Need New Rear Tire??

[ront]

Hi All, I am getting near the time that I need to start thinking about a new rear tire on my 05 FZ6. I have owned this bike since last year. When I got it, the front tire needed to be changed so I had a Dunlop Roadsmart installed. I was told it was a Roadsmart II, but it wasn't. I ride a good share of the year with a 60 mile round trip everyday. The Roadsmart currently installed has squared off maybe a bit more that I thought it would have by now. When I got the bike, it has about 12000 miles on it and now it has about 20000.

So now for the back tire. I do not ride real aggressive. I am not afraid to lean it over a ways, but truthfully, most of my riding is pretty much just straight down the freeway. So my biggest requirement is the best mileage I can get. I do need good grip in corners and sometimes it can be a bit wet, but not often. The tires I am looking at are as follows.

Metzeler Roadtec Z8 Interact Sport Touring

Michelin Pilot Road 3

Dunlop Roadsmart II


These three tires seem to be fairly comparable in price.

I welcome any and all feedback on these tires.

Thanks so much for your help.

Ron

 

[FIZZER6]

I'm sure all 3 of those are similar but I'm a Michelin fan...their tires simply outlast the competition whether it be motorcycle or car tires. :thumbup:

 

[VEGASRIDER]

Replace BOTH tires, don't just get the rear. Try to get a matching set, and avoid mismatching sets.

 

[ront]

Probably cannot afford to replace both at once. Still good tread on the front.

Thanks, Ron

 

[iSteve]

Seeing that you have a almost new Roadsmart in the front probably best to get a Roadsmart in the rear.

 

[lkea]

I would agree with them, it would better to get the same tire model with your front tire so that it would be balanced. Or if you can afford replace both front and rear in the same time.

 

[TechnicalNonsense]

I have rode with two of those tires.

I can't say much about the PPR3 as it is the only one I did not ride in but I do have a friend who has them on his VFR and he likes it.

From my experiences I would choose the Metzeler Z8 as they are the ones I chose to replace my Dunlop Roadsmart 2

A few things I like about the Dunlop was that the profile is more of a triangle so I could turn in a lot quicker and when you do you have more rubber on the ground; However, I love my Z8 more because I found it to grip better and there is no weird transitional feeling when you lean it over more because it uses a mono compound with different tension steel belt while the Dunlop uses a dual compound.

I would also recommend looking into Continental Road Attack tires and the new Michelin Pilot Power 3 *yes, its not a sport touring tire but it grips like stink and I heard some people are getting close to 6-7k miles out of the rear*

just to give you an idea of how the Z8 handles, heres me on a track day with it.

 

[CavDoc]

I like the high beams shining through the masking tape :rockon:

 

[CavDoc]

Oh, right, contributing to the thread...

I have PR3s front and rear, the rear has about 2,500 miles and the front has probably 3,000-3,500 (started tracking these things after I replaced the front...). I also ride rain/shine, mostly commuting, though I don't have hardly any freeway riding (all rural highway/backroads into the city) and these things are holding up great. I can be a little rough on tires I'm told (my PP2s seemed to go WAY too fast...) but the PR3s look brand new. I like the siping on them for rainy days too. I've never ridden either of the other two options, so I can't give a good comparison, sorry!

 

[TechnicalNonsense]

From what I'm told is that the PPR3 is one of the best all weather year round street tire. My friend and I rode 1000miles *mainly highway* after the trip his PPR3 looks new and still has the nice profile while my Dunlop Roadsmart 2 was slightly flatten out.

Oh a side note, his bike is a heavier bike plus he's a bigger dude. So if you ride in all weather including rain and want the best miles to performance go with the PPR3

 

[TechnicalNonsense]

I like the high beams shining through the masking tape :rockon:

Thanks! That was the whole point to why I taped up the lights that way

 

[Wildcat_drvr]

I have Mich P3s on my '08.put them on last fall and now have 7400 miles on them,and they look very good!Rode all winter,bike was my sole transportation. They did pretty good on ice,better than on snow! Very good traction in the rain!All and all i'm very happy with my 3s.

 

[nthdegreeburns]

I'm curious -- for those with the Z8 interacts -- can you put O- or M- spec Z8 Interacts on the FZ6?

It's very hard to find information about the differences in those variants, but they seem to be more in stock than the plain 180/55ZR-17 (e.g. O variant is available at MotorcycleSuperstore.com) and the 120/70ZR-17 (e.g. M variant is available at MotorcycleSuperstore.com).

Thanks,
nthdegreeburns