Sport-touring tires vs. Sport tires - thoughts? opinions? experiences?

[sharkattack]

I currently have a rear D208 that is on it's last legs, and I was thinking of replacing it with a Qualifier. I have a Qualifier front and have no issues with it, it still has some life left in it. However, I got to thinking about my tires recently when I went riding with a buddy over the weekend. He's got the Michelin Pilot Roads, and has about 4,500 miles on them. The rear still has loads of tread life left, and so does the front. However, they are a sport-touring tire, so naturally they will last longer.

When it's come to purchasing tires in the past, I've gone with the "stick with the sport (instaed of sport-touring) tires for grip that I won't have to ever question." I recently read an article about the differences between sport tires (e.g. Qualifiers) and sport-touring tires (e.g. Pilot Roads). The general concensous was that unless you are pushing the limits of the machine, you will not be coming close to pushing the limits of a modern sport-touring tire. This was so because, as the article stated, sport-touring tires of today are actually "stickier" than sport tires of just a few years ago, yet last longer.

I don't mind spending money on tires, but I don't want to spend it unnecessarily, know what I mean? My options are:

1. Just get a new rear Qualifier, and replace the front as it needs it

2. Get a new set of tires, such as the Pilot Roads, and have them last longer than the Qualifiers and still get more than enough grip.

Since a bike rides on pretty small contact patches, I've been buying sticky tires and just chalking it up to "that's the price you pay for grippy tires that you never have to question whether or not they're gonna hold mid-way through a turn." You guys that have the Pilot Roads, have you ever had them break loose on you? When they wore out, did you replace them with another set of Pilot Roads, or did you go to a sport tire?

All thoughts, opinions, suggestions are welcome.

Thanks,
S.

[garry]

I'm a fan of a sport-touring rear with a sport front. The front should be pretty well shot by the time the rear wears out and you get extra stick to avoid those pants-wetting front end slides. That said, I didn't care for the Pilot Road. Too mellow a profile for my tastes.  I like a tire with a more triangular profile: where the bike just wants to drop in a turn, not be pushed into a turn. I have not ridden the new Pilot Road (a second generation). Not even sure if they are shipping or not.

IMO, a Diablo Strada rear with a regular Diablo front is a hard combo to beat for SPORT-touring.

[atypical1]

I use Diablo's front and rear and love them but that was not your question was it?

The bottom line is that if you want more wear from your tire then you should use sport-touring tire. My limited experience with them is that they don't do it for me though. I like how sport tires feel. I like how they feel at speed and I like they way they turn. Yeah, I might not need all that grip but I do like having it and I like that they tend to be quicker to turn than sport-touring tires. Now, that is a generic statement based on a few brands and flavors. YMMV obviously.

Why not just experiment a bit with both types?

james

[Thundergod]

Metzler Z6s-- wonderful handling in all conditions. And good distance.

[dm_gsxr]

+1 on the Metzler Z6's. Just replaced front and rear. Last year's rear lasted almost 14,000 miles. While I do hit the twisties, I don't push it hard enough to break it loose and have the track bike for the stickier tires. I've heard about the sticky front vs st rear but am not 100% sure on that yet. I guess even then I don't push it hard enough for the front to get weird on me.

Just a FOG

Carl

[PhilBiker]

I've gone to full-on touring tires on my bike and don't think I'll ever use anything else.  I'm pretty much convinced that unless you're doing track days or riding at speeds that frankly are insanely stupid for public roads sport tires are overkill for street bikes.  I have yet to have any slippage rain or dry on my Metzeler Marathons.  I commute on my bike so the occasional panic/emergency maneuver is normal.

[TheCloser]

+2 on the Z6s!  

I had stock Dunlop 208s on my 2006 Buell Lightning, marginal at best,  and replaced those with Qualifiers and was NOT impressed.    They wore out at 2K and their performance was not dramatically better than the 208s.  

I decided to put BMW-K's reviews to the test and went with Metzeler Z6s and have had nothing but great things to say!  They stick!  They last!  They inspire confidence!  They look cool with the bottom of the elephant's feet being scrubbed!  

Unless I find myself wanting to do a track day, I have found the perfect STREET tires.

[1KPerDay]

IMO, a Diablo Strada rear with a regular Diablo front is a hard combo to beat for SPORT-touring.

The Pilot Road rear/Pilot Power front is a good combo also.

The new Pilot Road 2s are supposed to be the dog's bollocks. I'll try them next.

[ChuckBecker]

I'll third the S-T rear/sport front recommendation.  I happen to be running a Strada rear and Diablo front at the moment and it's like best of both worlds, unless you're doing track days.  I got tired of throwing out 50% perfectly good fronts...

[atypical1]

I'll third the S-T rear/sport front recommendation.  I happen to be running a Strada rear and Diablo front at the moment and it's like best of both worlds, unless you're doing track days.  I got tired of throwing out 50% perfectly good fronts...

Why would you throw out perfectly good fronts?   If you are running Diablo's front and rear (as an example) wouldn't you just replace the rear (or the front) as they wear? Why replace both at the same time?

james

[mcoyote]

My R1 (and its rider) loves its Pilot Powers. Will likely clear 6k mi without a fuss, which for me is a big deal. Awesome tires, on par with Z6's, IMO.

