A test report for V11 tyres

[p6x]

5 hours ago, docc said:

I have switched from my long-loved Pirelli to Battlax tires the last few changes and "like" the T32 very much.

I say "like" because motorcycle tire preferences are so much like music and ladies. It's a good thing we don't all "like" the same thing!

If I was suspicious, and I am not , why would Bridgestone order a third party evaluation between their main competitors?

UTAC does not specify how/who provided the tires. Did Bridgestones supply the tires to UTAC? shall we trust that Bridgestones picked random tires for every brand?

I am surprised at the somewhat subdued performance of the Road 5 CT2 in the rain when Michelin has two patents on the new sculpting and design of the Road series for just that....

Obviously, the data of the test seems to indicate they are not as effective than the Battlax. But my experience in heavy rains and poodles and water does not match what the tester seem to allude to: hydroplaning? I think I am going to send an email to Bruno Destoop.

Also, no matter how hard I pull on the lever, the ABS never engages on my V11!!!

 

[p6x]

5 hours ago, LowRyter said:

I'm sticking with cheap Dunlops.  The RS3 are $30-$50 cheaper than the 'stones.   

I've only had OEM Bridges, they didn't last and I never bought another set. That's not a fair assessment.   BTW- did you get the GT spec for heavy bikes?

In several reviews I read about the Battlax, this was the main complaint. They wear out extremely fast.

I am going to check the mileage I did on my 2022 set, which still had a lot of thread left before I got that puncture.

[LowRyter]

1 hour ago, p6x said:

In several reviews I read about the Battlax, this was the main complaint. They wear out extremely fast.

I am going to check the mileage I did on my 2022 set, which still had a lot of thread left before I got that puncture.

Perhaps, I also said it wasn't a fair assessment since they were OEM tires.  BTW- the Pirelli Rosso 3 on my Duc didn't last that long either but they really felt good.  And those were the OEM tires, I bought some generic Rosso 3 replacement (not Ducati marked) they wore out in a thousand fewer miles than the Ducati marked tires.  The Duc tires retail for a few bucks more but I just thought it was hype.  Anyway, long and short of it, I switched to Dunlops on the Duc too.  I like the cost, handling and mileage with Dunlops. 

If you wanna go back 20 years before all that and I can tell why I quit riding Dunlops the first time which were several generations replacements for 'stones...... so it goes.

[docc]

I have recently mounted the 36th rear (26th front) tire to mySport. Other than a couple pure sport tires (including the dubious Pirelli Dragon Corsa that the Sport was delivered with new) tires of whatever brand and whatever version last +/- about 10% of each other for me.  I am admittedly hard on tires and also not willing to risk my backside to get the last couple hundred miles (~5%) out of an aging tire. Even paying upwards of $300US for a new tire, mounted, that is trying to squeeze the last $15 out of a replaceable component that I am trusting life and limb to.

[motortouring]

18 hours ago, p6x said:

...

I also noted the author of the report uses the word "subjective" several times.

"Subjective" [observation] is used when there is not a predescribed testmethod that would result in measurable repeatable values(objective method). I think something like feedback is difficult to capture in an objective sense.

[motortouring]

But a question to the Dunlop Roadsmart 3 riders. I used to have them on the V11 Sport from 2002. So 120 front and 180 rear. To me they felt heavy on getting the bike into the corner. Am I the only one that has this experience? Or did you change the settings, f.Ex let the frontfork stick through the triple clamps further?

 

[Chuck]

The Dunlops have a stiff sidewall. You may or may not like that..

Gimme a Conti.

[docc]

1 hour ago, motortouring said:

But a question to the Dunlop Roadsmart 3 riders. I used to have them on the V11 Sport from 2002. So 120 front and 180 rear. To me they felt heavy on getting the bike into the corner. Am I the only one that has this experience? Or did you change the settings, f.Ex let the frontfork stick through the triple clamps further?

 

@motortouring, you are running a 180 rear on your 2002 LongFrame Sport? What about fitting a 170 next time and see how it feels?

[motortouring]

1 hour ago, docc said:

@motortouring, you are running a 180 rear on your 2002 LongFrame Sport? What about fitting a 170 next time and see how it feels?

Yes, that is what I did, but I also changed to Conti RA3. So now I do not really have a good comparison. The handling improved a lot.

