My stocks have to be changed,i got about 12 000 km,the front is wasted,the back has more life into it,but since i am changing-let's make it a pair.
I ride 99% on road(i leave that 1% off-road for emergencies) ,mostly curvy roads and some highway cruising.
I like the looks of the Continental SuperMoto tires but i am concerned about the mileage i would get out of them.
Also where I live I can only get Continental,Dunlop and maybe Bridgestone and Pirelli.
What would you recommend for decent grip on a dry and wet surface, decent grip and mileage?
Bridgestone BT 023, have them on the versys and ninja 1000 and are getting more miles of wear out of them on the versys than my previous pirelli angels, then before that pirelli strada then the stock dunlops, have used the Bt 023's on a borrowed versys riding in malaysia and handled very well in very hot conditions, un even roads at times and one big rain down pour of which i have never seen rain drop out of the sky like that.
Michelin Pilot Road 2 (or 3 but depending on price difference it's not always worth going for the 3s for the small performance gain). I put Michelin PR2s on all my bikes and they are just so awesome and last too.
Since your using km assuming your in Canada. Pretty much any dealer can order from any of the tire manufacturers including Michelin. Also check out Pete's Superbike in Montreal - they do a brisk business in shipping tires and usually have the cheapest prices if you do not include shipping costs - shipping within Canada is a fraction of the price of cross border shipping. US retailers like MotorcycleSuperStore have amazing tire prices but don't ship to Canada and the few that do ship charge $100 to ship a tire cross border. Bottom line is it is not worth getting tires from the US unless you can have them shipped to a pickup point near the border in the US (there are lots of places that do this for a very small fee) and then drive to pick them up if you live nearby.
Just posted a thread on the quick wear of my Pirelli Scorpions before I saw this. I was happier with my previous Michelin PR2s and have had great feedback on the Michelin PR3s. The are a dual compound tire, harder rubber in center, so wear longer, don't flat spot, but still grip very well in the corners.
I'm very happy with the Avon Storm 2 tires I put on two seasons ago. They're a nice neutral road tire with good grip and great wet weather handling. I've even had them on dirt and gravel and they give you a better feeling than the stock Dunlops. I've got over 16,000km on them now and the front shows some wear, but it's even with no cupping or scalloping. The rear is starting to get squared off from some of highway I've been doing, but it looks like I could get another 3K out of it. I ride mostly solo and have pushed this tire hard and it's always inspired confidence. My next set will be more dualsport oriented, but I would buy again if I could find the same deal.
Well, just to thoroughly confuse you by recommending the only brand on your "potentials" list that hasn't already been mentioned, I've been happy with the Dunlop Roadsmarts. They have provided plenty of grip for the way I ride the Versys and last longer than I ever expected.
I have not yet tried the Roadsmart II but I probably will at the next change.
+1 on the Michelin PR 2 or 3. I've used one set of 2's and found them to work great. I stepped up to the 3's since I live and ride in nice wet weather.
My top choice for the price are Bridgestone BT023s (they don't do too bad in gravel either). Second choice are the PR2s or 3s, but they will cost more.
I think the Michelin Road Pilot 3 is the best tire for your description. It is multi compound with a harder center compound and has the longest life and best grip of any tires I have tried including Bridgestone and Pirelli. Although it is pricey, if you include the lifespan I think it is as cheap or cheaper than than the Bridgestone BT-23 and Pirelli Angels
I'm halfway through my second set of RoadSmarts. You do have to break them in for the first 100 miles or so. Don't ask me how I know. I plan to try something else for my thirds set of replacement tires, later next year, maybe the PR 2, or PR 3?
I ordered Dunlop Roadsmart 2,payed half in advance and 2 weeks after they call me and said they made a mistake and brought Dunlop Q2 instead.
The price for the Roadsmart 2 is 300 eur and for the Q2 225 eur,so any thoughts?
My main concern is the tire lifespan,I am not doing a trackday or any aggressive riding,just commuting.
After 2 years with the Roadsmart 2 and about 25 000 km it is time to change again....They still have some life left in them,but the center of the rear is a bit squared.
Has anyone had experience with Metzeler Tourance NEXT or Pirelli Scorpion Trail 2?
Both of them are dual compound rear tire, offer about 10% off road and I can get them at the same price.
For the same price are the Dunlop Roadsmart 2 (again), Bridgestone bt-023 and 15 eur more for the T30.
I've used both the Tourance and Trail (old style) on the KLR. If you might see some dirt or gravel these might be the tires. For the street I would go with a street tire like PR4 or equivalent Pirelli.
I want to get different tires for the V also. I live and work off gravel roads. I want a tire that is good for gravel roads. My friend recommended Battlax. Is that the BT023 you guys are talking about? Anyone have this tire? Any other recommendations for gravel/pavement? Thanks.
Best bet for pavement / gravel is a 95/5 tire like the Pirelli Scorpion 2 or Metzler Tourance Next. Both are dual compound for good grip and longer life, however the older Scorpion 1 is not, so be careful not to confuse the Scorpion 1 with the Scorpion 2. Both of these tires are manufactured in the stock sizes of 120/70-17 & 160/60-17, however not at all tire wholesalers that stock these tire models, carry them in the needed sizes for the Versys. Basically 95/5 tires are sport tour tire carcases with a more aggressive tread pattern.
Best sport tour tires are Michelin Pilot Road 3-4 or Pirelli Angel GT. They consistently get good ratings and are easy to find anywhere. You'll get more miles and better pavement traction with sport tour tires but very limited to no traction on gravel or dirt. IMO don't mess with non stock tire sizes as it will ruin handling feel.
Beth - I put knobbies (TKC80 120/70 front, BIG BLOCK 150/70 rear) onto BIG RED last October to do a ride on the AZ BDR w/ jdrocks, and they stayed on for the whole season, MOSTLY pavement. They felt VG to me in all situations, tho' I did NOT try to "drag a knee".... Here's what they look like w/ 6,289 miles on them at 36 psi F, 42 R.
I was noticing those tires on your other post, FEC. I like the look of them, I like the look of the more aggressive, tready tires. How are they are pavement? A little rough and loud? Good for boinking but not so much for long road trips!! lol They might be a little too knobby for me. What do you recommend that is a tad less knobby?
How much can I sell the stock tires for? They might have 500 miles on them. Do people buy these tires?
If you don't want to change from stock dimensions, The knobbiest would be SuperMoto tires: Dunlop Mutant and Pirelli MT60 Corsa. They look awesome but I would be concerned about mileage I would get out of them with mostly long highway riding. That is why i wanted a dual-compound rear tire.
After 26,000 miles, on 99.9% pavement, I tried the Pilot Road 4 tires. They're the best I've found so far. They warm up quickly and stick in the turns. I like the secure feel in the curves. But, they have some road noise at abut 45 mph.
I debated between the Pilot Road 4 and the Pirelli Angel GTs, as I'm a long time Pirelli fan. Found a good price on the Angels so I'll be spooning them on in a couple months.
The Metzeler Tourance got some good reviews on motorcycle super store. Where does everyone shop for tires and reviews?
Any suggestions on what amount I should list the stock tires for?
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