Sticks_n_Stones
Needs a job
Posts: 3930
|
posted January 18, 2008 12:18 PM
 Edited By: Sticks_n_Stones on 18 Jan 2008 14:29
Pilot Road 2 real world test
HDL did a real nice writeup on the Pilot Road 2's in the zx-12 forum, WHICH IS WHERE YOU SHOULD GO AND THANK HIM BTW, and thought you guys might want to read it, so here it is:
"Ok guys and gals, I just got the Pilot Road 2's installed on my 01 ZX12R. I bought the tires off ebay, got them for $304 delivered to the house. I had the local dealer install the tires and balance them out.
Let me give you the first impression of the tires as they sat in my garage on the floor.
the tires were delivered from UPS in a box, like a kid on Christmas I took a knife out to the garage and hacked open the box. I pulled the tires out of the box and my first reaction was "OMG I screwed up, sport touring tires for my 12...ahhhhhh". After testing the rubber on these tires, it reminds me very much of the Pilot Powers. Its soft and pliable, not hard like I figured a Sport Touring tire would be. Hmmmm
The tread pattern look very much what you would think of as a sport touring tire would be, full of grooves and not aggressive looking at all. But they do look like they would be very good on wet pavement. I am a fan of the Pilot Powers and have been running them exclusively as a street tire on the 10 since I rode them back in 05. That being said I am not a fan of the Michelin race tires or slicks, I dont like their profile or the fact that when they are done, they are just simply done, no warning. I have been riding on Pirelli and Bridgestone race tires for more years than I can recall.
First Riding impression: On the first ride, I noticed the bike was very neutral in its steering. The handle bars actually felt lighter. It was significantly lighter. I rode it around the block at low speeds weaving a little bit back and forth, trying to scuff the new tires in and just get a feel for the handleing.. I went home and put on my helmet and jacket and figured I would go take it for a spin. I ended up heading over to the El Paso Community College to check in with some of the guys over there that teach the MSF ERC course. I had taken the course the day before on my 2006 Kawi Vulcan Nomad. I spoke to Scott one of the instructors and a cop of the city of El Paso. I asked him if I could do a few of the exercises while the class was on break and explained to him that I wanted to check out the tires and had planned on writing a review on them. He agreed to let me give it a go.
The neutral handleing was very apparant immediately on the course. The bike was very easy to transition from one side to the other when going through the offset weave. It also stopped the bike well, lifting the back tire with aggressive stops. This gave me a very good feel for the tires at low speeds, so now it was time to check them out at faster speeds. So off to Transmountain Rd I went. Transmountain is just exactally what its name would imply. Here in El Paso there is a mountain range (Franklin Mountains) that seperate east El Paso from West El Paso. This is road is full of fast sweepers, but is relatively short.
Let me tell you I was pleasantly suprised in the faster stuff as well. This tire is very stable even at fairly extreme lean angles ( I wasnt wearing a suit, so not dragging a knee ) and even with the HP of the ZX12R. Keep in mind it is a long distance tire, so I was able to spin it up when I wanted to, but it was very predictable and linear in its feel. You could feel what the tire was doing and was able to control it.
I hope to take the ZX12R out to the track this weekend and see if the owner will let me log a few laps on it so i can get an idea of how they will do in very aggressive riding situations.
Comparison: Keep in mind this is just an initial feeling of the tires, as I have only logged about 150 miles on them so far.
Traction: I would compare these tires to the Metzler Sportec M1 tires I use to ride on. I dont think they give as good of traction as the Pilot Powers though.
Handleing: This is one of the most neutral handling tires I have ever riden on, it was almost as if the ZX12R was set up just for them. No tire I have ever put on any bike I have owned has felt more "right" . It made the bike feel so light that the 12 felt like it would fall over in the middle of a curve, but not so much as I had to fight to keep the bike upright. The bike tracks very well in mid corner, and exits strong under power, with any wheel spin being very manageable. But there is Wheel spin. Truth be told with over 183 hp at the wheel, you can spin most any tire in those situations.
