zerMATT
Pro
Posts: 1931
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posted June 22, 2006 08:05 AM
Pilot Powers on the ZX-14
I called Michelin "customer service" yesterday and asked about using Pilot Powers on the '14. I wanted to see what they said about their "top of the line" tire for our big bikes since Bridgestone seems to think we need that special BT-014 "L".
That told me that the Pilot Power is not recommended for the ZX-14, or any other big-displacement bike for that matter (Hayabusa, 12R, XX, etc). They told me that the only tire in their lineup that they would suggest/recommend/approve of is the Pilot Sport HPX.
Take that for what it's worth. Can anybody comment on that? According to their website, the Pilot Sport HPX isn't as stick of a tire as the Pilot Power is.... and who knows if it would even last longer in the center since it does not appear to be dual compound.
I also asked my usual tire supplier (swmototires.com) to ask if the new Pilot Power 2CT (the new 20% softer on the sides version of the original Pilot Power) is available yet, he said that they were "not in the USA yet". Not sure if that's completely true or not, but I'll wait until he can get them because his prices are generally the lowest around, and he does free shipping if your order 2 tires.
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'06 Passion Red ZX-14 | Black D&D Slip-ons | Speedo Healer | V1 | zumo 550 | Heli-Risers | PhantomX
  
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Tool Man
Needs a job
Posts: 4493
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posted June 22, 2006 08:35 AM
Suck I been putting off buying a set. Now what to do ??
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The banks are failing..
The banks are failing...
Invest in Ammo
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Drowland
Zone Head
Posts: 733
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posted June 22, 2006 08:43 AM
I have over 1000 miles on my pilot powers on my 14.. They are way better than the stock tires.. Handling is better and they are wearing better as well..
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zerMATT
Pro
Posts: 1931
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posted June 22, 2006 09:42 AM
I'll probably end up switching to Pilot Powers anyway. I loved their feel on my ZZR, and I'm sure that plenty of people have used them on Busa's and 12R's that if there was a safety concern, we'd already know about it.
Drowland - How many miles did you get out of your stock 014 rear?
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'06 Passion Red ZX-14 | Black D&D Slip-ons | Speedo Healer | V1 | zumo 550 | Heli-Risers | PhantomX
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dubious
Needs a life
Needs more time to ride!
Posts: 8442
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posted June 22, 2006 09:44 AM
 Edited By: dubious on 22 Jun 2006 10:45
probably the load rating, is not as high as the stock tires.
I'm might be wrong... otherwise probably ok.
But what do I know?
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natural selection.....
destiny will overcome intervention.
Some are not worthy of the effort.
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FasterThanStink
Pro
Posts: 1218
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posted June 22, 2006 10:05 AM
Edited By: FasterThanStink on 22 Jun 2006 11:06
There is an extra belt in the Brigestone OEM tires to handle the weight and H.P. Tire manufactures know what they are doing. If they included an extra belt you can bet it was a result of extensive testing and not done on a whim. Personally I am sticking to the OEM tires. They are very good and designed for the bike. It's your ass on the line. Do what you want.
I'm sure othe tire makers will release a suitable tie after more 14's get sold.
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Speed has never killed anyone,
suddenly becoming stationary...
That's what gets you.
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zerMATT
Pro
Posts: 1931
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posted June 22, 2006 10:05 AM
Edited By: zerMATT on 22 Jun 2006 11:18
Load ratings are all the same for 190/50-ZR17:
BT-014: 805lbs @ 42psi (73W)
BT-014L: 805lbs @ 42psi (73W)
Pilot Power: 805lbs @ 42psi (73W)
Pilot Sport HPX: 805lbs @ 42psi (73W)
Did a little more digging and found the real answer. Turns out that Kawi is just trying to make us buy a replacement tire sooner! The only difference between the BT-014 and the BT-014L is the tread depth. The regular BT-014 has a new tread depth of 7/32 (pretty typical), while the BT-014L has a reduced tread depth of 6/32.
The interesting thing though, is that the L tread is also tad wider (7.5in) than the non-L (7.4in), but it retains the same overall diameter (24.8in). That could suggest a slightly different profile.
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'06 Passion Red ZX-14 | Black D&D Slip-ons | Speedo Healer | V1 | zumo 550 | Heli-Risers | PhantomX
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dubious
Needs a life
Needs more time to ride!
Posts: 8442
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posted June 22, 2006 10:12 AM
yup, flatter profile!
hmmm interesting... where did you find all this info matt?
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natural selection.....
destiny will overcome intervention.
Some are not worthy of the effort.
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zerMATT
Pro
Posts: 1931
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posted June 22, 2006 10:17 AM
Michelin didn't have diddley on their website, so I called and asked for the load specs. Bridgestone, on the other hand, had ample information on their website - pretty nice in fact.
