MCN Tyre Guide 2013 by TonyHoare

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2013

M U

T IN

G ●

ORT

TYRE GUIDE

-T O U R I N G ●

● Expert opinion

● New tyres tested

U I S

● Buying & fitting advice

● Specs, fitments & prices

S ●

www.motorcyclenews.com

INTRODUCTION M

CONTENTS PAGE 4

New 2013 tyres: Sports touring tyres. Avon Storm 3D X-M, Bridgestone T30 and Pirelli Angel GT PLUS: Ron Haslam on why he uses Bridgestone T30s on track

PAGE 6

New 2013 tyres: Sporty road tyres. Continental Classic Attack and Michelin Pilot Power 3

PAGE 7-10

The listings: Prices, sizes and descriptions of every tyre that matters

S P E C I A N I D U E 20 C RE G

PAGE 12

New 2013 tyres: Adventure bikes. Continental TrailAttack2, Metzeler Tourance Next, Michelin Anakee III PLUS: Buying and fitting advice

PAGE 14

Who are you and what do you do? Every key tyre manufacturer answers the important questions...

L O N D O calling N

PRICES

WELCOME TO THE MCN TYRE GUIDE

PAGE 11

New 2013 tyres: Track-focused. Dunlop D212GP Pro, Michelin Pilot Power Supersport and Pirelli Diablo Supercorsa V2

10.07.2013 WEDNESDAY

The prices throughout this guide are provided by London-based mail order tyre retailer FWR (www.fwr.co.uk). The RRP of tyres is highly irrelevant, if a recommended price even exists. We’ve shown FWR prices because they give a realistic guideline (though fitting is extra and that cost between £30-60).

Tyre design has gone through a revolution in the past decade, with changing riding tastes leading to a shift in the type of tyres we’re buying. So if you’ve stuck with the same old tyres for years, because you know and trust them, you could be missing out. The changes we’ve seen defy statistics showing the average rider is covering fewer miles each year, because the main growth in the tyre world has been in sales of longer-lasting sports and sports-touring tyres. A decade ago, having sports touring tyres on your bike was seen by some as an admission that we weren’t fast enough to need anything sticky. It seemed sporty track tyres came with extra ‘man points’. We’re a bit more grown up now, and happier buying the tyres that suit our riding rather than the ones that relieve peer pressure. Also, sportstouring tyres have got better and better as the years go on. They really are a do-it-all option, blending fast warm-up, excellent wet grip and neutral handling with increased longevity. The latest contender in the sports-touring market for 2013 is Bridgestone’s T30, which has impressed us at MCN. Ron Haslam,

who uses Bridgestone tyres on all bikes at his Donington Park race school is a fan too. The sportier end of the road market has also improved greatly, moving away from track-specific offerings and focusing on road performance. They continue to improve on wet weather grip and mileage. Michelin’s Pilot Power 3 is the chief new tyre for 2013 in the sporty road market. And don’t forget that 10 years ago the adventure tyre was in its infancy, with BMW’s R1200GS still a year away from launch. The number of tyres available in that burgeoning sector has grown massively, and there are three new contenders for your adventure tyre money in 2013. This 16-page guide highlights all the key new offerings for this year, including MCN reviews you can trust. We’ve packed in listings of all the tyres that matter in sports, sports-touring, adventure, cruiser and tourer offerings. They’re listed by category, then by make, model and size. There’s also advice on buying and fitting from the main manufacturers. If you’ve not tried something different for a while, see how much the tyre world has changed.

Tony Hoare, MCN Consumer Editor

RIDE IN - RIDE OUT CENTRE

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04 SPORTS TOURING TYRES

NEW 2013 TYRES Sports-touring and adventure tyres dominate when it comes to new tyre launches in 2013, though any award for most active manufacturer would have to go to Michelin. Throughout this guide you’ll find reviews of the myriad new tyres, explaining what they do, what’s new about them and what they’re like to ride on. The three new sports touring offerings are reviewed here, with Pirelli and Bridgestone leading the way in 2013. Pirelli has updated its existing Angel ST to create the Angel GT (Gran Turismo), and Bridgestone has released the impressive T30. It’s the first in the company’s new T range, as Bridgestone looks to keep it simple for us motorcyclists by having R tyres for racing, S tyres for sports riding and T tyres for sports touring. Avon have also added a harder-wearing tyre to their sports touring range, with the Storm Ultra 3D X-M being a more durable option for higher powered machines. Sporty road riders get Michelin’s new Pilot Power 3, an evolution of the popular Pilot Power 2CT and a replacement for the Power Pure, which had only been around since 2010. The other sporty option this year is a little more leftfield, as it’s for classic machines – the Continental Classic Attack is the first radial tyre designed

‘Sports-touring and adventure tyres dominate when it comes to new tyre launches in 2013’ MCN

especially for older bikes. You’ll see our reports on those on page 6. For track riders there are three key new tyres this year. Dunlop has added the D212 GP Pro, based on its madein-England D211 GP tyre but made in France and more readily available through tyre dealers. Michelin has its new Pilot Power Supersport and Pirelli has updated its very popular Diablo Supercorsa sticky track tyre. We’ve tested all three and you’ll read our findings on page 11. But the most competitive sector for 2013 is adventure tyres. The arrival of BMW’s R1200GS and KTM’s 1190 Adventure, both more powerful than their predecessors, has meant a wave of new tyres to suit. MCN Senior Editor Richard Newland has tested all three on a GS and his detailed views are on pages 12 and 13. It’s been an exciting year in tyres and we hope you’ll feel enlightened and up to speed by the time you’ve read our definitive guide.

Bridgestone’s T30 has been developed to deliver a wide range of performance. From commuting to track days, you can do it all

Bridgestone T30

from £245

A sports touring tyre that seems to be able to turn its hand to any riding situation What’s new? A new compound, construction and tread pattern with improved rigidity, better handling and dry grip than the BT-023 it replaces. Bridgestone claim the new T30 will give greater mileage than the outgoing BT-023 along with much improved wet weather grip; all developments the firm claim originate from designing tyres for MotoGP. What are they like? When these tyres went on our Ducati Multistrada 1200 S Touring they were so new Bridgestone shipped them directly to us from the factory in Japan in January 2013. On the road the immediate feeling was positive but with one reservation. It was very cold (near freezing) for days on end and it appeared the Ducati’s traction control light was almost permanently on when accelerating. This had never happened with the original fitment Pirelli Scorpion Trail, when the T30 should have offered better grip than the Pirelli. Dropping the rear tyre pressure from the Bridgestone-recommended 42psi to Ducati’s recommendation of 36psi immediately put the traction control light out, even when the bike was pinned open in the lower gears. That blip sorted, the Bridgestones performed very well and I highly

i Who are they for? A sports touring tyre aimed at those who want to use the same tyre for commuting, Sunday blasts, holidays and the odd track day ■ Which bikes?

600+

Mid-size and sports nakeds, 600s and 1000s supersports and sports tourers

■ Sizes

F: From 110/70/17 to 120/70/17 R: 160/60 x 18 and all popular 17in sizes from 150/70 to 190/55 (see the listings in the middle of this guide for a full list of sizes)

recommend them to anyone. As well as trying them on my Multistrada, I tried them on track at the Ron Haslam Race School, fitted to a Honda CBR600RR, and was hugely impressed at the high speed stability and grip available. Watching Ron Haslam arcing a Honda Fireblade with a bit of a tailslide all the way down Craner Curves WITH A PILLION ONBOARD as he overtook me proved sports touring tyres give more than enough grip! On the Multistrada and on the road the T30s were excellent in every regard. They dealt with everything thrown at them, including snow, with

incredible prowess. To think these are sports touring tyres is even more mind-blowing to me. To have expected wet and dry grip with the mileage available from a sports touring tyre like this would have been insane just a few years ago. They also managed to keep wet weather grip despite being flattened down the middle of the rear tyre on a horribly wet ride back from Italy. Eventually they were nearly worn out. In fairness I could probably have got another 750 miles of the T30s to take the total mileage to nearly 6000 but they were very flat down the middle at the rear after completing 2500 miles in five days to Italy and back with full panniers and a topbox. Considering the 150bhp and thudding torque produced by the Multistrada’s V-twin the wear rate on these tyres is very impressive.

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10.07.2013 WEDNESDAY

Pirelli Angel GT RRP£228 What’s new? There’s a new 100% silica single compound front and dual compound rear tyre with revised profile shapes, construction and tread pattern, for improved grip, steering agility and longevity. According to Pirelli, they last longer than their rivals’ offerings when tested at the independent ‘Motorrad Test Centre’. What are they like? Who would’ve thought you could fit sports touring tyres to a superbike like a Yamaha R1 and have real fun around a race track? Sports touring tyres used to be all about big mileages, but they never had enough grip or steering agility to use on a sports bike. But the latest generation, like the new Pirelli Angel GT (Gran Turismo), mean you can have your tyre cake and eat it. These tyres will do just about everything from commuting to holidays and even track days. We tried Pirelli’s new rubber around a dry, but slippery Targa Florio road course in Sicily, on a Kawasaki ZX-10R and performed a simulated wet-weather braking test on a Kawasaki Z1000SX…

i Who are they for? Riders who want to use the same tyre for commuting, Sunday blasts, holidays and the odd track day ■ Which bikes?

600+

Mid-size and sports nakeds, 600s and 1000s supersports and sports tourers

■ Sizes

Front: 120/60 and 120/70 x 17. 110/80 and 120/70 x 18. Rear: 160/60 x 18 and all popular 17in sizes from 150/70 to 190/55

on the deck of an Italian Navy aircraft carrier, called the Cavour. As you do. We also tested them on a beautiful track at the Nardo proving ground in Italy on an R1, a Kawasaki Z800 and Yamaha FJR1300. On our road test, on a ZX-10R, they warmed up faster than sports tyres – especially beneficial in a cold UK. They offer excellent grip and steering agility, even on a superbike. For our wet-weather braking test on the deck of an aircraft carrier, they pulled up perfectly from 500mph, but the deck of the ship had a surface like sandpaper and the Z1000SX had ABS, so it was always going to stop well. Most impressive was the Angel GT’s performance around the Nardo test track. We’re not going to pretend they have the poise, grip and steering lightness of full-on sports or track day tyres, but they’re hugely capable and the rear refuses to let go unless you’re pushing very hard. We reckon they’re the sportiest of all the sports touring tyres. ■ More info: www. pirellimoto.co.uk

Avon Storm 3D X-M RRP£215 a pair What’s new? Replacing the Storm 2 Ultra tyre, the Strom 3D X-M is a touring tyre that has been specifically designed to offer increased longevity with improved wet and dry grip. What are they like? Avon says its tests show the new 3D tyre lasts 20% longer than the Storm 2 Ultra it replaces, a tyre already popular with high performance sports tourer riders thanks to its good wear rates and grip levels. The Storm 3D X-M (Xtra Mileage) has a dual-compound construction with an additional layer of compound on the rear tyre to help it last longer. The use of 3D sipes, small cuts in the rubber with interlocking teeth in each sipe, allow heat to get into the compound so Avon can use a 1mm deeper groove as well as a harder compound without compromising grip. The rear is a sharper profile than its predecessor, which improves handling. Avon launched the Storm 3D X-M at Castle Combe circuit, a notoriously bumpy and fast track that TT teams use to set up their bikes for the Isle of Man. Riding a Yamaha FZ1 Fazer, the new tyre

i Who are they for? Year round, all-weather, long-distance riders who want to enjoy spirited riding and the odd track day too ■ Which bikes? 1000cc+

Sports tourers, tourers and hyperbikes

■ Sizes

Front: 120/70 x 17 Rear: 180/55 x 17, 190/50 x 17

provided a remarkable level of grip, allowing the pegs to be dragged through third gear off-camber corners with confidence. At the end of a continuous stint of over 30 fast laps the rear began to slide when powering on in third gear, but for a tyre designed to last between 10,000 and 12,000 miles that’s quite an achievement. The steering felt composed and the Storm provided good grip right from cold with impressive stability at speed. The new Storm 3D X-M is one of the first tyres to be produced at Avon’s factory in Melksham, Wiltshire since it benefited from a £20 million investment in new machinery. The company, which makes around 400,000 motorcycle tyres each year and has been owned since 1997 by American giant Cooper-Tire, is now looking to force its way into the lucrative market for providing original equipment fitment tyres to the major motorcycle manufacturers. ■ More info: www.avon-tyres. co.uk/motorcycle

EXPERT OPINION

‘To have a tyre that will deal with everything is unbelievable’ Ron Haslam, British racing legend he Ron Haslam Race School uses Bridgestone’s new T30 sports touring tyre on its bikes, including those ridden by the school’s team of instructors. That means using a long-lasting tyre to ride fast around a track. The idea of a sports touring tyre appeals because of the all-round capability and the fact they last a long time. But they have to be able to cope with fast lap times on the school, and if you still feel sports touring tyres are the choice of slow coaches then check out the onboard video of Ron Haslam lapping Donington Park on a Honda CBR600RR shod with the Bridgestone T30 tyres. Haslam says: “We moved over to the T30 because we’d done quite a bit of testing on it in the wet and dry and found it a really good all-round tyre. It gave the grip we wanted and we found it lasted, which is what we need as when you’re running a race school you don’t want to be putting tyres on halfway through a day. With it having wider grooves it also copes well with the rain, so it does everything we ask of it. “If you go to a full slick tyre you will do better in dry conditions, but for us to have a tyre that will deal with everything like the T30 does is unbelievable. “Because we’re on a track we can push it to the limit, and the

character of how it slides and spins when it gets to the limit is quite nice and predictable. I was really pleased with it for the school. “Since the days when I raced, everything has come along so much – that’s the bikes and the tyres. I can lap Donington Park as quick now on a standard Fireblade on standard tyres as I did on my GP bike when I raced. “It’s the wet performance and durability that make sports-touring tyres attractive to us. Lots of sports tyres have good grip, but they don’t all have enough grooves for the wet, or the grooves don’t go far enough to the edge. “The T30 grooves go far enough to the edge to give grip and shift water. With some of the tyres they give you grip in the wet while you’re on the groove, but that means you have the confidence to lean over and then you’re on the slick bit, which has no grip. “It can be quite cold in Britain, so it’s good to have a tyre that warms up quickly. At Donington I give the T30 a lap-and-a-half to warm up and then I don’t think any more about it. Any tyre with grooves in the tread will warm up quicker than a slick and with this tyre having quite wide grooves it moves the rubber around quite nicely. “You can’t relate a sports touring tyre to a full wet or a full slick, but in terms of all-round riding the performance now is unbelievable.”

The grip and longevity of new touring tyres is perfect for training schools

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06 SPORTS TYRES Michelin Pilot Power 3 £231 Fitted to a Honda CB750 F1, the ClassicAttacks provided plenty of cornering confidence

Continental ClassicAttack £270 Modern tyre techology arrives for superbikes from the ’70s What’s new? It’s the first radial-belted tyre produced for classic bikes, and as such allows the use of other modern tyre construction methods and technology. A short scrubbing-in period is claimed, as is quick warmup time. Continental’s ’Continuous Compound’ claims to give a hardwearing centre section with soft, grippy shoulders. What are they like? The stable yet precise handling that the arrival of radial tyres allowed compared to cross-plies can finally be experienced by owners of classic bikes. All of Continental’s competitors in this fitment are crossply, and while they’re generally good tyres, they are subject to the limitations of the construction method. The ClassicAttack instantly inspired cornering confidence right from fitment on a 1976 Honda CB750 F1 and a Suzuki GS750. Shiny, slippy new tyres are increasingly disappearing, and the Contis are part of the new breed that don’t give a nervous moment in the first few miles. This is especially important on classic machines that could be worth £10,000-£20,000, and with many parts impossible to find (damaging the exhausts on a 1972 Kawasaki Z1 could reduce a middle-aged man to tears). Both test bikes previously had competitor tyres in good condition fitted (Avon’s Roadrider

i Who are they for? Owners of 1970s superbikes looking for 21st century grip and handling ■ Which bikes?

