GG
Expert Class
Posts: 187
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posted June 04, 2002 02:23 PM
Pilot Sport vs Pilot Sport "HPX"
I know that the HPX is specifically designed for the ZX12/Busa but what if I had an HPX rear tire and a regular Pilot sport on the front? Would the difference cause any signicficant problems or wear?
Just curious.
  
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zxguy2
Parking Attendant
Posts: 25
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posted June 04, 2002 02:38 PM
not sure.. I believe HPX have steal belts
non steel belted tires have stuff too.. just not made of steal.. some sort of special material
I havent seen too many real good tests that proved steal belted were all that much safer or better.. but they very well may be... I know they cost a good bit more.. I dont believe busa's came with steal belted tires stock and they are close in top speed to out bikes..
also.. as for non hpx's on the front and hpx's on the back..
humm
redelk seems to have agood grasp on things of that nature..
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redelk
Moderator
Please... speak to the hand.
Posts: 3212
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posted June 04, 2002 03:16 PM
"Grasp"?
I doubt it. Opinions? People tell me I'm full of them (or is it "full of it"? I can't remember which).
Here's a few threads that might offer a little insight...
http://www.bikeland.org/board//viewthread.php?FID=1&TID=704
http://www.bikeland.org/board//viewthread.php?FID=1&TID=1791
____________
There are only three sports: bullfighting, motor racing, and mountaineering; all the rest are merely games.
-Ernest Hemingway
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redelk
Moderator
Please... speak to the hand.
Posts: 3212
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posted June 04, 2002 06:27 PM
Found this "editorial" on HPX
Michelin didn't have squat on their website. I found this doing a search using "Michelin HPX". I don't remember what site it comes from.
Back in the old days of sportbike technology-say, three years ago-when 130 rear-wheel horsepower seemed like a lot, you could still mount the same ZR-rated tires on your open-class bike that your pals used on their 600s. But with the advent of hyperbikes like the Suzuki Hayabusa and Kawasaki ZX-12, which crank out 160 or more horsepower and tip the scales at well over 500 pounds, even the best sport tires can be pushed uncomfortably close to the limits of their performance envelope.
Michelin recognized the need for a tire specifically designed for this new generation of bikes, and the result is the new Pilot Sport HPX. As you might guess from the name, the HPX evolved from the highly regarded Pilot Sport radials that are spec'd as original equipment on such cutting-edge bikes as the Honda CBR 929RR and CBR 600F4i, and the Suzuki GSX-R750.
The Pilot Sport HPX, however, is engineered with a particular emphasis on high-speed stability, especially important at the unlimited speeds permitted on many European highways.
In fact, the rear Pilot Sport HPX has been certified under the German Transportation Ministry's stringent Regulation 75 requirements at speeds up to 200 mph! But even at U.S.-legal speeds, riders will find the HPX less susceptible to shimmy and wobble that might afflict other tires when mounted on these monster bikes.
In addition, the Pilot Sport HPX uses a tread compound uniquely adapted to the strain of sustained triple-digit speeds. While this type of riding isn't a primary concern on U.S. roads, the HPX compound's resistance to heat buildup helps extend the life of the tread.
The Pilot Sport HPX is available in three sizes, expressly to fit the Hayabusa and ZX-12: The 120/70 ZR 17 front can be combined with either a 200/50 ZR 17 or 190/50 ZR 17 rear.
There are a few interesting things that I get from this "editorial".
1. They say, "the rear Pilot Sport HPX has been certified under the German Transportation.... Okay. That's nice, but what about the FRONT tire? Why doesn't the FRONT have the same "certification"?
2. In the fifth paragraph (next to the last), it talks about a tread compound that's designed for SUSTAINED triple digit speeds and RESISTANT to heat build up.
Since most of us in the U.S. don't spend HOURS riding at 100+ MPH, is this REALLY what we want? If they resists heat build up, does that mean that it takes them longer to get warmed up to their optimum operating temps? Do they cool down quicker? Would the compound be considered to be "harder"?
Stability and increased wear seems to be the selling points of the HPX. Improved grip over the "standard" Pilot Sports does NOT seem to be one of these selling points.
I was under the impression that HPX just meant that it had a steel belt instead of nylon. I haven't found any information that confirms or denies this, so I could just as easily be wrong. Especially since I did not know that there was a FRONT HPX. Maybe the rear does have a steel belt and the front just is made of a harder compound. I really don't know.
I also must admit that I have NEVER run a HPX on front OR on back. I don't think that running a HPX on back and a non-HPX on front is that big of an issue. It's not like you were running a Michelin on back and a Dunlop on front (a real BIG no-no).
For those that wish to run a 200/50 Michelin, I don't think there is a choice of HPX or not. Maybe there is, again, I don't know. There might be a choice on a 190/50 and the HPX doesn't come in a 180/55.
Not that I'm any kind of tire expert or someone who constantly push his tires to their limits. Too many on this forum know me and have rode with (and waited on) me to know that is NOT true.
IMHO, steel belted or other "hyperbike specific" tires is mostly just advertising fluff. Sure, there is a legitimate purpose and reason for theses types of tires. I just don't think that one is endangering their life by not using them. For me, I feel the ultimate safety factor that could be built into a tire is predictable grip.
Extended tire wear is nice and I'm sure all of us wish we could get more. It's just that I wouldn't be too worried about tire wear if the tires were to lose their grip and put me in the hospital. If that were the case, I'd be getting great mileage since I would NOT be riding at all.
It seems that it will always be a "catch-22" proposition. Either you can have great grip or you can have high mileage. It appears that many here have been going further towards the grip side and realize that all they can do is bitch (myself included) about how they wish the could get more then 2000 miles out of a tire.
DISCLAIMER
This is solely the opinion of someone who is unbelievably SLOW and has no professional experience as a competitive racer or mechanic. This individual also has NO education in the sciences or mathematics field. These comments and statements are solely from someone who thinks he has a fucking clue when in reality... he doesn't. You have been warned!
____________
There are only three sports: bullfighting, motor racing, and mountaineering; all the rest are merely games.
-Ernest Hemingway
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