Metzeler Z6 Long Term

[Guest ratchethack]

Gents!

 

I've already raved about these tires a few times after putting them on F&R, 7400 miles back. Now it's time for a new Z6 rear, which goes on next Saturday.

 

Here's a link to a Metz site that links to a PDF of comparo tests by Motorrad and Moto Revue. I cannot find fault with, nor can I disagree with any part of their evaluations:

 

http://www.metzelermoto.com/metzeler_world...ing_fitment.htm

 

My own observations:

 

1. I've never put as many miles on a rear tire -- not even close.

 

2. Though I've had stickier short-mileage tires, I've never had a tire on any bike that I liked better overall than the Z6 for the kind of riding I buy my tires for -- mountain roads.

 

3. I wore the Z6 rear all the way to the edges right from the start. With my current suspension setup with 5 mm. longer custom shock and progressive fork springs, this raises the bike high enough where I seldom ground the side stand anymore (with cut down rubber stop). The cans and stock pegs have never touched down.

 

4. Half the miles I put on the rear tire were plugged, approx. 5 cm off-center. For the most part, I was able to forget about it, though I kept speeds below 90 mph (OK, there were a few exceptions) for "insurance".

 

5. The tires wear like none I've ever had before -- center tread looks like it could easily go another 1 K miles! The tire squared-off only as far as the center 5 cm. Most of the tread wear occured another 25 mm outside this center patch, well into the "sporting" area of the tread. So it wears in an unusual "cut-off V" pattern. It wears as though it's got a harder compound in the center like other tires built this way, though I'd not read anywhere that it IS built this way. . .

 

6. The handling only started to deteriorate in the last 500 or so miles, and I'm sure this is coming from the rear. The front has worn amazingly even -- no cupping at all -- and has a good K or so left in it.

 

7. Because there's no center groove on the Z6 rear, the tire tends to "wander" very slightly within a narrow margin outside a straight line on the slab over 70 mph. Having read about this in advance, I expected this and got used to it pretty quickly. It's not enough to get excited about, not enough to have any effect wotsoever on the speeds I ride, and easy enough to ignore considering the outstanding cost/value of these superb tires.

 

BAA, TJM, & YMMV

[rocker59]

I've got to say that I, too, like the Z6 from Metzeler on my Nero Corsa.

 

The relatively pointy rear gives good turn-in and the profile makes them very stable at full lean.

 

I went with a 170/60-17 just to see how the bike would perform. I like it OK, but I think the next set I'll go back to 180/55-17.

 

I'm on my second rear. The first one lasted more than 6000 miles. It flat-spotted in the center and the good steering characteristics went away. In all fairness, the tire was put on just before leaving on my 4,500 mile Virginia to Utah trip last September. At least 3,500 of those miles were flat, straight highway miles...

 

The best sport-touring tire I've ever used on a spine-framed Guzzi isn't available anymore. It was the Pirelli Dragon GTS. I loved that tire !!!

 

I highly recommend the Z6 for anyone with a V11 Sport / LeMans...

[Guest Loosy Goosy]

Been running Z6s for several years now, on several bikes. This, and one of the Michelin's that seem to be made of the same cross-linked silica type "rubber", seem to be the best all around rubber you can put on your bike. They stick superbly, and last longer than you might expect. I like the Z6s enough that I have not yet ventured to try the Michelin offering.

[Dan M]

Yea they're really great tires. I'm surprised your rear is worn down ahead of the front. I have them on my RT and see the off center wear but is more noticeable on the front. I chose the Pirelli Diablo Stradas for the V11 (the old: Italians should wear Italian shoes) and like them just as much. Very similar warm up, all weather grip and longevity as the Z6s

I believe both of these tires have a harder long life compound in the center wear area, hence the off center wear pattern.

[Greg Field]

I've considered trying them, but I just can't believe they'd be suitable for rainy Seattle, with no center grooving. I've been very happy with Pilot Powers in that regard.

[rocker59]

I've considered trying them, but I just can't believe they'd be suitable for rainy Seattle, with no center grooving. I've been very happy with Pilot Powers in that regard.

 

I've ridden in a couple of thunderstorms with the Z6. They performed great in standing water.

 

I read somewhere last year that motorcycle tire manufacturers were doing away with center grooves on the rear because the front tire pushed all the water out of the way, anyway.

 

I've run several different ST tires without center grooving on the rear with no problems...

 

The front on the Z6 is grooved.

[Dan M]

I've ridden in a couple of thunderstorms with the Z6. They performed great in standing water.

 

I read somewhere last year that motorcycle tire manufacturers were doing away with center grooves on the rear because the front tire pushed all the water out of the way, anyway.

 

I've run several different ST tires without center grooving on the rear with no problems...

 

The front on the Z6 is grooved.

 

 

Ditto what he said. Excellent rain traction.

[Guest ratchethack]

Ditto what he said. Excellent rain traction.