Most 1970s and some 1980s big bikes

■ Sizes

Front: 100/90 R19 (equivalent to 3.25 x 19) Rear: 110/90 R18 (4.00 x 18) and 120/90 R18 (4.25 x 18)

and the Bridgestone BT45), and the Continentals give a considerably sharper, more aggressive profile. The visual difference is reflected in the

steering – both bikes steered and leant into corners with less effort. Classic bikes come with classic frame and suspension design, so feel is never great and often there’s a blind reliance on the bike’s ability, but even so the ClassicAttacks were reassuring when hustling the heavy twin-shock machines along bumpy, winding A-roads with feedback at least as good as any of the existing cross-ply options. Continental’s fast warm-up claim checks out too – even on cool mornings the tyres got up to operating temperature within a mile or two, and on a spirited ride the ClassicAttacks build and retain heat well during short stops for fuel and so on. Another benefit of radials is better stability. Push an old bike hard and it’ll eventually wriggle and twitch its bars over imperfections in the road. The ClassicAttacks seemed to react less to poorly maintained roads than a cross-ply would. We’re yet to directly test the Continentals against the proven opposition (or in the wet), but first impressions are promising, and they could well relegate the competition to second-best, if not render them obsolete. The only downside is the fitment list is small – the single front and two rears cover a reasonable range of ’70s bikes, but we’d like to see fitments to cover other retro sizes – like the 18in and 16in fronts common in the 1980s. ■ More info: www.conti-bike.co.uk

What’s new? The Power 3 has new compounds, tread pattern and profile – all for improved stability, wet and dry grip and agility. The front tyre has Michelin’s tried and tested ‘2CT’ technology, using a hard compound in the middle of the tyre for braking stability and long life, and a softer compound on the edges for grip. The rear tyre features Michelin’s new ‘2CT +’ technology. It’s still dual compound, but there’s a foundation of hard compound rubber beneath the soft edges, which makes the tyre stiffer. It gives the tyre more durability, stability and allows the pressure to be dropped on-track for a bigger footprint and better grip. What are they like? The third generation dualcompound Pilot Power, which follows on from the Pilot Power 2CT and Pilot Power Pure, is arguably the most important tyre of Michelin’s four new releases for 2013 because it’s for most bikes and most riding conditions. It’s designed to fit a wide range of sports bikes and nakeds and can be used for everything from commuting and weekend blasts to the odd trackday. Think of them as fitting between high-mileage sports touring rubber and super-sticky fast road/trackday tyres. It’s a tyre for most people, on most bikes, for most of the time. Michelin is especially proud of the Pilot Power 3’s wet-weather performance and during the launch in Portugal they performed a braking test with a BMW S1000RR stopping from 30mph. In the wet the rider stopped within a handful of metres of the distance he managed doing the same thing in dry conditions. We tried the Pilot Power 3 on a Kawasaki Z800 and Yamaha FZ8 on Portuguese roads, in mixed wet/dry conditions. There were no problems with grip and they gave lots of confidence. They were impressive when the road changed from dry to butt-clenchingly wet as well. They let the bikes dance from corner to corner with ease, gave a comfortable

Pilot Power 3s can be used for everything from commuting to a trackday and are impressive in wet and dry conditions

i Who are they for? Those who ride on the road and do the occasional track day. ■ Which bikes?

600+

…from 1000cc and 600cc sports bikes, to sports and super nakeds

■ Sizes

Front: 120/70 x 17 120/60 x 17 Rear: 160/60 x 17 180/55 x 17 190/50 x 17 190/55 x 17

ride and warmed up fast. We also tried them on a wet track, fitted to a BMW S1000RR. Their grip, feel and confidence in these tricky conditions was very impressive. You can often tell a Michelin from its slightly ‘squidgy’ feel – like there’s another layer of suspension, which gives very good wet riding confidence and a plush ride quality, and this is something the Pilot Power 3 has. MCN has also ridden with the Power 3 on a Ducati Multistrada 1200 on British roads for more than 1000 miles, and the performance has been hugely impressive. As a road tyre they give almost everything to everyone with excellent dry and wet grip, plenty of braking confidence and a plush feeling that works to smother a little of the nasty state the roads are in across much of the country. ■ More info: moto.michelin.co.uk

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10.07.2013 Wednesday

tYRE Listing

All the tyres that matter are listed, by category and then by make and model. We’ve summed up what each tyre is designed to do, given a guideline mail order price for a pair, without fitting costs, and then listed the sizes available for front and rear tyres. Prices are for the most common sizes so they will vary depending on your bike.

Sports touring tyres There’s been a revolution in the sports touring category over the past five years, with performance that strays into the territory that would traditionally be associated with sporty road tyres. But that has happened without costing the best tyres any of their durability or wet weather grip. Tyre manufacturers have worked out that riding in the rain is a nervy experience for most riders and have focused on improving performance in this category in recent years. This is now the most

competitive category in the tyre market and the older models, kept in the range to give a budget option, represent excellent value for money.

190/50 ZR17 (73W), 190/55 ZR17 (75W), 160/60 ZR18 (70W).

■ We tested them around Castle Combe circuit and steering felt composed and the storm provided good grip right from cold with impressive stability at speed Front: 120/70 ZR17 (58W). Rear: 180/55 ZR17 (73W), 190/50 ZR17 (73W).

BRIDGESTONE BATTLAX T30 GT £245

AVON STORM 2 ULTRA AV55 (front) & AV56 (rear) £185

BRIDGESTONE BATTLAX BT-023 & BT-023 GT £212

BRIDGESTONE BATTLAX T30 £245 ■ On our ducati Multistrada 1200 test bike they gave huge confidence in the cold and wet, and dry performance has been a revelation since temperatures went over 10°C. They warm up fast, grip very well under braking and are great in corners (see p4-5). Front: 110/70 ZR17 (54W), 120/60 ZR17 (55W), 120/70 ZR17 (58W), 110/80 ZR18 (58W), 120/70 ZR18 (59W), 110/80 ZR19 (59W). Rear: 150/70 ZR17 (69W), 160/60 ZR17 (69W), 160/70 ZR17 (73W), 170/60 ZR17 (72W), 180/55 ZR17 (73W),

BRIDGESTONE BATTLAX BT92 £190 ■ Hard-wearing radial option for smaller bikes Front: 110/70 R17 54H, 120/60 R17 55H, 120/70 R17 58H. Rear: 150/60 R17 66H, 160/60 R17 69H, 140/60 R18 64H, 150/60 R18 67H.

CONTINENTAL CONTI ROADATTACK 2 £225

AVON STORM 3D X-M AV65 (front) & AV66 (rear) £215

■ Popular and hard-wearing sports tyre that’s been around since 2010 Front: 110/70 ZR17 (54W), 120/60 ZR17 (55W), 120/70 ZR17 (58W), 130/70 R17 62V, 110/80 ZR18 (58W), 120/70 ZR18 (59W). Rear: 150/70 ZR17 (69W), 160/60 ZR17 (69W), 160/70 R17 79V reinf., 170/60 ZR17 (72W), 180/55 ZR17 (73W), 190/50 ZR17 (73W), 200/50 ZR17 (75W), 150/70 ZR18 (70W), 160/60 ZR18 (70W).

ZR17 (55W), 120/70 ZR17 (58W). Rear: 150/70 ZR17 (69W), 160/60 ZR17 (69W), 170/60 ZR17 (72W), 180/55 ZR17 (73W), 190/50 ZR17 (73W), 160/60 ZR18 (70W).

■ Version of T30 (see above) for heavier bikes Front: 120/70 ZR17 (58W), 120/70 ZR18 (59W). Rear: 170/60 ZR17 (72W), 180/55 ZR17 (73W), 190/55 ZR17 (75W).

■ second-generation sports-touring tyre that gives big mileage, good grip and now at a cheaper price thanks to the arrival of the T30 at the top of the range Front: 110/70 ZR17 (54W), 120/60 ZR17 (55W), 120/70 ZR17 (58W), 110/80 ZR18 (58W), 120/70 ZR18 (59W), 110/80 ZR19 (59W). Rear: 150/70 ZR17 (69W), 160/60 ZR17 (69W), 160/70 ZR17 (73W), 170/60 ZR17 (72W), 180/55 ZR17 (73W), 190/50 ZR17 (73W), 160/60 ZR18 (70W).

BRIDGESTONE BATTLAX BT-023 GT £212 ■ This is a version of BT-023 (above) for heavier bikes Front: 120/70 ZR17 (58W), 120/70 ZR18 (59W). Rear: 170/60 ZR17 (72W), 180/55 ZR17 (73W), 190/55 ZR17 (75W).

BRIDGESTONE BATTLAX BT-021 £193 ■ Kept in Bridgestone’s range as an entry-level sports-touring tyre. Old technology now, but still a good value choice Front: 110/70 ZR17 (54W), 120/60

■ sports-touring tyre launched in 2010 to succeed the Roadattack. soft and grippy with fast warm-up and good handling characteristics. Heavier bikes benefit from the GT version (below) Front: 110/70 ZR17 54W, 120/60 ZR17 (55W), 120/70 ZR17 (58W), 100/90 R18 56V, 110/80 ZR18 (58W), 120/70 ZR18 (59W), 110/80 R19 59V. Rear: 150/70 R17 69V, 150/70 ZR17 69W, 160/60 ZR17 (69W), 170/60 ZR17 (72W), 180/55 ZR17 (73W), 190/50 ZR17 (73W), 190/55 ZR17 (75W), 130/80 R18 66V, 160/60 ZR18 (70W).

CONTINENTAL CONTI ROAD ATTACK2 GT £225 ■ Version of Roadattack2 (above) for heavier bikes Front: 120/70 ZR17 (58W). Rear: 170/60 ZR17 (72W), 180/55 ZR17 (73W), 190/55 ZR17 (75W).

CONTINENTAL CONTI ROADATTACK £190 ■ Predecessor to Conti Roadattack2, now at a cheaper price. some love them, others find the wet grip lacking Front: 120/60 ZR17 (55W), 120/70 ZR17 (58W). Rear: 160/60 ZR17 (69W), 180/55 ZR17 (73W), 190/50 ZR17 (73W).

CONTINENTAL CONTIMOTION £168 ■ Getting on now. Kept in range as entry-level, budget tyre Front: 110/70 ZR17 54W, 120/60 ZR17 (55W), 120/70 ZR17 (58W), 130/70 R18 63H. Rear: 160/80 R16 75H, 150/70 ZR17 69W, 160/60 ZR17 (69W), 170/60 ZR17 (72W), 180/55 ZR17 (73W), 190/50 ZR17 (73W).

CONTINENTAL CONTI CLASSIC ATTACK £270 new radial tyre for the growing classic market (see p6) Front: 100/90 R19 57V. Rear: 110/90 R18 61V, 120/90 R18 65V.

DUNLOP SPORTMAX ROADSMART II £255 ■ Impressive sports-touring tyre

that arrived in 2011 to replace the game-changing Roadsmart (below) Front: 110/70 ZR17 (54W), 120/60 ZR17 (55W), 120/70 ZR17 (58W), 110/80 ZR18 (58W), 120/70 ZR18 (59W), 110/80 R19 59V. Rear: 150/70 R17 69V, 150/70 ZR17 (69W), 160/60 ZR17 (69W), 160/70 ZR17 (73W), 170/60 ZR17 (72W), 180/55 ZR17 (73W), 190/50 ZR17 (73W), 190/55 ZR17 (75W), 160/60 ZR18 (70W).

DUNLOP SPORTMAX ROADSMART £231 ■ Moved the sports-touring genre on when it appeared in 2008. still a very good tyre and well priced, but in fewer sizes than its replacement Front: 120/60 ZR17 (55W), 120/70 ZR17 (58W). Rear: 160/60 ZR17 (69W), 170/60 ZR17 (72W), 180/55 ZR17 (73W).

MAXXIS SUPERMAXX DIAMOND MA-3DS £175 arrived with big boasts over wet grip thanks to unique pattern on the edges. not so popular in damp conditions rather than properly wet Front: 120/70 ZR17 (58W). Rear: 160/60 ZR17 (69W), 180/55 ZR17 (73W), 190/50 ZR17 (73W), 190/55 ZR17 (75W).

MAXXIS SUPERMAXX TOURING M6029 £150 ■ entry-level touring tyre that’s cheap and promises longevity Front: 130/70 ZR16 (61W), 110/70 ZR17 (54W), 110/80 ZR17 (57W), 120/60 ZR17 (55W), 120/65 ZR17 (56W), 120/70 ZR17 (58W). Rear: 150/70 ZR17 (69W), 160/60 ZR17 (69W), 170/60 ZR17 (72W), 180/55 ZR17 (73W), 190/50 ZR17 (73W), 200/50 ZR17 (75W).

METZELER ROADTEC Z8 INTERACT M £222 ■ dual-compound tyre released to give Metzeler’s sports-touring tyre greater mileage Front: 120/70 ZR17 (58W). Rear: 180/55 ZR17 (73W), 190/50 ZR17 (73W), 190/55 ZR17 (75W).

METZELER ROADTEC Z8 INTERACT O £222 ■ Rear only, for heavier bikes, with dual-compound construction Rear: 180/55 ZR17 (73W), 190/50 ZR17 (73W), 190/55 ZR17 (75W).

160/60 ZR18 (70W).

MICHELIN PILOT ROAD £165

MICHELIN PILOT ROAD 3 £236

■ Quite old technology now, but still a good budget option that lasts well and gives decent enough grip, if not on a par with more modern offerings Front: 120/60 ZR17 (55W), 120/70 ZR17 (58W). Rear: 150/70 ZR17 (69W), 160/60 ZR17 (69W), 170/60 ZR17 (72W), 180/55 ZR17 (73W), 190/50 ZR17 (73W).

distinctive looks from the design for excellent wet weather grip. Watch the wear on the front tyre, especially on heavier bikes Front: 110/70 ZR17 (54W), 120/60 ZR17 (55W), 120/70 ZR17 (58W), 110/80 ZR18 (58W), 120/70 ZR18 (59W). Rear: 150/70 ZR17 (69W), 160/60 ZR17 (69W), 170/60 ZR17 (72W), 180/55 ZR17 (73W), 190/50 ZR17 (73W), 190/55 ZR17 (75W), 160/60 ZR18 (70W).

MICHELIN PILOT ROAD 3 TRAIL £214 ■ Version of Pilot Road 3 (above) for big adventure bikes Front: 110/80 R19 59V. Rear: 150/70 R17 69V.

MICHELIN PILOT ROAD 2 £208 ■ Michelin’s 2007 tyre laid the groundwork for its successor, with good wet grip and impressive mileage returns making it a popular choice Front: 110/70 ZR17 (54W), 120/60 ZR17 (55W), 120/70 ZR17 (58W), 110/80 ZR18 (58W), 120/70 ZR18 (59W). Rear: 150/70 ZR17 (69W), 160/60 ZR17 (69W), 170/60 ZR17 (72W), 180/55 ZR17 (73W), 190/50 ZR17 (73W), 190/55 ZR17 (75W), 160/60 ZR18 (70W).