It does not list any information about belts/plies/etc, but without a different load rating, I can't imagine that that additional belt story holds water. I think I know someone with std 014's, I'll compare the ply composition numbers to my 014L one of these days to be sure.
http://www.motorcycle-karttires.com/glamourindex.aspx?productID=159&LookupID=1
I started at Bridgestone.com, but when you start digging around about motorcycle tires, they send you to their motorcycle-karttires.com website.
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'06 Passion Red ZX-14 | Black D&D Slip-ons | Speedo Healer | V1 | zumo 550 | Heli-Risers | PhantomX
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suicycle
Expert Class
Posts: 136
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posted June 22, 2006 12:30 PM
Hey there. Ok I have been in the tire/automotive/motorcycle industry for going on 20 years now. The reason that there is less tread depth on the tires is quite simple. They do the same thing for special tires for very fast production cars. It has to do with tire carcass weight and heat disipation. Kawi isnt trying to make you buy tires sooner. Tires load ratings and speed ratings are great...but there is no rating on the tires as to how much weight AT SPEED they can take. The load rating is for normal driving and the speed rating is for an average of vehicle weight with a driver. The lower tread depth means that the tire weighs less at its outer circumference and the thinner rubber allows the tire to dissipate heat better. This mean that high speed runs are safer. This translates into a tire that stays together better at top speeds and doesnt have a catastophic carcass failure at 186. It also means a tire that accelerates faster (less rotating mass). I hope this helps guys. (By the way I normally hate bridgestone=tombstone battle cracks...but honestly I have been really impressed with these tires so far....they havent seemed to have the heat cycling problems that all the older bridgestone tires had.)
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Mano 2
Expert Class
Posts: 360
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posted June 22, 2006 02:16 PM
+1 Faster
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CrotchRocket
Moderator
Bracket Racing with Betsy
Posts: 8038
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posted June 22, 2006 03:30 PM
Matt, what didya expect from talking to Michelin...They just covered their asses on that conversation with you 
The Pilot HPXs are a great tire...As Drowland said with his Powers on the 14, Im sure you will never have a problem...
There you go, you did your own comparison...I guess the Powers is good enough for the 14 
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Jason Miller StreetBike Seminars
*****DragRacers do it better, because they dont cut Corners*****
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zerMATT
Pro
Posts: 1931
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posted June 22, 2006 05:27 PM
Edited By: zerMATT on 22 Jun 2006 18:28
Thanks suicycle - that makes a lot of sense. But at the rate that I usually burn through tires, I just need to make sure that I don't do any high speed runs until after 500-600 miles on the new tire... that way it'll already be down to 6/32 depth.
CR - Yeah, I answered my own questions, but only because it wasn't answered by anyone else quickly enough. I spent most of the morning at work waiting for other people do do their job so that I could start my next project, so I had a little time to kill on the phone with Michelin. For what it's worth, I could NOT get Bridgestone on the phone... they make it VERY difficult for a consumer to reach them... go figure. That says a lot about them and their problems. Michelin, on the other hand, answered the phone within one ring each time I called (twice).
Kudos to Michelin. I don't care of they are sleezy Frenchy's, I still like their tires. 
Maybe I should have asked them about their progress with F1 tires for Indy while I had them on the line... 
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'06 Passion Red ZX-14 | Black D&D Slip-ons | Speedo Healer | V1 | zumo 550 | Heli-Risers | PhantomX
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SI-ONE
Novice Class
Posts: 31
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posted June 22, 2006 06:00 PM
Matt, I too have asked around about Michelin powers and my buddy at the dealership said that the powers are perfect for the 14. I've had powers on my last two bikes and they worked perfectly. He said that three other owners of 14's in Arizona have put them on and had no problems. It's all up to preference but my last three bikes (TL-S,ZX-9&ZX-14 soon-to-be-shod)all did well and they hold up fine with plenty of grip especially w/ my big butt at 270lbs. Theres my two bits.
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SI-ONE
Novice Class
Posts: 31
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posted June 22, 2006 06:03 PM
I'm sure TM knows what I'm talking about with the asphalt being as hot as it is here in AZ.If they can last here they can last anywhere.
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BobC
Pro
Posts: 1736
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posted June 23, 2006 05:14 AM
Guys, you know they work and I know they work but in the case of a "mishap" what are the chances of some smartarse saying "oh but he was using a non-approved Michelin"
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Candy Thunder Blue 2006 ZZR1400
Stock wheelbase
Max: 205.4 mph in 1.25 miles
2012 ZZR1400 in Golden Blazed Green
Brock CT Full System. etc
Max: 203.1 in 1 mile (so far)
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Bently
Needs a life
2012 14r In Blue and no Mods!
