Tire Recommendations

[George Frame]

I'm leaving for Colorado and points North (from Oklahoma) next month and plan to purchase a new set of tires. I have an 03 R1150RS and just turned 8K on the original Metzlers. The rear is cupped and the center is wearing thin. Likewise for the front. Is 8K normal expected tire life or should I expect more? I would appreciate hearing opinions as to which brand of tire would provide the best all around service for my bike and riding style which is pretty conservative. Thanks.

[ignatz]

I had Michelin 90-x's on and they cupped something auful. The rear tire made a humming noise in long sweeping turns. At first I thought my final drive was going out. I put the new Pilot road tires on so hopefully they will hold up better than the older Michilins. No matter how bad they looked the bike allways handled fine. I'm also a conservative rider. Acording to my log book the last rear tire lasted 12,500 and the front lasted 7500...I wonder if 2-up riding agravates the cupping problem cause my R1100rs is strictly a 2-up bike..Rob

[Terry]

Rob,

M90s and M100s (on other bikes) put me off Michelins completely for a while. However I'm now on my second set of Pilot Roads on the RS and remain happy with them for long life and wet grip. I've got about 8k miles on this set at the moment and although the front is just beginning to square slightly I reckon they'lll get to 10k miles - good enough in my book.

[MikeH]

8 K. is good milaege for a rear tyre, but a bit low for a front - depends how you ride. Personally, I would stick with the Metzelers - the MEZ4's are a good tyre and the MEZ6's are supposed to be even better.

I've been swayed by other peoples recommendations in the past and have tried Bridgstones, Michelin etc. Nothing has performed as well as the Metzelers IMHO. YMMV

[Rando]

I was a die-hard Metzler fan for a long time. Until I tried the Pilot Roads. I think they handle really well in the twisties and also in the rain. I know that I will get more miles out of them then the Metzler's. BTW, I loved the Mez 4 and thought the 6 would be even better. It grips really well, the mileage leaves something to be desired.

[Terry]

I've been swayed by other peoples recommendations in the pastThat's the rub isn't it - different tyres really change the handling charactersitics of the bike - let alone issues of wet grip, longevity etc. And no two of us ride the same way, let alone on the same roads, conditions etc

The trouble is - it's an expensive way to find out your preferences - unless you're really wealthy you're not going to give up a tyre you can't get along with if it has 10k life left in it.

As you say, YMMV (IANAL, IMHO, FWIW, ROFL, ETC).

About the only comforting factor is that price is not much of an issue - prices may vary by supplier but there's not much difference in price by brand. (less than £10 per tyre at my supplier)

[BMW-K]

I have been very happy with Pilot Roads. Like them much better than the BT020's.

[ErricZ]

I too have jumped on the PR bandwagon. I had the BT010/020 combo on my R11S and they were stellar for that bike. The Pilot Roards have just the right grip in the twisties and the rain and don't seem to be cupping at all yet (4K miles I think so far?). Cupping is standard issue on BMW tires, unless you go with the Metz 'B' crowd, supposedly, since our bikes tend to be hard on front rubber.

[BMW-K]

I should point out that I got 10k miles out of a set of Pilot Roads on a ZX11.

Damn good mileage! Currently at 4k on mine and they are just starting to flatten out. Need to hit more twisties.

[scottfarm]

Pilot Roads. No cupping on front and wears in center. 10K on rear is a record for me. Metzlers and dunlop 205's cupped bad on front and only got 7K out of rear. They are the cheapest too.

[Street Tracker]

I have MEZ4's, with the "B" front. Been very happy with them, and they are just about due for replacement after 13,000 miles.
Metzlers have always been good to me: for whatever reason, they fit my riding style. I'm thinking my next tires will be the new Z6's.

[BMW-K]

I gotta add one thing though: I am very interested in throwing away some cash on a set of BT014's when my current tires die off. I dunno why, but the thought of being on some super sticky buns is very tempting to me...

[thom_boles]

I ended up going with Continental ContiForce's over the Pilot Roads. I think that was a mistake that I'll correct the next time. I mainly commute freeway 35 miles each way to work and a bit of twisty roads on the weekend. I think I'm just about to 4000 miles and am starting to get cupping on the front tire. I'm fairly new to biking (4 years) so I cannot compare to other tires.

[Skyenet]

My Bridgestones have just about worn out so have been looking for a replacement. Checked out one of the other threads on this board as well. Was going to go for Contiforces mainly because Ricky (DickyBeau) got a set locally for £130 fitted. He must have got the guy on a good day because I got quoted nearly £190. Decided to pay a wee bit more and went for Avon Azaros. Thought about Z6s but put off by some mileage feedback.