PIRELLI ANGEL GT £228 ■ Pirelli’s new sports-touring tyre has impressed us with its balance of road manners and agile handling. see page 4-5 Front: 120/60 ZR17 (55W), 120/70 ZR17 (58W), 110/80 ZR18 (58W), 120/70 ZR18 (59W). Rear: 150/70 ZR17 (69W), 160/60 ZR17 (69W), 170/60 ZR17 (72W), 180/55 ZR17 (73W)*, 190/50 ZR17 (73W)*, 190/55 ZR17 (75W)*, 160/60 ZR18 (70W). * also available with an ‘a’ suffix for heavier bikes

ANGEL ST £203 ■ Pirelli’s sports-touring tyre, standard fitment on bikes like the Triumph Tiger sport, stays in the range for 2013 Front: 120/60 ZR17 (55W), 120/70 ZR17 (58W), 120/70 ZR18 (59W). Rear: 150/70 ZR17 (69W), 160/60 ZR17 (69W), 170/60 ZR17 (72W), 180/55 ZR17 (73W), 190/50 ZR17 (73W), 190/55 ZR17 (75W), 160/60 ZR18 (70W).

Sports tyres All-round performance has become much more important in this category of late, as most riders who ride regularly on track now have dedicated tyres for the purpose. So sports tyres can focus on warming up more quickly, coping with rough surfaces and wet roads and delivering a little more mileage than in days of old. You can expect somewhere around 3000-4000 miles from a pair of modern sports tyres, with dual compounds helping prolong their life thanks to harder wearing centre sections of tread. As

with sports-touring, older models stay in the range to give good budget options.

METZELER ROADTEC Z8 INTERACT £222 ■ If there’s no suffix M or O letter then this is the original singlecompound Roadtec Z8 Interact Front: 110/70 ZR17 54W, 120/60 ZR17 (55W), 110/80 ZR18 (58W), 120/70 ZR18 (59W). Rear: 150/70 ZR17 (69W), 160/60 ZR17 (69W), 170/60 ZR17 (72W), 160/60 ZR18 (70W).

METZELER ROADTEC Z6 £172 ■ Popular mid-2000s sport-touring tyre left in the range as a budget option Front: 110/70 ZR17 54W, 120/60 ZR17 (55W), 120/70 ZR17 (58W), 110/80 ZR18 (58W), 120/70 ZR18 (59W). Rear: 150/70 ZR17 (69W), 160/60 ZR17 (69W), 170/60 ZR17 (72W), 180/55 ZR17 (73W), 190/50 ZR17 (73W),

AVON 3D ULTRA SPORT AV79 & AV80 £215 ■ avon’s Ultra range, introduced last year, was a big step forward for the British manufacturer. The Ultra sport is a road-biased tyre that warm up quickly and give good feel Front: 130/70 ZR16 (61W), 120/60 ZR17 (55W), 120/70 ZR17 (58W). Rear: 150/60 ZR17 (66W), 160/60 ZR17 (69W), 180/55 ZR17 (73W), 190/50 ZR17 (73W), 190/55 ZR17 (75W), 200/50 ZR17 (75W).

BRIDGESTONE BATTLAX S20 £233 Grippy sports tyre that performs well in the wet too. standard fitment on sports bikes like the Kawasaki ZX-6R 636 and Honda Fireblade

Front: 130/70 ZR16 (61W), 110/70 ZR17 (54W), 120/60 ZR17 (55W), 120/70 ZR17 (58W). Rear: 150/60 ZR17 (66W), 160/60 ZR17 (69W), 170/60 ZR17 (72W), 180/55 ZR17 (73W), 190/50 ZR17 (73W), 190/55 ZR17 (75W), 200/50 ZR17 (75W).

BRIDGESTONE BATTLAX BT-016 PRO £197 ■ Predecessor of s20 but now at a lower price and with an expanded range of sizes. They’ll take all you can throw at them on the road and only dedicated track day riders will find their limitations when pushing for fast laps Front: 130/70 ZR16 (61W), 110/70 ZR17 (54W), 120/60 ZR17 (55W), Continued over

www.motorcyclenews.com

08 Tyre Listing 120/70 ZR17 (58W). Rear: 150/60 ZR17 (66W), 160/60 ZR17 (69W), 170/60 ZR17 (72W), 180/55 ZR17 (73W), 190/50 ZR17 (73W), 190/55 ZR17 (75W).

CONTINENTAL ContiSportAttack 2 £228 German firm Conti’s latest sports tyre was developed for the s1000RR, for which it is one of the standard fitment tyres Front: 110/70 ZR17 (54W), 120/60 ZR17 (55W), 120/70 ZR17 (58W). Rear: 150/60 ZR17 (66W), 160/60 ZR17 (69W), 180/55 ZR17 (73W), 190/50 ZR17 (73W), 190/55 ZR17 (75W), 200/55 ZR17 (78W).

CONTINENTAL ContiSportAttack £195 ■ Lower priced alternative to the newer sportattack 2 Front: 130/70 ZR16 (61W), 110/70 ZR17 (54W), 120/60 ZR17 (55W), 120/70 ZR17 (58W). Rear: 150/60 ZR17 (66W), 160/60 ZR17 (69W), 180/55 ZR17 (73W), 190/50 ZR17 (73W), 190/55 ZR17 (75W).

DUNLOP SPORTMAX SPORTSMART £257 ■ One of the most popular sports tyres of recent years, offering an excellent combination of dry and wet grip, sporty handling and good wear rates for the class Front: 120/60 ZR17 (55W), 120/70 ZR17 (58W). Rear: 160/60 ZR17 (69W), 180/55 ZR17 (73W), 190/50 ZR17 (73W), 190/55 ZR17 (75W).

DUNLOP SPORTMAX QUALIFIER II £234 ■ eclipsed in performance and durability by the sportsmart, but the Qualifier II is cheap and comes in a wide range of sizes (including a 16in front) Front: 130/70 ZR16 (61W), 120/60 ZR17 (55W), 120/70 ZR17 (58W). Rear: 160/60 ZR17 (69W), 170/60 ZR17 (72W), 180/55 ZR17 (73W), 190/50 ZR17 (73W), 190/55 ZR17 (75W), 200/50 ZR17 (75W).

DUNLOP SPORTMAX QUALIFIER £189 ■ dunlop’s entry level sports tyre and the predecessor of the Qualifier II. a cheap option Front: 120/60 ZR17 (55W), 120/70 ZR17 (58W). Rear: 150/60 ZR17 (66W), 160/60 ZR17 (69W), 180/55 ZR17 (73W), 190/50 ZR17 (73W).

METZELER SPORTEC M5 INTERACT £208 ■ Friendly, confidence-inspiring, neutral- handling tyre. For trackday regulars Metzeler’s Racetec Interact K3 would be a better bet, but this is the tyre for swift road riders. Front: 110/70 ZR17 54W, 120/60 ZR17 (55W), 120/70 ZR17 (58W). Rear: 150/60 ZR17 66W, 160/60 ZR17 (69W), 170/60 ZR17 (72W), 180/55 ZR17 (73W), 190/50 ZR17 (73W), 190/55 ZR17 (75W), 200/50 ZR17 (75W).

METZELER SPORTEC M3 £172 ■ Lower priced alternative to the newer sportec M5 Interact

Front: 130/70 ZR16 (61W), 120/60 ZR17 (55W), 120/65 ZR17 (56W), 120/70 ZR17 (58W). Rear: 160/60 ZR17 (69W), 180/55 ZR17 (73W), 190/50 ZR17 (73W), 190/55 ZR17 (75W).

MICHELIN PILOT POWER 3 £231 We’ve tried Michelin’s newest sports tyre on road and track and were impressed by their performance in all conditions, including cold, wet and dry. see page 6 Front: 120/60 ZR17 (55W), 120/70 ZR17 (58W). Rear: 160/60 ZR17 (69W), 180/55 ZR17 (73W), 190/50 ZR17 (73W), 190/55 ZR17 (75W).

MICHELIN PILOT POWER 2CT £208 ■ Lower priced alternative to the new Pilot Power 3. The 2CT refers to the dual-compound construction. It’s been around for years, but remains a popular choice Front: 120/60 ZR17 (55W), 120/70 ZR17 (58W). Rear: 160/60 ZR17 (69W), 180/55 ZR17 (73W), 190/50 ZR17 (73W), 190/55 ZR17 (75W).

MICHELIN PILOT POWER £165 ■ Michelin’s entry level sports tyre. single compound version of the Pilot Power 2CT, so don’t expect it to last as long as its successors Front: 110/70 ZR17 (54W), 120/60 ZR17 (55W), 120/65 ZR17 (56W), 120/70 ZR17 (58W). Rear: 150/60 ZR17 (66W), 160/60 ZR17 (69W), 170/60 ZR17 (72W), 180/55 ZR17 (73W), 190/50 ZR17 (73W), 190/55 ZR17 (75W).

PIRELLI DIABLO ROSSO CORSA £237 ■ Pirelli has two premium tyres in this sector. This one’s for fast road riding and occasional track days and it’s a great performer Front: 120/60 ZR17 (55W), 120/65 ZR17 (56W), 120/70 ZR17 (58W). Rear: 160/60 ZR17 (69W), 180/55 ZR17 (73W), 180/60 ZR17 (75W), 190/50 ZR17 (73W), 190/55 ZR17 (75W), 200/55 ZR17 (78W).

PIRELLI DIABLO ROSSO 2 £214 ■ The diablo Rosso 2 is for all-round sports road riding and is far more road-oriented than Pirelli’s diablo Rosso Corsa Front: 110/70 R17 54H, 110/70 ZR17 54W, 120/60 R17 55H, 120/60 ZR17 (55W), 120/70 R17 58H, 120/70 ZR17 (58W). Rear: 140/70 R17 66H, 150/60 R17 66H, 150/60 ZR17 66W, 160/60 R17 69H, 160/60 ZR17 (69W), 170/60 ZR17 (72W), 180/55 ZR17 (73W), 190/50 ZR17 (73W), 190/55 ZR17 (75W), 240/45 ZR17 (82W).

PIRELLI DIABLO £180 ■ Lower priced entry level alternative to the newer diablo Rosso 2 Front: 130/70 ZR16 (61W), 120/60 ZR17 (55W), 120/70 ZR17 (58W). Rear: 160/60 ZR17 (69W), 180/55 ZR17 (73W), 190/50 ZR17 (73W), 200/50 ZR17 (75W).

THE WEEK 02-06

FOCUS 08-31

COMMENT 32-35

BUYING & SELLING 37-55

racing street tyres Now that track day regulars tend to buy the same tyres as racers – after all, there’s not much difference between the disciplines as most track day riders now carry kit like tyre warmers – there’s effectively a new category. We’ve called them racing street tyres because they’re designed for the track, but can be used on the road without tyre warmers. They won’t warm up as quickly as dedicated sports

tyres, will wear out faster and will be best on warm, dry days. But for some riders that’s exactly what they want – maximum grip for fast progress.

EVENTS 68-69

SPORT 70-80

replacement Racetec Front: 120/70 ZR17 (58W). Rear: 180/55 ZR17 (73W), 190/50 ZR17 (73W).

MAXXIS PRESA SUPERMOTARD M6118 (front) & M6119 (rear) £169 ■ supermoto street tyre Front: 120/70 R17 (58s). Rear: 160/60 R17 (69s).

MICHELIN POWER SUPER SPORT £245 ■ new tyre from Michelin for 2013. We have only been able to test them on a wet track, but were happy with their performance. see page 11 Front: 120/70 ZR17 (58W). Rear: 180/55 ZR17 (73W), 190/50 ZR17 (73W), 190/55 ZR17 (75W).

PIRELLI DIABLO SUPERCORSA SP V2 £250 AVON 3D ULTRA SUPERSPORT AV79 & AV80 £215

(58H). Rear: 140/70 R17 (66H), 150/60 R17 (66H), 160/60 R17 (69H).

■ Multi-compound tyre with a softer compound than avon’s Ultra sport, for more grip at the cost of some longevity Front: 120/60 ZR17 (55W), 120/70 ZR17 (58W). Rear: 160/60 ZR17 (69W), 180/55 ZR17 (73W), 190/50 ZR17 (73W), 190/55 ZR17 (75W).

DUNLOP SPORTMAX GP RACER D211 £275

AVON DISTANZIA AM43 & AM44 £199 ■ street tyre for supermoto machines Front: 120/70 R17 (58H). Rear: 150/60 R17 (66H), 160/60 R17 (69H).

BRIDGESTONE BATTLAX BT-003 RS £216 ■ Good tyres that come in sizes to cater for smaller machines. These are capable on track and also very grippy for the road. Front: 110/70 ZR17 (54W), 120/60 ZR17 (55W), 120/70 ZR17 (58W). Rear: 140/70 ZR17 (66W), 150/60 ZR17 (66W), 160/60 ZR17 (69W), 180/55 ZR17 (73W), 190/50 ZR17 (73W), 190/55 ZR17 (75W).

BRIDGESTONE BATTLAX BT-090 PRO £189

■ now superceded by the 212 GP Pro, but stays in the range as dunlop’s track day tyre that works well on the road, and will last around 2000 miles. Fronts available in soft and medium compounds. Rears available in medium or endurance compounds, except 160/60 (endurance only) Front: 120/70 ZR17 (58W). Rear: 160/60 ZR17 (69W), 180/55 ZR17 (73W), 190/55 ZR17 (75W), 200/55 ZR17 (78W).

DUNLOP SPORTMAX QUALIFIER HR £189 ■ sporty offering for smaller and lighter bikes. Ideal for the KTM duke 125, 200 and 390. Front: 110/70 R17 (54H), 120/60 R17 (55H), 120/70 R17 (58H). Rear: 150/60 R17 (66H), 160/60 R17 (69H).

DUNLOP SPORTMAX MUTANT £243 ■ street tyre for supermoto riders Front: 120/70 ZR17 (58W). Rear: 150/60 ZR17 (66W), 160/60 ZR17 (69W).

Track days used to be about taking your road bike on a race circuit. Now, for many, preparation for a track day is akin to preparing for a day of racing. So there’s no reason to use a road tyre rather than a dedicated race tyre. To comply with production racing rules there are an abundance of road-legal tyres to fit modern sports bikes that work very well on circuits. The road-legal bit for these tyres is nominal

AVON 3D ULTRA XTREME AV81 & AV82 £230 ■ The softest compound available in avon’s 3d Ultra range, giving extra mid-corner grip compared to its more road-focused stablemates Front: 120/70 ZR17 (58W). Rear: 180/55 ZR17 (73W), 190/55 ZR17 (75W)

BRIDGESTONE BATTLAX R10 RACING£281

MAXXIS SUPERMAXX SPORT MA-PS £155 ■ Fast-warming tyres that are wellpriced and popular with those who have tried them Front: 120/60 ZR17 (55W), 120/70 ZR17 (58W). Rear: 160/60 ZR17 (69W), 180/55 ZR17 (73W), 190/50 ZR17 (73W), 190/55 ZR17 (75W).

■ Bridgestone’s MotoGP experience trickles down to the trackday enthusiast, offering superb grip and confident handling characteristics. Front is available in Type 3 (medium) only. Rears in Type 3 (medium) or Type 2 (hard) Front: 120/70 ZR17 (58W). Rear: 180/55 ZR17 (73W), 190/55 ZR17 (75W)

CONTINENTAL ContiRaceAttack Comp. Endurance £240

METZELER RACETEC K3 INTERACT £232

CONTINENTAL ContiRaceAttack Comp £259

■ Hardest compound version of Metzeler’s production racing tyre that gives impressive road mileage and performance with great grip and excellent stability Front: 120/70 ZR17 (58W). Rear: 180/55 ZR17 (73W), 190/50 ZR17 (73W), 190/55 ZR17 (75W).

