[Tom_S.]

I have a GT1000, but my question is probably better posed here than the Sport Classic dept. My bike is fitted w/bags, and used mainly for sport touring jaunts around the northwest. I don't spend a lot of time on freeways. It's ready for a new set of tires, and I'm just curious what the current leader is. Which brand/model achieves the best balance of performance and mileage? I'd favor a tire that offers longer life over sheer cornering performance. Suggestions?

 

[tonered]

Pirelli Angel ST. I call them hooligan tires and get 10,000mi out of a rear, twice that for the front. Of course, I do commute year 'round. They've seen everything including 20deg temps, snow, and the rare bit of ice with zero complaints, yet just want to corner deeper than other st tires that I had.

Beautiful GT, BTW. if you don't have it, there's a GT service manual posted in the "SMs" thread.

Have a good one

 

[Frozn]

Just put the Pireli Angles on my 02 ST4S and love them - great grip hot or cold, firm in the corners and the wear seems to be better than most. I dig em!

 

[mbevans]

Michelin Pilot Road II

Another thought, you ever ride in the rain? Michelin Pilot Road II, not the III.....

You get a tire that is every much equal with the other Road tires montioned, solid no flex tires with off-the-charts ability in the rain, and of course lasts longer than most tires should.....

I'm installing another set for this year on the ST4S......

 

[Gearbox]

Tom , I would go for either Michelin PR3's or Dunlop Sportmax , both should deliver what you want.

BTW - Whose case's are those fitted to the GT ?

 

[puchika]

Another vote for the Angels. I do a lot of long distance rides on my Hyper and still have a lot of tread on the rear after 8000. Center tread isn't as flat as previous Bridgestone and Michelin tires I've had with comparable mileage.

After riding through two torrential downpours over Memorial Day (most sane people would stop and seek shelter), I decided I'll never use another tire as long as the Angels are available.

Just put the Pireli Angles on my 02 ST4S and love them - great grip hot or cold, firm in the corners and the wear seems to be better than most. I dig em!

 

[mcd]

Dunlop Roadsmart. Nice versatile and long lasting tire. Can be had for a bargain price here: Motorcycle Parts, Discount Motorcycle Tires, Motorcycle Gear, & Motorcycle Accessories

 

[Thirdway]

Another thought, you ever ride in the rain? Michelin Pilot Road II, not the III.....

You get a tire that is every much equal with the other Road tires montioned, solid no flex tires with off-the-charts ability in the rain, and of course lasts longer than most tires should.....

I'm installing another set for this year on the ST4S......

That's interesting. My dealer steered me towards the PR2s. I pointed out the reviews of the 3s and have shredded the very nice, but very soft Sportsmarts in less than 2000 miles. Despite all the new rubber, his take on it was the older SP2s were cheaper and designed for more stable, heavier designs of older bikes.

As I live in the UK I'm reading all the plaudits the Dunlop and new SP3s get in the wet and the apparently poor performance of the 2s. The dealer just laughed and asked if I regularly got my knee down in the wet, because if I was like 99% of other road riders I probably just took it a bit easier when it was raining and wouldn't notice all the extra grip.

I have just put about 50 miles on the 2s and I have to say they make the bike feel more like a sports bike. The Dunlops were good, but the turn in felt far more gentle. I wondered if the latest tyres are profiled for fast steering bikes to give a more progressive feel, where older designs like the PR2 are designed around far slower steering bikes and are a better match? Just a thought.

 

[jobst3]

My ST3 came with Avon Storms - good tire, not too good when cold though. Too easy to break loose when it's cold out. (Gets you all woke up for work!)
I am looking at PR3's next - I've used PR2's on two different bikes and loved them, esp in the wet and nasty. 11k mi on my 540lb CBR and still have some life left.
While I don't put my knee down in the rain, it'd be nice to have the extra grip if some knucklehead cuts me off!
I put PR3's on my buddies PS1000 and loved them!!! All the traction you could want - good all around tire!

