Best tyre for wet commuting?

[SlowSteve]

Hi all.

Just looking for opinions on your thoughts for the best tyre for commuting in wet weather and sloppy roads.

These tyres won't be raced or hammered and will only be on for a few months, so lifespan and stuff like ability to grip in a high speed corner don't matter.

Thanks

Steve

 

[dduelin]

Objective testing and subjective rider experience give high wet weather marks to the Michelin Pilot Road 2 (great) and Pilot Road 3 (even better!). Also the Metzeler Z8 OEM tire although some folks don't like the Z8 in the wet.

 

[Fuzzy]

I replaced my Metzler OEM tires before they were worn out due to poor performance in wet. Put PR3s on but have not had opportunity to give proper wet test yet.

 

[turbodieseli4i6]

I had my BT 023 tires lose traction in a heavy down pour one time. Now I was hit with very hard side winds at the time. The news said around 70 mph gust in that storm.
I never had any other problems with wet riding with those tires and I have ridden in some doozies.
I have Michelin PR3's on now and they have been great so far. If they last as long as some reports have stated. I will keep using the PR3's.

 

[n30r3l0ad3d]

Heh, after my NC kicked out on me twice in wet conditions with the Z8 my next tire purchase will be the Dunlop Sportmax Roadsmart II's. I keep seeing good things about the PR3's however, and might give them a go.

 

[draco_1967]

Another vote for PR3s. I had a set on my Nighthawk. The only slip I had was when I got caught in a wet snow storm. Within minutes, the ground was covered in 1/2" of slush. It was a little slick .

I should be receiving my new PR3 rear today!

Sent from a Speak & Spell wired to a record player, a saw blade, a fork, and an umbrella.

 

[Beemerphile]

My Z8's kicked out twice in the wet as well. I believe that the rear hydroplaned in me. I now have PR3's on it and I am quite happy in the wet (which I recently tested on a trip to New York). I was able to slide them several times on the combination of fine aggregate and wet coal dust that West Virginia likes to serve up to unsuspecting motorcyclists, but I don't know that any tires are up to that.

 

[jonnybegood]

I have had no problem commuting with Bridgestone tires that came on my NC700x and I have been caught in the rain many times. I didn't like the looks of no tread in the 1 inch wide center of the tire. Also I didn't like their performance on dirt roads so I finished cutting the groves where Bridgestone left off.



I also recut the front tire. Used a hot knife with 1/4 inch blade. The tires are much better on dirt roads but I haven't given them a try in the wet yet.

 

[MZ5]

I had the rear 'step out' on me a couple times on my CBR under power roll-ons when crossing railroad tracks with wet (dew) rails. I thought it was fun!

I've only had my Metzelers in the _really_ wet once. They were surprising to me for their stability and planted feel fording lightly-flooded roads here (1/2 - 1" deep water). That was just going straight, though. It's only rained enough to just get things damp during my commute. I can't say there was a problem those couple times, but it's really not enough for me to know.

 

[SergeantChuck]

I have the stock BT-023 tires. I have been caught in a few severe storms since owning my bike. I have not had the bike long so I took the corners easy. Something I normally take at 40mph I took at 30mph. I felt no slippage but I was going slow. The roads were flooded in palaces and I rode through pooled water at 40-50mph. Bike seemed to handle that well but I was going straight.

Having said all that, I have coordinated with my dealer on getting a set of PR3's to replace my current tires. I have heard to many good things about them and plan on doing the switch at the 8,000 mile mark.

 

[n30r3l0ad3d]

When I first rode mine in a steady rain, I had a good sense of security. It quickly was lost after a stop light. When I went to accelerate, the Z8 rear tire kicked out and I almost dumped it going from 1st to 2nd. Shortly after, going around a corner at around 35mph I once again felt a sense of traction loss, and the bike started to skid on me but I was able to recover. It almost felt like driving on strips of black ice. Trust them if you wish, but I certainly don't.

