What Tire for 748 ridden in twisties with lots of gravel - Ducati.ms

apehair · Oct 20th, 2012, 11:04 pm

I just bought a 748 that will need new tires. I ride year-round in Colorado, and between the months of Oct-May, the canyons and high country are full of gravel to provide grip on the ice. Since that's not quite challenging enough, the center line on some of the roads is corrugated, which gives you about half the grip you would normally get from painted asphalt. So, if you overshoot the tire grooves cut into the gravel by the cars and trucks ahead of you and happen to hit that center line, you get to practice your panic screaming in the quiet of your own helmet.

I shouldn't complain, though. We do get to enjoy a brief period of clear roads between the time the road crews sweep up the winter's gravel and begin to repair the road shoulders with new gravel, which the car drivers spread all over the curves again when they cut the corners.

Eventually this shoulder-gravel gets used up and we get to enjoy clear roads again about August 10 or 11 until August 12 or 13.

So it's probably not as bad as I make it out to be.

I've noticed that when I use sport tires that have very few grooves in them I slip and slide like crazy on just a little gravel. But when I use tires with more grooves in them, the sliding is reduced.

So I was wondering whether a tire like the Metzeler Tourance would work for a 748 in these parts. The Conti Trail Attack? I keep a spirited but reasonable pace in the canyons, faster than some would prefer, but slower than plenty of other people. I do erase the chicken strips on my rear tire, but not on the front. I don't drag a knee, and don't scrape my pegs. In other words, I don't care about getting the last bit of grip out of a tire, and don't mind giving up some grip on perfect asphalt for more security on asphalt covered in gravel.

Any suggestions?

Thanks,

ape

Mad Dog · Oct 21st, 2012, 9:00 am

get a dirt bike.

apehair · Oct 21st, 2012, 2:57 pm

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mad Dog

get a dirt bike.

LMAO!!!

ape

Rubber_Duc · Oct 21st, 2012, 5:29 pm

Lol, I like the dirt bike idea, I was going to suggest moving, man I hate gravel! I'm not sure any tire will be able to stick on tons of that stuff.

apehair · Oct 21st, 2012, 8:37 pm

Quote:

Originally Posted by cfiiman

Lol, I like the dirt bike idea, I was going to suggest moving, man I hate gravel! I'm not sure any tire will be able to stick on tons of that stuff.

I hate it, too, but you learn to deal with it. Some tires, like the stock tires on my Triumph Daytona 675, really slip on it. It was like riding on marbles. Other tires don't react as much. Trying to find the tire that will do OK on the gravel without giving up too much cornering stick.

I wonder how a 748 would look with knobbies? :-)

ape

apehair · Oct 21st, 2012, 8:57 pm

Rider Magazine Gear Review: Pirelli Scorpion Trail Tires

Pirelli Scorpion Trail Tire Review at RevZilla.com - YouTube

ape

SilkMoneyLove · Nov 10th, 2012, 10:19 am

Ape - I think sport bike tires aren't getting enough temp to stick well. Maybe a 2nd set of wheels with sport touring tires for the winter months? ST tires usually are more "all weather" than sport.
A 2nd set of wheels lets you swap without having to buy another bike.

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