Z900RS Tyre Recommendations

[Biker 1]

My Kwak Z900RS still has the awful Dunlop OE tyres fitted - traction control light is very busy....
Forums suggest fitting Michelin Road or Bridgestone T22.
My previous bike had Bridgestone S22, which had great feel, super sticky & lasted OK, but given the type of bike, would a more touring type tyre work better?
Just wondering if any of you lot have experience with the RS - I've only had mine since July, so am a bit of a newbie!

[black-k1]

The key question is what will you be using the bike for? Track, fast road, commuting, touring? How many miles a year? What weather do you ride in?

[Biker 1]

black-k1 said:

The key question is what will you be using the bike for? Track, fast road, commuting, touring? How many miles a year? What weather do you ride in?

I ride all year, but only in the dry & in daytime. Mostly fast road for an hour or three weekend blat. I guess I do around 5K miles PA these days. I can stretch to 2 sets of tyres PA, but would prefer that the rear lasts at least 4k miles...

[black-k1]

I have no specific experience of your bike but for the use you describe, the likes of the Michelin Road 5 or 6 or the Metzler SE01 should be more than up to the job.

[trickywoo]

I wore out an oe s22 I’m 2k miles on the road but it was a really nice tyre.

I’ve been tempted by the Michelin road series an 01 but don’t ride in the wet so would only be getting them for the mileage. I think you’ll sacrifice some feel, sportiness for want of a better word, but nothing on the road in terms of grip.

I’d still go for S22, Rosso 4, power 5, sport attack 4 or m9rr if you want to get the best dynamic the bike can give.

[Jazoli]

Metzeler Roadtech 01's are all the tyres you will ever need, they transformed my Z900RS.

[Bob_Defly]

Michelin Road 6's FTW.

[the cueball]

I would go with the Metzeler SE01 too..

[Biker 1]

Thanks for the suggestions!
Looks like yet more food for thought.....

[trickywoo]

Has anyone back to backed a m9rr and 01?

I’ve heard the 01 described as having a conservative profile so would imagine you’d feel that. The m9 is said to have a plush feel, I really liked the m7 for that, and on the flip side I’ve heard the 01 can feel a bit harsh.

If you are knocking out the miles in all weathers 01 is the tyre but if you are a dry ‘sporty’ rider who enjoys the dynamics of a bike I’d have thought something like the m9 would offer more. But like fitting better brake pads.

I was going to go T32 on mine having worn out a s22 so quickly but everybody I spoke to said not to do it. I’ve dipped a toe in the scrubs route fitting my own tyres. Got a pair of very lightly used sportsmart tt for £120.

[black-k1]

trickywoo said:

Has anyone back to backed a m9rr and 01?

I’ve heard the 01 described as having a conservative profile so would imagine you’d feel that. The m9 is said to have a plush feel, I really liked the m7 for that, and on the flip side I’ve heard the 01 can feel a bit harsh.

If you are knocking out the miles in all weathers 01 is the tyre but if you are a dry ‘sporty’ rider who enjoys the dynamics of a bike I’d have thought something like the m9 would offer more. But like fitting better brake pads.

I was going to go T32 on mine having worn out a s22 so quickly but everybody I spoke to said not to do it. I’ve dipped a toe in the scrubs route fitting my own tyres. Got a pair of very lightly used sportsmart tt for £120.

You chaps must be retired MotoGP or TT riders if you feel your riding needs the softer tyres for the road. I've done the passes in the Dolomites, The Alps, the Pyrenees at "enthusiastic" pace on sports touring tyres and never had a single issue. See here or here as examples

My ride up and down Stelvio on Roadtec O1SE's was great fun.



The last trip to Spain had one of the other Old Gits using M9RR while I had 01SE's on. The only thing he did that I didn't was visit a bike dealer for a set of tyres to replace the worn out ones three quarters of the way through the trip.

[trickywoo]

black-k1 said:

You chaps must be retired MotoGP or TT riders if you feel your riding needs the softer tyres for the road.

It’s not about grip it’s about feel.

I think there is a reason manufacturers put sporty tyres on their models in the factory.

Sure there will be an element of fashion but if Aprilia put the Tuono out with 01s and KTM put the Superduke out with S22 most people will say the duke has an advantage because of the tyres.

Nobody is saying sports tyres for big mileage but I find it surprising how many people say touring tyres for dry limited mileage.

I’d like to see a ‘tuber do a back to back review.

[black-k1]

trickywoo said:

black-k1 said:

You chaps must be retired MotoGP or TT riders if you feel your riding needs the softer tyres for the road.

It’s not about grip it’s about feel.

I think there is a reason manufacturers put sporty tyres on their models in the factory.

Sure there will be an element of fashion but if Aprilia put the Tuono out with 01s and KTM put the Superduke out with S22 most people will say the duke has an advantage because of the tyres.

Nobody is saying sports tyres for big mileage but I find it surprising how many people say touring tyres for dry limited mileage.

I’d like to see a ‘tuber do a back to back review.

I understand what your saying but I think there's a lot more about perception and image than real world riding differences.

And why would you not have sports touring tyres for dry limited mileage riding? tyres will last more than 1 year.

