Recommended Tyres?

[JoeRock]

Anyone ever tried Maxxis Supermaxx Touring out before? I had a pair of the sport maxxis on my ZX9R and quite liked them, had a decent amount of grip in the dry, only issues I had is they wore very quicly, and I couldn't lean the bike over much in the wet due to the lack of tread on the sides!
 
 Got a pair of the touring ones at the moment on my FZS 1000, and really haven't yet gelled with them. They don't really feel "bad" as such, but I don't really seem to be feeling much confidence in them at all, particularly on roundabouts (although that could also be up the more upright position too). Obviously where it's been wet and cold out I've not been trying out the front brakes particularly hard, but the rear has certainly been a fair bit easier to slide coming up to traffic lights than any previous bike/tyre combo I've had!

 Main reason I'm not liking them at the moment though (can't tell if it's because of the cold, or the tyres) is because they are spinning up very easily under power. I've not been properly nailing it yet a lot, but even on dry roads if I give it about 1/2 to 3/4 throttle in first or second it'll quite often spin up, and although I'm getting a bit more used to it happening, it still makes me cack myself a tad when it does!
 
 General consensus, crap tyre, or should I just properly adjust my riding habits and tiptoe everywhere until the sun comes back out properly?

Are there any specific tyres that come highly recommended for the FZS 1000? I've had both Bridgestone 023s and PR3s before and liked both of them, reckon the PR3s may have the edge as they felt a bit quicker to turn in, which on the FZS would probably be a good thing. That said, Bridgestone have got their new sport-touring compound out, so that could be interesting!

[stevierst]

I've used the Supermax tyres on my fazer 600's for some time, and like them a lot for commuting all weather, even the odd thrash out in the sun. Not used them on my fz1as I think it might tear them to bits. I only got about 5500 miles out of the rear on my 600, and that bikes my commuter.
I think the way you ride, I'd look at some of the more mainstream brands. PR3 are my current favourite, awesome in the wet but don't last long and they're pricey. Got a contisport on my thou at the mo, and so far its been ok, bit still scrubbing it in.

[JayB]

Joe - BIN THEM ASAP....!
 
I have skim-read your post, but it seems to echo my previous feelings / thought on these tyres. My bike wore them when I bought it in September / October, they felt fine in the dry and rolled beautifully from side to side, really encouraged you to lean at low speeds in the dry, but in the wet, WHOAH, any sniff of power out of a roundabout taken gingerly and the back would let go, I even had a couple of 2-wheeled slides on it.
 
I guess as summer commuting tyres they'd be fine, but in mixed conditions they are not nice. I have replaced with a front Diablo / Rear Diablo Strada, MUCH better. I did get a nice 2nd gear wheelspin at about 75-80 off a roundabout provoking it though, but the Maxxis would have spat me off!
 
If I could afford it, I would try the Metzeler Roadtec Z8s mate... or the PR3s.

[PaulSmith]

Joe - BIN THEM ASAP....!
...

Seconded! Bin them now!
 
Nothing takes the fun out of biking like tyres you can't trust, and waiting for them to wear out before you change them is just a false economy. If you don't trust them, you wont ride them. 1) If you don't ride them, they dont wear out, so you spend even longer not enjoying your bike. 2) If you don't ride, you loose your edge, so even small problems caused by the tyres become harder to deal with, so you trust them less. And the cycle repeats until you get a pipe, slippers and a car.

 

[JayB]

Yeah, I replaced with a nearly new, part-worn front and a new rear Pirelli, loads more confidence.
 
I sold the Maxxis on ebay to different people.

[tommyteeman]

the old maxxis touring tyres were rubbish, the later diamondmax ones seem to have been greatly improved though, got a set on my thou and so far have been spot on, will be better informed when they get a few thousand miles on them like, but atm they feel like a bargain.

[nickodemon]

+1 on the old maxxis touring tyres being utter sh#t. Had a set on a fazer i sold and when new were ok in the dry, but not great in the wet. Owner i sold the bike to absolutely hated them and has changed them for bt 021's.

[bigfootpete]

Michelin PR3's - absolutely fantastic tyres, wet, dry, long lasting, nuff said.

[PaulSmith]

Yeah, I replaced with a nearly new, part-worn front and a new rear Pirelli, ...

Why?

Why would you put a tyre on your bike that someone else had a good reason to take off theirs? How much money could you possibly have saved when a brand new front can be had for under a ton? 

[stevierst]

Michelin PR3's - absolutely fantastic tyres, wet, dry, long lasting, nuff said.

Long lasting... ..... Tell that to my last rear with less than 2k on it!

[JayB]

Yeah, I replaced with a nearly new, part-worn front and a new rear Pirelli, ...

Why?

Why would you put a tyre on your bike that someone else had a good reason to take off theirs? How much money could you possibly have saved when a brand new front can be had for under a ton?

£30 fitted cheers..! 

[richfzs]

Many moons ago, a friend of mine acquired a rear wheel and tyre with decent tread from another friend of his (who had crashed his bike and written it off) . Pottering through the countryside around York one sunny day, the "new" rubber let go mid corner, just nicely balanced on the throttle, nothing daft going on, but it just kept drifting out and dumped Jon on the tarmac. Turns out, his friends accident was nigh on identical...

