstood the punishment remarkably well. Even rode it at 110 with it deflating under me, and still wasn't too bad.

Tyres can be a very personal thing, simple example I give is death and I. He loves the diablo something D208/D218? (stock tread for an 04 zx10), finding them very edgy and I hated them, finding them very unstable unless going all out.

[Devil]

Even rode it at 110 with it deflating under me, and still wasn't too bad.

You're a real salesman you are.

[Gremlin]

You're a real salesman you are.

No, the scary part was that I thought I was going really slowly. I wanted to make the next town (which ended up being 60km away), and obviously the longer I took, the worse it got... surprised me when I was still doing 110

[slopster]

I've had 2 violent near highsides on my old gsxr 750 once on track once on road with m3's. Everyone seems to love them but I hated them I couldn't feel them starting to weave around until they let go properly. In saying that the rear was a 190 profile and all my other tyres have been 180's so I wasn't comparing apples with apples. I've got nothing but good things to say about pilot powers, pirelli diablos (not sticky but predictable), and conti ex racies I've got on at the moment.