My  '99 Redframe was modified with a 5,5" rear rim and that one I was riding with the T32 (120/70R17 180/55R17). That handles even better. This is why I asked for letting the fork come for 15mm or so through the triple clamp. This would compensate that raking that Guzzi did in the Longframe.

[mikev]

14 hours ago, docc said:

the 36th rear (26th front) tire to mySport

128,457 / 36 = 3568.25 avg. miles per rear tire ... 128,457 / 26 = 4940.65 avg. miles per front tire

Is this an accurate average for how long your tires last @docc?  more or less ~1 season?

Seems like 1/3 or less than how long they said my Road 5s might last.

 

 

[LowRyter]

15 hours ago, docc said:

I have recently mounted the 36th rear (26th front) tire to mySport. Other than a couple pure sport tires (including the dubious Pirelli Diablo that the Sport was delivered with new) tires of whatever brand and whatever version last +/- about 10% of each other for me.  I am admittedly hard on tires and also not willing to risk my backside to get the last couple hundred miles (~5%) out of an aging tire. Even paying upwards of $300US for a new tire, mounted, that is trying to squeeze the last $15 out of a replaceable component that I am trusting life and limb to.

So given that you've changed do many tires, what's the verdict?  Which tire do you prefer, or is it still an ongoing quest?

[LowRyter]

28 minutes ago, mikev said:

128,457 / 36 = 3568.25 avg. miles per rear tire ... 128,457 / 26 = 4940.65 avg. miles per front tire

Is this an accurate average for how long your tires last @docc?  more or less ~1 season?

Seems like 1/3 or less than how long they said my Road 5s might last.

 

 

I  find that little 170 rear on the red frame doesn't last that long.  It used up the last Michelin I ever purchased in less than 4k miles.  Given that, I thought Dunlops for third less seemed the way to go.

[Tomchri]

3500m seems like an average for rear. 4900m front = NEWER for an V11.  
BUT Pirelli Scorpion trail 2 on the Multistrada = very impressed. 8600km last year, and probably 2000km left.  Secure feeling to the edge.

Cheers Tom.

 

[docc]

1 hour ago, motortouring said:

Yes, that is what I did, but I also changed to Conti RA3. So now I do not really have a good comparison. The handling improved a lot.

My  '99 Redframe was modified with a 5,5" rear rim and that one I was riding with the T32 (120/70R17 180/55R17). That handles even better. This is why I asked for letting the fork come for 15mm or so through the triple clamp. This would compensate that raking that Guzzi did in the Longframe.

I forgot you had changed the early Sport's 4,5" rim to the later 5,5".  With my stiffer springs (front and rear), along with higher rear ride height from the Öhlins shock, I found my forks just right at 5mm above the clamp. Yet, all of the variables bear upon one another . . .

50 minutes ago, mikev said:

128,457 / 36 = 3568.25 avg. miles per rear tire ... 128,457 / 26 = 4940.65 avg. miles per front tire

Is this an accurate average for how long your tires last @docc?  more or less ~1 season?

Seems like 1/3 or less than how long they said my Road 5s might last.

 

 

That looks almost exactly right! The last time I averaged the actual mileages (22 rear and 13 front) the mileage averaged 3538 rear/4951 front.  Again, I am hard on tires with my maniacal jackrabbit riding style always rowing the gearbox and ripping around these curvy roads. But, man, is it ever fun!

22 minutes ago, LowRyter said:

So given that you've changed do many tires, what's the verdict?  Which tire do you prefer, or is it still an ongoing quest?

I suppose I've run five or six different Pirelli (Dragon, Diablo, Angel, GT in both corsa and strada variants), several different Dunlop, Michelin, and a couple Bridgestone types. I've learned that if I don't "like" a tire, no problem: it will be gone soon!

19 minutes ago, LowRyter said:

I  find that little 170 rear on the red frame doesn't last that long.  It used up the last Michelin I ever purchased in less than 4k miles.  Given that, I thought Dunlops for third less seemed the way to go.

I switched my RedFrame/ 4.5" rim to a 160 early on. I felt that the 170 was "pinched" to the smaller rim enough to reduce the roundness of the profile affecting both handling and reducing tire life.

[motortouring]

Thanks docc, I will use the info on lowering the front for future experiments.