[av24me]

I love my Diablo Stada's front and rear, usally get about 7500 out of the rear tire and 12-13000 on the front, this is two up at times and have to say that I use the tires to the edge pretty agressively at times so traction is an important consideration when I buy tires but so is mileage, hate having to buy tires on a long trip.


I find it interesting to look at most sport bikes and find BIG chicken stripes on the sides and a flat spot down the middle, but I guess having the image and spending the money is more important.

[Windblown]

Here's the deal:

I can double the posted speed limit thru corners on a sport-touring tire.  I can maybe do a tad better with a full on sport tire, but other issues come into play which make it dangerous to do so other than grip, no tire is going to grip thru unexpected oil, gravel, or sand for example.

Now here is the clincher for me:  It takes about 1000 miles or less of highway use to destroy the profile on a rear sport tire. At that point the fact that it's a little stickier than a sport touring tire means nothing. It will handle like crap.

I like the idea mentioned above about using a sport front and sport touring rear. Never tried it but it sounds like a winning combo.  

[Kootenanny]

My experience with "sport-touring" rubber has been good.  My Firebolt came stock with Dunlop 207s, which I blew through in 3,500 km (that's Kanadian Miles ).  Put on Diablos; the improvement was instant and dramatic, and I was thoroughly impressed.  Not only were they far better tires, but they lasted more than twice as long, to around 8,000 km.  Still not satisfied, though, I next mounted Conti Road Attacks--these handled as well as the Pirellis (actually, better in some situations, like grooved pavement), and lasted even longer, to around 12,000 km.  Put another set of those on this past spring.

Next time around, I'm hoping to try out the Michelin Pilot Road 2CTs, which are supposed to use Pilot Power profile...  Till then, I'm quite happy with the Contis--they grip fine (scrubbed to the edge on both sides) and wear pretty good.

BTW, I'm another guy who changes both tires at once, front and rear.  Someone asked why anyone would "throw out perfectly good fronts?"  Well, the anser is, they AREN'T "perfectly good" anymore.  The center tread may still be there, but at least in my case the wear on the sides of the front tires was enough that I don't feel comfortable matching them with good rears.  Front grip is important, after all.  Had a friend who finally decided to change out the worn front tire on his Monster, and his comment was "It feels like a new bike!"

[jeremy556]

I get about 1800-2000 from a Power rear, 2200-2300 from a front, but I ride like a “squid.”

I have run a few sets of Pilot Roads and a couple other ST tires. Pilot Roads were just awful in every way. The front would cup so badly the bars would oscillate back and forth when turning at 50% wear, the rear would lose grip at around 75% wear and be like riding on ice, the profile from the start is terrible and you have to fight to turn the bike.

[whoaru99]

It came down to Pilot Roads and Road Attacks for me.

I went with the RA because of the sportier profile. I'm very happy with them so far, but haven't ridden on the Pilot Roads to compare directly.

I have close to 2K miles and the rear has a small but definite flat profile in the middle, still lots of tread depth left though. Seems no matter what, I haven't found a way to spend enough time on twisties to avoid or even out the dreaded flat middle.

[JoelCool]

I'm a fan of the Pilot Powers with the R1.  They last longer than the Z6s I ran, and provide amazing feedback all the way to the wear bars.  Continental R/A tended to loose their feel towards the end of life - I was never brave enough to make it to the wear bars.  I've currently got a (free) set of Pilot Sports on the bike and they are no where near as confidence inspiring.  That's ok, I needed to slow down a bit anyway.  But you can be sure I'll be switching back to Powers when these are toast.

  Did I just reply to a tire thread??????  

[1KPerDay]

I have run a few sets of Pilot Roads and a couple other ST tires. Pilot Roads were just awful in every way. The front would cup so badly the bars would oscillate back and forth when turning at 50% wear, the rear would lose grip at around 75% wear and be like riding on ice, the profile from the start is terrible and you have to fight to turn the bike.

Funny... I've run 4 sets of Roads and never got cupping. I did get cupping on the Powers near the end of their life. The PR2s are supposed to combine the profile of the Roads and the Powers FYI. Not that you'll try them.

[Mike-H]

I'm a fan of a sport-touring rear with a sport front. The front should be pretty well shot by the time the rear wears out and you get extra stick to avoid those pants-wetting front end slides. That said, I didn't care for the Pilot Road. Too mellow a profile for my tastes.  I like a tire with a more triangular profile: where the bike just wants to drop in a turn, not be pushed into a turn. I have not ridden the new Pilot Road (a second generation). Not even sure if they are shipping or not.

IMO, a Diablo Strada rear with a regular Diablo front is a hard combo to beat for SPORT-touring.

Big +1 on that.... ....

[Squareman357]

My R1 (and its rider) loves its Pilot Powers. Will likely clear 6k mi without a fuss, which for me is a big deal. Awesome tires, on par with Z6's, IMO.

I run Pilot Powers on my ZX-14, easily get 6K+ out of them, and I love the stick they offer as well as the turn in. Very confidence inspiring tires.