Tyre advice for a street twin...

[Chippy 123]

Just looking for a bit of advice for some new tyres for my 22 plate Triumph Street Twin. It has the OEM Pirelli Sportscomp that Triumph fit as standered but they aren't great and don't inspire confidence. To be fair I don't ride in the wet unless I'm caught out by the weather and I only bimble around most of the time so just wanting a good all round tyre.

I had been looking at Michelin Road Pilots but they aren't available in the sizes I need, anyway I have provisionally narrowed it down to a couple of choices...Michelin Road Classics and Dunlop Streetsmart.

If anyone familiar with this bike can offer any advice or further suggestions I would be grateful. Thanks in advance.

[trickywoo]

I’d put rosso III on if it was mine.

[Jazoli]

Rossi 3's, Metzeler 01's, Road 5's, Dunlop Mutants, there's plenty of choice.

[archie456]

Jazoli said:

Rossi 3's, Metzeler 01's, Road 5's, Dunlop Mutants, there's plenty of choice.

I think the 18" front tyre excludes most tyres unfortunately.

[Mr Dendrite]

Sportsbike shop claim to have the Metezler roadtec 01 available in 100/90 18.
That is more performance than the bike will ever need.

[Chippy 123]

Yes your right about the 18 inch front wheel....it does narrow down the choices available....

[trickywoo]

Did not know these had 18” front.

They do look funny in pictures now I have paid more attention.

[Onelastattempt]

I am looking for new tyres for my 2019 Street Twin as well, next week I am going to call in at a bike tyre place near me and see what they can do. Mine has the Pirrelli tyres fitted at the moment and I want something better. They don't inspire confidence in corners and are very susceptible to tramlining. Interestingly the front tyre has worn out well before the rear tyre and has only about a 10mm " chicken strip " , suspect that is down to the 18 inch wheel size and steering geometry rather than my cornering skills though.

[CHLEMCBH]

I'm running the Michelins on my Guzzi V7 at the moment and I've been very impressed in all weathers. Pretty similar power and weight, isn't it?

[Chippy 123]

trickywoo said:

Did not know these had 18” front.

They do look funny in pictures now I have paid more attention.

I'm guessing the 18 inch fronts are a nod to the retro style of the bike....to me it suits the look but it does limit your tyre choice a bit. CHLEMCBH which Michelin are you using on your V7, are they the Road Classics ?

I had a look at Sportsbike shop and they do indeed stock Metzler Roadtec 01,s at 100/90 17 for the front and 150/70 17 for the rear at £329.00 for the pair. A little bit more than other stuff I have looked at but maybe a step up in all round performance/wear, they probably have more talent than I have or need when pottering about. I have never used Metzler so I don't really know.

[Mr Dendrite]

Metzler are the sister company to Pirelli. Very good tyres, the roadtec 01 is extremely good, as say probably more than your bike needs if you’re just bimbling around, but you will feel the improvement over what you have. It’s all about personal taste and feel preference but modern tyres are amazing

[black-k1]

Mr Dendrite said:

Metzler are the sister company to Pirelli. Very good tyres, the roadtec 01 is extremely good, as say probably more than your bike needs if you’re just bimbling around, but you will feel the improvement over what you have. It’s all about personal taste and feel preference but modern tyres are amazing

The RoadTec 01 SE is a brilliant tyre and more tyre than any rider on any bike would ever need for road use. As said, it now comes down to feel and prefernce as all the main stream tyres are either good or excellent.

[ClipperTri]

I was in same boat with my street twin 150/70 R17 rear and 100/90/18 front. So bias ply 18" front and radial rear... lost count of the number of tyre fitters who said you arent allowed to do that (you can't have radial front and bias rear is the actual issue).

Anyway the phantom sportscomps were st in the rain simply as that. I plumped for the Roadtec 01 (or SE) and I've used nothing but them since. Absolutely rock solid tyre in wet and dry, the wet grip is amazing as is cold grip. I cannot fault them.

Since then over 20k miles (and a few replacements) later I still swear by them. Just had a new rear fitted this weekend and it is just as reliable. I get two rears to a front and I think I am hard on tyres as I get 6k out of a rear and I know others profess to get many more than that (Michael Neeves, on a differnt bike I think said he got 8k out of a rear).

EDIT - My street Triple is almost due a new front and rear and I am tempted to switch out the Rosso 3s for Roadtec 01. I don't trackday or anything and I'm not that quick on the road. Also the Rosso 3's are not great in cold/wet/damp.

Edited by ClipperTri on Tuesday 2nd April 13:11

[Chippy 123]

Thanks for all your replies...I've basically narrowed it down to two choices, either the Roadtec 01,s or the Avon Spirit St,s.
The Roadtecs are probably a lot more tyre than I will need and I'm thinking the profile/tread pattern might not be in keeping with the bike so I am favouring the Avons and perhaps I can save a few bob.