What tyres are you running???

[lost_identity]

i have the dunlop sportsmax's that the sv comes with as standard. I dont have too much confidence in them though. Back end has just turned to ice and snaked on more than one ocasion. Cant afford new ones and since my off ive been riding on egg shells ne ways.

[furry]

I don't know furry - i may not have the latest and greatest sports bike but i would say my riding was fairly sporty and the 020s have always been fantastic never any moments in the wet or dry.

Well not being a "know-it-all-smartass" but heres my technical view on the subject...

BT020's...are designed as a sports-tourer tyre (the Radial version of the BT45's)

They are designed in two parts...

Middle part...harder compound...to still give good grip...yet last longer

Outer parts...Same as BT010...High Silica...grippy compound...

Seems like a match made in heven...centre of the tyre lasts for ages...then you still got that sports grip on the sides for when you want to get some serious lean in...

However...

Let me tell you a little story...

Craig on here...on his GSXR750 K4...dropped his bike right in front of me when he was 2 up going round a roundabout...BT020 on the rear, BT014 on the front

Now admittedly before this event...Craig had been riding a bit mad...but he did nothing wrong when he went round the roundabout....

I saw the whole event...he was leant over nice...road conditions were good and the roundabout surface was good, but the rear end just slipped from under him.


Now my common sense/technical reason for that happening...

The Dual compound of the BT020 doesn't have a constant heat range...what I mean by that is you spend most of the time upright in the middle of the tyre...which gets warm, but not as warm as say a BT010...but then this heat isn't transfered very well to the sides of the tyre which is designed to run hotter to make the BT010 rubber grip...

As he had only been on the bike 5 mins...the centre had warmed up...but this was not enough to conduct heat to the outsides of the tyre...so when he leant over they was still virtually stone cold...hence the rear end lost grip...when in theory the compound used should have given the most grip on the sides...

------------------------------------------------------------

Now If you use a sports tyre like say the BT010's or BT014's...as they are made of the same compound for the whole tyre...the whole tyre warms up uniformly and heat from the centre is conducted at a constant rate thoughout the tyre, which gives good mean average grip...

When you watch Moto GP...many have this mis-conception that riding from side to side warms the tyre up quicker...this is not true...it just promotes more even tyre wear...and considering race tyres dont last long...this is important...

On a tyre like BT010 or BT014...just get some miles in...in a straight line...then that will be enough to make use of the grip...

To me...Tyres are a very important piece of safety equip for your bike...they are the only thing keeping the bike sunny side up...So if you got a ZXR, GSXR, R-whatever etc etc...don't be a turd and stick touring rubber on it...

I found for my TL as mentioned elsewhere...these Diablo tyres are f**king fantastic...Grip is amazing...heat up well...and feel good on the road... best of all...even on a heavy grunty bike like mine...still clocked allmost 5000 out of the rear...Nice

Someone in AT's position...choice is harder...600's are a halfway house...Diablo's are more suited to bigger bikes...but then again if your used to using D207's then it's prolly better to go for them than say BT020's

Only tyre I would say aviod with your life is Metz, bleady german things...every time your bike went over a crack in the road or a bump it would have the back end out all over the place

[clunk]

Only tyre I would say aviod with your life is Metz(

The Metz Z4 ( i think ) which were std on the early SV were pants , but the new Z6 is getting very good reviews on the SV site.

So you cant judge a brand just by one experience.

[ZXR400Lee]

That was quite interesting to know.. I find with Dunlop Sportmax the back gets pretty unsettled in the rain, but amazing in the dry. The Pirelli I had before was excellent everywhere but only lasted 3000 miles.

When I get some spare cash.. (spare cash, is there such a thing!!). I'll try and get myself a set of new tyres again... thats if I dont sell it for a 600 before then.

Lee

[A_T]

Someone in AT's position...choice is harder...600's are a halfway house...Diablo's are more suited to bigger bikes...but then again if your used to using D207's then it's prolly better to go for them than say BT020's

It sounds like there is not much difference between the two makes by what you are saying.... both seem a good choice but what advantages would be in my favour by using a Diablo rather than a Bridgestone.... I understand the BT020's would last longer but how much more than a Diablo..... I feel I want to try a different tyre next time as I am not overly confident in the dunlops, like lee says they are great in the dry...... if I have a choice between a Diablo and a Bridgestone which one is best suited.... I know when I went to Protyre last time to get a new rear tyre Dave kept trying to persuade me to get the Diablo's.... like you said the only thing between you and the road has to be the right choice....

