What tyres work best, rf900?

[blossomsowner]

rf900 tyres.........
I haven't owned this bike long and need to change tyres soon so am interested in what works for others on similar bikes. I like to get out for a quick ride through the twisties, and some longer trips as well. Less than 1/2 time ride with pillion as well. No commuting at all really.

Currently running dunlop 120/70 front and michelin pilot road 170/60 rear. As i understand these are the right sizes anyway. I like the feel of these but have found i can get the rear to move around if pushing it. (which i don't really mind).

So people.......any ideas.........especially from those with similar bikes>>>>>>>>

[Blackbird]

You can fit Avon Storms front and rear or a Storm rear and an Avon Viper front if you really want the front to stick incredibly well. They are built with stronger carcass construction for the heavier sports sports tourers. Riffer has (or had) this combination on his RF 900 and I have the same on the Blackbird. The 'bird has been a bit hard on the Viper so I may go back to a Storm front. Both grip incredibly well and a Storm will last better on the front.

You can find the Storm Evaluation here: http://www.kiwibiker.co.nz/forums/sh...ad.php?t=46385 and the Viper interim evaluation: http://www.kiwibiker.co.nz/forums/sh...ad.php?t=81550.

Cheers,

Geoff

[yod]

Michelin Pilot Road 2CTs

awesome

[blossomsowner]

Michelin Pilot Road 2CTs

awesome

these are better than the standard pilot road i have now aren't they?


What sort of k's from a set?

[Blackbird]

Michelin Pilot Road 2CTs

awesome

Yep, another excellent choice. A lot of the Aussie Blackbird owners use them.

[blossomsowner]

You can fit Avon Storms front and rear or a Storm rear and an Avon Viper front if you really want the front to stick incredibly well. They are built with stronger carcass construction for the heavier sports sports tourers. Riffer has (or had) this combination on his RF 900 and I have the same on the Blackbird. The 'bird has been a bit hard on the Viper so I may go back to a Storm front. Both grip incredibly well and a Storm will last better on the front.

You can find the Storm Evaluation here: http://www.kiwibiker.co.nz/forums/sh...ad.php?t=46385 and the Viper interim evaluation: http://www.kiwibiker.co.nz/forums/sh...ad.php?t=81550.

Cheers,

Geoff

read the review.......awesome stuff more to think about

[yod]

Yep, another excellent choice. A lot of the Aussie Blackbird owners use them.

really?

I found them great on the RF but it's nowhere near as powerful at the rear as the bird; I figured with the softer outer compound it might get torn up quite easily, especially 2-up

having said that, i was considering trying them out on the bird next, just to see how they went....running a road attack rear and sport attack front right now, will be interesting to see how they go

[riffer]

1st Choice - Avon Viper front, Storm rear
2nd Choice - Avon Storm front, Storm rear
3rd Choice - Metzeler Z6 front, Z6 rear
4th= Choice - Michelin Pilot Road/Continental Road Attack.

The RF will destroy a Viper front in about 5500 kms, and a Storm front in about 8500. The Storm rear on mine is coming up 13500, and has about 1500 left in it.

Don't put a Viper rear on - it won't last five minutes.

[yod]

these are better than the standard pilot road i have now aren't they?


What sort of k's from a set?

yep, they're dual compound tyres, i got around 9k from the rear and probably would have got 11-12 from the front if i hadn't chucked it away

that was with a LOT of 2-up riding, i.e.: 90%

paid $540 for the set, fitted.

the 170 rear is a bit cheaper than the usual 180's everybody else has, that was a year ago though

[Blackbird]

really?

About half the guys on the OZ Blackbird site use them and the other half use a variety of tyres. However, you have to be a bit careful with inter-country comparisons. Road surface, road temperatures and rainfall patterns have a marked effect on tyre performance. That's why I tend to value local rider experience more than overseas reports.

One of the reasons I tried to be objective when reporting on the Storm and Viper was because when I queried a few of the overseas 'bird riders on why they rated a particular tyre highly, evidence was a bit thin on the ground and I saw several of these riders some months later raving about something else! Didn't fill me with great confidence that they'd tried to quantify the "why".

[riffer]

An interesting point to note about the Avons. Avon recommend the 180/55-17 for the rear. Suzuki originally put a Dunlop 170/60-17 rear on.

With the 180 (which I use), initial lean requires a harder push on the bar and a good push on the inside pedal too, but it holds a line with more surety that the 170 which I find a bit flighty on the RF. It's hard to get less than about a 3-4mm chicken strip on the rear, and on the front with the 180 section Avon you end up with about 10mm on the front sides which just doesn't get used no matter how much you lean the bike over.

With the 170 section, it's a totally different proposition. The bike leans over with nary a push (and no pedal weighting) and it wears the front and rear to and over the edge (at least on the rear). But I find it just drops into a corner too fast for my liking and I always end up applying counter-counter steer because I've leaned it over too far and have toes and pedals scraping.

[blossomsowner]

the 170 rear is a bit cheaper than the usual 180's everybody else has, that was a year ago though[/QUOTE]



so what you're saying is most are running 180/60 on the rear?

[yod]

so what you're saying is most are running 180/60 on the rear?

no, sorry, i mean most other modern-ish sport-ish bikes have 180/55/17 rears (or 190s)

a lot of RF owners have gone to a 180 rear, i'm not sure whether the 170 or 180 is more common tho

[FROSTY:Me]

Im running a viper front and an azaro rear.
Interesting Im running a 180 azzaro and the bike tips in easier than I remember on a 180 rear.
If ya like mate---come take mine for a buzz round the block see what ya think

One ything I'd question is the compound--ie is the front a soft or a med -

[riffer]

Im running a viper front and an azaro rear.
Interesting Im running a 180 azzaro and the bike tips in easier than I remember on a 180 rear.

You know, the previous tyre was an Azaro and I do recall it tipping in a lot faster than the Storm does on the rear now.

I'm due another tyre in a month and cause I'm a cheap bastard I'm chucking a mushroom fix in the Azaro I blew and throwing that on again.

It'll be interesting to see the difference.