Help Me Pick My New Tires...

My bike needs new sneakers. I have it narrowed down to the Michelin Pilot Power or the Dunlop Qualifier. If you feel I should consider something else, please chime in. I'm getting my tires next week & I will be using the results of this thread as a majority of my decision making process.

Thanks
KC-10 FE out...

 

What is your riding style?
Are you laying it down every chance you get?
Are your chicken strips 2 in wide or non-exisitant?
Do you ride in the rain?
Do you ride on gravel roads?
What's the ratio of your riding? % highway vs % city traffic vs % canyon carving? solo vs two-up?
I have had good wear and traction results with Metzler M1 front and Michelin Pilot Road rear. 4000 mile so far with very little cupping or flatspot. Metzler M1 seems to warm up quicker than other tires I've tried.

It all comes down to what you want to do with your new tire purchase.

Nice Hawk GT BTW, I've got a 89 CB-1:



and a 98 naked Superhawk:



I just love naked bikes, with exception of Ducati Monsters.

 

I don't get enough riding time (due to my job) to get upset over spending large $$$ on tires. I want my tires to make my bike handle like a high perf bike should. I'd like to start doing more "sport touring" but I get vacation time in small spurts through out the year so I really don't have the opurtunity to plan a long riding only trip. So what I'm looking for is the best performance oriented tire out there that lasts longer than the Metzeler Sportec M1. My Hawk has 600 miles on the back tire & it's almost halfway worn. I ride 100% street and avoid the hi way like the plaque.

I narrowed it down to the Pilot Power & Qualifier because every bike nut I talked to at Deals Gap said those are the two best street tires out there.

Why no love for Ducati's?

KC-10 FE out...

 

I live to ride the turns. I have used Dunlop 208's, Michelin Pilot sports, Metzler M1 sportec's, and now I am using Michelin Pilot Powers. The fastest wearing tire was the Dunlop’s, but they felt very predictable at all temps. The longest wearing tire is a tie between Michelin Pilot sport and the Metzler M1 (6000+miles per set).

In January, I put a set of Michelin Pilot Powers on. I was able to hit some of the California twisties before moving off to Illinois. My first impression of these tires was "WOW!” It was rather cool for these tires to stick so well and they track great on wet roads as well. I now have 2500 miles and the wear on them is barely noticeable.

I still think it is too early to post a final verdict on these tires, but as soon I can break away and find a good spot again to put them to the test, I wil have just assume they are just good to great tire to ride. I will post later of my findings.

 

Try vfrdiscussion.com and see the "tire" section - to confuse you some more.

Thus far my favorites have been "Pirrelli Diablo Corsa" - they must be the best because they wear out the quickest = no free lunch.

 

The Pilot Powers and the Qualifiers are the two top choices with the NESBA track day guys as well. I chose Dunlop because I have had great results with them at the track. I did 200 miles at Road America on them with not a single concern for grip till it rained. They are very confidence inspiring, and I have the ground down pegs and brake pedal to prove it. I love them!

 

KC,

Italian bikes are just like Italian women, gorgeous, but could be tempermental.. maintenance could be frequent and time/money consuming.
I love Italian bikes, I wanted one even before I had my motorcycle license, and I did own this one for three years and rode over 12,000 miles on it.



Guzzi is probably easier to maintain than Ducs, more than handful of times I have seen Ducs stranded along side of the road on my Guzzi. I'm more practical now, I like ot spend more time riding than fixing.. Hondas are just the reliable.

Yes, most of my riding is done on roads, backroads, gravel roads, highways, grass, water crossings, occasional mud.
I have to say, tires, air pressure, saddle, helmet, gloves, pants, jacket, etc.. all these things that have direct effect of the quality of ride for a person on a bike, they are really up to the person's preference, try everything more than once and find out for yourself what works.

In my experience of riding 80,000+ mles in the last four years, trying different things to figure out what works for me.. I have to say that I stick to my preference for good reasons. My preference may not work for another person, I prefer to run my tires at lower than recommended tire pressure, like 28-32psi fron, 30-36 psi rear.

OEM recommendation is most likely to increase their chances of sales/replacement, the higher the tire pressure, the faster your treads wear out on the street in street riding conditions. You'd buy more tires as they wear out quicker.
I tend to be really easy on tires, front or rear tires lasting longer than 6000 miles are not uncommon for me. even riding as aggressively as I do on the street/highway.

Smooth throttle operation is what saves rear tires, smooth braking is what saves front tires.

Track riding is fun, but just too expensive for me right now, I'm limiting my track days to two per year just to get my riding skills kept up.. hopefully I only go through one set of track tires.

 

If you want to scrape your knees do it on the track, no fricken gravel in the corners or no slow cars getting in the way!! I have Bridgstone Battlax BT020's. Good sport touring and in the corners when they warm up.

 

No disrespect, but have ridden anything other than Bridgstone Battlax BT020's for over a season??

 

I just put the Continental Conti Road Attack(sport touring tires) on my VFR and they seem to be very grippy and stable at highway speeds. They will wear longer than a super sport tire since there is more rubber in the center patch. There is also to Conti Sport Attack(super sport tires) that Cycle World did a review on and gave positive feedback. I'll let you know after some canyon carving what they were like.

 

Well, I guess Pilot Power it will be. Unless anyone can give me a real compelling reason, I will be ordering them tomorrow.

Any recomendation on web sites? The cheapest I can find is $230 including shipping.

KC-10 FE out...

 

Well aint that a b...

I went to order my tires today. Turns out some piece of human garbage managed to get my CC# and ring up some BS charges on an online gambling website. Now I don't have a CC and have to wait up to 2 billing cycles to get this resolved.

& people wonder what the deal is with that line in my signature about hating... Every single day that I'm alive, I lose more faith in people.

