wormgear
Expert Class
Posts: 339
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posted January 29, 2008 01:42 AM
Pilot Road 2 or Z6?
I've decided my next tires (which I need soon) are going to be one of the above. I'd appreciate any comments from anyone who's had either on their C-14 for a while.
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TedG
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posted January 29, 2008 11:46 AM
I have not tried either, but because tires are wear items and frequently replaced I am going to try the CT2s. Wet weather traction is going to be important this spring. And from what testing I have seen the Michelin Pilot Roads CT2s are superior to almost anything out there. And if I don't like them, hey move on to the Z6.
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Ted
2000 Green ZX12 sold
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stevewfl
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posted January 29, 2008 07:45 PM
quote:
I have not tried either, but because tires are wear items and frequently replaced I am going to try the CT2s. Wet weather traction is going to be important this spring. And from what testing I have seen the Michelin Pilot Roads CT2s are superior to almost anything out there. And if I don't like them, hey move on to the Z6.
+1
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Hells Dark Lord
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living life, and loving it.
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posted January 30, 2008 04:50 AM
hey worm gear, look in the ZX12R zone. I just put a set of Pilot Road 2's on the ZX12R and did a small write up on them. It might help you make you decide. SO far I like them alot. They look like they will give good wet tration, not wanting to test that theory.....lol
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wormgear
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posted January 30, 2008 12:06 PM
Nice informative write up there HDL, thanks.
I'll be going with the pr2 again. I say again because I had them on my first c-14, which I killed, but only got about 2500 miles on them before I wrecked. As I recall they still had a lot of tread left on them and kept that nice neutral steering feel the whole time. I was initially concerned with their cornering grip as the front washed out on me a little on one really tight corner. But I later suspected that was due more to road conditions than the tire. I did a run through the Texas hill country after that and hung with a couple of liter bikes for a day and a half having no real problem. That's where I crashed her in fact but it had nothing to do with the bike or tires, it was all me.
Since no one has really stepped up for the Metzler and tests have shown the pr2 has the best wet traction I'll give em a spin. It looks odd to me how the groove in the front tire seem to be backward for channeling out water but hey I'm no tire engineer.
Jeez I just checked my records and believe it or not I got 6800 miles out of my first stockers. Just about 3k on these and they're spent but the first ones never saw the hill country and I had the flies in for most of their life. Plus I'm sure I've become more confident on the bike over time thus more aggressive.
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GodDamnit there's always such a big temptation to be good, to be good! (Tom Waits)
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TedG
Moderator
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posted February 12, 2008 03:51 PM
I ordered the Pilot Road 2s yesterday. A bad crack habit is probably cheaper than keeping tires on both my bikes. Buying them two sets at a time hurts. Although I am getting a break, I only pay cost +10 and the front tire on the ZX10 is one of the recall tires.
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Ted
2000 Green ZX12 sold
The fast color!!
Green 2005 ZX10R
2009 Concours Black ABS
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defrazier
Parking Attendant
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posted February 13, 2008 08:49 AM
Are the stock Bridgestone BT21's that bad? Or are the others that good?
You say the pr2's have best wet traction. Have not ridden in rain much yet (other than highway) so I may be in for a suprise. I have always liked the Metzlers on my old GS and love Bridgestone car tires, but since I'm not that aggressive riding, the stocks seem fine for this C14.
Wormgear, you state you got 6800 miles on your first stockers... Were they using pr2's then. I got my C14 in first of the year and they were BT21's. I would think that all of these with dual compound should give pretty good milage if you just keep a little sanity on the road.
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Somebody's got to do it the hard way... Don
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79 GS1000 (174K)
08 ZG14 (not there yet)
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TedG
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posted February 13, 2008 11:54 AM
I think the BT21 are pretty good tires, I think I got a little over 6k on them. Their wet traction sucks big time. Remember tires wear and you replace them all the time, so why not try something different if there are good reviews on them.
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Ted
2000 Green ZX12 sold
The fast color!!
Green 2005 ZX10R
2009 Concours Black ABS
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defrazier
Parking Attendant
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posted February 13, 2008 02:46 PM
Thanks for the advise. You got me thinking (sometimes I waste my time doing that).
The pictures I have seen of the Z6 shows centerline has no water channeling grooves, but the PR2's have more channeling coverage. I would have thought the BT21's, which have a groove system almost as complex as the PR2's would have better wet road properties, but I won't argue with experience. Much of it depends on road condition (oil, mud, etc) too.