■ The softer compound version of Conti’s track tyres. all sizes available in either soft or medium compound Front: 120/70 ZR17 58W. Rear: 160/60 ZR17 69W, 180/55 ZR17 73W, 180/60 ZR17 75W, 190/55 ZR17 75W

METZELER RENNSPORT £179

■ Front and rear grip impressed us on test, as did feel. Fronts available in Compound 2 (medium) or Compound 3 (medium/strong). Rears in Compound 4 (medium/strong) or Compound 5 (strong)

CONTINENTAL ContiAttack SM £192 ■ street tyre for supermoto bikes Front: 110/70 R17 (54H), 120/70 R17

■ Racetec predecessor now as entry-level tyre that still makes most sense on track, but is acceptable on the road. not as long-lasting as the

■ On the road they give a plush ride, sharp steering, great grip and loads of confidence. On the circuit they warm up faster than the competition and you’ll really need to be going some to make them slide Front: 120/70 ZR17 (58W). Rear: 180/55 ZR17 (73W), 190/50 ZR17 (73W), 190/55 ZR17 (75W), 200/55 ZR17 (78W).

PIRELLI DIABLO SUPERCORSA BSB £225 ■ Predecessor of supercorsa sP V2, now a cheaper alternative Front: 120/70 ZR17 (58W). Rear: 180/55 ZR17 (73W), 190/55 ZR17 (75W).

PIRELLI MT 60R CORSA/MT 60RS CORSA £249 ■ supermoto street tyre Front: 120/70 R17 (58V). Rear: 160/60 R17 (69V).

Track Day tyres

■ Popular old tyre for smaller machines that keeps soldiering on. They give good all-round feel, but don’t wear as well as Bridgestone’s newer offerings will Front: 110/70 R17 (54H), 120/60 R17 (55H), 120/70 R17 (58H). Rear: 140/70 R17 (66H), 150/60 R17 (66H), 160/60 R17 (69H), 150/60 R18 (67H).

■ sportiest Continental offering for the road was released last year, as a race tyre with a longer-lasting ‘endurance’ compound Front: 120/70 ZR17 (58W). Rear: 160/60 ZR17 (69W), 180/55 ZR17 (73W), 180/60 ZR17 (75W), 190/50 ZR17 (73W), 190/55 ZR17 (75W), 200/55 ZR17 (78W).

00.00.2013 Wednesday

DUNLOP SPORTMAX D212 GP PRO £320

as the compounds need to be at a high temperature to work properly. This comes from being wrapped in a tyre warmer and then ridden at track speeds, not waiting at traffic lights.

Front: 120/70 ZR17 (58W). Rear: 190/55 ZR17 (75W), 200/55 ZR17 (78W)

METZELER RACETEC K0, K1 & K2 INTERACT £299 ■ The German company’s popular track tyre in softer compounds that are specifically focused for track use. Compounds are K0 (supersoft), K1 (soft) and K2 (medium). Fronts in K1 or K2. Rears in K1 or K2. 180/60 size available in K0, K1 or K2. Front: 120/70 ZR17 58W. Rear: 180/55 ZR17 73W, 180/60 R17 75V, 190/55 ZR17 75W

MICHELIN POWER CUP £270 ■ Track tyre as used in Michelin’s one-make race series of the same name. Compounds are a (soft), B (medium/soft), C (medium). V suffix for increased braking stability Front: 120/70 R17 58V (a, Va, VB). Rear: 180/55 ZR17 (73W) (a/B/C), 190/55 ZR17 (75W) (a/B/C), 200/55 ZR17 (78W) (a/B/C)

PIRELLI DIABLO SUPERCORSA SC V2 £320 stickier than the road-friendly supercorsa. When we tested them on track we were very impressed by the grip and handling. sC0 (supersoft), sC1 (soft), sC2 (medium) Front: 110/70 ZR17 54W, 120/70 ZR17 58W. Rear: 150/60 ZR17 66W, 160/60 ZR17 69W, 180/55 ZR17 73W, 180/60 R17 75V, 190/55 ZR17 75W, 200/55 R17 78V

www.motorcyclenews.com

10.07.2013 Wednesday

Adventure tyres The biggest competition for 2013 is in the adventure tyre market. Metzeler, Michelin and Continental have all released new contenders in the category, spurred on by BMW’s release of its liquid-cooled R1200GS and KTM’s 1190 Adventure. This category covers everything from pure road tyres made in sizes to fit adventure bikes through to knobblies made to endure road work for those who use them off-

AVON DISTANZIA AM43 (front) & AM44 (rear) £194 ■ ageing design of tyre for a wide range of adventure-style bikes and smaller trailies Front: 100/90 -19 57H, 110/80 R19 59H, 110/80 R19 59V, 3.00 -21 51s, 90/90 -21 54T, 90/90 -21 54V. Rear: 120/90 -17 64s, 130/80 -17 65T, 130/80 R17 65H, 140/80 R17 69H, 150/70 R17 69H, 150/70 R17 69V, 110/80 -18 58s, 120/80 -18 62s

BRIDGESTONE BATTLAX T30 £245 ■ Bridgestone’s impressive pure road sports-touring tyre in sizes to fit big adventure bikes of recent years, such as the old R1200Gs Front: 110/80 ZR19 (59W). Rear: 150/70 ZR17 (69W)

BRIDGESTONE BATTLAX BT-023 £215

road. The middle area is the most popular, where tyres perform like sports-touring road tyres, can cope with light trails and look more authentic in the adventure style.

touring tyre in sizes to fit big adventure bikes Front: 110/80 R19 59V. Rear: 150/70 R17 69V.

DUNLOP TRAILMAX TR91 £225 ■ We tested them at their launch in cold, but dry conditions, and they performed excellently with good cornering grip and stability at full lean and in a straight line Front: 100/90 -19 57H, 110/80 R19 59V, 90/90 -21 54H, 90/90 -21 54V. Rear: 130/80 R17 65H, 140/80 R17 69H, 150/70 R17 69V, 150/70 R18 70V.

DUNLOP TRAILMAX £185

in sizes to fit big adventure bikes Front: 110/80 R19 59V. Rear: 150/70 R17 69V

CONTINENTAL ContiTrailAttack 2 £210 ■ German firm Conti’s new-for-2013 tyre that is original fitment on the KTM 1190 adventure R and one of those coming on BMW’s liquidcooled R1200Gs. see page 12-13 Front: 120/70 ZR17 58W, 100/90 -19 57H, 110/80 R19 59V, 120/70 R19 60V, 120/70 ZR19 60W, 90/90 -21 54s, 90/90 -21 54H, 90/90 -21 54V, 90/90 V21 (54V). Rear: 120/90 -17 64s, 130/80 -17 65s, 130/80 -17 65H, 130/80 R17 65H, 140/80 R17 69H, 140/80 R17 69V, 150/70 R17 69V, 170/60 R17 72V, 170/60 ZR17 72W, 180/55 ZR17 73W, 190/55 ZR17 75W, 140/80 -18 70s, 150/70 R18 70V, 150/70 ZR18 70W

■ Predecessor to the TR91 that stays in the range for fitment on smaller machines. Front: 100/90 -19 57T, 90/90 -21 54s. Rear: 120/90 -17 64s, 130/80 -17 65s, 120/90 -18 65T.

DUNLOP TRAILMAX D603 £186 ■ Knobblier for better performance in dirt, but still road-legal Front: 3.00 -21 51P. Rear: 4.60 -18 63P

DUNLOP K550 £160 ■ Road-legal knobbly for small bikes of 125cc and under Front: 2.75 -21 45P. Rear: 4.10 -18 60P

MAXXIS DETOUR £170

CONTINENTAL ContiEscape £149

METZELER TOURANCE NEXT £206

■ Chunky-looking adventure tyres that are designed for roads and light off-road on smaller adventure bikes Front: 100/90 -19 57H, 2.75 -21 45s, 90/90 -21 54s, 90/90 -21 54H. Rear: 120/90 -17 64s, 130/80 -17 65s, 130/80 -17 65H, 140/80 -17 69H, 4.10 -18 60s, 140/80 -18 70H.

■ The latest form of Tourance is the grippiest yet. developed for the liquid-cooled R1200Gs. Grippy as sin, but not as hard-wearing as previous versions. see page 12-13 Front: 120/70 ZR17 58W, 110/80 R19 59V, 120/70 R19 60V, 90/90 -21 54V. Rear: 140/80 R17 69V, 150/70 R17 69V, 160/60 ZR17 69W, 170/60 R17 72V, 180/55 ZR17 73W, 190/55 ZR17 75W.

CONTINENTAL ContiRoadAttack 2 £215

DUNLOP SPORTMAX ROADSMART II £239

■ Pure on-road sports touring tyres

■ dunlop’s road-focused sports

■ sports-touring style tyre with an adventure tyre look. Comes as standard on machines like the ducati Multistrada 1200 and Kawasaki Versys 1000 Front: 120/70 R17 58V, 120/70 ZR17 58W, 100/90 -18 56P, 100/90 -19 57s, 100/90 -19 57H, 100/90 -19 57V, 110/80 R19 59V, 90/90 -21 54s, 90/90 -21 54H, 90/90 -21 54V. Rear: 120/90 -17 64s, 130/80 -17 65P, 130/80 -17 65s, 130/80 R17 MC 65H, 140/80 R17 69V, 150/70 R17 69V, 160/60 ZR17 69W, 180/55 R17 73V, 180/55 ZR17 73W,

METZELER ENDURO 3 SAHARA £179 ■ designed for big adventures, coping with roads, trails, gravel and even riding in sand Front: 90/90 -21 54s, 90/90 -21 54T, 90/90 -21 54H. Rear: 120/90 -17 64s, 130/80 -17 65s, 130/80 -17 65T, 140/80 -17 69H, 4.00 -18 64s, 120/80 -18 62s, 140/80 -18 70R, 140/80 -18 70s.

METZELER KAROO 3 £175 ■ new tyre for 2013 that’s a roadlegal knobbly. It’s more suitable for dirt riding than road, and its predecessor was the official accessory option for Triumph’s Tiger 800XC when it was launched Front: 110/80 -19 59R, 120/70 R19 60T, 90/90 -21 54R. Rear: 130/80 -17 65R, 140/80 -17 69R, 150/70 -17 69R, 170/60 R17 72T, 140/80 -18 70R, 150/70 -18 70R.

■ new adventure tyre that continues Michelin’s trend of focusing on wet weather grip. One of three standard fitments on the new R1200Gs. see page 12-13 Front: 100/90 -19 57H, 110/80 R19 59H, 110/80 R19 59V, 120/70 R19 60V, 90/90 -21 54s, 90/90 -21 54H, 90/90 -21 54V. Rear: 120/90 -17 64s, 130/80 R17 65s, 130/80 R17 65H, 140/80 R17 69H, 150/70 R17 69H, 150/70 R17 69V, 170/60 R17 72V.

BRIDGESTONE BATTLE WING BW-501 (front) & BW502 (rear) £199

■ Older generation trailie tyre from Bridgestone that is more focused on the road, but will cope on light trails Front: 2.75 -21 45P, 3.00 -21 51P, 80/100 -21 51P, 80/100 -21 51P, 90/90 -21 54s, 90/90 -21 54s. Rear: 4.60 -17 62P, 120/90 -17 64s, 130/80 -17 65s, 4.00 -18 64P 4PR, 4.10 -18 59P, 4.60 -18 63P, 120/80 -18 62P, 120/90 -18 65P, 130/80 -18 66s

■ designed as a long-lasting road tyre that is also capable of riding on light trails Front: 2.75 -21 45P, 3.00 -21 51R. Rear: 4.00 -18 64R, 4.10 -18 60P.

MICHELIN ANAKEE 3 £202

■ Conti’s second-tier adventure bike tyre, only in sizes for big adventure bikes like the old R1200Gs Front: 110/80 R19 59V. Rear: 150/70 R17 69V

BRIDGESTONE TRAIL WING £205

PIRELLI SCORPION TRAIL £219

MAXXIS TRAXER £139 ■ adventure sport tyre for middleweight bikes with silica-rich compound for wet grip and tread that clears dirt when ridden off road Front: 90/90-21 54H. Rear: 130/8017 65H, 140/80-17 69H

■ Knobbly tyre that also works on the road as long as you don’t expect to break lap records Front: 120/70 B17, 100/90 -19 57s, 110/80 B19 59Q, 120/70 B19 60Q, 2.50 -21 48s reinf, 2.75 -21 52s reinf., 3.00 -21 51s, 80/90 -21 48Q, 90/90 -21 54s, 90/90 -21 54T. Rear: 120/90 -17 64s, 130/80 -17 65s, 130/80 -17 65T, 140/80 -17 69Q, 150/70 B17 69Q, 170/60 B17 72Q, 180/55 B17 73Q, 3.50 -18 62s reinf., 4.10 -18 66P reinf., 4.00 -18 64R, 110/80 -18 58Q, 120/90 -18 65R, 140/80 -18 70R, 150/70 B18 70Q

METZELER ENDURO 1 & ENDURO 2 £145

■ The French firm’s rain-loving sports touring tyre in sizes to fit common recent big adventure bikes Front: 110/80 R19 59V. Rear: 150/70 R17 69V.

CONTINENTAL ContiTrailAttack £173

CONTINENTAL TKC 80 Twinduro £205

■ Road-legal knobbly for small and middleweight machines Front: 80/90 -21 48s, 90/90 -21 54s. Rear: 130/80 -17 65s, 110/80 -18 58s, 120/80 -18 62s, 130/80 -18 66s.

■ This is a tyre for the more common big adventure bikes, with Maxxis say its experience of international off-road competition ensures the compound will work well off road and give good road durability Front: 110/80-19 59V. Rear: 150/7017 69V

■ another sports-touring offering from Bridgestone for adventure bikes. now a cheaper option for adventure riders who don’t take their bike off road Front: 110/80 ZR19 (59W). Rear: 150/70 ZR17 (69W)

■ More off-road style tyre for adventure bikes from Bridgestone. Works especially well on middleweights like Triumph’s goanywhere Tiger 800XC Front: 100/90 -19 57H, 110/80 R19 59H, 110/80 R19 59V, 90/90 -21 54H, 90/90 -21 54H, 90/90 -21 54V. Rear: 130/80 R17 65H, 130/80 R17 65H, 140/80 R17 69H, 140/80 R17 69V, 150/70 R17 69H, 150/70 R17 69V

57H, 110/80 R19 59V, 90/90 -21 54s, 90/90 -21 54H. Rear: 120/90 -17 64s, 130/80 -17 65s, 130/80 R17 65s, 130/80 R17 65H, 140/80 R17 69H, 150/70 R17 69V.

METZELER TOURANCE EXP £196 ■ succeeded the Tourance and was designed to provide extra grip. It came at the cost of some longevity, which left some owners sticking with the original Front: 110/80 R19 59V, 90/90 -21 54s. Rear: 130/80 -17 65s, 140/80 R17 69V, 150/70 R17 69V.

METZELER TOURANCE £186 ■ The hard-wearing original is also now the cheapest Tourance, but it’s the least grippy of the three options. Front: 100/90 -19 57s, 100/90 -19

MICHELIN PILOT ROAD 3 TRAIL £214

MICHELIN ANAKEE 2 £165 ■ Lower-priced alternative to the new anakee III Front: 100/90 -19 57H, 110/80 R19 59V, 90/90 -21 54V. Rear: 130/80 R17 65H, 150/70 R17 69V.