If you're doing track days then I can see that the sports touring tyres are not necessarily the best option. It is possible on dry, warm track days to overheat them. But, on the road in the UK, or Europe? Unless you are riding the road like a track (in which case you're a danger to yourself and others) you'll never get to the limits. The feel from a sportier tyre may well be better but you'll need your suspension set up correctly for you on your bike to actually make anything of that. Are most riders honestly able to make any use of the difference in feel?

I'm sure manufacturers put tyres onto bike that they think their customers expect. They will also be happy to provide their dealers with tyre replacement work so having tyres that wear out as quickly as the customers think is reasonable is a good thing.

I'm not say anyone should or shouldn't buy whatever tyres they want. I only suggest that everyone does so with their eyes open as to what they are buying and why they are buying it.

[Bob_Defly]

black-k1 said:

trickywoo said:

... most people will say the duke has an advantage because of the tyres.

I understand what your saying but I think there's a lot more about perception and image than real world riding differences.

Have to agree. I don't ride right to the edge of the tyres on the road, but Road 5/6's are pretty amazing tyres with tons of dry and wet grip that will suit 95% of riders and roads, and also last a long time.

I generally don't go out in the p!ssing rain, but having been caught a few times in torrential downpours on sporty tyres, I now prefer the option of having tyres that grip in the wet too.

[trickywoo]

Bob_Defly said:

I generally don't go out in the p!ssing rain, but having been caught a few times in torrential downpours on sporty tyres, I now prefer the option of having tyres that grip in the wet too.

You’re not going to crash your head off in the rain on something like a m9rr the same way you aren’t going to run out of grip in the dry on a 01.

[Krikkit]

black-k1 said:

trickywoo said:

black-k1 said:

You chaps must be retired MotoGP or TT riders if you feel your riding needs the softer tyres for the road.

It’s not about grip it’s about feel.

I understand what your saying but I think there's a lot more about perception and image than real world riding differences.

And why would you not have sports touring tyres for dry limited mileage riding? tyres will last more than 1 year.

It's all about perception, if you ride a sporty tyre it warms up really quickly and feels great, which inspires more confidence in the less-experienced.

Modern tyres are mostly about feel anyway - the same class of tyre between brands has very little performance difference, it's all about personal preference for the feel of the thing.

[Quibble]

I've run both 01SEs and M9RRs on my superduke. Like them both and can easily run both (knee down) in the fast group on a track-day with either. However..............

If I was doing mainly track or (very) fast road, I'd run the M9RRs; they hold their grip better and are more predictable at high-energy situations. The 01SEs (whilst still great) get a little overheated and slimey at sustained fast-group pace but...

At anything else, I'd run the 01SEs; they warm up (and stay warm) quickly at road pace, super-good grip in the wet / cold and last for ages.

So as others have said - what are you using your tyres for? Try and be honest. The "grippiest tyre you can find" with the "the most feel" is only grippy and with feel if you get it into the right operating range. Don't believe me - take a racing slick and try it on a cold winter road and enjoy the "hilarious" results!!!!

[SteveKTMer]

I agree with the comments about the M9RR, excellent feeling tyre, really improves the feel of the bike, plush, supportive and especially in a long corner at speed, it gives good stability.

I think all modern tyres are probably plenty good enough for road riding unless you're Guy Martin, it's how they feel that differs. My KTM came with OEM fit sport touring tyres, can't remember now what they were but they were typically stiff and felt a bit harsh, but good enough, nothing fundamentally wrong with them. I've also had Roadtec 01 but the original version, not the SE, and they were also quite stiff and harsh. I've found Michelin to be a bit soft, last one I tried was Pilot Power which had a lot of grip on the road but was too soft and not quite supportive enough. The M9RR is the sort of Goldilocks tyre, for me anyway.

[Janluke]

Biker 1 said:

black-k1 said:

The key question is what will you be using the bike for? Track, fast road, commuting, touring? How many miles a year? What weather do you ride in?

I ride all year, but only in the dry & in daytime. Mostly fast road for an hour or three weekend blat. I guess I do around 5K miles PA these days. I can stretch to 2 sets of tyres PA, but would prefer that the rear lasts at least 4k miles...

I'm on CONTINENTAL ROAD ATTACK 3s on my RS for simular use although being in Scotland ride in the rain a wee bit. Apart from the OE tyres I've not tried anything else and am happy with these

[mikey_b]

Krikkit said:

It's all about perception, if you ride a sporty tyre it warms up really quickly and feels great, which inspires more confidence in the less-experienced.

Modern tyres are mostly about feel anyway - the same class of tyre between brands has very little performance difference, it's all about personal preference for the feel of the thing.

I'm not sure that first sentence is really true. All tyres have an optimal working termperature, and a sporty tyre's will be higher than a road tyre's. Therefore, you have to ride the sporty tyre a bit harder to make it up come up to temp properly, which isn't always easily possible on the road. Whereas the road tyre's optimal working temperature is lower to start with, so reaches it more easily. Late-generation road tyres have plenty of grip to get the pegs down anyway.

Obviously this is taking a bit to the extreme - but look how careful an F1 driver has to be when they get the green flag after following the safety car for a few laps. The tyres have cooled down and no longer work properly, and they slide and wheelspin like crazy until they warm up again. Obviously there will be a smaller difference between two road-legal bike tyres, but for any given temperature there will be a difference in the grip levels between sporty and road tyre, and it's not necessarily the same way around as you'd initially think.