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Tires for your street SM

407K views 764 replies 299 participants last post by  BlackPanther 
#1 ·
#182 ·
i had MT60s on the KTM when i bought it and they were absolute shit, in my opinion. very little grip. the rear was on it's way out and i'm not sure how old it was, but i wasn't impressed




BTW after 700 miles or so with the BT-016s i love them. just as good on the sumo as they were on the ZX-6R
 
#184 ·
Im sold on pirelli for grip, but I ran a pair of conti's that lasted me forever, and I too was toying with the idea of running a shinko, but just on the rear cuz then i could burn the shit out of it and they r cheap to replace compared to a 250dollar pirelli diablo corsa. And id probably get all grand master clash and run a pirelli on the front.
 
#185 ·
I am using the Dunlop GT501 tyres here in Okinawa Japan since my options were limited to what was in stock when I ate a nail, these work great in the mountains on my 2005 Honda XR250R Motard. Not the greatest and overpriced compared to a Pilot Power or 2CT tyre
 
#188 ·
I'm LOVIN the BT016 so far. Been to the track with it when it was 40 degrees- stuck very well, and it always lets you know when its on the edge. Also went yesterday when there was water/some ice still on the track. It did very well in the wet, and again it let you know before it was too late.
 
#190 ·
650 streetard and is shoe'd with Avon Distanza's. Thinking about making the switch to the Conti's soon as the stanza's are about finished.

Great sales pitch for the conti's on motostrano but i have one question that someone may be able to answer.

I live in Seattle and as you likely have heard, it rains here ..... a lot, and I commute on the bike. I have a great deal of confidence in the stanza's but am unsure if the conti's will grip in the wet as well.

anyone?
 
#207 ·
Sorry if its been asked alot, but i have the factory IRC runner tires on my klx250 sf and was thinking of putting another tire on the back, what are your thought on running a different tire on the front than on the back? Dangerous? Also plan on going from 130-70-17 to 140-70-17 and im looking at the battlax BT003- Good tire???
 
#208 ·
i just baught power ct2s ill post in a few weeks after i get my bike going.
 
#210 ·
Well Hell...

Guys - this is my two cents, just IMHO, ok?
Based on close to 30 years of riding, probably 10 years of fitting customers with rubber, and many different types of racing, conditions, terrains, and so on.

Now. Please don't go lowering your tire pressures below recommended unless a temp guage is handy. Tread squirm is a BIG cause of 'unsettled' weirdness in tire feel. Please don't run track treads on the street, unless you are 110% sure of teh conditions - even then you will be wrong. Please match compounds front and rear, until you know FOR SURE what you are getting into. Please run tires on mfg. recommended rim widths if possible.

It took me a while to read thru this thread, and I hope I don't repeat what is here, but I've gone through a lot of tires, though I usually change them out each year.

NBL y'all are going to shred more rears than I did on my RZ500, and my interest goes back to '84 when I put street tires on my '79YZ LMAO. That got me busted.

So - Metzelers are the shiznit. Period. (for me)
I ran a season of Sportsman on Pirelli Scorpions and loved it - bar-scraping stuck, decent cleaning coming out of the dirt, good street wear.
THESE have a cool feel, but break away fast, though are predictable on the street and slide.
Shinko's feel greasy when you push them, but once off they slide well and are cheap fun Friday night rears. I've put a streetbike into 2-wheel drift on Shinkos, scary shit that.
Anything Continental is going to be good for its *intended purpose* - they've been in the game too long to build crap.
Bridgestone tires scare me after I've seen a bunch chunk out a few years back, apparently better now, but bad images.

I hope my fellow 'tards don't think you will warm tires to track temps outside of Death Valley, since on a lap you cool of in the dirt section alone (hint hint) running race weight skins.
I tend to try to fit tires to the individual, not so much the bike or the brand.

I would aim, if you think this way, for 600-class intent, as the carcass of the tires meant for sport touring / adventure are really stiff and have crap feel in general - though tough commuter rubber (gravel, glass, construction, accident debris) city guys know what I mean.

LMK if any of this bothers you, please. And - there's a ton of world-class 600-class supersport rubber to choose from, and most of it will do more than you will ask of it, if it's at the right pressure, on the right rim.
 
#212 ·
*Shocked Face*

D00d - seriously?

Tires have a weight rating. 600/700cc sports bikes dont want the same tires as a Gold Wing.

And a NEW 600cc Hypersport wears a 180 maybe, but the older ones don't.

Look HERE for a prime example.

Hope that helps.
 
#213 ·
First of all, where is this "weight rating" on your Pirelli link? Those Super Corsas are available in sizes for an SV650 to a 'Busa, all the same model tire. Of course a Goldwing won't take the same tire as a 600SS, they have completely different rim sizes as well as performance requirements. 600SS bikes have taken a 180 tire for at least 10 years, how old are you??
 
#218 ·
I have the same setup on my DRZ sm. Very nice and sticky tires! These are the 1st set of tires that I have scrubbed the entire front tire. The taller profile seems to turn in quicker.
 
#216 ·
I have run the regular Pilot power on my dr-z sm and found them to be very sticky while pushing them hard.I loved them! But they also wore out quickly.
Since i am not doing any track days, i figured i would try a new(to me) tire that is supposed to provide good life. Avon makes a tire labeled as a commuter called Roadrider. I got them at a decent price so i figured what the hell. when i have time to really push them in the twisty's ill post up about hot they feel.
 
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