MICHELIN ANAKEE WILD £205 ■ new-for-2013 knobbly tyre for big adventure bikes, designed for half off-road and half on. sized for the new R1200Gs Front: 120/70 R19 60V. Rear: 170/60 R17 72V.

MICHELIN SIRAC £170 ■ Road and street tyre for middleweight trailies Front: 3.00 -21 51T, 80/90 -21 48R, 90/90 -21 54T. Rear: 120/90 -17 64T, 130/80 -17 65T, 4.10 -18 60R, 110/80 -18 58R, 120/80 -18 62T.

MICHELIN T63 £180

190/55 ZR17 75W, 150/70 R18 70V.

PIRELLI SCORPION MT90 A/T £215 Road-going knobbly that’s standard fitment on the KTM 990 and 950 adventure models. Front: 90/90 -19 52P, 80/90 -21 48s, 90/90 -21 54s, 90/90 -21 54V. Rear: 120/90 -17 64s, 110/80 -18 58s, 120/80 -18 62s, 140/80 -18 70s, 150/70 R18 70V.

PIRELLI MT 21 RALLYCROSS £170 ■ Road-legal knobbly with an aggressive tread that makes it more suitable for off-road riding Front: 80/90 -21 48P, 90/90 -21 54R. Rear: 120/90 -17 64R, 130/90 -17 68P, 110/80 -18 58P, 120/80 -18 62R, 120/90 -18 65R, 130/90 -18 69R, 140/80 -18 70R, 120/80 -19 63R.

Cruisers and big tourer tyres Rumbling down the road on a heavyweight cruiser or tourer, the priorities are going to be ride quality and longevity. These are the tyres that will soak up the bumps and keep performing for thousands of miles without the need to provide peg-scraping levels of grip.

AVON COBRA AV71 (front) & AV72 (rear) £172 ■ aimed at the power cruiser and touring market, with special construction for heavy loads Front: MT90 B16 74H reinf., 150/80 R16 71V, 130/80 B17 65H, 140/75 R17 67V, 150/80 R17 72H, 150/80 R17 (72V), 130/70 R18 63H, 130/70 R18 63V, 100/90 -19 57H, 120/70 ZR19 (60W), MH90 -21 56V reinf., 120/70 -21 68V reinf.. Rear: MT90 B16 74H reinf., 140/90 B16 77H reinf., 150/80 B16 77V reinf., 170/70 R16 75H, 180/60 R16 80H reinf., 180/65 B16 81H reinf., 180/70 R16 77H, 200/60 R16 (79V), 240/50 R16 84V, 190/60 R17 78H, 200/55 R17 78V, 180/55 ZR18 (74W), 200/55 R18 (79V), 240/40 R18 (79V), 250/40 R18 (81V), 300/35 R18 (87V), Universal: 130/60 R23 65V.

providing good wet weather grip Front: 130/90 -16 73H reinf. 90/90 -19 52H, 90/90 -21 54H. Rear: 230/60 B15 86H, MT90 -16 74H reinf.

AVON GANGSTER WHITE WALL £280 ■ White-walled tyre for bigger cruisers. Can be used as front or rear Universal: MT90 -16 74H reinf..

BRIDGESTONE EXEDRA MAX EA1 RADIAL £249 ■ Radial tyre that keeps the traditional look of the bias-belted exedra Max Front: 150/80 R16 71V, 120/70 ZR18 (59W), 130/70 ZR18 (63W), 120/70 ZR19 (60W), 130/70 ZR17 (62W). Rear: 170/60 ZR17 (72W), 190/60 R17 78V, 200/50 ZR17 (75W), 200/60 R16 79V, 240/55 R16 86V.

AVON VENOM R AM42 £93 ■ super-wide tyres for special customs Rear: 330/30 R17 87V, 180/55 R18 74V.

BRIDGESTONE EXEDRA RADIAL (G701, G702, G704, G709, G852, G853) £230

AVON VENOM AM41 (front) & AM42 (rear) £170

■ Original equipment tyres for big cruisers and touring bikes, in sizes not covered by the new exedra Max Radial above Front: 130/80 R17 65H, 150/80 R17 72H, 130/70 R18 63H. Rear: 180/60 R16 74H, 180/70 R16 77H, 200/60 R16 79H.

■ Promises stable handling and extra durability for heavy cruisers Front: 150/80 -16 71H, 100/90 -18 56H, 120/90 -18 71H reinf., 130/70 B18 69H reinf., 140/70 B18 67V, 110/90 -19 62H, 80/90 -21 48H, 90/90 -21 54H, 120/70 -21 68H reinf.. Rear: 140/90 -15 76H reinf., 150/90 B15 80H reinf., 150/90 B15 (74V), 170/80 B15 83H reinf., 200/70 -15 82H, 160/80 B16 81H reinf., 150/70 B18 76V reinf..

AVON ROADRUNNER AM20 (front) & AM21 (rear) £160 ■ all-rounder that is focused on

BRIDGESTONE EXEDRA MAX EM1 £185 ■ non-radial version of Bridgestone’s tyre for heavyweights Front: 130/90 -16 67H, 150/80 -16 71H, 120/90 -17 64H, 110/90 -18 61H, 100/90 -19 57H, 110/90 -19 62H, 80/90 -21 48H, 90/90 -21 54H. Rear: 130/90 -15 66s, 140/90 -15 70H, 150/80 -15

www.motorcyclenews.com

10 Tyre Listing 70H, 150/90 B15 74V, 160/80 -15 74s, 170/80 B15 77H, 180/70 -15 76H, 150/80 B16 71H, 170/70 B16 75H.

BRIDGESTONE EXEDRA BIAS PLY (L301, L303, L309, G515, G525, G526, G702, G721) £170 ■ Original equipment tyres for cruisers in sizes not covered by the new exedra Max above Front: 3.00 -17 45P 4PR, 100/90 -17 55s, 3.00 -18 47P 4PR, 3.00 -18 47s 4PR, 110/90 -18 61V, 130/70 -18 63H, 130/70 -18 63H, 3.00 -19 49s 4PR, 110/80 -19 59s. Rear: 150/90 -15 74V, 140/90 -16 71H, 160/80 -16 80H.

CONTINENTAL Milestone CM1 (front) & CM2 (rear) £149 ■ High mileage cruiser tyre that was revised in 2012 to boost silicone content for improved wet grip without affecting durability Front: 130/90 -16 67H, 3.00 -18 47P, 90/90 -18 51P, 3.00 -19 49s, 100/90 -19 57H, 110/90 -19 62H, 80/90 -21 48H. Rear: 130/90 -15 66P, 140/90 -15 70s, 140/90 -15 70H, 150/90 -15 80H reinf., 170/80 -15 77s, 170/80 -15 77H, 130/90 -16 73H reinf., 140/90 -16 71H, 150/80 -16 71H.

DUNLOP ELITE 3 £283 ■ Tyre for tourers and high-power cruisers that is claimed to offer straight-line stability as a priority Front: 130/70 -18 63H, 130/70 R18 63H, 90/90 -21 54H. Rear: 160/80 B16 80H, 180/60 R16 80H, 200/50 R18 76H, 240/40 R18 79V, 250/40 R18 81V.

DUNLOP D251 £300 ■ dunlop’s radial offering for owners of large custom bikes Front: 130/70 R18 63H, 130/70 R18 63H. Rear: 180/70 R16 77H, 200/60 R16 79H, 190/60 R17 78H.

DUNLOP D404, K555, K525, F17, F20 £179 ■ Uses dunlop’s tread pattern for Harleys and brings it to other cruisers Front: 110/90 -16 59P, 130/90 -16 67s, 130/90 -16 67H, 130/90 -16 67H, 150/80 -16 71H, 90/90 -17 49P, 100/90 -17 55s, 120/80 -17 61H, 120/90 -17 64s, 140/80 -17 69H, 110/90 -18 61s, 110/90 -18 61V, 130/70 -18 63H, 3.00 -19 49s, 100/90 -19 57H, 80/90 -21 48H, 90/90 -21 54s. Rear: 130/90 -15 66P, 140/80 -15 67H, 140/90 -15 70s, 140/90 -15 70H, 150/90 B15 74H, 150/90 -15 74V, 160/80 -15 74s, 170/80 -15 77s, 170/80 -15 77H, 180/70 -15 76H, 180/70 -15 76H, 150/80 B16 71H, 170/70 B16 75H.

D401 HARLEY-DAVIDSON £235 ■ Original equipment tyres for Harley-davidsons Front: 100/90 -19 57H. Rear: 130/90 B16 73H, 150/80 B16 71H, 200/55 R17 78V.

D402 HARLEY-DAVIDSON £285 Front: MT90 B16 72H, MH90 -21 54H. Rear: MT90 B16 74H reinf., MU85 B16 77H.

D407 & D408F HARLEYDAVIDSON £299 Front: 130/90 B16 67H, 130/80 B17 65H, 140/75 R17 67V, 130/70 B18

63H, 130/70 R18 63V, 90/90 -19 52H, 130/60 B19 61H, MH90 -21 54H, 130/60 B21 63H. Rear: 180/65 B16 81H reinf., 180/65 B16 81H reinf., 170/60 R17 78H reinf., 200/55 R17 78V, 180/55 B18 80H reinf., 240/40 R18 79V. d427 HaRLey-daVIdsOn Front: 130/90 B16 67H. Rear: 180/70 B16 77H.

GT502 HARLEY-DAVIDSON £254 Front: 100/90 -19 57V, 80/90 -21 54V. Rear: 130/90 B16 67V, 150/80 B16 71V, 180/60 B17 75V.

K591 HARLEY-DAVIDSON £260 Front: 100/90 -19 51V. Rear: 130/90 B16 64V, 150/80 B16 71V, 160/70 B17 73V.

MAXXIS M6011 CLASSIC £145 ■ designed for classic and cruiserstyled machines. Most sizes are also available with a white sidewall Front: MT90-16 74H, 120/90-18 65H, 90/90-19 52H, 100/90-19 57H, 110/9019 62H, MH90-21 56H, MH90-21 56H. Rear: 150/80-15 70H, 150/90-15 74H, 170/80-15 77H, MT90-16 74H, 140/9016 77H

METZELER ME 880 MARATHON £215 ■ Metzeler’s fitment for touring Harleys. Fits too many bikes to list. For Metzeler’s web page visit http:// bit.ly/metzmarathon

MICHELIN COMMANDER II £194 ■ new-for-2013 cruiser tyre that is claimed will last up to 25,000 miles before needing replacement Front: 130/90 B16 73H reinf., 120/90 B17 64s, 130/80 B17 65H, 140/75 R17 67V, 130/70 B18 63H, 100/90 B19 57H, 80/90 -21 54H reinf., 90/90 -21 54H reinf., 120/70 B21 62H. Rear: 140/90 B15 76H reinf., 150/90 B15 74H, 170/80 B15 77H, 130/90 B16 73H reinf., 140/90 B16 77H reinf., 150/80 B16 77H reinf., 180/65 B16 81H, 160/70 B17 73V, 200/55 R17 78V, 150/70 B18 76H reinf..

PIRELLI NIGHT DRAGON £195 ■ Tyre for higher-performance cruisers, claiming extra stability in a straight line without affecting cornering performance Front: 130/90 B16 67H reinf., 150/80 B16 71H, 140/75 R17 67V, 130/70 B18 63H, 130/70 R18 63V, 140/70 B18 73H reinf., 100/90 -19 57H, 120/70 ZR19 (60W), 90/90 -21 54H. Rear: 170/80 B15 77H, 180/70 B15 76H, 200/70 B15 82H, 130/90 B16 73H reinf., 150/80 B16 77H reinf., 180/70 R16 77H, 180/60 B17 81H reinf., 180/60 B17 75V, 200/55 R17 78V, 150/70 B18 76H reinf., 180/55 ZR18 (74W), 240/40 VR18 (79V).

PIRELLI ROUTE MT66£181 ■ Tyre for tourers and customs that puts comfort as its top priority Front: 120/90 -17 64s, 100/90 -18 56H, 90/90 -19 52H, 100/90 -19 57s, 80/90 -21 48H. Rear: 130/90 -15 66s, 140/90 -15 70H, 150/90 -15 74H, 140/90 -16 71H, 150/80 -16 71H, 120/90 -18 65H.

THE WEEK 02-06

FOCUS 08-31

COMMENT 32-35

BUYING & SELLING 37-55

Bias-ply tyres and small bikes It’s over a quarter of a century since the first-ever radial construction roadgoing motorcycle tyre (1987’s Michelin AM59X, for the record). Now the vast majority of tyres are made this way, to cope with the heat build-up associated with modern sports bikes. But there’s a whole legion of bikes out there that need old-style crossply construction. Crossplies tend to provide a more forgiving ride quality and

AVON ROADRIDER AM26 £130 ■ Modern compounds meet traditional carcass construction to aid handling and grip for owners of older bikes Front: 110/90 -16 (59V), 100/80 -17 52V, 110/70 -17 (54V), 110/80 -17 (57V), 120/70 -17 (58V), 90/90 -19 52V, 90/90 -21 54V. Rear: 160/80 -15 74V, 150/80 -16 (71V), MT90 -16 (74V) reinf., 130/70 -17 62V, 130/80 -17 65V, 130/90 -17 68V, 140/70 -17 66V, 150/70 -17 (69V), 4.00 -18 64V, 120/80 -18 62V, 120/90 -18 65V, 130/70 -18 (63V), 130/80 -18 (66V), 140/70 -18 (67V), 150/70 -18 (70V), Universal: 120/80 -16 (60V), 120/80 -17 61V, 120/90 -17 64V, 140/80 -17 (69V), 90/90 -18 51V, 100/90 -18 56V, 110/80 -18 (58V), 110/90 -18 (61V), 3.25 -19 54V, 100/90 -19 57V.

AVON ROADRUNNER £144 ■ avon’s tyres for classics Universal: 4.10 -19 61H. also: sPeedMasTeR Mk II 3.00 -19 54s reinf., 3.25 -19 54s, 3.50 -19 57s, 3.00 -21 57s reinf.

SAFETY MILEAGE (S.M.) £65 Rear: 5.00 -16 69s, 4.00 -18 64s, 3.50 -19 57s, 4.00 -19 65H.

BRIDGESTONE BATTLAX BT45 £165 ■ Venerable old bias-ply tyre that’s still a good option for bikes of a certain vintage Front: 100/90 -16 54H, 110/90 -16 59V, 120/80 -16 60V, 100/80 -17 52H, 110/70 -17 54H, 110/80 -17 57H, 110/80 -17 57V, 120/70 -17 58H, 3.50 -18 56H, 90/90 -18 51H, 100/80 -18 53H, 100/90 -18 56H, 100/90 -18 56V, 110/80 -18 58V, 110/90 -18 61V, 3.25 -19 54H, 100/90 -19 57V, 90/90 -21 54H. Rear: 130/90 -16 67H, 130/90 -16 67V, 150/80 -16 71V, 110/90 -17 60H, 120/80 -17 61H, 120/90 -17 64V, 130/70 -17 62H, 130/80 -17 65H, 130/90 -17 68V, 140/70 -17 66H, 140/80 B17 69V, 150/70 -17 69H, 150/70 -17 69V, 4.00 -18 64H, 110/80 -18 58H, 110/90 -18 61H, 120/80 -18 62H, 120/90 -18 65V, 130/70 -18 63H, 130/80 -18 66V, 140/70 -18 67H, 140/70 -18 67V.