Posts: 5428
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posted June 23, 2006 05:33 AM
I ran the pilot powers on my busa and they worked very well. Handled great and got good life out of them. Will be putting them on my 14 when stockers are worn out!
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SoCal ZX-14 Rider
Expert Class
Posts: 351
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posted June 23, 2006 05:41 AM
Anyone have any info on the new M3 from Metzler. I had a blow out in the rear after 3500 miles and put the M3's on because the shop guy was a Metzler fan and the literature on the Metzlers "read" good. He recommended the P-spec M1 that was made for the Hayabusa but I went M3 because the M3 was newer and Metzler said it was their latest tire. The only thing I didn't understand was the M3 was not P-spec rated. I was told P-spec meant the tire had a thicker carcuss to handle the heavier more powerful sportbikes. Did I make a mistake not getting the p-spec M1? Should we be looking for p-spec tires? I don't see that rating on many tires.
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If I'm not riding her, I'm dreaming about riding her! Mount up!
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ZZR
Novice Class
Posts: 51
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posted June 25, 2006 07:41 AM
quote:
Anyone have any info on the new M3 from Metzler. I had a blow out in the rear after 3500 miles and put the M3's on because the shop guy was a Metzler fan and the literature on the Metzlers "read" good. He recommended the P-spec M1 that was made for the Hayabusa but I went M3 because the M3 was newer and Metzler said it was their latest tire. The only thing I didn't understand was the M3 was not P-spec rated. I was told P-spec meant the tire had a thicker carcuss to handle the heavier more powerful sportbikes. Did I make a mistake not getting the p-spec M1? Should we be looking for p-spec tires? I don't see that rating on many tires.
Called Metzeler this week. They will test Sportec M1/M3 and Roadtec Z6 for the 14.
BUT: All tests for the 06 models are done and new tests will start 07.
So no official Metzeler for the 14 this year. 
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TheVak
Expert Class
Posts: 274
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posted June 25, 2006 12:26 PM
z1 I have an offer from a friend for a pair of Dunlop 209 gp's I think it says on them. I have been out of the tire loop for a bit so I am asking for your opinion. They are both stock sizes except I believe the back on is 10 off. I think we have a 60 and this might be a 50
or the other way around. These are the race compound I think he said you have to have an expert license to buy them or something I told him that sounds rediculous. Do you know of these tires ?? They are $400 for the pair he will give me them for free. My biggest question
is will this fuck up the way the bikes rides. And what about the air pressure difference will
that make changes at any speed ???? Affect my safety ?? Any info is appreciated. Vak
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zx1kr
Pro
Posts: 1301
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posted June 25, 2006 12:37 PM
Edited By: zx1kr on 25 Jun 2006 13:47
I would'nt recommend them for your 14 they're more or less trackday tires & take longer to heat up. Not good for mileage either.
I was one of the first guys over on the 10 board to use & recommend the P.P.'s as far as I'm concerned those are the best overall skins you can put a bike the will see 95% street time & 5% trackdays. I tried the dunlop Q's on the 636 & wish I had stuck w/ the P.P.'s
I myself would not use the 209 GPs on the 14.
Vak what the fuck is up with your signature? Dude I'm not gonna be able to be seen w/ you next sunday if you keep that signature up!
Hey, it's that guy that sucks off Ivan & he's hangin' with zx1kr!
Nah, that no good Bro!
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TheVak
Expert Class
Posts: 274
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posted June 25, 2006 12:46 PM
Lmao I just noticed that I guess the guy that runs this site must have popped
that on there. I am already famous in here wtf lol. I will see if I can pop that off lmao
at how many people want to talk shit to me must be something to it or they wouldn't
waste thier time lmao at this place you gotta love it. Thanks for showing me that I think
that shows how much I watch and or read. I am usally watching TV lol.
Vak
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zx9rmal
Novice Class
Posts: 75
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posted June 26, 2006 11:35 AM
FWIW, I have the Pilot Powers on my BMW's.....K1200RS (600+ lbs.) and K1200S (540 lbs.).
They work GREAT. NO problems. Great life for a supersport tire. Just finished a 3,800 mile trip on the K12S and, at moderate speeds, 80-90 mph, the rear has a "slight " flat spot. AMAZING. They're going on the 14 as soon as the stockers are gone.
I WLL say, however, thet the stock BT014's work quite well..
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Mal Glanz
Ft. Lauderdale, FL
'12 ZX-14R
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zx1kr
Pro
Posts: 1301
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posted June 28, 2006 05:14 PM
Just got my p.p.'s in today, got another 1k of life on the stockers & their gone!
pretty confident that I will be real happy w/ the p.p's as Ihave been in the past!
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