All-round rubber: The best sports-touring tyres for your motorbike

[Skub]

I think i'm the only person on the planet that hates Michelin Pilots.

What doncha like?

Always make the slow steering feel heavy and ponderous. Every time i've had the various pilots I keep checking my front tyre pressure? I changed the front pilot on a NC750X to a Bridgestone something or other and it made the bike so much nicer around own.

I'd agree,they don't have a profile that turns effortlessly,but I've always found the positive knock on effect is that planted feel they give.

[Rockburner]

I think i'm the only person on the planet that hates Michelin Pilots.

What doncha like?

Always make the slow steering feel heavy and ponderous. Every time i've had the various pilots I keep checking my front tyre pressure? I changed the front pilot on a NC750X to a Bridgestone something or other and it made the bike so much nicer around own.

This may be an 'egg-sucking' thought - but did you check the pressures for the bike/tyre combo with Michelin? IIRC sometimes Michelin (I think it's Michelin) seem to recommend different pressures for their tyres on some bikes than most other tyre manufacturers. IE, if Pirelli, Metzeler, Continental, & Bridgestone recommend 36/42, Michelin equivalent tyres (eg sport touring) would be recommended at 32/36 (or something, but not the same as everyone else)

[Bigyin]

I must be the only one here who prefers the Angel GT2 over Michelin PR’s

I almost bought a set of PR5 on a big discount prior to Pembrey but ended up paying the extra for a fresh set of GT2 as I just prefer how they feel and they have loads of grip in the wet and dry as well as giving me decent mileage as well.

The current ones still are legal but a round trip to Wales and some hopefully dry track action and I doubt they will make it all the way there and back

[Yorick]

I've been impressed with the Dunlop Sportsmart TTs.
Had them for a few years and give readable mileage.
And on the recent trackday, they were just as good as the D211s I used to use when instructing

[Dunxster]

Another fan of the Michelin Pilot Road range here. Completely transformed the handling of my Suzuki VStrom when I put them on that (Might have been 3s). When the Bridgestones on my Versys needed changing it was back to Pilot Roads and again big smiles.

I just need to wear out the Bridgestones on my TMax now so that I can go back to Pilot Roads again. So happy they make them in maxi scooter sizes.

[Rockburner]

I must be the only one here who prefers the Angel GT2 over Michelin PR’s

I almost bought a set of PR5 on a big discount prior to Pembrey but ended up paying the extra for a fresh set of GT2 as I just prefer how they feel and they have loads of grip in the wet and dry as well as giving me decent mileage as well.

The current ones still are legal but a round trip to Wales and some hopefully dry track action and I doubt they will make it all the way there and back

Not tried the GT2 yet - but I prefer Pirelli for the Rockster so will probably end up with them at the next change (end of this month probably).

[Tricky]

It's difficult to buy a bad tyre now,it would appear. The worst that can happen is buying a set which don't suit the bike,or maybe you dislike the feel.

............................

Thats my view too, but I guess us senior gentlemen remember the bad old days of nylon yokahamas , Japanese Dunlops and Avon roadrunners eh there were definitely bad tyres back then

I've been impressed with the Dunlop Sportsmart TTs.
Had them for a few years and give readable mileage.
And on the recent trackday, they were just as good as the D211s I used to use when instructing

They are indeed an excellent tyre and have been my track-day tyre of choice for a good few years now and have used them on a fair few bikes- as sticky and stable as SuperCorsas but warm up in seconds and last five times as long- I definitely wouldn't class them as a sports-touring tyre though, if we're talking Dunlop, then that's more the RoadSmart or Mutant

[Tricky]

I must be the only one here who prefers the Angel GT2 over Michelin PR’s

I almost bought a set of PR5 on a big discount prior to Pembrey but ended up paying the extra for a fresh set of GT2 as I just prefer how they feel and they have loads of grip in the wet and dry as well as giving me decent mileage as well.

The current ones still are legal but a round trip to Wales and some hopefully dry track action and I doubt they will make it all the way there and back

Nope- there's at least two of us, I love Angel GTs, although TBF the last gen PR I've had was PR4 so am probably well out of date...

[Skub]

It's difficult to buy a bad tyre now,it would appear. The worst that can happen is buying a set which don't suit the bike,or maybe you dislike the feel.

............................

Thats my view too, but I guess us senior gentlemen remember the bad old days of nylon yokahamas , Japanese Dunlops and Avon roadrunners eh there were definitely bad tyres back then

Plastic Bridgestones,crap in the dry and lethal when it rained.

Then the shiny stainless discs with huge lag in the wet.

Drum brakes that didn't work at all....oh wait..

[mangocrazy]

Thats my view too, but I guess us senior gentlemen remember the bad old days of nylon yokahamas , Japanese Dunlops and Avon roadrunners eh there were definitely bad tyres back then

Absolutely... I remember the evil Yokohamas particularly well. The damn things just wouldn't wear out, and as 'times was hard' you couldn't justify getting rid of a set of tyres with (limitless, or so it felt) life left. I remember being aware that the front was sliding on one corner, but was able to lift the bike up and stop the slide. It wasn't an 'over in a flash and you're on the deck' type of slide, more like a long and regretful letter, informing you that unless you changed your ways there would be severe consequences...

Back in the 60s and 70s all tyres were shit, but Japanese tyres were quite a lot shittier. And that incuded Bridgestone.

[Yorick]

It's difficult to buy a bad tyre now,it would appear. The worst that can happen is buying a set which don't suit the bike,or maybe you dislike the feel.

............................

Thats my view too, but I guess us senior gentlemen remember the bad old days of nylon yokahamas , Japanese Dunlops and Avon roadrunners eh there were definitely bad tyres back then

Plastic Bridgestones,crap in the dry and lethal when it rained.

Then the shiny stainless discs with huge lag in the wet.

Drum brakes that didn't work at all....oh wait..

Yeah

[Cousin Jack]

I had Bridgestones on the VFR. They were ok when new, but just went 'off' quite suddenly. Plenty of wear left, not squared, but just horrible.

Replaced with PR5s and bike wss transformed back to what it should be. New baby CB500 had PR5s from new, they are being replaced next week with new ones, ready for the Pyrenees in September.

[Count Steer]

It's difficult to buy a bad tyre now,it would appear. The worst that can happen is buying a set which don't suit the bike,or maybe you dislike the feel.

............................

Thats my view too, but I guess us senior gentlemen remember the bad old days of nylon yokahamas , Japanese Dunlops and Avon roadrunners eh there were definitely bad tyres back then

Plastic Bridgestones,crap in the dry and lethal when it rained.

That was another + for the CX500 iirc because it had tubeless wheels it came with German tyres on. Meanwhile my workmates on their Hondas etc were riding like Bambi on ice on Tombstones, Yokohamas and Japanese Dunlops made of black cheese. (It was always wet - it was Wales).