Need help picking tires...

[1badtitan90]

I gave the metzeler's a try.. i have a 190/55/17 m3 on the bike now..(xb12s) I have seen mostly commuting miles but will hit the corners hard when they come.. Have roughly 4k to 4500k miles on them.. My buddy has a zx10r and gave a sport touring a shot so i thought what the hell so will i.. these are the tires i picked, i just need help deciding and if any of you have tried these give me your 2 cents on them.... first tire is a Avon sport 2 radial tire.. either a 190 or 200 if i can fit it.. and the next is a mezeler Roadtec z8 interact sport touring.. prices are roughly close but just need a little help.. Here are the urls.. hope they work..

Avon rear tireMetzeler rear

 

[d_adams]

http://www.bridgestone.com/products/motorcycle_tires/products/battlax/s20.html

This is what I'll be going to on both bikes, XB9 and 1125, I've been using the BT-016 for the last 2 years and have gotten an average of 7k+ miles out of the rear.

 

[1badtitan90]

I dont think those are a sport touring.. are they

 

[d_adams]

Both of them are, the S20 is the BT-016 replacement.

 

[1badtitan90]

oh really ok.. well i guess those are an option too... never been a bridgestone fan though

 

[d_adams]

I'm on my 3rd set on the 1125, with the level of comfort I got from them, I'll at least try the S20, but most likely it will end up on both bikes in short order. I still have maybe 4k left on the 1125 before it's due, so the XB will get them first.

 

[1badtitan90]

would i be able to tell the difference in 190 50 and 190 55. also a 200 50 will be short and fat.. these are cheap too..

 

[d_adams]

Honestly, I would recommend sticking with the stock (correct) sized tire for the rim, ie; what came on it from the factory. I run 180's on mine, it doesn't screw with the handling. If you change the tire profile too much, you have a huge drop-off and a section of the tire that will never get used at all.

If you're just street riding and not too agressive in the corners, then I guess it won't matter much, but if you ride at an 80% pace, you'll be at the limit of the tire if it's too big for the rim at a much earlier point. I have chicken strips while riding at a reasonable street pace, but none at all on the track. I know what my limits are and based on what I have left on the tire, I know how much more "oh ****" cornering I have left.

This is just my opinion, but if you ride at more than 80% on the street, you're just asking for trouble. I'd much rather KNOW I can corner more if I need it and not use it for normal riding than I would THINK I could get away with it and find out the hard way that a 190 or 200 size tire had less available lean angle than that skinny little 180 has. I've rode with guys that shred their tires on the street, I don't bother trying to keep up with them. Too many times, they ended up in the ditch, I didn't. Part of it is skill, part tires and the rest I guess was just dumb luck.

 

[christianmb]

I have the Angel ST's and I have about 8K on my rear with PLENTY of tread, even in the center. I hit the corners when they come, and I am NOT a fan of slow starts. They are a little greasy cold, but warm up quickly. Personal preference. It is a nice ST tire for the money...I go mine through motorcycle superstore when they have their sales.

 

[1badtitan90]

Yea I ride roughly 90 percent street. Couple drag strip days.. nothing too crazy.. pry just stick with the 190 I have. And now just need to decide what tire

 

[TooFst]

I've thought about going up to a 190 but I figured I wouldn't change tire size till the AMA super bikes do... They MUST be the best handling or they would run something else. Also FYI I've been running BT-016 all summer long and I'm hooked. Definitely going to get another set when these wear out..

 

[1badtitan90]

Well.. i decided on the Metzeler Roadtec z8 due to the metzeler that i have on there now has got the most life so far... Perelli diablos are junk.. just saying.. and also my front is still a metzeler... hope this tire does good... thanks guys

 

[EuropaChris]

I've been running BT-021 tires front and rear on my 12Ss for almost 8,000 miles now and I am very pleased. I figure I'll get another 2-3K out of the rear at least.

Before you all cry out "weaksauce!!!", let me tell you that I primarily ride to relax, not have eyes in the back of my head looking for Roscoe P. Coltrane all the time. I'm 42 and am long passed my need to show everyone how big my dick is (or how loud my bike is, hence why the Jardine sits in the garage while the stock exhaust is on the bike).

The main reason I picked these tires is due to the roads I ride on 99% of the time - i.e. ruler straight and flat as an anorexic's tits. I need something that can handle commuting to work and droning along flat roads without burning down to the center cords after 3,000 miles leaving a bunch of rubber unused. However, they are perfectly capable of ripping it up with more than enough grip outside of race conditions, so I'm rather pleased and another set will go on when these are worn out.

Chris

 

[LightningMike]

I've been running the Continental Conti-Motions on mine and am very pleased. I even had a all day rain ride in the mountains Sunday and they held up very nicely. Got about 3000 on them now, looks like I'll get lots more, well priced at the SuperStore.