[bikergirl]

My ZXR had the Dunlop Sportsmax, didn't like them at all! Very little grip.

Have put Bridgestone 014's much better tyres & loads of grip

[Lost Geordie]

The Dual compound of the BT020

I may stand corrected (and please do if I am wrong) - but I am led to believe that the 020 is in fact a single compound tyre?

[Webber]

just a point, did u know that pirelli and metz come out of the same factory now, so no excuses for not liking the metz

some people like to put sports touring tyres on there sportsbike, because they like to do a bit of touring on their sportsbike.

i dont see nothing wrong with that. just give em a chance to warm up, if your planning on bankin it over.

[CBR_LOVER]

just a point, did u know that pirelli and metz come out of the same factory now, so no excuses for not liking the metz

funnily enough i said that to someone the other day,but i wasn't sure how true it was Anyway on the subject of sports touring tyres,Had a bit of a quick ride yesterday,and my Macadams did a fine job round the corner when warm,didn't help when i cut across a bit of gravel on the road

[Jay]

Those BT014's are fooking Ace

[mental]

am i wrong in thinking that most of a tyres grip is in your head?
(not meant to be a stupid comment)

[gixerdrew]

Furry says
"The Dual compound of the BT020 doesn't have a constant heat range...what I mean by that is you spend most of the time upright in the middle of the tyre...which gets warm, but not as warm as say a BT010...but then this heat isn't transfered very well to the sides of the tyre which is designed to run hotter to make the BT010 rubber grip..."

Is this a load of bull about heat transfer to the sides - I remember from year 9 that rubber is a very good insulator for heat & electricity. Surely transfer of heat on a BT020 will be no different to BT010?

I reckon your mate went down on oil or deisel or some other scientific slippery compound that was appended to the road surface.

I only hope this is the case as I now ride 020's & think the'yre great.

[age]

am i wrong in thinking that most of a tyres grip is in your head?
(not meant to be a stupid comment)

It's true mate most riders can't use there tyres to there limits. It's only the racers that can push there tyres to the limits.

the big thing about those black round rubber things is it's down to confidence

[furry]

Intresting Webber...but if they made Metz the Same as Pirelli then what would be the point

Clunk I guess give a dog a bad name and hang him by it is not the best way to go...Thats just my experience...I would never want to use them again

Lost Geordie maybe...Looking into it further...the BT020 took over from the old design of the BT54...

http://www.motorcycle-karttires.com/pro ... ID=5&size=

The BT45 is def specified as Dual Compound...

I was told the BT020 is the same...maybe I was told wrong ???????


Either way...the better the rubber you can afford the better

AT...BT020's prolly give you around 1000 more miles than a Diablo...from my own experience though Diablo's are fantastic...it was the first time I'd ever use Pirelli...I'd always been a hardcore Bridgestone fan...but Diablo's have done the business...I'm on my 2nd rear now and it's doing a fantastic job

Keeping in mind my TL is like 190kg odd...with my fat ass on it...and I ain't got no chicken strips on em (allmost got my knee down today LOL) it's gripped every time...gives a smooth ride...and allmost did me to 5000 miles!!! (Cosindering BT014's are only good for 3000)

Most importantly is wet grip and tread pattern...
Any tyre that has lines running straight across it from left to right...will pick up more bumps/cracks in the road...

This is the problem I had with the Metz...where as the Diablo tread pattern is very sharp and doesnt go across...however it's agressive pattern really gets the water out the way to give max grip...I can't recommend them enough...

I've never used Dunlops...so I donno...I've heard nasty storys about mitchelln on the track so I've stayed clear of them....

I'm always Bridgestone or Pirelli now...I put Bridgestone on the Gsxr400 but Diablo's on the TL does the business

I challenge anyone to find a tyre that grips as well as a Diablo AND does the same sort of mileage...BT014's and BT010's prolly offer the same grip...but 3000 miles odd and they are shagged!

[furry]

Anyway I think I'll shut up