The Tyre place just phoned me to let me know they are in stock so will get them on soon. Probably won't get a chance till next week once Skye is back at School and I get some free time to get the wheels off. Unfortunately my F650 tyres also need replaced and have got Michilin Anakee tyres to get fitted as well. A few brake pads also need replaced and will probably do the R1100RS bobbins I have at the same time along with Oil Changes. Hopefully nothing else will need doing for ages as my plastic card has taken a battering in the last couple of weeks :bawl:

Iain

[Terry]

Ricky (DickyBeau) got a set locally for £130 fitted
For A PAIR !!!

For that money I'd move to Jockland :D

[ErricZ]

The Tyre place just phoned me to let me know they are in stock so will get them on soon. Probably won't get a chance till next week once Skye is back at School and I get some free time to get the wheels off. Unfortunately my F650 tyres also need replaced and have got Michilin Anakee tyres to get fitted as well. A few brake pads also need replaced and will probably do the R1100RS bobbins I have at the same time along with Oil Changes. Hopefully nothing else will need doing for ages as my plastic card has taken a battering in the last couple of weeks :bawl:

Iain

Are those Anakees a Dual-Sport tire? If so, what else have you tried? I was going to throw a set of Metz Karoos on my Transalp and wondering if anyone has experience with them. (Only slightly OT ;))

[Skyenet]

Are those Anakees a Dual-Sport tire? If so, what else have you tried? I was going to throw a set of Metz Karoos on my Transalp and wondering if anyone has experience with them. (Only slightly OT ;))

The F650 came with Michelin T66s as standard. Never used them much off road but grip on road was pretty reasonable, with decent cornering. At 8,000 miles the rear is down to the wear marks and well worn on the right hand side (Roundabouts :rolleyes: )

The T66 has been superceeded by the Anakee. I did a bit of research on the web and it seemed the best replacement with a reasonable wear rate and good grip through the use of silica in the compound.

http://www.michelin.co.uk/uk/front/affich.jsp?codeRubrique=67&codePage=40&lang=EN

[Skyenet]

Pretty sure I had Metzelers on my R100GS and only got about 4,000 to 5,000 miles out of my rears. Probably down to the lower gearing and racing Jap bikes from traffic lights :rolleyes:

[dickybeau]

I'm on my first pair of tyres since returning to Motorcycling. So far, I have found the Contiforce tyres to be superb. (especially at £135 fitted). I feel that the guy may have made a mistake given Skyenets experience except that the rear punctured on the sidewall and the replacement was £75 + VAT fitted. Just my luck I guess :D .

[Milo172]

I have had three sets of D220's on my 94 R1100RSL and have experienced vastly different milages on the rear tire. The first rear D220 traveled 7,500 miles before needing a replacement, but the second only managed to get 5,700 miles before showing its steel belts. The interesting thing about this is that the first D220 was used on a tour with two up and a full load. I am now on my third D220 in order to find out where the truth lies. BTW.. the front D220's has given me 8,400 miles and 11,000 miles.
I would be interested in hearing experiences from others who have used the Dunlop D220 on their RS.
Milo

[lorazepam]

I have 8500 miles on a set of contiforce. they have been a great set of tires, they are predictable, and corner well I am now at the wear bar on the rear, the front is still in good shape. My dealer is discontinuing them, and I think I will go with avon azaro this time. If you get a good deal on a set of contiforce, I would not pass it up.

[Bob Pressler]

Now using Metzler Z6.
My 02 came with Z4's replaced the rear @ 7K could have gone a bit more.Maybe another 1000 miles? But wouldn't have wanted to get caught in the rain.
The front is brang-a new only bout 100 miles on it. The front was worn fairly even across the whole tread with about 2/32 left. So far the Z6's are working
well, nice turn in, descent warm up & adhesion. I've gotten them right on over to the edge with no problem. Havn't had the oppourtunity to see how they
work in the rain yet. But I didn,t like the Z4's in the wet. My riding is 80% two up. Nothing of significant weight in my bags. Tire pressures are 32-34 front,
40-42 rear. My weight is 180 & the mrs is @ 110.

IMHO tires are like oil, gas, & beer. Everyone has an opinion which is better
or less filling!! What works for me may or may not work for the next guy.
Inputs here & over at the 1150R board did influence my choice.
All that said, I guess you can say I like 'em.