Wet traction: I have yet to be able to test this tire in the wet, and truth be told I hope I never have to, anyone that knows me knows I hate to ride in the rain, not becasuse I am afraid to get wet, but because I hate cleaning my bikes......lol
My initial feeling is I am going to like these tires very much for what I plan on doing with them. Which is sport touring. Around El Paso we have mostly flat open roads, and not many curves. I hope to get some miles on these tires over the next few weeks and keep updating you with information on them.
The tires were installed with exactally 31,000 miles on my bike. I will use this as a reference as to how many miles I get out of them.
Until next time Ride safe
Jim "
____________
'06 zx14
Muzzy M10/M14
PCIII w/ Muzzy map
Flies out K&N in!
bits n pieces...
  
|
fastestbusaaround
Needs a life
I eat Fish...
Posts: 7889
|
posted January 18, 2008 01:16 PM
Well, that's all very nice and I guess he's fine with riding a 12R with sport touring tires. I don't think I'd put them on my 14, not that I think I'd have a huge issue, but I like having every possible advantage I can get -- and the savings on tire wear cost just isn't worth it in the end...not when I think they could give out on me in a tough manouver.
____________
FYYFF!!!
|
stevewfl
Moderator
Posts: 27920
|
posted January 18, 2008 01:29 PM
FBA he mentions he ordered them by mistake and decided to try 'em. I may have done the exact same thing (and burnt them off quickly of course). It's a nice read.
I'm surprised his reaction wasn't "oh they sucked and where horrible compared to the more aggressive tires". I may have been biased going into the whole thing 
____________
2010 Concours14
'08 R1 YAMAHA
ZX14 gone!
CBR600RR track bike
|
fastestbusaaround
Needs a life
I eat Fish...
Posts: 7889
|
posted January 18, 2008 02:01 PM
Ya well, I just skimmed it -- so I missed that exact part. I wasn't dissin him in any way though...I had the Strada Corsa's that Fish wrote up on the site a while back; I hated them and said I'd never go ST tire again on a SuperSport bike. They lasted 1 day on there. ST tires on SS bikes just plain suck IMO, though I have to wonder why the ST tires handle so well on my C14...is it that they just need more weight on them? They don't seem to slip and slide on my C14...but when I had them on my ZX14, it was a nightmare, especially in the rain.
____________
FYYFF!!!
|
Sticks_n_Stones
Needs a job
Posts: 3930
|
posted January 18, 2008 02:11 PM
We are talking about on the road tires fellas, not road racing tires, or drag tires. I MIGHT try them out, though I do hit ALOT of corners and enjoy the benefits of a good traction tire. Its only a 3-5K miles test anyways. I'll burn through a couple sets of tires next year no matter what, so I probably will try them. AFTER I run Pilot Powers, of course. Got to compare them to somehting other than the stockers lol
____________
'06 zx14
Muzzy M10/M14
PCIII w/ Muzzy map
Flies out K&N in!
bits n pieces...
|
stevewfl
Moderator
Posts: 27920
|
posted January 18, 2008 02:17 PM
FBA, +1
and sticks you're so huge you could make glass tires stick!
____________
2010 Concours14
'08 R1 YAMAHA
ZX14 gone!
CBR600RR track bike
|
bbirdxx2000
Expert Class
Posts: 147
|
posted January 18, 2008 02:23 PM
Jim
Nice wright up, and yes I will try them out on my 14. Tire have come a long way in the last 5 years. I am currently running the Avon Storms (ST tire) and love them, If the roads last longer I will give them a try
____________
9.96 @ 143 stock with flies removed
|
Sticks_n_Stones
Needs a job
Posts: 3930
|
posted January 18, 2008 02:23 PM
True nuff! lol BUT, when they finally let go its quite the show! For the guys behind me that is...
____________
'06 zx14
Muzzy M10/M14
PCIII w/ Muzzy map
Flies out K&N in!
bits n pieces...
|
|
|
|
|
HOME
NEW TOPIC