R1100S - Another tire question

[kudzu]

Want to replace the mismatched tires on a low mileage R1100S that I just bought. Of the three kinds of tires that I have had on my RT, I like the Z-6's best. A knowledgeable friend suggests something stickier, like Pilot Powers, would be appropriate and fun on the S-bike. Anybody have other ideas I should consider?

[SCOTTinNJ]

Unless you are REALLY dicing things up, sport touring tires should be fine. The Pilot Powers are excellent tires, but don't expect good mileage. I'd stick with what you have on the RT.

 

By the way, my first three bikes were an F650, R1150RT, and then R1100S. Good choices you made there!

[JohnBryer]

If I had an S and the abilities to push it, it would get the powers.

[too old to care]

I have an S, traded in an RT. The stock Z4s will soon be gone and I plan to install Z6s. I have many miles on both tires on my previous RTs and I run the bike over hard enough to notice the difference. I am concerned about safety over mileage, and feel that the Z6s give me the best of both worlds.

[Lone_RT_rider]

I used to run Metzler Z4's and when the Z6's came out I heard enough complaints about inability to be able to see when they are shot, that I stayed away from them. I have tried Pilot Roads and Avon Azaro's on my RT. Trying the Avons on the RT convinced me that they would be perfect for the R1100S I have. I just put a pair on the S about 2000 miles ago and have been incredibly happy with them!

 

I tend to fly out of sweepers at triple digits with half throttle or more and I have never felt them slip yet. I think their great!

 

Avaon Azaros.....two thumbs up!

 

See selection here!

 

Shawn

[ShovelStrokeEd]

I had Z-6s on mine awhile back and was not impressed. Actually they felt great when I first put them on but their performance fell way off once the miles accumulated and, at 8K miles they were history.

 

I have a pilot road on the back of mine rignt now and plan to keep this as my rear tire. The front has a Z6 for now as when my front went, the local dealer had nothing else. I plan on a pilot power for the front.

 

Lots of folks over on the S board favor the Conti Road Attack or Pirrelli Demon tires. In the Metzler camp, the sportec M1 seems to be the tire of choice.

 

My Pilot road with 8.5K on it now is just starting to show a bit of squaring and is by no means showing much wear. It looks to be at least a 12K tire on the S. I'm pretty smooth on the bike but I wouldn't say I'm a timid rider and I haven't had any traction issues. If something crops up during this weekend's twisty run, I'll be sure and let you know.

[SCOTTinNJ]

Ed, what pressures do you run? You get way more mileage on your tires then I ever do - and I'm 150 lbs. and seldom ride with luggage. Of course, I don't do a couple thousand miles a month either...

[ShovelStrokeEd]

Scott,

I run 34/36 f/r. My bike is a prep and has the 5.5" rear rim with the 180-55 tire. You know I'm not a small guy, I go about 240 and almost always carry about 60 lbs of baggage between my panniers and my duffel. The only thing I can attribute it to is that I am, for the most part, very smooth with my throttle transitions. That is not to say I don't ride fast, just that I'm not likely to push the envelope under acceleration. Even in twisty bits, I try to set a 10 mph range that will work for the majority of turns on that road and do my slow in, acclerate out thing such that I'm back into the throttle almost at the moment of turn in and slowly opening the loud handle all the way through the turn till I'm pretty much as open as it will take just past the apex. Not the fastest of techniques but it sure is easy on the drive train.

 

There is something else strange I have noticed about the way I ride and I'm at a loss to explain it. I don't seem to use a whole bunch of front tire when turning and leaning. My rear has no chicken strips to speak of, maybe 1/4" on the left. The front, they are 3/4 to an inch wide. I'm pretty positive with my turn initiation and seldom have to do much correcting after I have turned in so it must be my slow entry speed. I just don't know.

 

I got 8K on the rear and 12K on the front of a set of BT-010's as my last set. Now I did take the rear from looking OK to pretty well shagged in about 600 miles of hoonish behavior over a two day period in both TN and VA.

[jviss]

How about the Bridgestone BT-014? Supposedly a very sticky, very agressive tire.

[Effervescent]

Went from Z4s to Pilot Roads. Love'em. I run 40/42.

 

-Eff