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Help with tire buying decision

yticolev

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Still have my stock Bridgestone tires at over 13,000 miles. Looks like if I'm willing to erase the wear bars they will go to 15,000. Either way I have to start looking at replacements now and have done a bit of research on two different tires. Michelin Pilot 4s are highly recommended but expensive at about $345 a pair. Diablo Rosso II go for about $160 a pair (after $40 rebate). Radial versus standard. Both seem to have reputations for tenacious grip. I'm certainly interested in grip, but if grip is equal I'd like the lower cost one when you factor in how many miles they will go before replacement.

Thoughts, suggestions?
 
Amazed you got 13K on the Bridgestone -- was that BT023 like I had? I really stretched it to get 10K.

I really think multi-compound tires are the way to go, so either way... the Pilot 4 gets positively mentioned here a lot, but perhaps there are other motorcycle forums where that is true of the Diablo Rosso II, might be worth checking out.
 
There are tons of tire comparison posts here if you're willing to search/look through the forum a bit.

Which "Pilot 4" tires are you looking at? Pilot Road 4? Are you sure the Diablo Rosso is a bias-ply tire, or that it's a similar type of tire? I thought those were much-higher-performance radials. Just curious.
 
I'd have to say "Continental Motion" tires from [HERE].

For about $150, you get good road tires that last (for me) about 14K miles.
 
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My favorite tire on the NC700X is the Bridgestone T30. It's reasonably inexpensive at about $230 a set and feels better to me in the corners than Michelins do.
 
Thanks for the tips everybody.

Amazed you got 13K on the Bridgestone -- was that BT023 like I had? I really stretched it to get 10K.
Yes, they are. Could be my riding style as I'm not so aggressive, but I do like brisk takeoffs although nowhere near redline, and perhaps 20 percent of my miles are at 70 mph. I'm pretty happy with the longevity but the tires do not feel that sticky. I've locked the front wheel three times (no ABS) and it feels like my rear tire skitters easily on paint lines and tar lines in turns.

There are tons of tire comparison posts here if you're willing to search/look through the forum a bit.
That's what I remember from last time I was here regularly a couple years ago. Couldn't pull them up trying a couple of different search terms.
 
I'd have to say "Continental Motion" tires from [HERE].

For about $150, you get good road tires that last (for me) about 14K miles.
Hi Strat, did you also get about the same distance with your OEM tires? These tires are certainly better priced than Michelins.

I remember when Michelins were the only radials available for cars and you really paid a price premium for them. They were worth it though, getting the 40,000 miles they promised on my subcompact car. Not so sure that is true for motorcycle tires.
 
The Continentals are certainly priced nicely at $150 shipped (not sure if sales tax is charged) and the Bridgestone T30 is indeed about $230 a set ($220 from the vendor Strat linked). Tough choice.

dduelin any thoughts on mileage before replacing on the T30's? I'm assuming since you are in Florida that the wet performance is decent. While Strat may have had some rain lately to test tires on, it is rare in Southern California. I spent 6 months there once on a motorcycle without any rain.
 
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I'm running a new Shinko Raven 009 down here in Arkansas this week and it's performing well. Same low price as the Conti Motions, and I'm hearing the Raven tire life is longer. The Raven is not quite as stiff sidewalled as the Motion. I found it a little easier to mount. I popped both beads on and the pressure was at 15 PSI.
 
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Huge fan of the Pilot Road 4's. I live near Austin TX and we have been getting a lot of rain lately and they are very sticky on wet roads (unlike the garbage Dunlops that came on my 2015 700X).
 
I'm running a new Shinko Raven 009 down here in Arkansas this week and it's performing well. Same low price as the Conti Motions, and I'm hearing the Raven tire life is longer. The Raven is not quite as stiff sidewalled as the Motion. I found it a little easier to mount. I popped both beads on and the pressure was at 15 PSI.
Does that translate into a more comfortable ride? I've not upgraded my suspension, and the asphalt to concrete bridge transitions are jolting here in Ohio.
 
Does that translate into a more comfortable ride? I've not upgraded my suspension, and the asphalt to concrete bridge transitions are jolting here in Ohio.

No. The Ravens don't fix that. I don't think any properly aired up sport or sport touring tire wil fix that harshness. What you describe is a common complaint of the low budget NC stock suspension. What you need is a Racetech Good Valve Emulator or a Cogent front suspension upgrade.
 
I just replaced a BT023 rear. I plugged a nail hole when it only had 100 miles on it. The plug was in the tread so I rode it for 3000 miles. I was satisfied with the grip (and price $95) for the BT023. It was starting to flat spot at 3000 miles. I'm going on a trip so I replaced it early with an Angel GT ($192 local dealer). REvzilla has them for $155. Never had one and wanted to try something different. Zero miles so far. My only observation is looks and smells good.......
 
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No. The Ravens don't fix that. I don't think any properly aired up sport or sport touring tire wil fix that harshness. What you describe is a common complaint of the low budget NC stock suspension. What you need is a Racetech Good Valve Emulator or a Cogent front suspension upgrade.
Interestingly, it is the rear suspension that takes most of the responsibility for the jolting. That is like a grand to upgrade.
 
Interestingly, it is the rear suspension that takes most of the responsibility for the jolting. That is like a grand to upgrade.
That's true but the seat and your butt help absorb some of that while you feel the flaws in the front forks more (even if the rear is responsible for more of the load) not sure if it makes a difference with the weight distribution if your in the bike or not but it was recently stated that the weight distribution was 48% front 52% rear, so pretty close to even and the front suspension is allot cheaper top upgrade. But if you have the money then yeah doing front and back is way better
 
that the weight distribution was 48% front 52% rear, so pretty close to even and the front suspension is allot cheaper top upgrade.

Don't forget the rider is largely behind the fore-aft center line and can end up adding 50% of the bike weight to the back end of the bike. The weight distribution really needs to be determined in the rider(s)+gear loaded state, since most of our vehicles don't go out riding without us.
 
I have no input on the tires but can definitely say upgrading the front forks makes a huge difference on the sharp edges. I rode a good while with the front upgrade before I did the back. Now doing just the front does make you realize that the back also needs upgrading.
 
Don't forget the rider is largely behind the fore-aft center line and can end up adding 50% of the bike weight to the back end of the bike. The weight distribution really needs to be determined in the rider(s)+gear loaded state, since most of our vehicles don't go out riding without us.
Yeah I figured that weight distribution of 48/52 was with the bike by itself but the best bang for your buck seams to be the front suspension, if you can afford to upgrade the rear you most likely can upgrade the front as well
 
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