[MikeH]

I've just spoken to Metzeler UK about mixing the MEZ4's with MEZ6's.

At present I've got MEZ4's fitted at the moment with the stiffer MEZ4B front tyre.
The rear tyre is new, but the front has maybe another 2 K. left, so I was thinking of eventually replacing it with an MEZ6, so gradually changing over to the newer type. The Metzeler technical guy recommended to stick with the MEZ4B instead as they don't yet produce a stiffer sidewall version of the MEZ6, but he said that there should be one available in about 3 months time.

So the question for anyone that has MEZ6's fitted - Have you noticed any stability problems at high speed? The standard MEZ front tyre was prone to a high speed shimmy on the R series Boxers, which was the reason that Metzeler brought out the B rated stiffer sidewall version. I think that this was orignally requested by the UK Police using RT's. Maybe it's not such an important issue on the RS with its lower weight? :dunno:

[Bob Pressler]

So the question for anyone that has MEZ6's fitted - Have you noticed any stability problems at high speed? The standard MEZ front tyre was prone to a high speed shimmy on the R series Boxers, which was the reason that Metzeler brought out the B rated stiffer sidewall version
No. Not in my case with either Z4 or Z6.

[markholden]

Mike, I've just had Z6s fitted front & rear in Byley, brilliant guy there and very helpful, reasonably priced, even fitted them for me on Sunday am. As I'm only around the corner from you would be welcome to try them on my RS first. Only done 50 miles since last weekend on them so still scrubbing in. Best thing about them is that they don't have pimples on the main tread area so I don't look sad with them all on as they were on my Z4s after 7000 miles.

[rock cod]

I just finished off a Z 6 rear,7020 miles total,they have been the best tire to date for me.Some off my riding was + 100 mph for extended times,not one
indication of shimmy/bad harmonics...THE problem for me was that its impossible to predict when the rear will die,The TWI(tire wear indicators) are so very small and since there is no tread down the middle,its any ones guess..I would reccomend that you stay close to home and ride slow as you near what tiny TWI's they have.After changing mine out,I took a razor knife to the center,the steel belts were way to close under the skin that was in the center...I had read when they go its very sudden,so I miss that tread indicator down the middle and will probably try Avons or Mich sports until they address that situation,to bad for me as they are an excellent cornering tire

[MikeH]

Mike, I've just had Z6s fitted front & rear in Byley, brilliant guy there and very helpful, reasonably priced,Is that Hopley's Tyres, Mark? Did they supply the tyres as well as fit them? I've used them for puncture repairs in the past but they said they couldn't supply bike tyres. Maybe things have changed?

It would be handy to have a local tyre company - I normally go to Sharples in Bolton which are good but quite a long drive.

[cagiva50]

Looks like it's time to replace the tires. After reading as much info as possible on the most likely replacements (MEZ4, MEZ6, or AVONS) I'm going to stick w/ what I had (assuming they are still available). The MEZ4's have given me remarkable service (14 kmi front & 10 kmi rear), and been very predictable for my riding style (mostly commuting on the freeway @ 80-90 mph). The MEZ6's looked interesting, but until they come out w/ the stiffer rated front, I'll wait. An interesting note, previously I had mistakenly installed a non 'B' rated Z4 front and found it only yielded ~ 8k mi and cupped badly. By contrast, it's replacement, the 'B' rated tire has NO cupping, still has tread (still not @ the TWI!), but has worn into a flattened V shape :confused: ... so it gets replaced along w/ the rear which is square and @ the TWI. I change/balance my own tires and I run the tire pressure @ 34F/38R (~100% solo riding). Does anyone know if the MEZ4's are still being made - I don't want to get 'stale' tires.
Thanks

[TPadden]

......and been very predictable for my riding style (mostly commuting on the freeway @ 80-90 mph). Thanks

Has ANYONE tried the maximum life ME-880 Marathon on their RS??? I've used it on other bikes and find when it comes to long life it is the best - and I have no complaint with the handling on my LT. With a freeway riding style it should last a loooooong time - and it does come in the proper size and no problem telling when the middle is worn out.

Tom
Gainesville, Mo.