FWIW, I've tested Z6's under "extreme" hydroplaning and pooled-up water conditions several times and cannot fault their wet-weather capabilities. Also under conditions of water running across hairpins in the mountains. Their performance in the wet is also up at the top (or next to the top) of the Motorrad and Moto Revue eval lists (see PDF evaluations at link in opening post above).

[Alex-Corsa]

The best sport-touring tire I've ever used on a spine-framed Guzzi isn't available anymore. It was the Pirelli Dragon GTS. I loved that tire !!!

 

I highly recommend the Z6 for anyone with a V11 Sport / LeMans...

 

Was having that tire (Dragon GTS) before I put my Z6 on my 1100i , compared to the Z6 my impression is a bit less performance.Very stable in dry but quite unstable in wet,without the milliage and the grip of the Z6 in any conditions.

I am satisfied from the Z6 for what it is supposed to be (touring tire) and what it gives (great grip never seen before on touring tires) quite neutral and stable IMO even when in load traveling

For sure a sport tire can behave better in terms of grip but I would vote the Z6 as best combination of grip ,millage and price alltogether as a touring tire.

[Skeeve]

Add another vote for the Metz Z6 (aka Pirelli Dragon Strada); simply great tires, far, far, FAR superior to the MEZ4s that came stock on my SV650 Scarlett ["commuterbike"]. Haven't had a chance to try them on Cygne yet, since the stock BT020s aren't worn enough to bother.

 

Best mileage wear from a rear tire on Scarlett yet was 8k miles, the Z6. Best handling wet or dry: Z6. Haven't had to replace the front yet; it looks to go 12k mi at present rate of wear [commuter miles, so the sides, where fronts wear most, get minimal wear vs. serious scratching duty...]

 

In comparison: the Z4s never liked even slight amounts of dampness, nor did they inspire confidence when traversing paint lines in the street [when did CalTrans stop putting ground glass in the lane line paint to keep traction safe?]

 

Next best tire after the Z6 were the Conti Sports [replaced by their "Road Attack" model] - excellent all-rounder, but not quite up to the Z6 performance. Good budget alternative, tho', since they run [ran?] about 2/3 the price of the Z6s...

 

The Avon Azaro? AV46 [old stock closeout] I just slapped on the rear hasn't given any good feedback yet, but then the parting compound is so embedded that I haven't even worn it off except for the center 2 inches! Once I get the sides scraped in more and down to fresher rubber, I'll be able to say whether it's worth consideration as more than a commuter tire. Of course, living here in So.Cal., I don't get much in the way of rain to test hydroplaning issues, but the "wet grip" is actually well-tested here, since when we do get rain, it's usually not enough to wash away all the road-slickening spooge that accumulates during the long intervals between gully-swampers. That means the roads get good & slick, really treacherous, and a supreme test of how well a tire grips [or rather, recovers traction once it's let go, since that's what's usually happening here when riding in the rain... ]

 

[Guest Loosy Goosy]

Interesting comment on the center grooves and rain. I actually decided many years ago to cease buying tires with a center groove due to the problem such tires have on rain-grooved roads here in California. They follow the grooves and they are not always so straight. And neither are you if you are following them with your center-grooved tires. YeeHaa!

 

Though nowhere near as rainy in the Bay area as Seattle, we still get our fair share. And I can tell you that the Z6's, without a center groove, simply do not need one. I try to avoid riding in the rain, for no other reason than I hate cleaning the bike after every such ride. We won't mention California and rain and drivers in the same sentence, shall we? Thought not.

 

Go Z6s!

[slowkitty]

Z6 user here too ... but ...

 

... tempted by the new Michelins Pilot Road 2 with dual compound for the middle and the edges .. if I give them a try I'll try to post some feedback.

 

Cheers

 

Cat

[BrianG]

Pirelli Diablo Strada's here. Great turn in. Progressive grip-loss at the edge but very sticky 'til then. Definitely dual compound.

 

From Pilot Road's which I hated........ sluggish and slippery.

[dlaing]

Strada's here too.

Best rain tire I have ever tried.

Great turn and great stability with no compromise between the two.

The only shortcoming is the dry traction does not seem as great as some of the sportier tires.

Durability is about same as Dragon GTS and better than every other sporttouring tire than I have tried..Conti, Avon, Dunlop, Bridgestone.

The Dragon GTS was a better dry tire, but not as good when wet. Even in San Diego, lack of wet grip is more likely to contribute to crashing.

Ideally I would have a sport tire in Summer and a Strada in Winter.

At 5000 miles it is ready to be replaced, and has probably been technically illegal for past 1000 miles. Most of my tires become technically illegal and get replaced when center tread goes to about 1/2 a mm, and sometimes nearly to nothing at about 4000 miles.

With no center tread it is a little tougher to measure.

[Ouiji Veck]

Had my new tire shipped to my friends house...75mi away...because

he has a tire changer. I didn't get up there right away, put on a few hundred miles

around town...then a few more...ooooops!!

Now I just gotta figure out how the machine works. ..