Anybody else with good milage results?
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Somebody's got to do it the hard way... Don
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79 GS1000 (174K)
08 ZG14 (not there yet)
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defrazier
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posted February 13, 2008 03:17 PM
Ted, I was wrong.
The Z6 front does have grooves, the rear is quite less.
The BT21 looks OK when considering pattern, but as you suggest, it sux in the rain.
The PR2 appears to have a very good groove pattern, and with milage, currently gets my vote too, but I will keep looking.
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Somebody's got to do it the hard way... Don
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79 GS1000 (174K)
08 ZG14 (not there yet)
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wormgear
Expert Class
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posted February 13, 2008 08:04 PM
 Edited By: wormgear on 13 Feb 2008 20:11
quote:
Wormgear, you state you got 6800 miles on your first stockers... Were they using pr2's then. I got my C14 in first of the year and they were BT21's. I would think that all of these with dual compound should give pretty good milage if you just keep a little sanity on the road.
No they were the BT21's. I think they were great tires for the first 3k or so. Rolled into the corners very nicely and stuck like glue. The problem with them is that at about 3k the front starts crowning up in the center and the rear squares off so bad that going into a fast corner is nothing like smooth anymore. I'm hoping the dual compound will hold their shape a little longer.
Don, I'm sending you an email. Ride tomorrow?
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GodDamnit there's always such a big temptation to be good, to be good! (Tom Waits)
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wormgear
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posted February 15, 2008 07:01 AM
Got the pr2's installed yesterday. We shall see....
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GodDamnit there's always such a big temptation to be good, to be good! (Tom Waits)
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TedG
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posted February 15, 2008 09:46 AM
I am going to install the PS2s tonight.
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Ted
2000 Green ZX12 sold
The fast color!!
Green 2005 ZX10R
2009 Concours Black ABS
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ovrclkd
Parking Attendant
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posted February 15, 2008 06:30 PM
Edited By: TedG on 15 Feb 2008 18:51
I was reading about the Dunlop Road Smart, they're new but first reviews are interesting. Our "favorite" reviewers over at MCN (yea the same team that bashed the C14)
ran wet and dry time trials at "Dunlops" test track against the Z6, PR2, 021 and the Road Smart. Guess who won?
Anyway it made for a good video, there's also an article on motorcycle.com where they actually had them on a C14. Me? when it's time I'll probably do PR2's. Here's some links for those interested:
Dunlop: http://www.dunlopmotorcycle.com/tirecatalog_tire.asp?id=101
MCN Video: http://www.brightcove.tv/title.jsp?title=1077096434&channel=711881422
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2008 C-14
2004 FZ6
1984 VF700F Intercepter
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TedG
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posted February 15, 2008 06:57 PM
Edited By: TedG on 15 Feb 2008 19:00
I fixed the links,
I would like to see a real world test not with prototypes. But like I said before, tires wear, I go through at least 2 sets during the summer. So I will give them a rip if they test well.
I also mounted the PR2s this afternoon. Looks like nice weather, but the roats are sucko still, so no hard leaning.
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Ted
2000 Green ZX12 sold
The fast color!!
Green 2005 ZX10R
2009 Concours Black ABS
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wormgear
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posted February 15, 2008 06:58 PM
Hey if they sound like better tires next time I'll try em. One thing I know is that It will never be long before I need new tires again.
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GodDamnit there's always such a big temptation to be good, to be good! (Tom Waits)
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ovrclkd
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posted February 15, 2008 07:15 PM
Thanks Ted, at the rate I'm going due to work and weather (I've only 1100 miles on the odom) you'll have them tried and tested by the time I need new skins! Not to mention striper season's about to open ..... ride, fish, ride, fish?
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~JR
2008 C-14
2004 FZ6
1984 VF700F Intercepter
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tundra tom
Novice Class
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posted February 16, 2008 06:14 AM
Never mind the lack of center grooving on the Z-6 rears, they are a fantastic rain tire.
Watching this thread intently with shagged stockers...........
