Venturing into the world of "I gotta get a new set of tires!"

so guys and gals,

i've been doing some reading through the old threads on tires. i was hoping to not post anything and just get them. but i want to make sure i'm heading in the right direction.

i mainly commute and do very little "twisty" riding. just the nature of where i live and how much time i have. and like many others, i don't have much money so i need the best bang for the buck... long lasting tires i can get. looking at what others got for their milage it seems to come down to three.

michelin pilot road 2's (319.98 - Cycle Gear, 270.98 - Motorcycle Superstore)
bridgestone bt-021's (269.98 - CG, 222.98 - MSS)
dunlop roadsmart (219.99 - CG, 252.98 - MSS)

i have read the best on the michelins but they also seem to be the most expensive. i've also read a number of you talk about cycle gear on here before. do they charge to mount and balance tires you get from them? there's one not to far from me.

i guess what i'm wondering is am i on the right track?
are there better places to order from?
do anyone know of any deals going on now (or in the near future)?
is there enough difference in the MPR2's to justify the extra cash?

any help you can give will be appreciated. thanks.

I'm getting a new Pilot road 2CT front tyre fitted tomorrow, I got a bit more than 25000 km out of my previous pilot road 2CT front tyre and a bit more than 20000 km on the rear. I think it's good value for money (if you don't get a flat that is ) :thumbup:.

ehh I've got about 4 on the rear, and its already halfway done tho I do attend track days and go to the eiffel with some gixxers ahead of me
LOVE the tire though.

^^ in reply to Cloggy

Cycle gear will mount them free if you buy them from them but you have to R&R your wheels yourself.

Fun Bike Center here in S.D. mounts the tire for free if you by them from them and they're only a couple O bucks more.

r&r? i'm assuming you're talking about taking my rims in and putting them back on myself. was planning on doing that anyway unless i get a good deal somewhere that'll do it for me.

I'd skip the PR2s for your intended use and go with a cheaper alternative.

I would also check online prices at places like swmototire but don't forget to factor in the mounting cost back at home. online is often significantly cheaper and you likely won't get charged sales tax. It's always been worth it for me to buy them online.

I've been totally happy with my set of Bridgestone BT-021's that I had fitted last year. I have nearly 2,000 miles on them so far, and I don't see any appreciable wear.

I don't do any track days, but I do ride hard on occasion through some local twisties. The 021's have yet to misbehave in any way since I've had them.

I'm a happy customer!

You're on the right track and for your type of riding I'd get the cheaper set of the bunch....

when the time comes that you need your tires to grip you dont want to have anything but the best possible tires you can get under you. thats the approach i take anyway.

ive gone to road 2ct from pilot power 2ct and regretted it because they take longer to warm up and dont inspire the same confidence for me. but the pilot powers do wear down very quickly.

compared to tires that also last a long time, the road 2ct are great. they would be great tires for both grip and distance. sure they cost a little bit more but i dont think youd need to change them more than twice a year.

lonesoldier84 said:

when the time comes that you need your tires to grip you dont want to have anything but the best possible tires you can get under you. thats the approach i take anyway.

Click to expand...

With that logic, you should be running this when its dry out




The best stickiest tires in the World won't save you if you screw up... buying a super sticky tire just in case you ever need it makes little sense imo.

Imho, Dean should buy the tire that fits his style of riding... if he never goes out in the canyons, he simply does not need to worry about stickiness, or whether his tires will warm up quickly enough... just my opinion.

never is a strong word. i did make it to deals gap once last year

i'm with you though. you guys have been a great help. i now just have to start calling to find out mounting prices and crunch some numbers. i want to get the michelins but from that sw site i can get a set of bt-021's for 191.90 shipped. that's pretty good in my book.

i'll let y'all know how it turns out. i need to be doing this soon. thanks.

oh, and feel free to keep helping out if there's more to say. this will happen in the next few days, not the next few moments.

FWIW, Cali Rider will w00p anyone's *ss down a canyon road on his FZ6 with BT021s on his bike (they came off my GSXR600)... so anyone who tells you BT021 aren't sticky enough don't know what they're talking about.

ANY tire you buy today will offer PLENTY of stickyness for MOST riders... someone who says he NEEDs super sticky tires for the street (as in expensive super sport tires) is either REAAAALLY pushing it or full of **** (most of the time the latter applies).

IMHO.

Problem with that Wavex is you ride in Cali. I ride in Edmonton, Alberta. Some days the road temps are extremely cold. Many days they are just a bit cold. Some days they are nice and warm.

On cold days with a bit of rain I don't want to be worried my tires will slip at all if I'm merging into traffic down an off ramp just after leaving on my route. Mind you I won't be riding over a sensible speed, but sometimes in less than ideal weather and road conditions you will inevitably be leaned over a bit.

The Road 2's have at times been "squirrely" and that may just be in my head or it may not be. But I do know that on the Pilot Powers 100% of my attention was on safe riding with no thoughts in the back of mind on my tires.

You buy more expensive supersport tires as opposed to sport/touring tires to get extra grip in rainy/snowy conditions? hmmmmmm.... ok then To each their own man!

Yeah, I do. Would they not offer superior grip in those conditions? They have been marketed as great in all weather conditions. They also warm up much more quickly than the Road 2CTs.

I just bought a set of PR2. Cost me 343.00 Canadian Tax and shipping included.
Home page

I dont know what they are in the USA, but the dealer here in Kamloops wanted over 300 bucks just for 1 tires.

180/55ZR17 PILOT ROAD 2
120/70ZR17 PILOT ROAD 2.

lonesoldier84 said:

Yeah, I do. Would they not offer superior grip in those conditions? They have been marketed as great in all weather conditions. They also warm up much more quickly than the Road 2CTs.

Click to expand...

There's always a tire out there that'll offer superior grip in a given situation, but the question is, do you actually need it. With what you stated above, it sounds like you do since you were sliding around in rainy/snowy conditions on the 2CTs and not on the Pilot Powers...

I personally slow down enough in these types of conditions to not have to worry about tire grip/warming at all... but that's just me (I used to ride year-round in France for a couple of years in these types of conditions and was running the most basic tire you could get your hands on... and that was over 10 years ago when even 2CTs would have been stickier than anything available at the time... gives you some perspective ).

There's no clear cut answer that's applicable to all... so do what makes you happy...

Dean, cycle sector sells the PR2 for 235 a set

Dean,

If you haven’t bought your tires yet (I thought that was the reason for the post), the easiest way to get the best tires and get them right away is through Cycle Gear. They will match most prices. The best way is to ask by email if they will match the price. If they won’t do it online, call or go into the store and see if they will match the price. This way you get the best price and you get your tires right away.

Here is the price match link: Cycle Gear - Motorcycle Apparel, Parts and Accessories

I got lucky recently and found a great price on a set (front and rear) of Michelin PR2’s through Ebay for $235 including shipping and there is no sales tax, which saved me nearly 10 % more.

i hate cycle gear

dean owens said:

i want to get the michelins but from that sw site i can get a set of bt-021's for 191.90 shipped. that's pretty good in my book..

Click to expand...

that's what i'm talking about! :thumbup: I've bought about 6 sets of tires from them over the last few years. Never had a shipping or quality problem...tires are always fresh.