[DougM]

<snip>The MEZ4's have given me remarkable service (14 kmi front & 10 kmi rear), and been very predictable for my riding style ... Does anyone know if the MEZ4's are still being made - I don't want to get 'stale' tires.
Thanks
I second that--I'm getting 8-9k miles on a set of MEZ4's, including longer trips and local rides. That's perfectly fine with me. I've had no traction issues riding with others that have Z6's, so I don't think the Z4 is limiting me in terms of grip. With the wear problems of the Z6 I'd like to find a new set of Z4's. I haven't looked into it yet, but anyone recently bought a set of new Z4's?

[cagiva50]

I went ahead and ordered a set of the MEZ4's from Southwest Moto tires (I haven't used them before, but @ $205.90 total & recommendations from this site , what the heck). I'll post the DOT #'s when they arrive.

[MikeH]

Does anyone know if the MEZ4's are still being made - I don't want to get 'stale' tires.
ThanksThey are still being produced as a current tyre by Metzeler here in Europe, so I would imagine that they should still be available in the US.

[cagiva50]

My new Z4's arrived today :D . They look great and the date codes are as follows: Front 2304 (23 rd week of 04 i.e. ~6/04 ) and rear 3203 (~1 yr old). Should be quite and improvement from my old worn out tires. Looks like they are still being made. :Beer:

[AntonL]

Has ANYONE tried the maximum life ME-880 Marathon on their RS???
Yes... I tried the 160/70 version on the RS (wasn't sure if the 170 would clear the swingarm) and got 10k or 11k out of the rear. I thought the braking traction in front was poor, though. Voni Glaves ran them on her RS in the last Iron Butt Rally (with the 170/60 rear) and liked them.

I've just put a set of Avon Azaros on my bike. Have hardly ridden it so far; no impression.

[MikeH]

I've just put a set of Avon Azaros on my bike. Have hardly ridden it so far; no impression.Anton, can you post your impressions of the Azaro's when you've had chance to try them. In a recent issue of the German mag 'Das Motorad' a range of tyres were tested and the Azaro's came out with the worst performance in wet conditions with 'sudden and abrupt break-away', the Metzeler Z6 came out best, but with shorter life-span.

This report contradicts the opinion of my local tyre supplier who was singing the praises of the Avon Azaro. He said that it is an excellent tyre in both wet and dry conditions with very good mileage capability, as well as costing less. It would be interesting to have some feedback form an RS owner.

[Mike Figielski]

4 pages of replies and no recommendations for the Avons yet? I am on my second set of Avon ST tires. Absolutely the best tires I've tried, hands down. I was at about 5500 miles on the first set when I switched to 5 spoke wheels and had to put new ones on. Looked like I had about 3K miles left on the rear and maybe 5 K on the front. I have never got more than 6 K out of any rear I've tried and these Avons stick better to boot. I tried the Dunlop 205 and found it cupped and did'nt wear well, also felt kind of unstable and darty at times. Had the stock Bridgestones on it when I got it. They were fine, but didn't steer as sharp as the Avons and weren't nearly as good in the wet. Liked the Metz Z4s, but they only gave me around 5-6K miles and were much slower steering. I haven't tried the Pilot Roads yet. It will be hard to get me off the Avons. They really make the bike handle much better in the twisties and are great in the rain. I have to remind myself to slow down in the wet! Try them, you'll get hooked.
Mike

[Motogirl]

4 pages of replies and no recommendations for the Avons yet? I am on my second set of Avon ST tires.
Mike


I'm with you Mike!!

I'm on my 3rd rear (2nd front) I changed the front at 12K (but had some tread left, was just going on a long trip) I typically get 9-10 out of the rear. I've had Dunlops and Metzlers and this is the best tire (tyre) I've ever used.
Ever. In all 3 years of riding :)

[Roadje36]

Hello,

I've had several tyrechanges on my '98 R1100RS 75 anniversary edition.
It came with Z1 and Z2 from Metzeler as I bought it, and I changed them for a couple of Z4's at 10000 km they were not completely worn yet, but I had a puncture. the first set of Z4 lasted for 13000km, I never had any problems or negative remarks about them.
Second set lasted for a good 12000 km, and I even took them to Assen circuit for a race training.
The 3rd set of Z4's lasted about 10000km, but were worn at about 8500km, but hey, I had to get back from Spain with them :-)
Now I'm driving Bridgestone BT020's they feel different from the Metzelers, on a dry road it's as if the bike steers a bit heavier, but in the rain they feel better than the Metzelers, so I'm stil satisfied with them,

Good luck with your choice

Keep the shiny side of the bike on top!!!

