Kawasaki Sportsbike Riders Club - Australia - Online Forum

Greetings,

I am checking out tyre prices around the traps, need a rear tyre.

Just wondering what brand and size people are using on the ZX9's.

The manual says 180/55-17 but looks like a 190 width would go in???

Regards,
JB

Year & model might help?

I can tell you Dunlop Qualifiers are rubbish. They scallop very quickly on the front, and stand the bike up under brakes.

Mono rono @ Balls reckons the pirelli diablo corsa and supercorsa are the way to go, such a heavy bike needs the sideways stability of the pirelli's extra lateral steel belt... Or something.

Hi,

Thanks.

Bike is 1997 ZX9R.

Regards,
JB

From personal experience the Metzler M3 180/55/17's are nice. Excellent road grip and good mileage. If you want for something a little stickier then the same brands Racetechs are nice tyre too. Better mileage than most road tyres but with racetrack grip. The M3's are a better wet weather option however! HTH

Cant go passed Pilot Powers, I had them on on my my 96 zx9r and loved them. Good mileage and grip for ever

Loz wrote:I can tell you Dunlop Qualifiers are rubbish. They scallop very quickly on the front, and stand the bike up under brakes.....

OE qualifiers are rubbish, but normal Qualies are a good tyre. The symptoms you have mentioned are more likely due to incorect suspension settings than the tyre itself....

Thanks, I have had Michelen Z4 on my bike for a while as they seem to hadle the abrasive concrete on the F3 well. I will check out the M3 and pilots.

Regards,
JB

Mate im a big fan of the BT014..... ran it on the cbr plenty...

In 60 thou kms on my F model 9, best Value tyre was the Shinko stealth 003.
Grippiest was the Pilot Race follwed by the Racetech.
Most fun was the Pirelli Corser.
Quickest warming was the Bridgie 014.
Also Had a OEM Pilot Road, Bridgie 020, 002 (road version) & 012SS.
Lots of good choices out there, but unless your doing the Drags' i'd stay with a 180mm rear.

Gosling1 wrote:The symptoms you have mentioned are more likely due to incorect suspension settings than the tyre itself....

This is something I have noticed coming from Supercorsas, which were great, to BT002s which were good but not as good as the Pirelli. The Qualifiers felt odd from the moment they went on. Just my experience. Suspension settings I'm running are very close to stock. Qualifiers seem to grip OK once they warm up, I just don't like the feeling they give. Next on will either be a set of Pilot Road CT2s for winter, or if I'm feeling feistier a standard Diablo Corsa.

I've got no time for Pilot Powers anymore, I chewed one in 4500k down to the canvas and that is just not cool when a Supercorsa is lasting me several thousand K longer.

Pilot powers are the best I have tried...but they say the Metzeler M3's are even better, so I will put those on next..maybe.

Id stick to a 180 if you can, they steer quicker and are the preferred size for many bikes.

Pontikat wrote:In 60 thou kms on my F model 9, best Value tyre was the Shinko stealth 003.
Grippiest was the Pilot Race follwed by the Racetech.
Most fun was the Pirelli Corser.
Quickest warming was the Bridgie 014.
Also Had a OEM Pilot Road, Bridgie 020, 002 (road version) & 012SS.
Lots of good choices out there, but unless your doing the Drags' i'd stay with a 180mm rear.

Just take into consideration Weekendwarrior...that Nana's comments on grip mostly pertain to abandoned gold diggings and road Verge's! He doesn't appear to spend much time on two wheels!

John,
Stick with the 180.
If you're commuting on the F3 regularly I'd say go the BT014's, or my fav was a BT012/BT020 combo.
If you're after just a rear though it'll depend on what's on the front as to what'll work - mixing brands sometimes doesn't work nice.
If you're just after weekend scratching then listen to the other guys re M3's and pilots etc
hth
ty

Hi,

Thanks for all the advice.

Yeah, just commuting really and a regular weekend ride, I am not a racer and even not sure if I am going to pursue the regular Sunday run at PITS as I am not really into the "lets see how far we can lean the machine over" thing.

I am on to what seems a good deal for a 180/55/17 Dunlop Sportmax D220, is this tyre okay for a plodder?

Does the 5% increase in height matter over the standard 50? works out about 10mm.

Regards,
John