V11 Rubber (Tyre Topic)

[po18guy]

47 minutes ago, KINDOY2 said:

Indeed..the BT 46 works really well on my 1999 Bassa...one of the few front and rear matching tires available in the required size for these type early bikes. I'm not tracking it...lol

Bridgestone's promo for the BT46 shows a 70s V7 Sport.

[SFTripod]

2 hours ago, po18guy said:

The BT45 was a bias-ply/cross-ply tire.  Now upgraded to BT46, it is reputedly excellent for the earlier Guzzis.

Am pondering something slightly more modern than the Road 3s I have now. A distinctly rounded profile that does not seem completely happy on a long-frame.

Metzeler Z8 for Sport Touring use, M7rr or 9's for something more aggressive. Z8's been fine on my red frame, & I still use the 150/70 sizing....

[p6x]

On 8/23/2021 at 6:56 PM, Guzzimax said:

It’s getting time to replace the Pirellis that my 1999 silver V11 is riding on. This has lead me into browsing what brand/spec of tyres I should choose

Both my black framed V11s with 180 rears have Michelin Pilot Road 2 sport touring tyres, and I’m happy with their performance, although Michelin now offer newer versions

Does anyone have any recommendations for the red framed V11s with 170 rears?

My Greenie has Bridgestones, and I feel that they are more touring than sport, the rubber seems harder and takes longer to warm up

yesterday I was taking to a guy I know with a 2015 V7 II Special originally fitted with Pirelli Sport Demons (bias ply). Hated them, said white lines and poor surfaces unsettled them very badly. Changed to Avon Roadriders & reckoned it’s transformed his V7 handling

Now I know that V11s with 17 inch rims would have more modern radial rubber compared to a V7, but whats people’s recommendation for rubber for a red frame with a 170 rear? 

 

 

 

 

My Le Mans has Pilot Road 2 too....

I have penciled a set of Road 5 next... but I still have some life left in the rear, and the front was new when I got the bike a few miles ago.

So please, install the Road 5 and let me know how they hang, so we don't make the same mistake both of us...

[docc]

I've long held the opinion that you can't make very much of a mistake with modern tires from the major manufacturers. If I don't like them for some reason, they will soon be used up . . .

[p6x]

9 minutes ago, docc said:

I've long held the opinion that you can't make very much of a mistake with modern tires from the major manufacturers. If I don't like them for some reason, they will soon be used up . . .

I am saying this because there is some hate going around for Michelin; a lot of MotoGP riders are unhappy about the tires Michelin is supplying. They are complaining about the lack of reliability tire to tire. Most of the pilots are praying for the return of Bridgestone.

[Guzzimax]

Thanks for everyone’s valued replies and opinions regarding my tyre question. Over recent years I’ve also had several Triumphs (including Speed Triple 1050 & Tiger Sport 1050) using Michelin Pilot Road 3 sport/touring rubber and always been happy with Michelin’s grip/handling/wear performance

Equally my Greenie and Gen 2 VMAX have Bridgestone tyres, and in the case of the Greenie almost new Battlax BT021’s. These feel OK when they warm up, but warm up takes a long time and they don’t feel so good at colder temperatures 

 

 

[po18guy]

43 minutes ago, Guzzimax said:

Thanks for everyone’s valued replies and opinions regarding my tyre question. Over recent years I’ve also had several Triumphs (including Speed Triple 1050 & Tiger Sport 1050) using Michelin Pilot Road 3 sport/touring rubber and always been happy with Michelin’s grip/handling/wear performance

Equally my Greenie and Gen 2 VMAX have Bridgestone tyres, and in the case of the Greenie almost new Battlax BT021’s. These feel OK when they warm up, but warm up takes a long time and they don’t feel so good at colder temperatures 

 

 

I would not rule Avon out. I live near rainy Seattle and tyres from a rainy nation fill the bill rather well.

[LowRyter]

2 hours ago, p6x said:

I am saying this because there is some hate going around for Michelin; a lot of MotoGP riders are unhappy about the tires Michelin is supplying. They are complaining about the lack of reliability tire to tire. Most of the pilots are praying for the return of Bridgestone.

As I said, my Greenie just ate up Pilot Roads.  No way I'll spend that much again.   The Dunlops cost much less, last longer and handle better IMO.

[GuzziMoto]

I agree with docc, modern tires are good and likely more a matter of different flavors than one tire being better or worse than others. Of course, some people think vanilla is better than chocolate, but really they are just different flavors.  Someone may prefer the way Pirelli feels over Michelin, or vice versa. But it is just personal preference and the differences are small. I brought up the BT45 as an example of how long it has been since I have found a tire to be less than great, that was probably over 25 years ago. Fresh tires always tend to feel great, in part because you are typically replacing a worn out tire with a fresh tire. Fresh tires feel great. The nice profile compared to the flattened profile of the old one makes the bike feel lighter and handle better. I do like fresh tires.