 

[spyvito]

You may want to look at the Continental Road Attack.

.: Continental Road Attack | Review | Canyon Chasers Motorcycle Sport Touring :.

I had these on my Monster and they did work as reviewed.

 

[trader220]

Another vote for the Angles. I have about 900 miles on the set I put on a couple months ago. They feel great in hot, cold wet you name it. Cant say much about their life span yet.

 

[va duc]

Just traded up to the Michelin road 2 from the angels, much better tire for my riding style.
I managed 8k out of the angels. They preformed well enough, I just prefer the michelins myself

Sent from my DROID RAZR using Motorcycle.com App

 

[rspcharger]

BTW - Whose case's are those fitted to the GT ?

Gearbox, I'd bet dollars to doughnuts that those cases are Hepco Becker. I've got a set on my Guzzi Breva and they look exactly the same, the side cases at least.

 

[Tom_S.]

Gearbox, I'd bet dollars to doughnuts that those cases are Hepco Becker...

Yes, they are. Thanks for the tire tips, fellas. I'll look more closely at some of the suggested items. This really does help narrow my search.

 

[cb4265]

My vote is for either the PR2's or 3's I have had both, my mate also has an ST, & has run the angels without dramas. The Angels are cheaper but not as light as the Michelins. To be honest I only went to the PR3's because I thought they superceded the 2's, but I will go back to the 2's when I wear out the 3's, for no other reason than appearance. Performance I find is similar.
I think I will also go back to a 170 rear.

Craig

 

[DuckMan]

My vote is for either the PR2's or 3's I have had both, my mate also has an ST, & has run the angels without dramas. The Angels are cheaper but not as light as the Michelins. To be honest I only went to the PR3's because I thought they superceded the 2's, but I will go back to the 2's when I wear out the 3's, for no other reason than appearance. Performance I find is similar.
I think I will also go back to a 170 rear.

Craig

Ive run several sets of Z6 & Z8 Metezlers and like them a lot but have been wanting to try the Michelins just so I'll know how they compare. I was undecided between the 2 or 3. Thanks for helping me decide. If the 3 is no better performing than the 2 I'll get the 2. That tread pattern on the 3 makes my skin crawl.

 

[cb4265]

Ive run several sets of Z6 & Z8 Metezlers and like them a lot but have been wanting to try the Michelins just so I'll know how they compare. I was undecided between the 2 or 3. Thanks for helping me decide. If the 3 is no better performing than the 2 I'll get the 2. That tread pattern on the 3 makes my skin crawl.

Cheers Mike,

I can't see you going wrong with the PR2's, just be aware the recommended pressures are a guide only, & I found 34 / 37 psi suited me better than the 2.1 /2.2 bar recommended. With the lower pressures my front tyre scalloped quite badly until I figured it out.

Now piss off, I am watching qualifying!

Craig

 

[DuckMan]

Cheers Mike,

I can't see you going wrong with the PR2's, just be aware the recommended pressures are a guide only, & I found 34 / 37 psi suited me better than the 2.1 /2.2 bar recommended. With the lower pressures my front tyre scalloped quite badly until I figured it out.

Now piss off, I am watching qualifying!

Craig

I was following it too on my iPhone.

 

[Gearbox]

My vote is for either the PR2's or 3's I have had both, my mate also has an ST, & has run the angels without dramas. The Angels are cheaper but not as light as the Michelins. To be honest I only went to the PR3's because I thought they superceded the 2's, but I will go back to the 2's when I wear out the 3's, for no other reason than appearance. Performance I find is similar.
I think I will also go back to a 170 rear.

Craig

Have you ridden with them in the wet , this is the area where they are supposed to excell according to the promo ?

 

[HarrisFD]

+1 on Angels

Running them on my 02 ST4s, great grip, even wear, long life. My cousin got 12K+ miles on Angels with his ZX14