KC-10 FE out...

 

If you think you can ride your bike well enough to make use of the construction of the Pilot POwers or Dunlop Qualifiers, then spend the clams on them...

If you want to get respectable mileage and still have way more grip then you have business using on the street, you can buy the Conti Road Attack Tires. I have over 1000 miles on a set of Conti Road Attacks... Before that I was a Michelin Pilot Sport man all the way, but they only last 6000 miles the way I ride, and that was a new set of tires almost every season.. I hope to get 9000 miles out of the Conti Road Attacks.

Great feeling tire on the VFR, as well... Very 'neutral' handling feel... I wrote an article on them here.... http://vfrworld.com/forums/product-reviews/3061-conti-road-attack-tires.html

Tires are the most important part of your sports car/bike... Make sure you make the most informed decision possible... Ask ppl with similar riding styles - not just the weekend roadcourse racers...

-Stephan

 

I just put the road attacks on my '98 and totally agree with Stephan. They're smooth and quiet on the highway and grippy and easy to transition in the turns. I just bought them out of curiosity basically and Cycle World said a few good words about both lines. Thanks for the reinforcement Stephan.

 

Another vote for the Conti RoadAttacks.

I put them on in April, proceeded to ride to NH for the weekend in downpouring rain, did a 300+ mile day in 90 degree heat, and a Track Day last week. These tires stick better than any other tire I've used - and I've used pretty much everything except Dunslops (sic). On the track I ran 35f/40r for pressures, and was dragging pegs - no slip, and I feathered the rear tire to the edge. Conti recommends 36/42 for the street. They hold amazingly well in all conditions. I predict these will be the new S-T benchmarks.

 

Well, I ordered the Continental Road Attacks based on the glowing recommendations of the last few posts. They sound like exactly what I'm looking for. I call Continental's # and they pretty much told me the Road Attack was designed specifically for bikes like the VFR and Sprint ST. They should be here next Wednesday. I saved almost $40 compared to buying the Pilot Power. Dennis Kirk recommended the Metzeler Sportec M3 but they are stupid expensive ($316/set DK price) compared to the sticks like fly paper but lasts 87 minutes Sportec M1 ($271/set DK price). I paid $205 from DK for the Road Attacks. I have to give DK credit. They have the match anyone's price policy. I like DK and have been shopping with them for alomst 15 years now so I decided to see if this policy actually works. It took all of 3 minutes and the price dropped from $251 to $205. I like to see a company that actually takes it's own policies seriously. I actually asked the dealer where I'm getting them mounted and balanced if they could beat that $205 and they almost laughed in my face. $280 PLUS $70/tire if I bring in the bike or $35 if I bring in the wheels. Total bull sh$t if you ask me. I told them if they would actually take internet sales seriously, they might sell more tires. They ONLY time I would buy a tire from a dealer would be if I got a flat that my emergency return kit couldn't seal long enough to get me home.

On a side note, I took another MSF class (my 8th) this week. They are mandatory for the USAF. The USAF hates motorcycles and the people that ride them. I honestly think they would outlaw them from use by AF members if they could get away with it. Anyway, I currently have Dunlop D204K's on my bike. Everytime I took a turn in the class, it felt like the front end was going to push under. I let the MSF instructor ride my bike and he said I should ride the bike straight home and not ride again until I get new ones. He basically said D204K's suck balls (which I figured out trying to tame the Dragon with the temp around 40) and he could not understand how I rode on them as long as I have. He said ANYTHING will be an improvement.

Road test and my opinion on the Road Attack to follow next week.

KC-10 FE out...

 

Sweet, man.. You will not be disappointed - I garr-aun-tee...

The local VERY small bike shop (Fuji's Factory) came within $20 of the tireexpress.com price, and since I bought from him, he gave me a break on mounting and balancing even though we had to get creative with the rear balance work. I feel that it's important to strike up a relationship with a local shop (if possible)... You never know when you need to ask for a favor... Like when I needed a chain master link swaging tool. He let me borrow his tool as in like - I left the premises with his stuff and brought it back later. Anyhoot, I also know that most of the 'volume dealers' parts shops are snake pits and they could care less about giving us cost mindfull shoppers a break. Well, they do have all of those salaries to pay and other overhead costs I guess compared to the one man show I deal with.

Taking an MSF class annually is not a bad idea to re-enforce some of the basics... When I was an MSF Rider Coach in Michigan, we had regular guys that came every spring for their "tune-up".... BUT, it IS a whole other story when 'the man' says you HAVE to or no riding on base...

You like wearing that bright orange construction worker vest on base, too ? Gawd damn safety freakz.

I'm an AF vet, 46150 (AMMO) all the way... I got out nine years ago. There are days when I miss it dearly... Then there are other days when I am glad I am out.

You're not far from where I am... Do you know of any un-squid-like rider's groups in the South Jersey area ? There's plenty of two-lane in South Jersey, but PA is where it's at for two-lane, curves, AND hills... 8^)

Keep the shiny side up, KC....

-Stephan

 

I've never been "forced" to take an MSF class. I enjoy them and always learn something new. On the other hand, it is quite irritating to be lumped into the same groups as the squids by the AF. I've got 19 years of safe riding under my belt with 1, that's right only 1, ticket on a bike in 19 years. I beat that ticket in court, so in reality, I've never received a ticket on 2 wheels. Somehow, that doesn't matter to the AF. They still think ALL RIDERS are idiots. Now, we have to sign a "contract" that says if we don't abide by the rules that your commander can impound you bike. Yeah... Right... Over my dead body... Sometimes the AF REALLY pisses me off. Then I remember they pay my bills and let me play with a 100 million dollar non-replacable national asset for a living.

KC-10 FE out...