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TedG
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posted February 16, 2008 09:05 PM
Well I put 400 miles on the PR2s today and I will say this. I have always felt that Bridgestone motorcycle tires were junk. But I felt the B21s were decent tires with poor wet grip. Well after trying the Michelin PR2s, I have gone back to my original opinion of the Bridgstone tires. They are junk. This is a new motorcycle, the handling is completely different, the bike responds by telepathy. It is so easy to turn. The grip is fantastic, where the BSs were giving way, the Michelins gripped like glue. And that was on a dirty road and much colder conditions. The small amount of wet riding I did today, usually the BSs would squirm running through a puddle, PS2s would just feel normal , The only slippage I felt today was when I gassed it on purpose through some sand/gravel. Again I am sold on Michelin Motorcycle tires.
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Ted
2000 Green ZX12 sold
The fast color!!
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2009 Concours Black ABS
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TedG
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posted February 17, 2008 05:39 PM
Just did another 200 and those tires make the thing handle so light and low speed is a huge improvment..
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Ted
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The fast color!!
Green 2005 ZX10R
2009 Concours Black ABS
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wormgear
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posted February 17, 2008 10:27 PM
Glad you're finally able to burn some gas there Ted. Between all the work and rain I've had here I've got less than 100 miles on mine. But I'm looking a four days off with good weather so I'll be getting the feel of them soon.
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wormgear
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posted February 18, 2008 08:52 PM
Edited By: wormgear on 18 Feb 2008 21:28
Had a little ride today with defrazier, about 160 miles. He showed me some nice roads that I didn't know about. Some real nice sweepers and a few tight twisties. I didn't really dig in on the tight ones but I had some fun on the sweepers. The traction was excellent though I'll know more once I hit the tight ones a little harder. I can't even describe how much easier flippin the bike from one direction to the other is now, the transition is like silk. I know, new tires always feel good but these feel great. If they still feel this good after getting some miles out of them I'll be very happy with these tires. Oh and I had them in the rain a couple of days ago and they do have the best wet traction I've experienced.
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GodDamnit there's always such a big temptation to be good, to be good! (Tom Waits)
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TedG
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posted February 18, 2008 09:39 PM
Edited By: TedG on 18 Feb 2008 21:50
I am astounded how easy it turns with the new tires. The new BSs were nothing like this. I did have a chance to hit some tight stuff, albeit dirty and sandy I was able to stick to the car tire tracks and hammered it a few times. The things hung in beautifully, the rear chicken stripes are gone and again that was on a dirty road. So far so good, and I am glad to hear about the your experience in the wet.
The weather is supposed to turn to shit here and that means more sand and gravel, damnit.
Also yesterday the 200 I did was with a bunch of other people mostly on Triumphs as well as the owner of the Triumph shop. The only comment they had was " That thing can rock and roll, you were gone in seconds"
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Ted
2000 Green ZX12 sold
The fast color!!
Green 2005 ZX10R
2009 Concours Black ABS
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stevewfl
Moderator
Posts: 27920
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posted March 06, 2008 06:33 AM
quote:
Well I put 400 miles on the PR2s today and I will say this. I have always felt that Bridgestone motorcycle tires were junk. But I felt the B21s were decent tires with poor wet grip. Well after trying the Michelin PR2s, I have gone back to my original opinion of the Bridgstone tires. They are junk. This is a new motorcycle, the handling is completely different, the bike responds by telepathy. It is so easy to turn. The grip is fantastic, where the BSs were giving way, the Michelins gripped like glue. And that was on a dirty road and much colder conditions. The small amount of wet riding I did today, usually the BSs would squirm running through a puddle, PS2s would just feel normal , The only slippage I felt today was when I gassed it on purpose through some sand/gravel. Again I am sold on Michelin Motorcycle tires.
I'm glad I stopped by and read this! thanks
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2010 Concours14
'08 R1 YAMAHA
ZX14 gone!
CBR600RR track bike
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c14rider
Parking Attendant
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posted March 06, 2008 06:47 AM
quote:
Are the stock Bridgestone BT21's that bad? Or are the others that good?
You say the pr2's have best wet traction. Have not ridden in rain much yet (other than highway) so I may be in for a suprise. I have always liked the Metzlers on my old GS and love Bridgestone car tires, but since I'm not that aggressive riding, the stocks seem fine for this C14.
Wormgear, you state you got 6800 miles on your first stockers... Were they using pr2's then. I got my C14 in first of the year and they were BT21's. I would think that all of these with dual compound should give pretty good milage if you just keep a little sanity on the road.
The handling on my 021s has gone to crap at 4k miles. Good for freeway use is about it. Have a pair of PR2s on the way.
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