CONTINENTAL ContiGO! £84 ■ Crossply tyre for middleweights that promises all-weather grip Front: 120/80 -16 60V, 80/100 -17 46P,

the compounds on most now benefit from modern advances. There is one radial tyre model lurking in here, because it’s designed for smaller machines, and the clue to its whereabouts is in its title.

EVENTS 68-69

SPORT 70-80

-19 57P. also: K81 TT100 £179 Front: 3.60 -19 52H, Universal: 4.10 -18 59H, 4.25/85 -18 64H, 4.10 -19 61H.

ContiTwist SM/ContiTwist Sport SM £110 ■ specifically designed for the 50cc250cc sports bike market. Twist sM for road riding, Twist sport sM with increased grip for any track work Front: 100/80 -17 52H. Rear: 130/70 -17 62H.

CONTINENTAL TKV 11 (front) & TKV 12 (rear) £139 ■ Conti’s classic bike tyres Front: 110/90 -16 59V, 120/80 -16 60V, 90/90 -18 51H, 100/90 -18 56V, 100/90 -19 57V. Rear: 130/90 -16 67V, 150/80 -16 71V, 130/90 -17 68V, 110/90 -18 61H. also: RB2 & K112 Front: 3.25 -19 54H. Rear: 4.00 -18 64H, Universal: 3.50 -16 58P reinf., 5.00 -16 69H, MT90 -16 71H.

Universal: 3.25 -16 48s, 2.75 -18 42s, 3.00 -18 47s, 3.25 -18 52s, 3.50 -18 56s.

MAXXIS M6102 & M6103 PROMAXX £139 ■ Bias ply street tyre for classic and lightweight machines Front: 110/70-17 54H, 110/80-17 57H, 90/90-18 51H, 100/90-18 56H, 100/9019 57H, 3.00 x 21 51H. Rear: 130/90-15 66H, 140/90-15 70H, 130/90-16 67H, 130/70-17 62H, 130/90-17 68H, 150/7017 69H, 110/90-18 61H, 120/90-18 65H ■ Bias-ply tyre for a massive range of bikes. Good all-round performer Front: 100/90 -16 54H, 110/90 -16 59V, 110/90 V16 (59V), 120/80 V16 (60V), 120/80 VB16 (60V), 100/80 -17 52s, 110/70 -17 54H, 110/80 -17 57H, 110/80 V17 (57V), 120/70 -17 58V, 90/90 -18 51H, 100/90 -18 56H, 100/90 -18 56V, 100/90 V18 (56V), 110/80 -18 58H, 110/80 -18 58V, 110/80 V18 (58V), 110/90 -18 61H, 110/90 V18 (61V), 3.25 -19 54H, 3.25 -19 54V, 3.50 -19 57H, 100/90 -19 57H, 100/90 -19 57V, 110/90 -19 62H, 90/90 -21 54H. Rear: 130/90 -15 66s, 130/90 -16 67H, 130/90 -16 67V, 150/80 VB16 (71V), 130/70 -17 62s, 130/70 -17 62H, 130/80 -17 65H, 130/90 -17 68V, 140/70 -17 66H, 140/80 B17 69V, 140/80 VB17 (69V), 150/70 -17 69H, 150/70 B17 69V, 150/70 VB17 (69V), 160/70 B17 73V, 4.00 -18 64V, 110/90 -18 61H, 120/80 -18 62H, 120/90 -18 65H, 120/90 -18 65V, 130/70 -18 63H, 130/80 V18 (66V).

METZELER PERFECT ME 11 £70 ■ Classic-looking front tyre for small to mid-capacity machines. Front: 3.25 -18 52H, 90/90 -18 51H, 3.00 -19 49s, 3.25 -19 54s, 3.60 -19 52s.

METZELER PERFECT ME 77 £123 ■ Traditional design that is all about wet weather performance rather than outright dry grip Front: 110/90 -16 59s, 3.50 -18 56s, 3.50 -19 57s. Rear: 130/90 -15 66s, 140/90 -15 70s, 4.60 -16 59s, 110/90 -16 59s, 120/90 -16 63H, 130/90 -16 67s, 3.50 -18 56s, 4.00 -18 64H, 4.10 -18 60H, Universal: 3.00 -18 47s.

METZELER ME 22 £72 DUNLOP ARROWMAX STREETSMART £152 Looks traditional, but has modern compound with silica for increased mileage and wet grip Front: 110/90 -16 59V, 120/80 -16 60V, 90/80 -17 46s, 100/80 -17 52s, 100/80 -17 52H, 110/70 -17 54H, 110/80 -17 57V, 100/90 -18 56V, 110/90 -18 61V, 3.25 -19 54H, 90/90 -19 52H, 100/90 -19 57V. Rear: 130/90 -16 67V, 110/80 -17 57s, 130/70 -17 62s, 130/70 -17 62H, 130/80 -17 65H, 130/90 -17 68V, 140/80 -17 69V, 150/70 B17 69H, 150/70 B17 69V, 4.00 -18 64H, 110/90 -18 61H, 120/90 -18 65V, 130/70 -18 63H, 130/80 -18 66V.

DUNLOP K70 £81 ■ dunlop’s classic bike tyres Rear: 4.00 -18 64s, 3.25 -19 54P, 3.50

-17 66H, 140/80 -17 69V, 150/70 -17 69H, 150/70 -17 69V, 4.00 -18 64H, 120/90 -18 65H, 120/90 -18 65V, 130/70 -18 63H, 130/80 -18 66V.

K82 £133

METZELER LASERTEC £152

110/70 -17 54s, 110/70 -17 54H, 110/80 -17 57H, 110/80 -17 57V, 90/90 -18 51H, 100/90 -18 56H, 100/90 -18 56V, 110/80 -18 58V, 110/90 -18 61H, 3.25 -19 54H, 100/90 -19 57H, 100/90 -19 57V, 3.00 -21 51H, 90/90 -21 54H. Rear: 130/90 -16 67H, 130/90 -16 67V, 130/70 -17 62H, 130/80 -17 65H, 130/90 -17 68H, 130/90 -17 68V, 140/70 -17 66s, 140/80 -17 69V, 4.00 -18 64H, 110/90 -18 61H, 120/90 -18 65H, 120/90 -18 65V, 130/70 -18 63H, 130/80 -18 66V, 150/70 -18 70V, Universal: 100/80 -16 50P, 120/80 -16 60P, 2.50 -17 43P, 2.75 -17 47P reinf., 80/90 -17 44P, 90/80 -17 46s, 100/80 -17 52P, 100/90 -17 55P, 110/80 -17 57s, 2.75 -18 48P reinf., 3.00 -18 52P reinf.

00.00.2013 Wednesday

■ Universal front/rear tyre with traditional looks for small machines 90/90 -18 57P reinf., Universal: 2.50 -17 43P reinf., 2.75 -17 47P reinf., 3.00 -17 50P reinf., 2.75 -18 48P reinf., 3.00 -18 52P reinf., 3.25 -18 59P reinf., 3.50 -18 62P reinf.

MICHELIN PILOT ACTIV £175 ■ Long-lasting budget tyre for longlasting budget middleweights, like the Kawasaki eR-5 and suzuki Gs500 Front: 120/80 -16 60V, 110/70 -17 54H, 110/80 -17 57H, 110/80 -17 57V, 120/70 -17 58V, 90/90 -18 51H, 100/90 -18 56H, 100/90 -18 56V, 110/80 -18 58V, 110/90 -18 61V, 3.25 -19 54H, 100/90 -19 57H, 100/90 -19 57V. Rear: 130/70 -17 62H, 130/80 -17 65H, 130/90 -17 68V, 140/70

MICHELIN PILOT STREET RADIAL £138 ■ new radial tyre for smaller bikes from Michelin. We’ve not been able to test a pair so far Front: 110/70 R17 54H. Rear: 130/70 R17 62H, 140/70 R17 66H.

MICHELIN PILOT STREET £103 ■ designed for smaller utility bikes as the ultimate in budget tyres from a mainstream manufacturer Front: 90/80 -17 46s, 100/80 -17 52s, 110/70 -17 54s, 2.75 -18 42P. Rear: 130/70 -17 62s, 140/70 -17 66s, 90/90 -18 57P reinf., Universal: 70/90 -17 43s reinf., 80/90 -17 50s reinf.

MICHELIN PILOT SPORTY £104 ■ sporty option for owners of smaller machines or big-wheeled scooters Front: 90/90 -16 48s, 100/80 -16 50P, 90/80 -17 46s, 2.75 -18 42P. Rear: 120/80 -16 60P, 120/80 -16 60s, 130/80 -17 65s, Universal: 70/90 -17 43s reinf., 80/90 -17 50s reinf., 110/80 -17 57s, 90/90 -18 57P reinf., 100/90 -18 56s.

MICHELIN M45 £64 ■ The classic tyre for urban riding on small utility bikes. Perfect for a Honda C90 Universal: 110/80 -14 59s reinf., 80/80 -16 45s reinf., 90/80 -16 51s reinf., 110/90 -16 59s, 2.25 -17 38s reinf., 2.50 -17 43s reinf., 2.75 -17 47s reinf., 2.75 -18 48s reinf., 3.00 -18 52s reinf., 3.25 -18 59s reinf., 4.00 -18 64s.

PIRELLI SPORT DEMON £149 ■ Pirelli’s grippy crossply tyre for a wide range of bikes Front: 100/90 -16 54H, 110/70 -16 52P, 110/90 -16 59V, 120/70 -16 57P, 120/80 V16 (60V), 100/80 -17 52H, 110/70 -17 54H, 110/80 -17 57H, 120/70 -17 58V, 100/90 -18 56H, 110/80 -18 58V, 110/90 -18 61V, 100/90 -19 57V. Rear: 140/70 -15 69P reinf., 130/70 -16 61P, 130/90 -16 67V, 150/80 V16 (71V), 130/70 -17 62H, 130/80 -17 65H, 130/90 -17 68V, 140/70 -17 66H, 140/80 VB17 (69V), 150/70 -17 69H, 110/80 -18 58H, 110/90 -18 61H, 120/80 -18 62H, 120/90 -18 65V, 130/70 -18 63H, 130/80 -18 66V, 140/70 -18 67V.

PIRELLI MT 75 £147 ■ Crossply touring tyre for small and medium-powered bikes Front: 90/80 -17 46P, 100/80 -17 52H. Rear: 100/80 -17 52P, 110/80 -17 57s.

PIRELLI CITY DEMON£59 ■ Long-lasting budget tyre designed to shift water in a straight line for riders in an urban environment Front: 2.25 -17 38P reinf., 3.00 -18 47s, 3.00 -18 47s, 90/90 -18 51H, 90/100 -18 54s, 90/90 -19 52s. Rear: 130/90 -15 66s, 120/90 -16 63s, 130/90 -16 67s, 2.50 -17 43P reinf., 2.75 -17 47P reinf., 2.75 -18 48P reinf., 3.00 -18 52P reinf., 3.25 -18 52s, 3.50 -18 56s, 4.00 -18 64s, 90/90 -18 57P reinf.

www.motorcyclenews.com

TRACK TYRES Dunlop D212 GP Pro £320 Grippier and more widely available What’s new? A steeper profile on the front improves turn-in and lets the rider hold a more accurate line. Compounds 1 & 2 are soft on the edges and harder in the middle for braking stability. Dunlop’s secondgeneration Ntec system provides strength to allow very low pressures for maximum grip and contact patch. There are new compounds for the centre and edges of tyre, to cater for trackday and racing use. What are they like? The technology used to develop these Dunlops hasn’t had to trickle down far as these tyres are being used in races across the globe. The new treaded trackday/racing rubber is available in four front compounds (1-4) and five rears (1-5). The D212 GP Pro is now generally available from Dunlop tyre dealers, rather than in limited numbers from Dunlop’s Motorsport division like its predecessor, the D211 GP. Grip is impressive at front and rear – they’re basically a slick with tread cut into them. They give lovely feel

10.07.2013 WEDNESDAY

i Who are they for? Trackday riders or racers. They’re road legal, but they need tyre warmers and won’t get enough heat into them under road conditions ■ Which

■ Sizes

600+

Supersport 600s and superbikes

120/70 x 17, 190/55 x 17, 200/55 x 17.

and load the rider with confidence. As well as trying them on a dry track, we had patchy conditions and they hung on well on damp patches. ■ More info: www.dunlopmotorcycle.co.uk

Pirelli Diablo Supercorsa V2 £320 What’s new? The new tyres have a different carcass, tweaked construction and compounds and a 24% larger footprint at full lean. The Diablo Super Corsa ‘Version II’ is available in road (SP) and race (SC0-2) compounds. It comes in a 200/55 x 17 to fit the latest generation of road-going superbikes and is standard fitment on the RSV4, F4 RR, HP4 and 1199R Panigale. It’s also available in a selection of 180and 190-section 17in rears and 110and 120-section 17in fronts. What are they like? We used the road and race compound versions of the tyre in our 600s and 1000s group tests of the latest 2013 machines on the road and track in Sicily. Away from the track the tyres give a plush ride, sharp steering, great grip and loads of confidence. On the circuit they warm-up fast and are hard to unstick – the front tyre is superb, but if you push the rear very hard you can overcome its edge grip, but they slide very predictably.

i Who are they for? Fast road riders, track day fans or racers. They’re among the most serious tyres you can fit to your bike ■ Which bikes?

600+

superbike and super-nakeds

■ Sizes

Front: 110/70 x 17, 120/70 x 17 Rear: 180/55 x 17, 190/50 x 17, 190/55 x 17, 200/55 x 17 (Race compounds also available in 150/60 x 17, 160/60 x 17, 180/60 x 17.)

Michelin Power Super Sport £245 What’s new? New compounds, profiles, construction and a tread pattern covering just 7.5% of the tyre. The rear tyre can be dropped to 23psi for the track. Michelin says it gives 52% more contact patch. What are they like? Rain at the launch meant we could only try them on a wet track. They felt safe straight away on a BMW S1000RR and gave the rider lots of confidence. ■ More info: http://moto.michelin.co.uk

Who are they for?

Fast road/trackday riders. It’s easy to keep temperature in them, so they’re perfect for UK trackdays ■ Which bikes?

600+

…from 1000cc and 600cc sportsbikes, to super nakeds.

■ More info: www.pirellimoto.co.uk

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■ Sizes

Front 120/70 x 17. Rear 180/55 x 17, 190/50 x 17, 190/55 x 17, 200/55 x 17

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SPORTS TOURING TYRES

Care questions Mark Sears is Product Support Manager for Dunlop’s motorcycle division. He has spent over 25 years with Dunlop and his experience ranges from designing tyres for road and race bikes through to being active in supporting dealers and the press. During his time with Dunlop he’s worked in MotoGP, World Superbikes, British Superbikes, World Endurance and several other race championships.

Why do tyres need ‘balancing’? Tyres are manufactured rather than machined so there is always going to be some variance in weight. Tyres need balancing when there’s a difference of 10 grams within the circumference of the tyre. If there’s a 5g difference then riders won’t notice, but if it’s 10g or more then the fitter will apply a weight on the rim to balance it out. If a tyre is out of balance the rider will feel a vibration through the bars that’s quite unpleasant. It’s not just manufacturing issues than can cause a tyre to be out of balance. If a rider locks the back tyre and skids that can lose some tread from the tyre and throw the balance out. That can also cause a flat spot, which will lead to the same vibration as if a tyre is out of balance.

