swft
Needs a life
Full throttle!
Posts: One MEEEEEELLION
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posted February 23, 2003 05:51 PM
One thought about tires...
I think most everyone will agree that the 180 handles better than the 190, which handles better than the 200... And anyone who brings up the horsepower levels of the 12 has the fact that Superbikes make an equivalent amount of power, and MotoGP bikes make more...One counterpoint to this would be that neither Superbikes or MotoGP bikes have 500+ lbs of motorcycle (+ rider weight) to deal with. Personally, I'll never go back to a 200, as my riding experience with the 180 has been superb. It's probably one of the lowest cost positive changes you can make to the bike.
  
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n da zone
Expert Class
Posts: 215
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posted February 23, 2003 06:09 PM
swft, I have only run 200's, but I am new to this . Can you elaborate a little on why the performance is better?
Is it the turn-in/turn-out, the acceleration? Do you get a better contact patch with a narrower tire? I thought it would be the opposite.
Or is it just the poseur value? ... 
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Zhooligan
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posted February 23, 2003 06:15 PM
The profile of the 180 lets you turn quicker and the tire is significantly lighter so there is less gyro effect which helps or allows the bike to change direction, and less weight means better acceleration.
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n da zone
Expert Class
Posts: 215
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posted February 23, 2003 06:40 PM
oh, OK. However, living in Florida we only need to turn when we hit an ocean. Everything runs North-South or East-West, and I think there is a little twisty somewhere in the panhandle, but I only have read about it.
So maybe that gyro-effect thing is OK for Tampa. Lets me zone out until I taste salt spray, then turn.
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12RPilot
Pro
Posts: 1094
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posted February 23, 2003 06:45 PM
I have to admit, I enjoyed the poser value of the 200 tire. Guys at work would mention it and I, of course, would tell them that it is necessary for the huge amount of horsepower. But I live for the twisties so it's been a long time since I've run a 200.
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Megabyte
Pro
Posts: 1047
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posted February 23, 2003 10:59 PM
Swft:
If I were to order a set = to what you're running front and read, what would I ask for?
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We First make our habits and then our habits make us.
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TedG
Moderator
Posts: 8222
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posted February 24, 2003 09:05 AM
Quit using those shitty Bridgestones and Dunlops and a 200 will work just fine.
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Ted
2000 Green ZX12 sold
The fast color!!
Green 2005 ZX10R
2009 Concours Black ABS
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fish_antlers
Administrator
The Truth is Out There
Posts: 21894
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posted February 24, 2003 09:25 AM
yer on some f the nevada crack there ted .... ditch them shitty dun-shlops... that was an immediate improvement in my pocket book last season... 1 set of bridgestones= 4 sets of dun-shlops .. .kinda hard fer me to justify the extra wear.
This season I may buy some of then kraut metzlers and try em out!
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magzx12r
Expert Class
Posts: 252
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posted February 24, 2003 10:11 AM
The WSBK and MotoGP guys are using 195 width tires. Why don't they use 180's? Is it due to tire wear or contact patch when leaned over?
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Mark
'03 ZX-12R
'12 1199S
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Zhooligan
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posted February 24, 2003 10:36 AM
 Edited By: Zhooligan on 24 Feb 2003 10:50
First of all they have a motorcycle that can and does attain a lean angle that it significantly more than that capable with a ZX12 or a busa. And sorry to say while we all have egos here there isn't a person on this board with 25% of the talent and skill that Mr. Rossi, Barros, Biaggi, Roberts, Edwards, Hayden and or the guy taking last place has. Also let us also be reminded that the bikes you are talking about are running on slicks and not DOT tire. Also they are running tire compounds that none of us can buy or even obtain. The Michelin tire that is being used on the AMA superbike is a tricompound this year. Three different compounds in the the same tire. Also the profile of the tires are different then what we buy. Because the factory teams experiment with compounds, profiles and rim width and the combinations of all of these as well.
This subject has been worn out. Tires are as much ego driven as common sense driven. And if you read everything posted you will find every opinion. there are people claiming that they get 4 times the miles out of a Bridgestone 010 as a Dunlop 207 or 208. they claim while getting 4 times the milage they get better traction and higher performance. Basically this is scientifically impossible but it sounds good. Traction is determined by tread pattern and the compound of the rubber. And of course a number of the guys wearing out tires are burning them up in the via straight line burn outs as well.
All I can say is I have ran 200's, 190's and 180's rear tires on my 12. It handles and rides best with a 180.
If you are a drag racer you want a wide tire. But that said the 200's contact patch is a best minutely better then the 180 or 190 in a burn out. Thats why the shootout tires and slicks are made!
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To those who do not count their life in years, but in how life
has touched them in the past and how much it can hold in the
future; -- Youth is forever.
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fish_antlers
Administrator
The Truth is Out There
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posted February 24, 2003 12:34 PM
Hey..... I never claimed BETTER traction and higher performace from the 010... I did however DEFINETLY get 4 x the mileage from them vs 207's. For me this is a FACT. Now traction is comperable.. perhaps not as good under certain conditions... maybe better under others.. the "feel" of the tires and the way it grabs is definetly different than the 207.
Higher performance? what does that mean? I dont really know... All I can tell you is that IMHO as an all around street tire/ sport touring the 010 beat the 207 hands down. I got an entire SEASON out of one set.. infact they arent cupped yet ad they arent even down to the wear bars.... This included a round trip to Laguna Seca from vancouver BC...
The same amount of riding/ same style... that netted 4 sets of 207's for me... one entire set was used up from the Laguna Trip alone... which BTW was shorter since we headed straight back after the race.......... I had to pay for all 4 pairs of them so I am painfully aware of the difference in performance.
Am I nuts? Well.. most people think so ... but I have to recommend the 010 over the 207 is you want to save some cash.
re: tire size I am running a 190 rear and I found that downsizing did improve the handling. This season I will run a 180 rear.
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TedG
Moderator
Posts: 8222
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posted February 24, 2003 01:01 PM
Fish is was talking about the Dunlops, and I am no fan of Bs's. My point was get rid of the Bridgestones and the Dunlops. The Michelin 200s handle much better than the Dunlops. As for wear, if I get over 1500 I am happy.
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Ted
2000 Green ZX12 sold
The fast color!!
Green 2005 ZX10R
2009 Concours Black ABS
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