Hoops, hides, skins or just plain tires

[DaveM]

When Don started this I beleive the original idea was to give our experiences on various tyres.

Although it is interesting sometimes to read that Joe blogs just bought Tyre X. That doesn't really help anyone here.

A review of your experience does, which is what in past pages here both Don myself and several others have done.

Could we keep this sticky more to just questions, answers and reviews rather than the news of what you just bought?

Also if you make comments about tyres in particular it is useful to know how you ride and what your experience is as someone else may ride quite differently.

Comments like "this tyre is the best" without backup detailed information is quite meaningless to other members as it us unqualified and totally subjective.

Kit your mileage is amazing, the best I have achieved on a set of Pilot Powers is 5000kms, normally I get less than that.

cheers,
Dave

[KitNYC]

Dave,

I don't have the experience with tires that you do, so I don't feel fully qualified to review these, but here are some of my impressions & bits of fact that may be useful....

Aside from the 4000 miles in the last 2 weeks, my usual riding is commuting <10 miles with the occasional 150-350 mile day on warm weekends. Having had this tire on the bike from late October through late April in the Northern Hemisphere, warm weekends were few & far between!

I have never really liked these tires. I've read great reviews, which often state that they grip very well but don't last long. I've always felt that they don't grip well at all, especially in the wet.

What I have come to suspect is that I hardly ever got them up to temp. That would explain both their longevity and their lack of grip.

Cheers,
-Kit

[Nate_ST]

So does anyone have the Pilot Road 2s, because I'm due for a new set soon and I'm leaning, no pun, toward those.

[scrape]

Originally Posted by Nate_ST

So does anyone have the Pilot Road 2s, because I'm due for a new set soon and I'm leaning, no pun, toward those.

I know this is no help for you in terms of feedback at this time, but I am getting a pair of PR2's spooned on next week. $$$$ but most everything I have read online has been positive about them.

As an alternate, the new dual compound Dunlop RoadSmarts have been getting great reviews too, but they are pretty new still too.

[DaveM]

Originally Posted by Nate_ST

So does anyone have the Pilot Road 2s, because I'm due for a new set soon and I'm leaning, no pun, toward those.

Nate,
if you do a search of this thread you will find several members have them and like them a lot.

I have a number of riding buddies and 3 of them I have recommended these tyres to and are all riding in all weathers and are very pleased with the handling and wet & dry grip which is far better than the "slipstones" your bike came with.

DaveM

[Nate_ST]

Thanks guys. I can't say I'm a big Dunlop fan, I had them on my Suzuki Sv650 and I hated them. I have Pilot Powers on the ST now and they work great. I just want something that will last a while and still be sporty.

[ExKellick]

Nate, I have PR 2s with about 6000kms on them. They are fantastic and still have tons of life left in them. Currently they show absolutely no signs of squaring off and I ride everyday on mostly boring city roads with the occasional blast on the twisties.

The wet weather claims are pretty much spot on. With the Bridgestones it was very easy to break traction in the the wet (front BT014 included), the PP2s haven't yet given me any cause for concern even on the road snakes which cause momentary slippage but regain traction very smoothly and controlled. The BT020 rear would give a bit of a shimmy before it decided to hang on again.

Unless you are DaveM who seems to prefer exploring the outer limits of a tyres capabilities I think they are hard to beat all round.

[pitbull]

Originally Posted by Nate_ST

So does anyone have the Pilot Road 2s, because I'm due for a new set soon and I'm leaning, no pun, toward those.

Just put a set on today as I've always used them on my monster and love them.

I have to say, it was like night and day almost immediately. I've been kinda harsh here on the sprint RS, complaining about it's handling since I picked it up last summer. I'm actually quite shocked at how better the handling is with
PR 2's over the BT's

[cafetbird]

I wonder how the PR2s compare to the Avon Storms? I had 1st gens of each, and really didn't like the Michs that much in comparison. Both are much better than the Bridgestones though!

Anyone had an opportunity for a comparo?

[sirdrinkalot]

Hi All,
the best tyres I have fitted by far are Continental Road Attacks but I don't know if they are available in the U.S.
They last well. 6,000miles up to now and still tread left and they certainly stick like 's**t to a blanket'. These are predominantly for touring but if you want some real fun there is another tyre they have brought out called the 'Sport Attack' which is even stickier.