Why should I run the recommended tyre pressures? I’m a lot heavier than my mate who owns the same bike? We have to build a tyre to the weight and given power output of the bike. There’s a test we have to pass, which is called ECE75 and it specifies a load that each size of tyre must be able to carry at a given pressure for a set duration. We have to make a tyre that’s durable, even if it’s heavily loaded with a large rider and luggage, or with a light rider. The recommended pressure might not be the optimum for a particular size of rider, but it will be safe for anyone. It will also wear better, as wear rates increase significantly when a tyre is inflated above or below the recommended pressure. This is the same whether the rider is light or heavy. Riders will get together and decide what pressure is best for them and some people will run lower pressures because they’re happy with it. They may get more grip and performance, but it will affect the wear rates just the same.

What’s the best way to break in a new tyre? I get asked this a lot. The dealer should wipe off any mould release agent on the surface, but a rider can do this easily themselves by using some hot soapy water. Then it’s simply a matter of riding gently and taking it easy on the new tyre to remove any of this slippery release agent. There are other materials inside the tyre that will settle down in the first 100 or so miles as well, but the breaking in period is really about safety rather than extending the longevity of the tyre. It’s about making sure people don’t spit themselves off because the tyre is new and not yet fully bedded in, just like new brake pads for instance.

Standard fitment on BMW’s R1200GS, Conti’s TrailAttack 2 tyres are designed to cope with heavy loads

There’s a nail head in my tyre. What’s the best thing to do? It’s impossible to say what every person should do. If you take the nail out then it could let the air out, leaving you stranded. If you ride with the nail in, you could cause damage to the tyre and reduce the chances of being able to repair it as you will get fatigue around the hole. If it were me, personally I would ride to the garage before removing the nail, and accept that I may have to replace the tyre. At least I wouldn’t be stranded.

Are there insurance implications to fitting a tyre that isn’t recommended for my bike? As long as it is the right size for the bike and rim and of the correct load/speed rating then essentially no. The construction must be the same too – don’t go fitting a bias-belted tyre in place of a radial etc. If you use the wrong sizes and have an accident then the insurance man will not be very happy and could try to reduce the payout. But if you are on the right-sized tyres then you will be fine. There is no legal requirement to ride on the tyres that are factory-approved or the original tyre that came on your bike, as long as they are the right size.

Why are sections of my tyres different colours? It’s about heat, and the tread’s ability to cope with it. In multi-compound tyres the compounds are affected differently. When a section of tread heats up, oil migrates to the surface and this is what makes it change to a blue colour. The compounds used on the edges of the tyre have more oil in them for grip, while the centre is more durable and will be affected less and look a different colour because less oil has migrated to the surface.

How do I know when my tyre needs replacing? There are tread wear indicators and the current law states there has to be a minimum of 1mm tread depth. When the tread has worn down to meet the blocks in the grooves then the tyre is worn out. But tyres suffer before that in lots of ways. A new tyre has 6mm of tread so it will clear more water and be more resistant to punctures when it’s new than when it has lost 5mm of that tread. There are other ways of wearing a tyre out. If it’s worn more in the middle than at the edges then it goes ‘square’ and will affect handling. If a tyre is used while under-inflated then it will wear more at the shoulders than in the middle and also affect handling.

Does the old rule of a front tyre lasting as long as two rears still apply? Generally yes, although you can never say absolutely. Some bikes, especially heavier touring bikes, are very heavy on front tyre wear and can eat them quickly. They’ll put flat spots on the shoulder and the tyre needs replacing. So always check the front tyre when you replace the rear.

Continental TrailAttack2 £210 Specifically designed for big adventure bikes What’s new? The TrailAttack2 benefits from Continental’s Black Chili compound, which is all about fast warm-up times and improved wet grip, and gets the same tread family resemblance as the more roadorientated Attack series tyres. Conti don’t use release compound in the mould, ensuring the tyre requires very little bedding-in time. What are they like? Continental tyres have been a significant force in the car market for many years, but have historically fallen short when it comes to the two-wheeled market. The net result is that many riders – especially at the performance end of the market – are now reluctant to give Contis a try, which is a shame, because they’re now right up there with the rest of the competition. The TrailAttack2 was specifically developed to cope with the high loads of large, and increasingly powerful, adventure bikes, and they’re one of three standard fitment options on BMW’s R1200GS. The big development for Conti is the use of a zero-degree belt, preventing ‘tyre growth’ under heavy load, which can lead to stability issues at speed. The TrailAttack2 is effectively a dual-compound tyre, but there is no clear delineation between the compounds (Conti call this Continuous Compound Technology), which means that while the

i Who are they for? Riders who want to be able to ride on and off-road on large adventure sports bikes – providing the off-road action isn’t too serious ■ Which bikes?

Mid-to-large adventure sports bikes and nakeds

■ Sizes Front: 120/70 ZR17 58W, 100/90 -19 57H, 110/80 R19 59V, 120/70 R19 60V, 120/70 ZR19 60W, 90/90 -21 54S, 90/90 -21 54H, 90/90 -21 54V, 90/90 V21 (54V). Rear: 120/90 -17 64S, 130/80 -17 65S, 130/80 -17 65H, 130/80 R17 65H, 140/80 R17 69H, 140/80 R17 69V, 150/70 R17 69V, 170/60 R17 72V, 170/60 ZR17 72W, 180/55 ZR17 73W, 190/55 ZR17 75W, 140/80 -18 70S, 150/70 R18 70V, 150/70 ZR18 70W

central band is treated to a harder compound to improve mileages and reduce squaring, the transition to the softer tyre wall is progressive. We tested the TrailAttack2 as standard fitment on the R1200GS, and found them to be almost impossible to fault in the dry. Warm-up times are good, and grip is plentiful from both ends. It’s impossible to detect any difference in grip between the shoulder and the fat part of the tyre, and feedback from both front and rear is excellent under load. The front is particularly impressive in the dry, giving great confidence when pushing hard into faster corners. Stability is also excellent at speed, not suffering from any weave even at well above UK speed limits. Wear from the rear tyre was slightly higher than expected on our test (which totaled 3600 miles of wet and dry fast road use, a few top speed runs, and some light off-road forays), with the central band squaring more than we would have hoped. Nonetheless, there was still plenty of life in the tyre, ignoring the squaring lip. Our only other gripe during the test was that the front-end feel dropped off quite noticably in the wet, feeling more vague than the available grip, which erodes your confidence when the going is moist and greasy. ■ More info: www.conti-bike.co.uk

www.motorcyclenews.com

TYRE DEALER GUIDE

SPORTS TOURING TYRES

FIND YOUR LOCAL TYRE SPECIALIST 8

9 4

6 11

BALANCE YOUR MAIL ORDER TYRES! BALA • FOR A GLASS SMOOTH RIDE. From £12 • NO UGLY SPOKE OR RIM WEIGHTS.

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1 B&C PERFORMANCE TYRES

Unit 1 Clarke House, Clarke St., Farnworth, BL4 9JH Tel: 01204 577 333 or 0845 2492 650 www.bandcperformancetyres.com

2 BUCKLEY TYRE SERVICE

Lane End, Buckley Flintshire, North Wales CH7 3AE 01244 544575 www.buckleytyre.co.uk

3 CHASBIKES

113 Kennington Road London, Greater London SE11 6SF 0207 582 7878 www.chasbikes.co.uk

4 WHEELFIT MOTORCYCLES

Unit 2, The Service Station, Ely Road, Waterbeach, Cambridge CB25 9PG www.wheel-ﬁt.co.uk 01223 440087

5 RCH MOTORS A46 Truckstop, Gainsborough Road, Middle Rasen, Lincolnshire, LN8 3JU 01673 849 913 www.rchmotors.co.uk

6 HMT TYRES

Vulcan Road South Norwich NR6 6AE 01603 301999 www.hmttyres.co.uk

7 ERNIGRIP MOTORS LTD 55 North Street Middle Barton OX7 7BH Tel: 01869 349104

4a Enstone Airﬁeld Enstone OX7 4NP www.ernigrip.co.uk

8 BIKE TYRES LEEDS

27 Main Street Scholes, Leeds LS15 4DQ 0113 2607383 www.biketyresleeds.com

CHAS BIKES

Standard fitment on BMW’s R1200GS, Conti’s TrailAttack 2 tyres are designed to cope with heavy loads

Unit Two, Farm Park Chatteris, Cambridgeshire PE16 6FH 01354 693 388 www.mcnoffer.com - 10% off all Maxxis tyres

10 HAWLEYS TYRES 53 Bridge Street Shefﬁeld S3 8NS Tel: 0114 2721096 www.hawleystyres.co.uk

11 HAMMOND TYRES

Norwich Road Halesworth Suffolk, IP19 8HX Tel: 01986 834734 tyres@hammondgroup.co.uk

12 TYRE TECH

317 Firs Lane Palmers Green London, N13 5QF www.tyretectrading.com Tel: 0800 3 579757

i Who are they for?

Riders who want to be able to ride on and off-road on large adventure sports bikes – providing the off-road action isn’t too serious ■ Which bikes?

Mid-to-large adventure sports bikes and nakeds

www.motorcyclenews.com

10.07.2013 WEDNESDAY

BUYING AND FITTING ADVICE

Metzeler Tourance Next £206 What’s new? First versions of the Next were all single-compound front and rear, but all rears should now be dual-compound, except for the 170/60 R17, significantly increasing their mileage capability. The Next supersedes the Tourance, improving wet grip, stability, performance on light trails, and outright grip in the dry. They are one of the original fitments on the new BMW R1200GS. What are they like? The expectation associated with dual-purpose rubber of this ilk is always that they’ll be largely adequate in just about any riding environment, without ever being truly impressive in any of them. The truth is you’ll be amazed by what you can do with a set of Tourance Next on Tarmac and light trails. Fitted (as they are as standard) to an R1200GS, the Nexts cope admirably with 238kg plus rider, providing huge levels of grip all the way to the very edge of the tyre – which will see the GS’s pegs grinding the Tarmac. This isn’t just in road use, either. We recently took a GS to Sachsenring, and the Nexts effortlessly dispatched a full trackday in 24C˚heat – as well as the 1500-mile round trip, and another 3500 road miles on top, before they started to look spent.

i Who are they for? Riders who want serious performance from their dual-purpose tyre on Tarmac, and light ability for off-road use ■ Which bikes?

Mid-to-large adventure sports bikes, nakeds, or great winter tyres for your sportsbike

■ Sizes

Front: 120/70 ZR 17, 110/80 R 19, 120/70 R 19, 90/90 - 21. Rear: 140/80 R 17, 150/70 R 17, 170/60 R 17, 180/55 ZR 17

The only disappointment in road use was the speed at which the rear started to square – but we have to point out that the set we tested were early production versions, and there have been compound tweaks since to address this. But despite our best attempts to unsettle them, they remained aggressively sticky on road and track, with no tail-off in grip. In normal road use the warm-up time can be measured in metres rather than miles, and they have proved themselves stable to in excess of 130mph on a fully laden GS. While the profile is reasonably aggressive and sporty, there’s no hint of weave or wobble. They’re also impressive in the wet. The rear remains completely planted, and capable of delivering full power to the Tarmac without any hint of traction issues. There’s no less grip from the front, but there is a more anesthetised feeling compared to its dry performance. The Tourance Next is not an aggressive off-road tyre, but is perfectly capable of light, dry, trail riding, and will make light work of stony or gravelly terrain. It’s only when the going gets wet or muddy that they will quickly reach the end of their abilities. ■ More info: www.metzelermoto.co.uk

Michelin Anakee III £202 What’s new? The Anakee III is a bold departure for Michelin, moving away from traditional styling for dual-purpose tyres, orientating them 90% towards road use, and only 10% for light off-road use. Oddly, considering Michelin’s expertise with dualcompound tyres, the Anakee III is single-compound, but you wouldn’t guess from their performance. What are they like? If you’re looking for a rugged adventure-styled tyre that performs more like a sports tyre, the new Anakee III is a serious contender. The profile has visibly more shoulder than most dual-purpose rubber, and it won’t take many miles beneath your wheels before you get the confidence to start exploring the edges of their performance. We tested the III on BMW’s R1200GS, on which the Michelin is one of three potential standard fitments, and while the GS feels lively and nimble atop the Anakees (more so than the Tourance Next or TrailAttack2), there’s no hint of instability at either end. They’re a significant step forward over Michelin’s Anakee 2, which feels like the chunky block-treaded and more softly profiled tyre that it is; prone to wandering and squirming when pushed hard on Tarmac.

i Who are they for? Riders who want serious performance from their dual-purpose tyre on Tarmac, with light ability for off-road use ■ Which bikes?

Mid to large adventure sports bikes

■ Sizes

Too numerous to list – All common adventure bikes sizes. See page 9 for full fitment listing

There’s none of that with the new incarnation, in fact you’d be hardpushed to tell if it was a dualpurpose or sports-touring tyre. Now you get just smooth, predictable grip. Heavy throttle application at full lean doesn’t faze the rear, and the front offers fast turn-in and complete dependability. Warm-up time is very good, and when the roads are wet, there’s no hint that the front is vulnerable in fast road use. They’re impressive under hard braking too, wet and dry, biting the road surface seemingly without any concession to their style. While chunkier, older, more conventional adventure tyres have a tendency to push, scrabble for grip, or worse, the Anakee III just digs in. On light trails the deep mouthlike slashes that comprise the tread pattern seem capable of delivering enough bite to see you over most surfaces, providing that mud isn’t on the list. But this is a road tyre first and foremost, yet it’s as capable offroad as its competition. After 2000 miles of hard road use, these new Michelins are beginning to visibly square, but less so than the Anakee II, backing up the French company’s claims of increased mileage. A dual compound rear would make a lot of sense. ■ More info: moto.michelin.co.uk

Know your dealer, know your fitter... Buying MCN recommends buying tyres from a specialist. This might be a local motorcycle tyre centre, or possibly a mobile fitter. Get a sense of whether the person from whom you’re buying understands tyres, as their knowledge may help you. A good retailer will want to know what bike you ride and how you ride it so they can help you make the right tyre choice. Telling them what bike you ride is important as you can then get the right sizes. If you’ve bought a used bike, the previous owner may have fitted wrongly-sized tyres. There are reputable mail order suppliers and buying from them can save you money as the fitting costs aren’t included in the price. Before buying online, find someone who is prepared to fit your tyres for you as some dealers charge extra for fitting tyres supplied by the customer (it’s fair enough, if there’s no profit coming their way from the tyre). If you buy online first, you could bag a bargain then lose all of the savings and more by paying someone to fit the tyres. Main dealers can be good for tyres, but their priorities are with bike sales and service rather than tyre supply, and they can be more expensive. Judge their knowledge of the market. Newer riders need to know that buying a tyre supplied by the bike’s manufacturer is an expensive way of doing it. The aftermarket equivalent of the same tyre is almost always cheaper. In some cases you will have to go with the original fitment tyre as it’s the only option, or the only recommended option. It’s best to fit a tyre that’s recommended for use on your bike. This could be the recommendation of the bike manufacturer (the

aftermarket tyre rather than the official item for the bike though), or a recommendation from the tyre manufacturer. The good tyre manufacturers have a list of recommended fitments for each bike.

