Kawasaki Sportsbike Riders Club - Australia - Online Forum

Except for Dunlops.......

bonester wrote:Except for Dunlops.......

I guess I'll find that out the hard way then. Just got a set of Q3s

My experience with Dunlops- DON'T!!!!!

One of my 2006 ER6ns- bought brand new with factory fitted Dunflops- I had NUMEROUS slides on it, without crashing. Singularly the WORST tyres I have ever ridden on- I was so scared one of my clients (I am a motorcycle instructor) would crash it I changed the tyres within 2000km of buying it. A mate of mine rode it and I warned him prior of the Dunlops. I saw the bike go down the road in my ZRX mirrors as Neil pranged it at less than 40km when the tyre let go.

I test rode another ER6n and came off on a roundabout at low speed when the Dunlops let go for no reason. Not my bike, going at a reasonable pace. Not a good look for an instructor. I paid the lady's insurance excess there.

Another mate of mine has been riding since I was a baby- early 1970s. He reckons every time he has crashed a bike has been on Dunlops- in 2001 he was on his way out west enroute to Darwin when his new XJR1300 with 6000km old Dunflops started jumping up and down in the front end. (He was towing a trailer at the time, which I now own and tow with my ZRX and GT550) The front Dunlop split radially the whole way around. He was stranded for two days out at Longreach while they trucked a replacement tyre out to him. He later wrote that bike off in the wet on Dunlops.

My mate Neil, who pranged my ER6n above, owns a Buell X1 Lightning with all the stuff on it- racekit, big bore, PM wheels etc. Had dunflops on it when he bought it. Scared him, now runs Michelins.

Another mate of mine bought a FZ6 recently and I took it around the block at 20km/h in the corners and the tyres (Dunlops) moved around.

Dunlops on any of my bikes? Not F*KKIN likely!

Hmmm asbk and AFx don't seen to mind them.

Had many dunlops and wouldn't hesitate again

I think the OE tyres are a different beast.. I had Dunlop Q2 s on the Rex And I thought they were pretty good.

Blurr wrote:Hmmm asbk and AFx don't seen to mind them.

Had many dunlops and wouldn't hesitate again

Plus one

Ntecs best track tyre out there

Glen wrote:I think the OE tyres are a different beast.. I had Dunlop Q2 s on the Rex And I thought they were pretty good.

I had some Q2s on the zx9 and found them ok but the M5s were better and lasted longer.Michellin pilot roads I found greased up in the warmer weather when you pushed them and tended to slide a fair bit.

Honestly, I think opinions can be exaggerated a bit. For instance, I'm weary of Bridgestones simply because I've ridden on some really bad examples (sliding everywhere!). I like to try all sorts of tyres to make up my own mind.

That said, I still like to see what other are saying about the available tyres. I personally like the Michelin PR2s, nice profile and grip. Every tyre since has still been compared to them. Yet to try Metzeler though.

Glen wrote:I think the OE tyres are a different beast.. I had Dunlop Q2 s on the Rex And I thought they were pretty good.

+1

I had a set of Q2s and they were the grippiest road tyre I have used; unfortunately they only lasted one trip to Philip Island and back.

Looks like the sales team have done their job! Gonna try some m5s. $400 fitted. that'll do me. Now i just gotta put some k's on them.

bonester wrote: A mate of mine rode it and I warned him prior of the Dunlops. I saw the bike go down the road in my ZRX mirrors as Neil pranged it at less than 40km when the tyre let go.

If only there were pictures of that!

Got Pilot Road 3 on mine. Upgraded from Pilot Road 2s, Always loved the Road series...and stuck with that across the motorbikes
Gave me good grip in wet, lasted long, good grip around the corners.

swabio-ACT wrote:

bonester wrote: A mate of mine rode it and I warned him prior of the Dunlops. I saw the bike go down the road in my ZRX mirrors as Neil pranged it at less than 40km when the tyre let go.

If only there were pictures of that!

Yeah he wasn't a happy camper! Have you ever noticed every bike he rides, he complains about the front end? I give him shit about it....

I just put a set of Bridgestone T30's on mine. After a good run out of the 023's the T30's are the "next model". Riding down to the Supers this week so should have a good test down and back.

Arkup.

I Got back from Phillip Island yesterday arvo, and after a 2,600km ride on the Bridgestone T30's, I would say they are an improvement on the 023's, as advertised to be, and recommend them as a Sports Touring tyre. We had an awesome ride with 9 other bikes we had the pace on through as many windy roads as we could get.
The front felt solid at 34psi and the rear the same at 36psi with no baggage on the bike except my 85kg, although after a 40''C day yesterday, and a fair flogging from Tathra up the coast and then Kangaroo Valley, and through Picton to Windsor and back up the Putty to home the rear was showing a bit of wear on the outside edges. So maybe 38 in the back may be better. A great Tyre in the wet, as the Putty road had that "suspect" dampness to it after previous rain on the way down, as well as Kosciusko, as it was raining slightly just after Jindabyne over the top of the range, with one guy having slow speed crash in the wet who was on the Pirelli Angel's.
On the hole, had no major "moments" and with other bikes in the group running Metzeler M3's and Pirelli Diablo's, as well as Pirelli Angel GT's personally I would go the Bridgy T30.
Cheers,
Arkup