Tires

[dart1963]

well, if you're changing them often, invest in a tire changer will cut out the install price. we had a group that all pitched in years ago for the nomar, but, group kind of fell apart... at least I got my money out of it, at roughly $80/install at dealer, it adds up quick when you're going through a set of tires or two per year and if you have a small group, pays off even quicker

 

[LocoLechero]

ive got about 8k on my stock roadsmarts - front tire has got some life left - but my rear is pretty shot - seeing as my front is good i'm thinking i should stick with dunlop as to not mix my rubber- the roadsmart 2's have gotten good reviews but i am intrigued by the Q3's if not for the shitty mileage ( no track here just commuting and spirited weekend twisties) super curious about this "new rubber= new bike" feeling

 

[latony007]

ive got about 8k on my stock roadsmarts - front tire has got some life left - but my rear is pretty shot - seeing as my front is good i'm thinking i should stick with dunlop as to not mix my rubber- the roadsmart 2's have gotten good reviews but i am intrigued by the Q3's if not for the shitty mileage ( no track here just commuting and spirited weekend twisties) super curious about this "new rubber= new bike" feeling

i have heard about dual compound tires that sounds interesting. Softer rubber for grip on the outsides and harder rubber in the middle for longer wear?

 

[RoadTrip]

ive got about 8k on my stock roadsmarts - front tire has got some life left - but my rear is pretty shot - seeing as my front is good i'm thinking i should stick with dunlop as to not mix my rubber- the roadsmart 2's have gotten good reviews but i am intrigued by the Q3's if not for the shitty mileage ( no track here just commuting and spirited weekend twisties) super curious about this "new rubber= new bike" feeling

You will see many responses on the webz about 'wasting rubber' when it comes to hypersport (e.g. Q3, S20) tires, stating you really don't need more grip than a sport touring tire (e.g. PR3) will provide. However, there is another aspect that doesn't get discussed much and that is 'response'. The tip in, side to side transition, and throttle response are all much more direct and instantaneous on hypersport tires. It is a sublime feeling that some are willing to pay for and others are not.

I will admit that I am 'wasting rubber' myself throwing away perfectly good sidewalls when the center is gone, but we gots lots of straight roads in my parts with only small sections of really tight curves. So, I hit the throttle in straights and eat up the center, and when I get to the curves I don't hotdog but run em smooth to be safe. And, even though the sport touring tire would likely have sufficient grip to be safe, they don't bite and rail the turns quite as good. My limited experience with sport touring tires is they just don't 'feel' as exciting or confidence inspiring, so for me it is worth the extra expense.

The cost difference for me on my crappy chipseal roads is like 2K vs 3K miles for a rear tire, so if you have better roads or aren't throttle happy, you might experience something like 5K vs 8K, and you could also run 2 rears for one front. The price difference will probably be something on the order of 30-50% more per year to move to hypersport tires. Just calculate how many miles you ride and the figure the estimated mileage for each type tire and you can figure out how much actual $$$ its gonna cost. If it sound reasonable, then go for it, but be warned you may never go back to sport touring tires.

 

[Slick]

I have used the Sportmax tires for the first three sets, and they worked great in Texas Hill Country and middle Tennessee riding. When I moved to Western NC, I wanted to save some money and went with ContiMotion tires (2 sets). I ride a lot (two words!) and it is at least 90% twisties. They have good feel, but I went through each set in 4,000 miles. Went with Pilot Road 3 front and 2CT rear. As most of these tires are dual compound, I can tell you that in my opinion, they are the way to go. Lots of grip and a little better tread life. I truly enjoy these Michelins. And I am an aggressive rider in the twisties. I have about 3,000 miles on the current set and they look like they have half of the wear. They will probably last until Spring, or at least another 2,000 miles. Great tires!

 

[buzzbomb]

You will see many responses on the webz about 'wasting rubber' when it comes to hypersport (e.g. Q3, S20) tires, stating you really don't need more grip than a sport touring tire (e.g. PR3) will provide. However, there is another aspect that doesn't get discussed much and that is 'response'. The tip in, side to side transition, and throttle response are all much more direct and instantaneous on hypersport tires. It is a sublime feeling that some are willing to pay for and others are not.

I will admit that I am 'wasting rubber' myself throwing away perfectly good sidewalls when the center is gone, but we gots lots of straight roads in my parts with only small sections of really tight curves. So, I hit the throttle in straights and eat up the center, and when I get to the curves I don't hotdog but run em smooth to be safe. And, even though the sport touring tire would likely have sufficient grip to be safe, they don't bite and rail the turns quite as good. My limited experience with sport touring tires is they just don't 'feel' as exciting or confidence inspiring, so for me it is worth the extra expense.

The cost difference for me on my crappy chipseal roads is like 2K vs 3K miles for a rear tire, so if you have better roads or aren't throttle happy, you might experience something like 5K vs 8K, and you could also run 2 rears for one front. The price difference will probably be something on the order of 30-50% more per year to move to hypersport tires. Just calculate how many miles you ride and the figure the estimated mileage for each type tire and you can figure out how much actual $$$ its gonna cost. If it sound reasonable, then go for it, but be warned you may never go back to sport touring tires.

Man, how I wish I could do that!

 

[VRIIClubby]

I changed my tyres on the weekend for the first time, ended up going with the Angel GT's.

I traveled some 500km's to get them, hit some twisties after their fitment and was the first time I have scraped my pegs, very confidence inspiring.

Loved them all the way home too, mix of Hume Hwy and Country coarse hotmix, had a blast and they performed very well.

 

[SixRFixR]

I will admit that I am 'wasting rubber' myself throwing away perfectly good sidewalls when the center is gone, but we gots lots of straight roads in my parts with only small sections of really tight curves.

Life's too short for crappy tires. Come to think of it, crappy tires might lead to a shorter life! Don't push your tires to the maximum life. This is not the thing you want to skimp on. Horsepower, braking power and turning ability don't mean squat if you can't translate it to the road.

Weekend before last I went on a 750 mile 3-day group ride on the twistiest roads we could find. On the first day at a gas stop I looked at the front tire of a guy on a Speed Triple. The thing had a bit of tread left in the middle, but the sidewalls were ground down to nothing. I pushed on it and it was low. He measured 20 psi. On the way back the rear started showing cord in the center. Sheesh! Poor maintenance, perhaps poor tire selection for a liter bike. They were ContiMotions. He put himself in danger and it threatened to spoil the ride for everyone else. No matter what your style, don't skimp on tires.

P.S. I have PR4's on my FZ6R.