Fitting Fitting tyres yourself is possible, simply using tyre levers, some washing up liquid and bit of skill and strength. But we wouldn’t recommend it. So you have the choices of either taking your bike or loose wheel to the fitter or having a mobile fitter come to you. This is the best option if you have bought your tyres online, as some mobile fitters prefer not to have the hassle of getting tyres in for you. It’s simple as you don’t have to go anywhere, but get an idea of whether the fitter knows his stuff by asking pertinent questions over the phone. See if other motorcyclists recommend him. If you’re going to the fitter, much the same applies. It’s your money and your life, so make sure they know their stuff. You’ll almost certainly need to make an appointment and take your bike in to them. If they’re removing and refitting the wheels it will cost more. The cheapest way of getting your tyres fitted is usually to remove the wheels from the bike yourself and take them to a tyre centre or dealer, as this reduces their labour, and therefore your bill. Whichever route you go down, always check someone’s work when they’ve finished as even the best can make mistakes. Make sure the direction arrows on the tyre sidewall point in the direction of travel, try to undo the spindles and caliper bolts by hand (or with light use of a spanner/ socket if you have them). Check the tyre pressures and pump both brake levers before riding off to make sure the pads are biting the discs. You’ll build a trust with the fitter over time.

Fitting tyres yourself isn’t easy. Mobile fitters are well worth the money

www.motorcyclenews.com

14 Q&A

THE MANUFACTURERS THAT MATTER…

What is your name and job title? Graham Matcham, UK Motorcycle Tyre Brand Manager.

What bike do you ride and what tyres are on it? A BMW R1200GS on the new Conti TrailAttack2 and a Yamaha Fazer 1000 on Conti SportAttack2.

What is your brand ethos that sets you apart from the others?

We asked a representative from each tyre maker why riders should buy their tyres, what makes them different from the rest and what mistakes do they see most often

Deutsche Technic seit 1871- German Technology since 1871. The company has excelled in tyre manufacturing through a comprehensive understanding of individual vehicle requirements.

What is your biggest selling tyre? The Conti RoadAttack2.

What’s the best way of deciding which tyre suits your riding? Establish the correct type of tyre designed to work on your motorcycle. Bike manufacturers have invested a lot of time and effort into researching the best in terms of size, construction, speed and load capability - best advice is to stick within those parameters.

Can I repair your tyres if I get a puncture?

Without great rubber connecting bikes to the road, this would be a very different picture. Hail tyre makers!

Ashley Vowles, motorcycle tyre design engineer.

size of 6mm and a max of two repairs. J-V Speed Symbol, you can repair a max damage size of 3mm and a max of one repair. Above V speed symbol, no repairs are permitted.

What bike do you ride and what tyres are on it?

Can I use unmatched pairs of your tyres?

I’m currently trying my hand at offroading on a stock Yamaha XT.

We normally recommend matching pairs of tyres but there are some exceptions. On a few bikes we may recommend a bias front tyre from one range and a radial rear tyre from another. If we find that is the best option for a bike, we will list it in our fitment guide.

What is your name and job title?

What is your brand ethos that sets you apart from the others? High-quality, high-tech tyres that deliver outstanding performance and are good value for money.

What is your biggest selling tyre? Avon Storm 2 Ultra.

What’s the best way of deciding which tyre suits your riding? Sometimes you’re limited by the bike, but if you have options it would depend on if you want grip, mileage or a more responsive/sportier tyre, depending on how you ride. Both our sports touring range and sport range offer superb grip and mileage, but the sport touring will give more mileage, less grip and vice versa for the sport tyre.

Can I repair your tyres if I get a puncture? Yes, but we only advise that the centre of the tyre (up to 50% of the nominal width) can be repaired. Up to a J Speed Symbol, you can repair a max damage

What’s the most common tyrerelated mistake bikers make? Using incorrect tyre pressures or not checking pressures frequently enough.

Is there a difference between original equipment tyres and aftermarket equivalent? Not always but OE tyres are built to certain specifications and price is a big factor. Aftermarket tyres don’t often have these restrictions and can be made how the manufacturer feels suitable.

What has been the biggest technological tyre breakthrough in the last 10 years?

Can I use unmatched pairs of your tyres? What is your name and job title? Gary Hartshorne, Bridgestone Product Manager for Northern Europe

What bike do you ride and what tyres are on it? A Husaberg FE501 with enduro Bridgestone ED663 and ED668 GRITTY

What is your brand ethos that sets you apart from the others? User-friendly, durable, reliable, value for money, all-round performance and top quality product. What sets us apart? Continuous development at the highest level. MotoGP gives us the most talented test team in the world.

What is your biggest selling tyre? The BT-023 sports touring tyre.

What’s the best way of deciding which tyre suits your riding? Your riding habits should determine this. If you cover more than 5000 miles a year then choose a sports touring tyre. If it’s fewer than this then a sports tyre will suffice.

What’s the most common tyrerelated mistake motorcyclists make? Running incorrect pressures and fitting incorrectly-sized tyres

Is there a difference between original equipment tyres and your aftermarket equivalent? If so, why? Usually, yes. Original equipment tyres will be designed to meet the requirements of the motorcycle manufacturer’s design brief to optimise the performance and handling of the bike in question. This could mean a different compound or carcass materials. The profile shape can be different, as can the size. The OE tyre is designed for the bike from the drawing board.

What has been the biggest technological tyre breakthrough in the last 10 years? No comment.

Wind-on belt construction and 3D sipes.

Can I repair your tyres if I get a puncture?

Is there another breakthrough around the corner?

We follow the British Standards guidelines for puncture repair approvals.

We’re working on it.

Legally you can, but we always recommend you use fully tested and approved options, which are found in Bridgestone’s online fitment guide.

Is there another breakthrough around the corner? No comment.

Many tyres within the Continental range can be repaired if punctured, some cannot. We are in support of the British Standard 159F for repairs to motorcycles which recommends that tyres designed for high speed, greater than 149mph, should not be repaired.

Can I use unmatched pairs of your tyres? The highest level of performance will be achieved on a pair of tyres which have been specifically designed to work together. Often a second generation tyre will be compatible with its predecessor, for example Conti RoadAttack can be paired with a Conti RoadAttack2.

What’s the most common tyrerelated mistake bikers make? Pressure maintenance. Just a few psi off the recommended will have a big effect on handling and wear.

Is there a difference between original equipment tyres and your aftermarket equivalent? There is absolutely no difference between our OE tyres and those made available for sale in the aftermarket.

What has been the biggest technological tyre breakthrough in the last 10 years? At Continental we have achieved a major technology breakthrough which has a huge impact on rider safety. We are able to cure premium high-performance tyres without the need for mould release agents, reducing the need for an extended break-in period.

Is there another breakthrough around the corner? The next breakthrough is expected to come from further compound technology. New components added to the existing base materials can have performance enhancing affects, such as warm-up time and wet grip.

www.motorcyclenews.com

10.07.2013 WEDNESDAY

What is your name and job title? What is your name and job title? Mark Sears, Dunlop UK Motorcycle Product Support Manager.

What bike do you ride and what tyres are on it? A Ducati Monster S4 (916) on Dunlop SportSmarts.

What is your brand ethos that sets you apart from the others? Our slogan, ‘Ride with Confidence’, says it all. What sets us apart is our ‘Race to Road’ campaign whereby everything we learn on the race track through winning races and championships worldwide in open tyre competition, we cascade to our road products in as little as a year.

What is your biggest selling tyre? The Qualifier as it was original fitment on such a vast array of motorcycles, but it’s closely followed by the SportSmart.

What’s the best way of deciding which tyre suits your riding? Ask yourself the questions: do I want mileage, maximum dry performance, wet grip, razor-sharp handling for track days, value-options from a reputable manufacturer or a combination of all?

Can I repair your tyres if I get a puncture?

Steve Brookes, Maxxis UK’s Motorcycle Product Manager

What bike do you ride and what tyres are on it?

What is your brand ethos that sets you apart from the others?

Maxxis pride themselves in offering market-leading tyre technology at an affordable price.

Metzeler is a motorcycle-only brand for hardcore riders who live and breathe bikes. From people who like to travel long distances on any bike on or off-road, to commuters riding 365 days a year.

T he M a x x i s 6029 S up er m a x x Touring, which is the tyre of choice for value- conscious, high-mileage riders. The wide range of fitments, ongoing development and the product’s longstanding popularity also helps keep this tyre a best seller.

What’s the best way of deciding which tyre suits your riding? Our simple three-radial range consists of sport, sports touring and touring making the buying decision very easy for riders who know their own riding style.

Can I repair your tyres if I get a puncture? Yes, in line with current EU guidelines. As a rider, I would always have a damaged tyre professionally inspected to ensure it is safe to continue using.

Can I use unmatched pairs of your tyres?

We wouldn’t recommend this as the optimum performance is gained from a matched pair.

What’s the most common tyrerelated mistake bikers make? Not checking tyre pressures on a weekly or fortnightly basis.

Is there a difference between original equipment tyres and your aftermarket equivalent? In some cases yes. This is because when some bikes are designed and tested they are done so abroad, in often warmer conditions, on different asphalt to the UK.

What has been the biggest technological tyre breakthrough in the last 10 years? Compound technologies - the use of liquid polymers and extra-fine carbon blacks, for long life.

Is there another breakthrough around the corner? Always. It stems from the ‘Race to Road’ philosophy and is why we are so proud of that fact. Soon we will have an adaptable profile which suits the sport bike as well as the touring machines.

E n r i c o D ’A l o j a , M e t z e l e r International Brand Manager

What bike do you ride and what tyres are on it?

Yes - the law only advises what to do in such circumstances.

In some cases, yes. For example, if you had a pair of RoadSmarts fitted to your bike and a replacement rear tyre was required you could fit a RoadSmart II as the tyres are matched in terms of category, profile and performance attributes.

What is your name and job title? What is your name and job title?

Honda VFR800 (2000 model) fitted with MA3DS Supermaxx Diamond. I average 7000 miles a year on it.

What is your biggest selling tyre?

KTM990 SM on Racetec Interact K3s.

What is your biggest selling tyre? Roadtec Z8 Interact, MCN Tyre of the Year 2012.

What’s the best way of deciding which tyre suits your riding? Our website provides the recommended fitments for all bikes.

Can I repair your tyres if I get a puncture? We don’t recommend it as there may be damage to the structure of the tyre which cannot be seen.

Can I use unmatched pairs of your tyres? Generally, we say no. There are exceptions but we only recommend what we have tested. All fitments are listed in our extensive technical data book, which can be downloaded from our website, metzeler.co.uk

Tony Charlton, Michelin technical marketing support (and race support at the Michelin Power Cup).

What bike do you ride and what tyres are on it? My road bike is a KTM950SM on Pilot Power 3. I also have a CCM404 for green-laning (and the odd enduro) with AC10s fitted. I might also admit to owning a Yamaha SRX600, which is a bit of a long-term project.

What is your brand ethos that sets you apart from the others? All of our tyres are designed with the brand ethos of ‘Michelin Total Performance’. This means our tyres offer high levels of performance in all areas (dry grip, wet grip, safety, handling and tyre longevity etc) without any detrimental effect on any other characteristics. As an example, it may be possible to increase tyre life at the expense of grip or vice versa but with Michelin tyres you don’t have to accept these compromises - you can have your cake and eat it!

What is your biggest selling tyre? Michelin Pilot Road 3 – it’s simply a great tyre that we have had fantastic feedback about.

Can I repair your tyres if I get a puncture?

Can I use unmatched pairs of your tyres?

Is there a difference between original equipment tyres and your aftermarket equivalent?

Maxxis OEM Tyres such as those used by KTM, Honda, Yamaha etc are of the same exacting quality standard as our aftermarket products.

Our original equipment tyres are available in the aftermarket so there is no problem obtaining the tyre your bike came out of the factory on. We work in partnership with bike manufacturers and sometimes to give a certain performance characteristic, such as high-speed stability enhancement on big touring bikes, we will develop a specific OE tyre.

Is there another breakthrough around the corner? Breakthroughs are coming all the time at Maxxis thanks to our UK development team, which is led by British Superbike racer Chris Walker, and our Maxxis FIA Virtual Prototyping, linked to real world development at our new state-of-the-art proving ground facility near Shanghai.

The compound we use on the new Roadtec Z8 Interact. We have created a new benchmark for wet grip and retained excellent mileage, stability and handling in the dry too. Perfect for the UK roads and weather! Which is why it won 2012 MCN Tyre of the Year.

Speed Triple 2008 on Angel GTs.

What is your brand ethos that sets it apart from the others? Pirelli is a brand orientated for riders looking for sports performance. For example, our Angel GT touring tyre has the Pirelli sporty DNA, making it a true ‘Gran Turismo’ tyre. World Superbike is our testing laboratory for racing and road tyre developments and we make all of our racing products accessible to anyone who wants to buy them.

What is your best selling tyre? Diablo range

What’s the best way of deciding which tyre suits your riding? I would suggest using the “fit on your bike” section on our website. Input your bike details and you will be given a list of approved fitments.

Can I repair your tyres if I get a puncture? Can I use unmatched pairs of your tyres?

Not checking tyre pressures. Air is a structural element of the tyre so we suggest once a week for best performance, safety and mileage.

What has been the biggest technological tyre breakthrough in the last 10 years?

What bike do you ride and what tyres are on it?

Be realistic and honest about your requirements, don’t be afraid to ask tyre manufacturers and tyre experts for advice on which type of tyre they recommend for you, and why.

Poor maintenance. Riders should always check their tyres before every ride - pressures and a visual inspection.

For Maxxis, the introduction of Five Axis radial tyre-building technology (as used in the Supermaxx Diamond sport touring tyre) and our Virtual Prototyping (CAD) Technology. We have also developed a strategic partnership with Exxon Mobil to help us develop improved compounds.

Jim Worland, Pirelli UK Product and Marketing Manager.

We don’t recommend it.

Yes you can, subject to our repair guidelines.

What has been the biggest technological tyre breakthrough in the last 10 years?

What is your name and job title?

What’s the best way of deciding which tyre suits your riding?

What’s the most common tyrerelated mistake motorcyclists make?

In some cases yes, for example a Pilot Road 2 works with a Pilot Road 3, but you will only get the best performance from a matched pair. We’d always say to give us a call if you have any questions.

What’s the most common tyrerelated mistake motorcyclists make? Thinking that tyres are all the same.

Is there a difference between original equipment tyres and your aftermarket equivalent? No, none at all. We provide the same tyres across the board, whether they’re original equipment or aftermarket.

What has been the biggest technological tyre breakthrough in the last 10 years? It would have to be Two Compound Technology (2CT), brought to the road tyre market by Michelin in 2005. It offers increased cornering grip without reducing overall mileage potential, and is now even a feature on some of our scooter tyres.

Is there another breakthrough around the corner?

Top secret…

Yes, but I can’t tell you about it!

Our tyres are designed to work in matching pairs so in terms of safety and performance there would be no reason to use unmatched tyres.

What’s the most common tyrerelated mistake riders make? Probably still using racing tyres on the road. They might be road-legal race tyres and perceived as ‘sticky’, but racing tyres have a higher optimum operating temperature which cannot be reached on the road. You would have more useable grip on a sports tyre like Diablo Rosso II.

Is there a difference between original equipment tyres and your aftermarket equivalent? Motorcycle manufacturers will often request a slightly different characteristic to the standard tyre. Our OE tyres are identified by a letter on the sidewall next to the product size and name. The OE tyres we produce are readily available in the aftermarket and are listed in our fitment data.

What has been the biggest technological tyre breakthrough in the last 10 years? Our new Angel GT offers up to 30% more mileage over its predecessor the Angel ST. This is by widening and shortening the footprint to give a more even pressure distribution and bigger contact patch,something we learnt from World Superbike.

Is there another breakthrough around the corner? It is too early to say when, but there will be!