Commuters and all year users...a tyre question (sorry!)

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furygan man · #1 Post by **furygan man** » Mon Dec 05, 2011 3:12 pm

I'll put this here as it will proberbly get read the most

Tyres

...hang on, have read a lot of older posts and picked up some usful info, so the question is specific to my situation, having owned the bike the last 2 years i've only ever used it odd weekends in the Summer. I'd now like to use the bike more and occasional commuting the 96 miles to work, and use earlier Spring Late Autumn

I currently have Pirelli Corsa's in good nick (they were on the bike when i bought it, so not experienced any other tyre), for all year riding and confidence in the wet is it worth changing to another set either for all year riding, i've been caught in a few downpours and damp roads and have felt the front and rear go now and again so looking for something to inspire a bit of confidence, i know there's a lot of brand loyalty out there so i'm not too fussed, but comments will be appreciated....sorry to have waffled on!

Types that regulary come up are

Pirelli Angel ST
Bridgstone BT-023
Dunlop Roadsmart
Mitchelin PR3

I still consider myself a beginner and don't ride fast or hard, I'm considering a trackday sometime next year, but as i said looking for something a bit more all rounder ish although not through the harshest Winter weather (Dec/Jan/Feb)

D-Rider · #2 Post by **D-Rider** » Mon Dec 05, 2011 4:12 pm

I have Pirelli Rosso Corsas on my BST rims - which are great.

However on my OZ rims I've a set of Angel STs - which are on there now and will be throughout the colder months - or for any distance stuff I do.
I must admit I have been immensely impressed with them - they are very confidence inspiring.
They are rated for quick warm up and wet grip - obviously very important at this time of year.
Unless they come up with something even better, I'll get another pair when I eventually wear these out.

flatlander · #3 Post by **flatlander** » Mon Dec 05, 2011 4:27 pm

I have loads of Michelin stuff over the last few years on the Bandits and been happy with all of them and that was the Macadams before the pilot sports pilot road etc and I had no issues with them... well none related to the tyres fault :)

Currently roadsmarts which I have been very happy with so far Knock Knock very good neutral feel and fairly confidence inspiring, the only times I had a tweak at the sphincter end I think was more due to the clapped out blue shock and the idiot on top (me being a pratt)

I think there are a later version of the roadsmarts and I got them after talking to several other people who had been giving good reports on them

Now if only I had had something like that on the Audi lasr week :(

furygan man · #4 Post by **furygan man** » Mon Dec 05, 2011 4:50 pm

...i guess it will continue to come down to the ones i suggested, I think i proberbly couldn't go wrong with either Roadsmart/Angel/BT-23's or Road Pilot 2's, they seem to be the ones that come up, time and again, i would say the BT-023's seem to crop up a tad more and especially as i don't ride too hard.

I suppose what i was asking was would they be a confidence boost/improvement over the Corsa's (which i don't have a problem over...in the dry) if i was to use 'uncertain', but not extreme weather?

and thanks for the replies BTW

Aladinsaneuk · #5 Post by **Aladinsaneuk** » Mon Dec 05, 2011 5:13 pm

I also rate conti road attacks very highly

randomsquid · #6 Post by **randomsquid** » Mon Dec 05, 2011 6:17 pm

I like roadsmarts for a crap weather tyre. I'm on my second pair for the er6. They seem surprisingly unflappable and last quite well. I've had a few small slides but that was mostly behaving like a twat in the wet, they recover in an undramatic sort of way. The Falco has corsas on and when it gets cold it stays at home.

flatlander · #7 Post by **flatlander** » Mon Dec 05, 2011 6:47 pm

I have nothing but anecdotal evidence for this comment but a breaker told me he shied away from selling used pirelli gyres as the sidewalks were too soft which made them great in the dry not so great elsewhere

D-Rider · #8 Post by **D-Rider** » Mon Dec 05, 2011 6:57 pm

furygan man wrote:...i guess it will continue to come down to the ones i suggested, I think i proberbly couldn't go wrong with either Roadsmart/Angel/BT-23's or Road Pilot 2's, they seem to be the ones that come up, time and again, i would say the BT-023's seem to crop up a tad more and especially as i don't ride too hard.

I suppose what i was asking was would they be a confidence boost/improvement over the Corsa's (which i don't have a problem over...in the dry) if i was to use 'uncertain', but not extreme weather?

and thanks for the replies BTW

My theory is the Angels are longer lasting and will probably suffer less through reduced winter lean angles and the fact that Pirelli give them a better wet weather rating.
The Corsas are great for hanging on to the nth degree at high lean - more in the dry and TBH more track focussed.
I think that for summer road use I'll choose the RossoII next time over the Rosso Corsa (unless we're on to the RossoIII by then)

tommy · #9 Post by **tommy** » Mon Dec 05, 2011 8:28 pm

I've got Pilot Road 2's - And i fecking love them!! (the PR3's can only be better)
I ride all year, all weathers
They wear really (exceptionally) well when i'm touring. Neither are squaring off
And come summer i ride like a nob and they stick like anythng. I've never had one slip nor slide

I cannot recomend them highly enough. I'd never use a "sports" tyre again

Nooj · #10 Post by **Nooj** » Mon Dec 05, 2011 10:47 pm

Debz uses Avon Storms, got 20,000 miles out of her last rear! OK, it was on the Fazer, but that's doing 140 miles a day on the M4 and round central London, hardly squared off at all before wearing out!

Never had any issues in the wet and on London's greasy roundabouts and pot hole strew roads. I definitely want some for the Falco.

HowardQ · #11 Post by **HowardQ** » Mon Dec 05, 2011 11:18 pm

I have only really fitted Bridgestones to the Falco, always 020s, 021s and currently BT 023s on the rear, but not had the latest 023s on long enough to wear them out. They seem to be wearing very well so far.
I ride all year round and find them excellent.
Good enough grip in summer for everything I need, quick warm up on cold winter days, and everyting in between, so I can seriously recommend them on a Falco for all year round use.
Dual compound helps them grip well and also last longer on longer commuting runs when the bike is more upright.
Before putting the 023s on the Falco I had thought about trying the Dunlop Roadsmarts.
Ended up fitting Roadsmarts on the ZX9R and have to say that I am very impressed with these as well for all the same reasons.
Both great all rounder tyres with lots of grip that wear well.

furygan man · #12 Post by **furygan man** » Mon Dec 05, 2011 11:21 pm

Wish there was an obvious standout candidate but it seems so subjective!!

Came accross this review site-

http://www.tyrereviews.co.uk/Article/Du ... unched.htm

Dalemac · #13 Post by **Dalemac** » Mon Dec 05, 2011 11:36 pm

I have Avon Storm II's on the falco, they are a million times better than the michelins that came off it. I have covered 5000 miles on them and they still have some of the rubber marks from the mold!

They grip really well in the dry, but can take a while to warm up properly, so do not push it in the wet for a couple of miles, because they will slide if you are too quick on the throttle when half way round a corner in the wet and they are still cold.

Never had a better set of sports tourer tyres. And they are not too expensive, probably about £180 a set.

FlyingKiwi · #14 Post by **FlyingKiwi** » Tue Dec 06, 2011 12:50 am

I've got Bridgestone 023's on the Blade at the moment. Done about 3000 miles on them and ride all year round. The Blade makes a bit more power than the Falco

and I've had absolutely no problems with them.
Apparently Haslam uses them at his race school

Falcopops · #15 Post by **Falcopops** » Tue Dec 06, 2011 2:15 am

Aladinsaneuk wrote:I also rate conti road attacks very highly

+1 on the conti's, I found them great in the wet