 

[Gigs]

I have the original by-023's with about 10,500 miles on them. I took a trip to the Blue Ridge Motorcycle Museum this past weekend and rode some nice mountain roads. However Saturday morning the roads were not dry from the dew, I was not riding aggressively just making it around the curves and for the first time ever I lost traction and slid a bit. Luckily did not go down but once the bridge stones are close to the wear bars I recommend no mountains. That's really my only beef with now almost 11,000 miles on them. I just ordered another set and will put them on when they get here.
I have ridden on these tires in pouring rain and never had a problem I guess it's just time for new ones.


Gigs

 

[lipsee]

Try these http://heidenautires.com/sites/default/files/K60scout_updated_05.2013.jpg been told they last forever!!!

 

[silverhound]

Just came across this post. I have to add my 2 cents that Michelin Pilot Road 3s have been hands down the best tires I have ever had on any of my bikes. My wifes NCX is brand new but I'll be putting a set on hers when the time comes. I can honestly attest that they are the best tires I have ever had in the rain and trust me they have been tested thoroughly. I put a new set on my FJR last year and then took off on a 3000 mile trip across the US which saw 4 full days of rain and even two days of snow (I did not keep riding in the snow but they worked well until I could get stopped for the day). On the additional 3000 miles on the way back home I saw rain 5 out of the seven days it took. The tires wore well too. Here's a shot of the tread on the front and rear after 6000+ miles.

Front Tire

Rear Tire

One day that stopped me...

 

[automated11]

I am definitely going to look at the PR3's and PR4's when it comes time. I have about 4k miles on my nc700x and the rear tire is getting a flat spot but no where close to needing replaced. Anyone else have any input on these tires?

 

[Old Can Ride]

Riding in the rain is something I like doing a lot. Slicks look great, and a slick grabs and puts more rubber to the asphalt than other tires. So, in dry weather a slick sticks better than any tire. However, on a slick the water can not escape from under the tire, so you plane! The more groves in a tire, the more water that is removed from below the tire, so you don't plane. Also, wide tires put more rubber on the asphalt, and they sure do look great! However, in the rain they also plane. The narrower the tire the less the plane. Also, Henry Ford found that the narrower tire went thought the mud and sand better than a wider tire. Also, soft rubber sticks to the asphalt better than hard rubber. However, hard rubber last longer. Real simple, what do you want to do with the tire?

 

[SergeantChuck]

I am definitely going to look at the PR3's and PR4's when it comes time. I have about 4k miles on my nc700x and the rear tire is getting a flat spot but no where close to needing replaced. Anyone else have any input on these tires?

I've got the PR4's now. Put a litle over 3,000 miles on them so far. I primarily use the bike for communing and not a lot of turns on the ride to work so they are barely starting to get a strip down the center.

I'm probably not the best tire critic but I do like them better than the BT-023s I pulled off. Why? First off the front tire turns-in a lot quicker. Made the front end feel more nimble. I might be imagining things but I feel I have a little less road noise coming up through the forks too. Could be my imagination. They grip well. I've ridden them in the rain quite a bit lately and have pushed it a few times on corners to where I gave in first. I'm not sure how much it would take to break loose and I was not willing to find out. I'm keeping a close eye on the mileage and hope to get at least 10K out of them. The BT-023 barely made it over 8K. Roads are tough on tires here in Arkansas.

 

[Graeme]

For Road tyres
The Michelin PR4's are supposed to replace the PR3's. The PR4 is supposed to be harder than the PR3. I was very impressed with the PR3's. Very good in the wet if you ask me. I would recommend the PR3's. I am not sure about the PR4's at this point. I have had metzler bridgestone and dunlops over the years. Avons might be worth a look too for wet roads.

 

[maxwellian]

Michelin is claiming 20% longer wear and better stopping distances in the wet for the PR4 vs. PR3. Not sure what sort of magic involved, but that's what they're saying.

 

[ray]

The original Z8s are pretty good imo. I think most of the traction loss are due to over acceleration or deceleration. DCT and ABS keep the tyres operating within their limits.