Best Wet/Winter Tyre

Off-topic
1

For those of you that are gonna commute all winter, like me, i’d like to know what you all run/recommend for uber-grip on London’s cold, damp, diesel strewn roads, considering 20mph average speeds in stop/start traffic through Euston/Camden - so no time for tyres to reach temp - punctuated with 70mph up the A40 for 3 miles, and 50mph drag races to each set of lights.Oh - and the bike is a Superduke.

A few years ago I ran Avon Pro Extreme rain’s on a KTM Supermoto and the grip was awesome. I really could ride in the rain like it was dry… but 600 miles later the rear was pretty squared off, and they’re £240 a set, £140 for the rear.

They do make this tyre with a 180 rear fro the SD, but one dry week could see the rear tyre off in 500 miles, so at 20 miles a day that’s hardly economic. :stuck_out_tongue:

My current tyres are Pilot Powers, and they’re pretty ok, but I’ve still had a few slides, and even found myself spinning-up the rear when trying to pull away from the lights (and I’m talking a gentle pull-away) - so I’m looking to improve on these.

I hear Dunlop Roadsmarts are good, I could try the Mich PP 2CT version, and the Michelin Pilot Road 2 is an option, (but as it’s a “sports/tourer” I’m wondering if the longer life of the PR2 means less grip in the wet, not more?) Other usual suspects include the Pirelli Angels, and Dunlop Qualifiers, etc…

Someone suggested using race wets from ebay (cheers fella) and I’m tempted, but seriously, what else is good? I want the best possible grip and not bothered if I get just 1000 miles from the rear. I’d rather stay upright all winter and melt some rubber on the road, insetad of metal & plastic. Obviously I’ll avoid track days over winter, so this is just for my daily commute.

Thanks

2

Good post!I am thinking what to put on my SD too. Thinking about Dunlop Roadsmarts too because I have heard they’re as good as Mich PR 2ct wet and dry. Got Mich PR 2cts on my BMW R1100s (for winter, touring, wet weather etc) and they are the BEST winter tyre I have used (beat Avon Storm, Pirelli Diablo, Bridgey 021). And they last ages and ages (10k front -1k left; 5k rear, 2 or 3 k left). Also thought of pilot power 2cts for the SD as they are more sporty than the PR2cts , but you seem to have put me off! So Roadsmarts is the current plan, unless anyone can convince me to try Pirelli Angels or something else.

3

I have done winters on the bridgestones and the pilot roads.

the better ones I have found is the pilot roads. Very grippy - love them.

I do about 50 miles a day and so far they have been great.

I have the powers on my “other” lady and they definitely inspire a lot less confidence in the wet but then again she rarely gets her hair wet these days. :wink:

4

Just to add to this - I do a longer commute but a lot of it is up the a13 so quick long road but I have found that the pilots heat up a lot quicker than the bridgestones.

5

i find the black round ones best !!!:stuck_out_tongue:

6

Dunlop roadsmarts… it’s what i’ve used on the ZX6R and Blade in winter … AND summer. I got 8000 off a rear on the 6R and 6500 on the 929. I don’t bother going to super stickies in the summer since the profile is stable, and it grips very well when warm. Talking about warm, they warm up quickly in winter and work impeccably in the wet… a LOT of feedback from the front and rear. It’s swings and roundabouts though. I loved the profile of the dunlop qualifiers so I decided to have the roadsmarts. Predictable, Stable, Durable. Nuff said!

7

pirrelli Angel St for my blackbird…they ok in the wet or dry, will let you know how they cope with snow n ice when it gets here :D:D

8

i’ve had pilot power 2cts on my old K4 SV650S, had them all year round, bit soft for commuting very prone to punctures when warm, great grip levels tho! but a little lackign in the wet at times.

On my current bike my K3 SV1000S i have pilot road 2cts, these are much better in the wet, you can feel they are more grippy! also again great in the dry, and no spinning up away from the lights in the wet…well not unless you mean it:w00t: gotta love a grunty Vee… huh Dutch;):D:cool:

a good combo is pilot road 2ct rear, pilot power 2ct front;)

used pilot roads on my CBF500 work bike, good enough to scrape the pegs in the dry but i didnt think they were all that in the wet, had a couple of slides whiel cornering flelt the bike ‘drift’ a little…

got conti attacks on ther CBF at the mo, and i tell you what they aint bad…wet or dry:)

9

wets…

10

I have Metz Z6 tyres on my bike. They’re very good. Really sticky in the dry and their wet grip is pretty good. You also have the added bonus of getting about 6000 miles out of them. :smiley:

11

I’m looking to make this decision today as well. I have Corsa III’s on there that came with the bike. But one weekend (2 up) in Wales has totally sh*gged them.

I’m trying to decide between the Pilot Road 2ct and Pilot Power 2ct.

Had the PR 2ct’s on the 'busa and loved them, but that’s a very different bike.

12

My Roadsmarts work great on the 7r so forget about writing them off as another crappy Dunlop.

13

BT-021 good in the dry, didn’t fully trust them in the wet. But did get 10K on the last rear.

14

Thanks fella. If you’re saying the Pilot road is def better in the wet that the pilot power, then i think I have my answer - at least for road tyres…

Meanwhile, the PXR is still tempting. Maybe an option for Jan/Feb.

15

all I can say is I ride all year round on am R1 and for me it has to be Michelin Pilot Road 2. Never had a problem with them in the wet. Even used them on a wet track day.

16

I fitted Pilot Road 2’s to the Duke today. First impression of them are good, but I’ve only done 30 miles so far.

17

defo mate, straight up…pilot roads are normmaly a better choice, even if as rear tyre only!

dude i think i see you today, at essential, just realised your bike has 990 on the back, i was poring over the one that turned up at essential…very nice bike, suprised i didnt recognise ya from the brands TD;)

i had camou textile jacket, on the work bike:D will say hello next time:)