Michelin P3 or Metzler Z8

[dothetime]

Hi everyone

I'm a new 1100rt owner and would like a new

Set of tires

What's the consensus on what the best

Tires are for an 1100RT?

I am looking at Michelin pilot 3

or

Metzler Z8's

I am interested in best wear and handling

Don't ride much in bad weather

 

Thanks

Dave

[dirtrider]

Afternoon Dave

 

The tire choice is more of a road-surfaces-in-your-riding-area & how-you-ride issue than what works best on a BMW 1100.

 

We could both have the same bike but ride different roads with different riding styles & one of us like the Z-8's & the other liking the P-3's better.

 

Also best wear doesn't always go with best handling. Tires are a compromise.

 

You really can't go wrong with either the Michelin or the Metzler Z-8.

 

Some riders have wear issues with the Z-6 or Z-8 & seem to like the Michelin better/ some riders like the Z-8 better for both handling & wear.

 

So far for me personally I haven't found a tire better for my riding style & road surfaces than the old Z-6 & now the Z-8.

 

Just pick one & try it to see how it works out for YOU. If you don't like it then next tire try something else. Hopefully once you find the best tire "for you" they don't drop it from the lineup or make a significant change so you have to start over.

 

 

Added: one thing to think about is some of

the newer performance based motorcycle tires are dual or even triple compound. That puts softer rubber out on the edges of the tire. This could be a good thing if you ride the majority of the tire's life straight up or at sedate lean angles. If you tend to use a lot of lean angle with a heavy wrist on the throttle coming up & out of the corners then tire step wear could be an issue due to the difference in tire compound.

 

[David R]

I ran PR 2 on my 1100RT. Its the only tire I wore the sides out before the middle. I have a set of PR 3 waiting for the set on the bike to wear out now.

 

The Z6 I ran wore out the whole tire at the same time in the front and the center out of the rear. I didn't like the rear z6 because there are no wear bars or tread in the center. I left it on the bike too long and when I took it off the center was really thin.

 

The Michelins seem to howl more than the metzlers. Its a personal choice.

 

Front and rear seem to wear out at the same time on my bike.

 

I commute to work, so multi compound works for me.

[Selden]

I don't have A/B experience for comparison, but I suspect that the new Michelin P3's, especially the front, howl more than the older P2 design because of the very fine sipes in the tread -- especially the front, which has them running across the tread from side to side. The change in sound was noticeable immediately, and I have never used a tire that got quieter with time. I don't find the noise annoying (especially with ear plugs), but it's always there.

 

 

P2's are still available at a slightly lower cost than the P3's. I could easily have gotten 15,000 miles from my P2 rear tire, which was a major reason for switching to Michelin when it came time to re-tire this winter.

[Bologna]

PR3's replaced PR2's on the last change and they are wearing better and have a great feel to them. I got 7000 on the last set of PR2's and hope to get a few more miles on the PR3's. (4500 on them now)

Either tire is an excellent choice so pick a tire and get out there and ride!

 

[slowman]

I had Z8s on a 03 1150RT changed to PR3 front and rear. It felt like I had a new bike. Don't know about wear but ride and stablity is the best I have ever experience in a change with a tire. Just my opinon on the PR3s

[David R]

I thought the PR3 was an up graded tread design over the PR 2 because the tread does not go across the center line.

 

I have not put the PR 3 on yet.