[AntonL]

Anton, can you post your impressions of the Azaro's when you've had chance to try them.
I only have about 1200 miles on them but I have some impressions. Last weekend we made a short trip down to the mountains and back.
Tires are hard to evaluate this way because there's no back-to-back comparison. The tires you take off are shot, and the handling has been poor for several thousand miles, so any new tires feel better. These were no exception. However, I do think that they have a more flexible sidewall than most other tires and it shows, and the profile is... unique.

They don't have the sharp turn-in that I've felt with other tires. They are a bit heavy that way; the bike never felt like it was on rails although the balance is neutral for the first part of the lean. Towards the end of the lean there is some resistance that needs to be overcome with a bit of body english or countersteering. Not a problem as long as you know to deal with it. However, this is typically worsened as the tires wear and these tires are still new. From the outset I noticed some bump-steer, which is again likely a profile-related issue.

Transitions are OK. Not great, but OK. I think the slightly V-shaped profile that causes the effects I mentioned above also make for a very slight step in the transitions. They didn't sweep smoothly from one hard lean to the other. Stability is also medium, which I attribute to the flexibility.

Wet traction or hydroplaning was never a problem at 80mph in the rain, but I never ask a lot in those cases. I also never got slipping on wet twisties.

This 1200 miles wasn't easy on them but they seem to be holding up OK so far. We'll see how it goes from here.

[lorazepam]

I finally replaced the ContiForce tires after 10k miles. The rear was shot, and the front didnt look too awful bad. My dealer had the ContiForces in my size, since they hadnt sold out. I got the front for 80.00 and the rear for 99.00. Definately the best deal I could find, and these tires worked well for me on a track day, and I have been very satisfied with them.

[bryanotter]

I've had Z6's on both tyres and have done approx 1K miles on them Traction in dry condition is absolutely fantastic but somehow in the wet I do feel it slip away from me slightly.....it's even more prone to slide a wee bit when the tyre pressure is under 39.

[AntonL]

Anton, can you post your impressions of the Azaro's when you've had chance to try them.

Went to the track Saturday. Definitely noticed the slower turn-in and the heavier handling when leaned over. I just had less confidence on these tires than I had on the Bridgestones that I used on my last track day (020 rear, 010 front).

Braking traction was not an issue. I had plenty of that, to the point that the rear end was getting *seriously* light at the end of the front straight. There was one corner where I had the rear slide several times, though, and I couldn't really see a reason for it. Maybe just some combination of the track profile and my suspension. I did touch the pegs down one time but I was usually hanging off pretty hard.

Anyway, these tires were certainly out of their element on the track, judging from the minimal "balling up" of rubber on the edges. The heavy handling and tendency to stand up, whether on the street or on the track, will keep me from buying them again. I keep finding reasons to buy something other than the Michelins that I REALLY want to try... no more. They're next, although these Avons will probably last for quite a while. And that's OK, I don't hate them but I don't love them either.

[Motogirl]

Strange! :) I've had some balled up rubber after a spirited day in North Georgia on my Azaros.

I had a problem with my rear forming a "bubble" and the guy at Daytona BMW said that he's seen tread separation on doesn't carry Avons anymore (on cruisers) Avon sent out a new tire and paid the dealership to put it back on the rim.

I'm really happy with performance & mileage on mine and found the ride significantly better than the metzlers.

How can there be so many opinions with the same baike/tire!!?? :bang:

Oh well!
Amber

[MikeH]

Thanks for the feedback Anton. It was my tyre supplier that raved about the Azaros, but I guess I'll just stick with the Metzelers. I like them and they suit the way I ride.

Strange! :)How can there be so many opinions with the same baike/tire!!?? :bang:

I suppose that if you ask a group of bikers for tyre recommendations, you get as many different opinions as there are tyre brands! I guess it's easier to stick with one that you like - especially when they supply new ones free of charge. :)

[AntonL]

Strange! :) I've had some balled up rubber after a spirited day in North Georgia on my Azaros.

Oh, there was definitely some.
http://www.largiader.com/misc/st45a.jpg
http://www.largiader.com/misc/st45b.jpg

But it was very fine, as in small bits, leading me to think that the tires didn't handle the heat the same way a sportier tire would. Then again, this was pretty extreme use for a sport-touring tire.

[Motogirl]

Anton...you can see I live in FLorida- Not fair to actually sent those photos and tease me like that! It's way to flat around here and I haven't been to the mountains in way too long!! :bawl:

I've actually never had the opportunity to run on a track. Looks like a great time!

[Dee Duble Yuh]

You're making us all envious. Well done, mate! :Beer: