Pirelli Report

[docc]

I've run a tire or two off my 2000 Sport. I'm hard on tires, up-shifting hard and engine braking back down. Sprint the straight, brake hard, and drive out. Not a formula for tire life. Sporty good fun, ya, but change your tires with your oil.

 

The 2000 V11 Sport was delivered with Pirelli Dragon Corsa. Kind of like a heavy, but very pretty, girl on high heels. Going dancing? Better be ready for the catch!

 

Down-size-ing to the 160 on the early, narrow rims, and finding more suitable tires, along with setting the proper sag (weighting the front) has all been brilliant. The reports of weave and such would be gone.

 

This Pirelli Angel GT is my 25th rear tire. New tire for them: new tire for me.

 

I didn't expect much. I like Pirelli. I've worn out: Dragon Corsa, Diablo Strada, (x5), Angel (x4) (Dunlop, Michelin, Metzler, Bridgestone - ok, so I sleep around )

 

As Pirelli have evolved the tires I have seen very little change "in the field." Until now.

 

In the past, if a tire was beginning to look worn - replace it! The wear would accelerate in the last couple hundred miles. I took a chance riding to Barber's Vintage Festival and back on this "new" Pirelli GT. 500 miles round trip, 45 mph average speed (no big high speed runs - riding with small displacement Hondas!)

 

Average miles on all prior Angels/Stradas: 3,700 miles. Impression: they "go away" quickly in the last couple hundred miles. I would not have left on this 500 mile trip on those tires.

 

Risked the trip on the GT:   4,100 miles and it needs replacing, but didn't let me down on the trip giving up a big white stripe I was watching for the whole time.

 

My impression: the Pirelli Angel GT is a breakthrough for our lovely (if heavy) dancing girls!

 

 

 

 

[czakky]

4k miles? Wow docc u must be hard on them tires. i usually get 6-8 but not on as torquey of a bike as these. personally love mich. pr3s. thanks for the write up.

[docc]

My rear tire average over 22 tires is 3538. The original Pirelli Dragon Corsa went 2772. IMO, they were one of the major contributors to the early Sport's tendency to high speed weave.

 

The difference I saw with the GT is that it gave me more time at the end without getting critical.

[andy york]

Gee ...not only do i get better MPG, I get better tire wear too !!

I usually get 7 - 10,000 miles out of a rear....runnin PR3s now

[andy york]

I guess the down side for me is all the magic black smoke that keeps escaping -)))

[luhbo]

...

 

Average miles on all prior Angels/Stradas: 3,700 miles. Impression: they "go away" quickly in the last couple hundred miles. I would not have left on this 500 mile trip on those tires.

 

Risked the trip on the GT:   4,100 miles and it needs replacing, ..

 

That's an interesting observation. The miles someone brings out on this or that tyre variy widely, but of course you can say this tyre makes usually more than the one of the other brand and vice versa.

The Angel was on my bike also one of the less performing ones. The mileage was below average. While I didn't find it becoming 'dangerous' at the very end of it, it nonetheless showed a growing tendency to nervousness or just fading gree (to use a new word ) over the last 1500km.

 

Interesting enough, while harvesting old MC mags I came over an article about the new GT. Such articles always say the truth, of course. And to proof this they sometimes say how much better the new one is compared to the old one. Was the GS the state of the art once, actually the lifetime was too short, the carcass way to thin, the tyre getting nervous too early and so on

 

Hubert

[stefano]

  looks like the GT angel has wear bars (in your photo)? the ST has none so i keep a close eye on them towards the end of their run. the cord seems to appear suddenly.  i've got the angel ST on both of my bikes, found i had to up the pressure to 40psi front& 42psi rear for wear & handling on the V11, YMMV as always.

[docc]

Wear bars for sure. I thought the ST had them also, but like you, the cord always appeared first.

 

Those are pretty high pressures (I'm at 35/40) but always better than too soft. I seem to recall the Sport's original Dragon Corsa recommendations were 33/37 - another contributor to it's squishy weavy nature as delivered.

[AndyH]

What kind of speeds yields these weaves in your experience?

 

I only get them over 110mph usually wih luggage on the back and then not always. Below that, absolutely solid as a rock: mines a 2000 too with the 160 rear and I think the early ones have the shorter arm too (is that right?).

[docc]

Yes, the early Sport (1999-2001) including (I believe) the Rosso Mandello have shorter, steeper raked unbraced frames with a 4.5 inch rear wheel width. Easiest way to tell if a frame is the later "more stable" frame is to look for braces spanning the bottom of the gearbox. My understanding is that the swing-arm length did not change (?)

 

Reports of high speed weave and grip vibration on the introductory V11 led the factory to make numerous changes for 2002.

 

My weave experience was typical of early reports: above 90 mph in disturbed air (as in passing trucks on a freeway).  Ditching the squirming Dragon Corsas with their more triangular profile, firmer tire pressures, and backing off the steering damper all made a good difference. Of course, the final answer was getting the correct spring rates and setting the sag to load the front.

 

I still eat up tires. And fuel. And brake pads. And still won't ever catch Andy York, The Perfesser His-self, as he slips away all so smooth and fast. There is nothing quite like the visceral sensation of rolling sedately along the Cherohala Skyway on a crisp sunny morning when three (3!) V11 strafe by at full chat. Once again, swallowed by the Jabberwock!

[andy york]

I'm gonna start stayin with you on the ride....( yea right ) maybe then I won't lose that special black smoke.

[docc]

You should have me over one day with some solder and heat shrink . We'll corral the Magic Smoke and make the sparkies proud!

[JBBenson]

Docc:

 

When you write "setting the sag" are you referring to dropping the triple clamps a bit to lower the front end of the bike?

 

I have read anywhere from 3/8" to 1" drop. Where did you end up? (I have a 2000 V11)

 

Thanks.

 

J.

[gstallons]

Google "sag" on motorcycle suspensions for your best understanding.....

 

 http://www.motorcyclistonline.com/howto/122_0508_motorcycle_suspension_setup/

[docc]

That's  a good article gs linked to Motorcyclist. Honestly, we can't pay too much attention to suspension set-up.

 

My forks came up 5mm in the triple clamps. Fresh springs front and back. I'll have to look back at my set-up notes, but I shot for 25% rear sag and 30% front. I generally keep some weight in the Teknos (tools, air compressor and such . . .).

 

Getting the right springs is the key.