So again, why put on a tyre that somebody else has had good reason to take off? Personally, I'd buy a new one, my life is worth more than 70 quid, but you pays your money and takes your choice, I guess!

Sent from my HTC Desire S using Tapatalk 2

[JayB]

Well not being rude, but it's for me to worry about. I sold the Maxxis part worns because I didn't like them, someone bought them, I've had bikes with mis-matched tyres on when I've bought them - and sold one tyre on to buy a replacement and create a pair.
 
So there are a few reasons, I had the tyre tested & inspected and fitted by a professional. Would you change both tyres on a used bike, or all 4 tyres on a used car you buy too - you don;t know what's happened to them either.
Each to their own, anyway, back to the point of the thread people...
 
 

[richfzs]

As I said, you pays your money and takes your choice.

[PaulSmith]

... Would you change both tyres on a used bike, or all 4 tyres on a used car you buy too - you don;t know what's happened to them either.
...

Yes, of course I would. Wouldn't you?

[JoeRock]

... Would you change both tyres on a used bike, or all 4 tyres on a used car you buy too - you don;t know what's happened to them either.
...

Yes, of course I would. Wouldn't you?

No, not unless they  needed it?

[bigfootpete]

Michelin PR3's - absolutely fantastic tyres, wet, dry, long lasting, nuff said.

Long lasting... ..... Tell that to my last rear with less than 2k on it!

Say what? How the hell did you manage that? All the other sports tyres I've tried lasted around 4000 miles, and I was riding fast everywhere,
you would have to have done a track day to reduce the mileage by that much. Or ride like an absolute nutter on the roads.

[stevierst]

I'm no mad man, I just rode it, and it wore out! I was as puzzled as the next man. :-\

Sent from my HTC One X using Tapatalk 2

[PaulSmith]

... Would you change both tyres on a used bike, or all 4 tyres on a used car you buy too - you don;t know what's happened to them either.
...

Yes, of course I would. Wouldn't you?

No, not unless they  needed it?

I don't understand this way of thinking. If you know what happened to them, you would know whether or not they need changing, if you don't know their history, how can you know if they are good enough to keep?
Including the price of new tyres when buying 2nd hand is no different then including the price of a service and oil change. Or do you only do them if you think it needs them?

[JoeRock]

... Would you change both tyres on a used bike, or all 4 tyres on a used car you buy too - you don;t know what's happened to them either.
...

Yes, of course I would. Wouldn't you?

No, not unless they  needed it?

I don't understand this way of thinking. If you know what happened to them, you would know whether or not they need changing, if you don't know their history, how can you know if they are good enough to keep?
Including the price of new tyres when buying 2nd hand is no different then including the price of a service and oil change. Or do you only do them if you think it needs them?

Well if the bike was overdue a service, or was in need of new tyres, then yes I would get money off the sale to put towards it. As the tyres on my bike had plenty of tread though, that angle wouldn't have worked? I can't exactly persuade the seller of a bike to give me a couple hundred off just because I don't like his tyre choice, and I'm loathed to change a set that still have tread on them!although having had a couple more weeks riding on thes maxxis, I think I might well have to as they're really not helping my confidence in the wet at all with the amount of slides and general not feeling good they've had so far!

[taksi]

Just coming up to 9k on my PR3's and I commute daily and like a blast at weekend. Need changing pretty soon though and will probably go for Z8's to see what they're like. Heard good things about them.
 
 
Taksi

[PaulSmith]

... as they're really not helping my confidence ...

I have known people feeling the same way about brand new tyres and yet still saying 'I will wait until they wear out before I change them.' WTF?

If you had a pair of shoes that pinched your feet, you wouldn't wait till they wear out before changing them, which is just as well because they never do! You leave them in the back of the cubboard until you throw them out. Bad shoes will make you walk funny and hurt your feet, bad tyres will make you ride funny, and if you are unlucky...

[pitternator]

I just put a set of PR3 on my GS. TBH they are now about average price on the web, even cheaper than 023...(maybe they werent selling, as last year they were £20 at least dearer than 023) ! Anyway I want to see just how well they do perform next to 023 and roadsmart which are my favourites to date. So far its unconclusive as little dry weather to test grip as such, and roads too muddy to scrub in edge of tyre ...but feel is very good,  very stable and  feel very measured rolling side to side  and so far seem good in the wet.Too early to say if any better than 023, certainly no seachange...
I do think the fazer needs at least decent modern sport touring rubber.Its still a high power bike, carries a fair weight etc, and will get used hard in corners. I dont have faith in the cheaper brands of tyres.Maxxis for instance have never been popular. If they were any good, we all would be using them! 

[smegfish1]

just had a set of Z8's fitted this morning and went for a good run to bed them in. so far I'm liking them very much!

[pitternator]

Interesting as I have just put a part worn Z6 front ( about 500miles only) on my fazer with a Z6 rear( new). The Z6 cost about £100 fitted to a loose wheel, about £30 less than say an 023. I had the z6 on my speedtriple, which ran very well on them. So I will be keen to see if the z6 is comparable to an 023. I also have a part worn set of 021s in my shed, will fit a fazer , dont know if I will ever get round to fitting them. I also still have a 020 front and a 010 rear too...lol
 
tbh in their time, all were bloody good tyres for a fazer ...grip wise I think the more modern tyres are better in the wet, and will do more miles though.