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Motorbike Tyres

Oakesy2001uk

Oakesy2001uk

Oakesy2001uk

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Joined
7 Sep 2005
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Now I have been very impressed running BT014's on my R6, but I seem to have knackered them mega quickly. Has anyone else had this problem? the front is worn but not too bad, definetly worn enough to have to replace them both at the same time, as the profile will be wrong, but the rear is about 1.5mm away from the wear indicator. probably only a few hundred miles left in it, and I have only done 1800 miles on them! Anyone else have these?

I am quite a hard rider, but I have not taken them on track and dont do burnouts or anything silly, and run 34psi in the front and 36 in the rear nad have had it set up by an experienced ex racer who happens to weigh the smae as me, and then I tweaked it a bit to how I like it (the bike is set up amazingly) I checked my tyre pressure guage worked last nice and it does.

I expected to get 3000 out of them, but I will not get much more than 2000 by the looks of it.

I don't really care because If I wanted economy I would have bourght a cb500 and put rock hard tyres on it or run higher pressures at the expense of performance, but 2000 miles does take the mickey a bit. I might try either the diablo corsa's or the Michellin Pilot Power 2CT's next I think.

On the plus side I have just aquired and ex BSB brembo 19mm master cylinder from someone I know and along with my sintered pades and steel lines the brakes are better than the gold brembo radials on my dads mille Factory :cool:
I'll have to post some pics up as my bike is getting there now!
 
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Metzeler Roadtec Z6s are great tyres, they last forever and grip better than supersports tyres did just a few years ago. Likewise Pirelli Diablo Stradas, same tyre really. You just have to watch the rears, they're not like other tyres that you can keep riding past the wear bars- when they say they're worn out, they really are worn out :D As I found after bits started falling off.

Don't be put off just because they're usually marketed as sports touring tyres- mine have done a few thousand motorway miles, 3 intermediate-group trackdays, a whole lot of twisty road riding, and they've never protested- though they blob up a lot on trackdays, they still work fine. Very good in the wet, too, and they warm up fast.

If it's got to be really sticky, though, I'd say Pilot Powers or Sportec M3s... 014s really take the mick on longevity, it's not as though they're all that sticky either.

I just got one of those billet Brembos too, it is pure machined sex :)
 
Had countless pairs of Pilot Powers since they were first released and cant help but sing their praises.

I get about 3000 give or take a few miles out of a rear on a breathed on Aprilia RSV Mille. My riding style is pretty much "fast road". I'm quick but not the quickest if you know what I mean.

Cant fault the Powers.

At all. :cool:

Good value for money as well, if you have a hunt round.

A mate of mine who comes out with us ( also has a Mille ) fitted 2CT's recently after being like myself and running standard Powers for ages. He reckons the 2CT's are even better, but I have yet to try them.

Pilot Powers run at @33 front and @38 rear, as recommended by Michelin, just in case you decide to go for a pair. I didn't realise this until someone told me about 4 months after fitting them and scadding around at 36f 42r. As soon as I dropped the pressures, the handling was transformed.
 
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Northwind said:
Metzeler Roadtec Z6s are great tyres, they last forever and grip better than supersports tyres did just a few years ago. Likewise Pirelli Diablo Stradas, same tyre really. You just have to watch the rears, they're not like other tyres that you can keep riding past the wear bars- when they say they're worn out, they really are worn out :D As I found after bits started falling off.

Don't be put off just because they're usually marketed as sports touring tyres- mine have done a few thousand motorway miles, 3 intermediate-group trackdays, a whole lot of twisty road riding, and they've never protested- though they blob up a lot on trackdays, they still work fine. Very good in the wet, too, and they warm up fast.

If it's got to be really sticky, though, I'd say Pilot Powers or Sportec M3s... 014s really take the mick on longevity, it's not as though they're all that sticky either.

I just got one of those billet Brembos too, it is pure machined sex :)
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I think I would destroy anything but a supersports tyre! I'm a bit too keen for that! and will be doing more and more track time, but having to commute when the car goes in december so can't really go for the supercorsa's I want! I think it's either 2CT's or diablo's for me, anyone tried both?

The 014's do seem to have been a bit of a joke in longevity, which is a shame because I really liked them untill I realised how little mileage they have got me, they did blue up on me once as well after a very long spirited ride on a hot day.
 
Oakesy2001uk said:
I think it's either 2CT's or diablo's for me, anyone tried both?
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When I first got the RSV, it had reasonably fresh Diablo's on it. They were pretty good tyres although I felt they went "off" towards the end of their tread life, even though they were still far from worn.

The Pilot Powers dont seem to suffer from that, although I haven't tried 2CT's yet, just the standard Powers.
 
Draeger said:
When I first got the RSV, it had reasonably fresh Diablo's on it. They were pretty good tyres although I felt they went "off" towards the end of their tread life, even though they were still far from worn.

The Pilot Powers dont seem to suffer from that, although I haven't tried 2CT's yet, just the standard Powers.
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hmmm, I know thw new diablo corsa 3's are a different 3 coumpounded beast though, so it will be them or the 2CT's, I'll have to try and find some reviews!
 
Oakesy2001uk said:
that is taking into account pillions and all sorts, 42 is far too high!
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When I switched from my old FZ750 to my CBR900rr I was suprised too by the reccomended tyre pressures as I was used to running 28f/32r but modern sports tyres seem to require higher pressures. The same figures 36f/42r are quoted in my Haynes manual for the Fireblade and on the Bridgestone site and I had it confirmed by another blade rider. So no 42 is not too high.
 
Depends a lot on the make of tyre.

The Pilot Powers are of a design that requires it to be run at a lower pressure than usual.

I've seen threads discussing tyre pressures on quite a few bike forums, and there seems to be a lively debate everywhere about the subject.

General concensus of opinion seems to be that the usual 36/42 that 99% of manufacturers recommend is way too high for normal "street" riding.

You obviously dont want too low a pressure that would perhaps provoke sidewall flex and a subsequent loss of traction, but honestly, 36/42 is not the ideal pressure to run at on the road. 42 in the rear will normally result in a somewhat harsh ride and a reduced contact patch with the tarmac. There are a few seriously expert opinions and reasons for this that I have read over at the AF1 Aprilia forums, I'll try and dig up some further info behind this reasoning and post back.

It's amazing the amount of difference that a few psi here and there can make to the handling of a bike.

On average in the UK, tyre pressures rise from 5-7 psi on normal road use from cold if you are giving it some, so having 42 in yer rear tyre could end up with you actually riding with around 47-49 in there, which is plain dangerous!!.

When all is said and done, a tyre will react differently with different rider weights, different temperatures and the obvious different type of riding, but ultimately the pressure comes down to the feel for the individual.
 
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BT014's were the stock tyres on my ZX6r, got about 2k out of them before I changed the rear for another. Mainly used the bike for social rides through country roads so they had a hard life. I really would have expected more too.

Got about 450 out the 2nd rear, before some whorse releived me of my bike.
 
36/42 is the correct pressure for single road riding imo.

I'd recommend Diablos Stradas, they have awesome grip and last long (Friend just got 10k from a rear on her Hornet!). Infact I did a trackday with them on my ZX6R, I was doing times mid fast group and never had a slip the whole day. If you're worried they're not good enough for you, just get standard Diablos but if you're ham fisted you'll easily knacker those in 3k miles too.
 
Oakesy2001uk said:
I think I would destroy anything but a supersports tyre! I'm a bit too keen for that! and will be doing more and more track time, but having to commute when the car goes in december so can't really go for the supercorsa's I want! I think it's either 2CT's or diablo's for me, anyone tried both?
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Have you considered a second set of wheels? If you're using it for commuting you'll go through sticky tyres at a horrible rate, anything tough enough to last for that will limit you at the track. Also, most sticky tyres are really crap in cold wet conditions. Don't know how much they cost for your bike but I got a set for mine for under £150, and saved more than that in a year with the Roadtecs- so now I've got a set of Rennsports (cheap, those) to go on the spares.

Don't underestimate these tyres... You certainly won't "destroy" them, like I say they survive inters at trackdays, 20 lap sessions at Knockhill- you won't put them through their paces like that on the road most likely. Modern sports tyres give us more grip than you can usually use on the road since visibility's more of a limiting factor than traction. Niall Mackenzie was using Stradas for instructing earlier this year and seemed to have no probs ;)

The other thing is, 2CTs, Supercorsas, Corsa 3s or Sportec M3s are all pretty expensive too. A pair of Roadtecs is £150 ;) M3s last better than M1s, but they cost 25% more.
 
ALthough I will be commuting after december, its down fun roads, and is only 8 miles each way, so no biggy really.

I can't see spare wheels for mine being cheap at all, I remember they did some lightening of the wheels for the 03 onwards R6's so will be sought after. But I am keeping my eyes open for some that I can run part worn supercorsa's on for the track, I can get them for £80 a pair. I'd run these on the road if they wern't plain dangerous in the wet, I can get them warm enough in the dry.

I think it will be the Diablo corsa 3's, sprtier than the diablo's but do-able in the wet and work a little cooler than the supercorsa's, still have nice soft rubber on the sides, they are dual compoud like the 2CT's, my friend has them on his R6, I have just been to see him, he is a very keen rider and having done 1000 miles on them, they still look almost new! should be good for 3500 to 4000 miles which I'd be well happy with. I'll nick his bike tomora and see if Ilike them!

As for the tyre pressures, demon tweeks put 42/36 in mine when I had the 014's on, It felt very flighty and generally unstable when leant over, and I regreted buying the tyres,nothing to do with them being newish, I did over 100 miles that day and scrubbed them in well. Checked the pressures once they cooled off, dropped them to 34/36 and it was a different bike, serious night and day difference. Thats all the evidence I need... every tyre is different mind.
 
The Rennsport Roads are horrible on a cold wet road... White lines are like ice. Brilliant tyres in the dry though. Still, at £120 they cost much more per mile than a Pilot Power.

Could be wrong, think those are standard Diablos rather than Corsas? Not a bad price though.
 
Northwind said:
The Rennsport Roads are horrible on a cold wet road... White lines are like ice. Brilliant tyres in the dry though. Still, at £120 they cost much more per mile than a Pilot Power.

Could be wrong, think those are standard Diablos rather than Corsas? Not a bad price though.
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nope just looked, diablo corsa's for 140 a pair,cracking price! wonder if they are the single compound corsa 2's? (still very good, just not quiteas good as the new ones apparently)
 
Let us know how you get on with the Diablo 3s would you? They're the same compound and carcass as the new Sportec, which have been getting great reports...
 
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Linwig said:
If you want to keep a nice sticky compound but on the cheap how about some Rennsports? M&P doing them for £120 I think. Or Diablo Corsas for £140 afaik.

http://www.mandp.co.uk/productsList.aspx?tier1=Tyres&tier2=Tyre+Offers

Just need to give a big thumbs up to the new Avon Viper supersports, nice big contact patch and just a generally great tyre! :)
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I've got a set of those £140 Corsas waiting to be fitted on Weds, I couldnt pass them up for £140, even if the rear doesnt last to long, the front should be ok for atleast 2x sets. It was only after I ordered that I noticed that they were the corsas, for some reason I thought Diablo Corsas was the old name for standard Diablos.

Cheapest place I've found for tyres is: http://www.motorbike-tyres.com/
 
DynaMight said:
I've got a set of those £140 Corsas waiting to be fitted on Weds, I couldnt pass them up for £140, even if the rear doesnt last to long, the front should be ok for atleast 2x sets. It was only after I ordered that I noticed that they were the corsas, for some reason I thought Diablo Corsas was the old name for standard Diablos.

Cheapest place I've found for tyres is: http://www.motorbike-tyres.com/
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You'll love them if they are as good as my mate reckons they are, they be sticky! I will have a go on his bike see what I reckon! I'll be leavin it untill after christmas anyway, mine will last until then! But I'll give you guys a full report on what I reckon when I get them.
 
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