Fresh rubber for the Z

[Duane]

Hey guys,

Just a few questions, I need a new back tyre desperately. It's definately seen better days, having commuted on it for over 6,000kms on the off the shop floor sportmax dunflops.

Does anyone know if the Pilot Road 2 will fit reasonably well with the dunflop sportmax on the front?

Should I wait and get front and back done at the same time?

Also, when someone tells you (newb question from an oldie) that my front tyre is roadworthy but scalloped, wtf does that actually mean?

Duane

[Six Addict]

scalloped means its triangular, ie instead of being round, it has a bit of a point, then a flat profile, will make the bike feel like it wants to fall to a certain angle and stay there, rather then progressivley turn.

sounds like the perfect excuse to do both tyres, but i know lots of people are on tight tyre budgets...

[Strika]

scalloped means its triangular, ie instead of being round, it has a bit of a point, then a flat profile, will make the bike feel like it wants to fall to a certain angle and stay there, rather then progressivley turn.

sounds like the perfect excuse to do both tyres, but i know lots of people are on tight tyre budgets...

Hate to be pedantic Pinchy, but scallopped means scallopped!! And, triangulated, means triangulated! Scallopped is exactly what it sounds like, scallop shaped wear on the tyre. In other words, the leading edge wears slower than the trailing edge. Due to forces twisting the rubber and causing one side to be higher than the other, thus wearing faster.

Triangulated, means that the side tread has been worn off faster than the middle tread, causing the tyre to be more triangle in profile, rather than rounded as it was made!

I normally try and replace my front and rear tyres together. I just feel much happier when I have both tyres new! It improves the handling and at the end of the day, tyres do lose grip as they wear and go through the multitude of heat cycles they are exposed to in normal riding conditions. So it's also a little comforting knowing that if I had to push the front hard, it has a tyre with as much capability as I need and not a tyre that I have doubts in. Doubts being the singular most common reason for most riders crashing on the road! (they will blame water, gravel, livestock, etc., but if they were really honest, they would admit that they lost confidence that the tyres would grip, stood it up and jumped on the brakes and ran wide!!! )

Best advice i could give you Duane, is make sure that whatever tyres you put on, they are round, black and have air in them!

[Six Addict]

my bad marty...

[dilligaf]

I like the Bridgestone BT021 rear. Matches the Dunlop Roadsmart I have on the front. But dump the sportmax front. My er6 came with them and I couldn't believe the grip when I changed to real tyres.
If you are in the east this guy
http://www.madbiker.com.au/en/
is one of our sponsors and has good prices on Bridgestones (only).

[Duane]

I've also been told the dunflop roadsmart is a nice tyre too. anyone had a set of these?

[Six Addict]

mal swears by em... marty's had a set too i think.. like the Road 2s better from memory

i personally couldnt fault M3s...

[Strika]

my bad marty...

Don't worry, I'll spank you vogorously next we catch up!!!!

And Pinchy, M3's are crap compared to both the Roadsmarts and the PR2's!!!!

As for Roadsmarts Duane, they are OK. I still believe the Michelin PR2 is a better tyre. Better in terms of grip and life and better in terms of tyre shape and steering. Also far better in the wet! But the roadsmarts do feel nice and plush! But that's their only advantage from what I've seen. Mal will rave about them, but he hasn't used PR2's. I've used both and rate the Michelins as the better tyre. That's saying something coming from me, as traditionally, I have been a Michelin detractor. trawl through my posts of a few years back and you will hear me being less than complimentary about most Michelins. But times change, things improve and I reckon Michelin have nailed it in the road sports tyre category with the PR2. It's a feckin good road tyre which last longer and grips better than it's competitors. (I'll say though, that I have not yet tried the lastest equivelent from Pirelli. It may be better again, I don't know.)

[Six Addict]

my bad marty...

Don't worry, I'll spank you vogorously next we catch up!!!!

And Pinchy, M3's are crap compared to both the Roadsmarts and the PR2's!!!!

well in that case i'll change my recommendation to pirelli dragon supercorsa pros

[Wattie]

i didnt like the M3's one bit on the 10.

maybe suited to heavier bikes? not sure.

with the ass clenching moments i watched you have on the way back from PI in the rain Pinchy, i'm supprised your recomending the M3's.

not that it was the tyres fault, we were going a fair pace for heavy rain and unknown roads.

[Six Addict]

i didnt like the M3's one bit on the 10.

maybe suited to heavier bikes? not sure.

with the ass clenching moments i watched you have on the way back from PI in the rain Pinchy, i'm supprised your recomending the M3's.

not that it was the tyres fault, we were going a fair pace for heavy rain and unknown roads.

yeah id say it was more the quick run on the drenched cold roads... i think pilot powers were better in the wet, but they sucked for me in the dry... the reason i do recommend M3s is i got 8500kms out of em, went to PI and back, commuted, did a track day, and they still have enough tread left to chuck on the 6 again to save the afformentions pirellis for PI... oh and i wasnt really any quicker on the supercorsas than i was on the M3s at EC

so in summary, they weren't as good in the rain as the pilot powers, and not as sticky as the supercorsas, but i reckon i could eek 10,000 kms out of em

i might have to bight the bullet as some stage and get a PR2 rear and pilot power front to see what everyone is bangin on about...

[seiko1]

Got a set of PR2's on last week and couldn't be happier
Nice and grippy! Smooth as silk to ride on

[swabio-ACT]

I love the PR2's on the rex

[z900/zx9]

I've also been told the dunflop roadsmart is a nice tyre too. anyone had a set of these?

Yep i have had 5 sets of roadsmarts and will be sticking with them I have riden with pilot road 2s once but that was on Kazzs zzr600 which i hated riding anyway.Either the roadsmarts or pr2s seem to be the go,as i have stated previuosly i always hated dunlops and had tried a varity 207 rrs 208 rrs but these ones i like but im sure you know that as you have seen them in action in the wet (christmas hills and chum creek that wet ride we did

[seiko1]

"i think you mean "how do you teach something to someone when you have you head up your own arse"... "
You'de think Mr Perfect would know what scalloping was wouldn't you
The word "fucking" in the Akira Yanagawa thread too
Talk about your glass houses and shit