As to Michelin in MotoGP, the tires they make for MotoGP have nothing to do with their street tires and issues they may or may not have with the MotoGP tires has nothing to do with their street tires. A hand made MotoGP tire has nothing in common with a mass produced street tire. But I will say honestly I don't know why any manufacturer would want to be the single make tire supplier for MotoGP. The Bridgestones had issues, lots of crashes due to warm up issues, and only a certain riding style and chassis style seemed to work with them. Now it is Michelin, and while they seem more widely suited to different styles and chassis there are still issues. You will always have issues. And I don't think it helps a brands reputation to be a single tire supplier like that. You get no credit for winning; of course you won, you are the only one competing. And you get blame for everyone that has issues.

[Pressureangle]

On 8/23/2021 at 8:35 PM, docc said:

For one, I would go to a 160 on that RedFrame's 4.5 inch rim.

Having run so many different brands on my RedFrame, and stupid number of Pirelli while they "evolved", I have adopted the Bridgestone T31 Battlax of late. Sport-touring? Sure.  Yet, I am finding them far more forgiving toward their end-of-use. By the time the Pirelli "looked" suspect, they were gone. The T31 have a more forgiving wear period at that end point, in my recent experience.

I'm on my 33rd rear tire (25th front).

 

In prep for my 'long tour' I started with the Bridgestone T31's. They lasted 5k miles, the last half of which was from Yellowstone NP through Montana, Idaho, the Cascade range and down the coast to San Jose where I got them changed. I say 5k miles, but I didn't actually get them off until pretty near 7k- and it was scary how worn they were. The point is that they never gave any indication while riding them hard in the canyons that they lost any grip. I replaced them with Pirelli Angel GTs before hitting the Southern California canyons and back to Florida. 
The meaningful distinctions; The Bridgestones lasted longer, were extremely stable at high speeds (not to say the Pirelli's are not, but less) and though they were both 160/60 rears the Bridgestone was significantly taller. The Pirelli's are more agile and confident in hard tight turns. My next fitup will be a Bridgestone T31 160/60 rear and Pirelli Angel GT Front though I may try a different front just for comparison. 

[LowRyter]

Reading this thread, it looks like the V11 just eats up tires.   

[Pressureangle]

8 minutes ago, LowRyter said:

Reading this thread, it looks like the V11 just eats up tires.   

Though at first it seems so, my '85 LeMans went through tires at the same pace- and I put so many more miles on the 'Guzzis than I did on anything else I ever owned, changing tires happens much more frequently so maybe it only *seems* like they wear out faster. I don't remember ever owning another motorcycle that I put a third set of tires on before owning a Goose.

[LowRyter]

3 hours ago, Pressureangle said:

Though at first it seems so, my '85 LeMans went through tires at the same pace- and I put so many more miles on the 'Guzzis than I did on anything else I ever owned, changing tires happens much more frequently so maybe it only *seems* like they wear out faster. I don't remember ever owning another motorcycle that I put a third set of tires on before owning a Goose.

My point is that my Sport ate up Michelins nearly twice as fast as my Bandit.  That really seems odd but the Guzzi has 170 rear vs 180 but it's still hard to explain.  Given that, I see no reason to pay a fortune for Michelins when I can pay 2/3 a fortune for Dunlops.  I think the Dunlop might handle a little better and are quicker to warm up.  They grip well enough that I put them on my Ducati was well.

[Gmc28]

As I said, my Greenie just ate up Pilot Roads.  No way I'll spend that much again.   The Dunlops cost much less, last longer and handle better IMO.

Interesting. I was just musing about how long these Michelin pilots have lasted for me on my red v11, 3500+ miles, barely showing wear, and handle very nice. Those have been on through lots of highway grinding and lots of fun sport riding, in all temps.
And, the Dunlop’s on the other V11 are low miles, in near new condition, but sure ride different, and “less good” in that category for my taste/riding style. But the Dunlop machine also has overly stiff suspension (I’ll fix that eventually), so while it seems a great side by side comparison for handling, I have to clarify that it really isn’t.

It’s all soooo much better than my damn adv bikes that eat up expensive rear tires.

[Pressureangle]

2 hours ago, LowRyter said:

My point is that my Sport ate up Michelins nearly twice as fast as my Bandit.  That really seems odd but the Guzzi has 170 rear vs 180 but it's still hard to explain.  Given that, I see no reason to pay a fortune for Michelins when I can pay 2/3 a fortune for Dunlops.  I think the Dunlop might handle a little better and are quicker to warm up.  They grip well enough that I put them on my Ducati was well.

Has anyone actually scaled their V11 for an accurate wet weight?