Let's Talk Sportbikes- Tires. YMMV??

[N.E. Tx.XD]

Thought the topic fit better here than the chatterbox. Calling all sportbikers here for your milage and opinions on how your tires are working out. HELP! My 2009 Buell XB12r is eating back tires like a T-Rex.

First let me remove some values from the equation. I do not do power stands, wheelies (maybe once or twice ), slides or stoppies. I do not do "track days". I do not ride the bike that hard. May do a spirted ride a couple times a year with the "group". 98% of my riding is commuting back and forth from work, 100 miles round trip. 25% of that trip is through the "twisties". Have taken several 250+ mile road trips.

Have owned other sportbikes in the 600-750cc. Really wanted a V-twin sport bike, and have been happy with what the budget allowed. The bike came with Pirelli Diablo Corsa 2's, gone in 1500 miles. I do understand the soft tire conundrum, and needed allot more milage. Next I ran a Continetial Road Attack, changed to Continetial Motion and been running them ever since. The absoulte best milage I can get from the Continetials is an average of about 3400 miles, the last one 3100 miles. I ride them until I just start to see an x-ray of the threads. Mostly wear a flat spot in all the tires, and makes them useless in the twisties until you get 'em headed towards the chicken strips.

Have had it dynotunned out to 105 ponies and 84 ft.lbs. of torque. The 2009 Hayabusa is 156 horse and 94 ft.lbs. of torque. So the Buell is putting out monster torque at that hp., thus eating back tires for lunch and dinner. I know tire debates can split a room of bikers in half, but am really desperatly looking for a 6000 mi. magic bullet/solution. Would be willing to pay allot more if I could get Z rated high milage tire.

Question is this.....Does such an animal even exist, or do I just smile, keep feeding it and be happy?? What are you running and for how far, on what machine. Your Milage Must Vary.

[JBRazor]

I use to run Dunlop's until I switched to Michelin Pilot Powers on my GSXR-1000. You are right about the softness of the tires. The softer the compound the lower the mileage but they allow you to drag elbows on the track. Whenever you get into a harder compound, they will not be as sticky and will take longer to heat up so with all that torque be careful on those chilly mornings because you will ride like you are on ice. I don't think there is a perfect tire for what you need at this point but I could be wrong. They make dual compound tires where the harder compounds are in the center of the tire while the softer, stickier compunds are on the sides. I've heard a few good things about continental tires so that may be a good starting place. Good luck.

[d_adams]

Bridgestone BT-016's, I get 7000 out of the rear, 10k+ on the front. That's in miles, not km. Plenty sticky for me, they held up well doing a trackday when new and many miles since then.

Btw, I'm on a Buell 1125R and putting out 143 hp/ 80 ft/lbs of torque at the wheel, tuned by EBR, pipe by me. The torque curve isn't really a curve, it's a flat line from 4k to redline.

[brennahm]

7k out of a BT-016? How does it handle on the nylon cords?

Dragging elbow on Pilot Powers? Didn't know Spies was on here...

Try a set of Dunlop Roadsmarts or Michelin Pilot Roads. I'm a Michelin guy personally. It doesn't help you're running a V-Twin as the power pulses will tear the tires up a little quicker than an inline 4. The numbers you're getting aren't really unreasonable. Please, in the future, for your own safety, change the tires when you reach the wear bars.

[tpadden]

I would recomend getting some michelin pilot road 2's (or 3's if you want to spend the extra bucks but the 2's will do the trick) I currently have a set on my 07 vfr 800 with 6000 miles on them and they look like they could go at least another 2-3K. I have never had any problems with them not gripping and ride in all weather year around in a northern va climate that can get cold. I use the bike mostly for commuting but have alot of experience between touring, commuting, and racing. PR2's get my vote and I'm about to order another set.

[d_adams]

Took this at 5000 miles on my last tire. 34 psi for street use, 30 for track.

[Knightslugger]

i think you're a little too liberal with the gas there N.E. Tx XD.

Try not to accelerate so quickly all the time.

[LagerHead]

Originally Posted by brennahm

7k out of a BT-016? How does it handle on the nylon cords?

Dragging elbow on Pilot Powers? Didn't know Spies was on here...

Try a set of Dunlop Roadsmarts or Michelin Pilot Roads. I'm a Michelin guy personally. It doesn't help you're running a V-Twin as the power pulses will tear the tires up a little quicker than an inline 4. The numbers you're getting aren't really unreasonable. Please, in the future, for your own safety, change the tires when you reach the wear bars.

I run the BT-03s and they're pretty good too. 7K might be pushing it though. I might have to try the 016s if they come in my size.

[Knightslugger]

Originally Posted by brennahm

Dragging elbow on Pilot Powers? Didn't know Spies was on here...

believe it or not, it was not too long ago that the Pilot Power was the race tire to have for club racers. We may not have the uber huge budgets that the AMAs have, but there are some fast riders in the expert ranks that were dragging elbows knees and toes around the track. they continue to do so in the same fashion today, but now with faster lap times.

[djoker04]

Like it was said softer the compound quicker it will shred....I don't do Street anymore but when I did I got alot out of Mich's...plus the proper PSI is a factor...to much and the tire is hard so it'll peel dead center.....to soft...you'll make it chunk.....also suspension has alot to play also...if you do corners like they are meant to be taken..(LEANED OVER)...you can have the tires not gripping properly....go to a suspension guru...try that...