Metzeler Sportec M3s

[jimbo600]

Do not even consider buying another tyre in your life until you have tried these tyres. I recently put a set on and promptly had a good fang on the road and at the recent GSXR trackday at Taupo. On the road they are solid. And I mean like race tyre grippy solid. Warm up faster than a suicide bomber after pulling the trigger cord and handle just about anything you can chuck at them. At the track they were equally as good. you can carry bucketloads of corner speed and get on the gas real early and the tyres just let you do this with outright confidence. And as for wear, well like I say a good long road ride followed by a trackday and they look like I have just popped down the shops to get some milk. Hardly any wear at all. I honestly don't know how Metzeler have created a tyre that boasts this longevity yet affords such amounts of grip. They have very deep tread and I expected this to cause a little bit of movement, but nope, it's like riding on slicks. They're so good they should be free for health and safety reasons to help lower the road toll. Until they are I suggest you go buy a pair.

[Mental Trousers]

So no more writing off GSXR's then jimbo??

They're that good. Love em. Main thing for me is there's miles of side wall compared to the Pilot Powers - I don't run off the edge of the tyre at all.

[TerminalAddict]

I can't seem to reac h the edges

bits of metal start scaping off well before the edge of the tyre is found.

after 3500 kms on my set I am conscience of the slower warming front tyre however (and metzeler say the front will wamr slower)

[jimbo600]

So no more writing off GSXR's then jimbo??

They're that good. Love em. Main thing for me is there's miles of side wall compared to the Pilot Powers - I don't run off the edge of the tyre at all.

Nah they're not that good mate.

guffaw guffaw

[Lou Girardin]

What are they like in the wet, when cold?

[SixPackBack]

The M3 thing has had at least 2 other threads. I always comment because my experience was so negative. Destroyed a front tyre in an afternoon on coarse northland roads, rear would refuse to heat up in the dead of winter and slide easily in the dry.
M3 was the worst tyre used on my gsxr thou...P/P's, 014's and Diablo's all seemed O.K. P/P's gave best mileage by a big margin. Diablo's felt the best [guess thats a personal thing!!].
The M3 seemed badly mis-matched front to rear being the only set on any bike I have owned where the rear outlasted the front?

[davereid]

wots the edge of a tyre...? I dont think they put edges on Harley tyres, they keep em flat, all the way across the bottom.

[Vagabond]

Nah they're not that good mate.

guffaw guffaw

Iv'e just thrown mine off and now trying out Pilot Powers, got just over 4000k on them prolly only due to the touring I just done!

[Mental Trousers]

Nah they're not that good mate.

guffaw guffaw

I guess if a gixxer is determined to crash then nothings going to stop it.

[jimbo600]

What are they like in the wet, when cold?

When cold they have 95% of their warm grip. Don't know what they're like in the wet but judging by the amount of tread they'd be pretty good.

[Devil]

I'm an M3 fan, particularly for the handling. I'm on powers at the moment (well it'd be silly not to try them since a lot of people rave about them) but I expect to be going back to the M3's. Got 13,000km out of the M3's and that included a trackday. Didn't even notice any wear after going out on the track.

SPB's experience seems to be a real one off and I dont understand how it was so shit for you.

Micro had them on the busa I think, whats his opinion?

[SixPackBack]

I have thought the same thing Devil...just why was my experience so bad when others rave. I know the bike settings and riding style remained unchanged through many sets of diffrent tyres. My opinion is that being one of the first in the country to the M3's I may have had a pre-production set [or similar].
Will try them again shortly and see how I go on the K6.

[The Stranger:Me]

Micro had them on the busa I think, whats his opinion?

He does, spoke to him both before and after the track day at Taupo about the M3's
He was a bit nonchalant before hand but was quite keen on them afterward.

I have them on the GSXR 1000 now. I got to admit I like them a lot. Prefer them over the Vipers that were on it. Had no problems in the wet, but I got to admit I do take things a bit too easy in the wet. Mileage is better than the Viper also, despite the bike being ridden harder now.

I intend to try Pilot Powers next, not because I have a problem with the M3, but for the sake of comparison.

As noted by SPB, I seem to be chewing through the front at the same sort of rate as the rear, possibly quicker, still front is cheaper to replace.

[Devil]

I intend to try Pilot Powers next, not because I have a problem with the M3, but for the sake of comparison.

Yeah, same reason I'm on the powers now. Hard choice. There are things I like about both.
Powers did feel very sure-footed on the track (not that the m3's weren't, but it could also be my track riding getting smoother). I did notice that I was getting off the edge of the rear tyre very easily compared to the M3's.

My opinion so far, M3's versus powers:

Grip: Tie.
Handling: M3's
Wet Grip: Tough call for me, I never push it in the wet. I'd use either. Both felt good.
Mileage: 13,000km on the M3's, felt off from about 10k. I'm up to 5,000km on the powers. I think they'll make 10k, I dont think they'll hold their profile as well as the M3's. In that respect the M3's were awesome, good round profile right to the end of their life.
Road riding: M3's
Track riding: Tie. Powers felt really good, but running off the rear gives me the shits. I really had to work to get to the edge of the m3's.
Price: So close it doesn't matter.

[NinjaBoy]

I've been having a similar comparison to Devil.

I got 12000km on the M3's and 10000km on the Pilot Powers. I feel however the M3's have a slight edge overall on the Powers. Distinct differences are: Steeper profile on the Powers making turn in effortless, grip appears to be lasting all the way to the end, but I have had more twitches and slips on the Powers. Nothing major but have noticed it a few times.

Other thing to note is I had to replace the M3 front at same time as rear. The Powers will let me keep the front on the second rear. (due anytime soon)