Sorry - another tyre question (FZ1-N gen 2)

[Janet]

I'm going to need to change the tyres on my FZ1-N fairly soon. There's not much in it between front and rear, so I'll need a new pair. I've very nearly worn out the original Dunlop D221s. I think I'll get about 4500 miles before they need changing. While the originals are OK, they don't feel like the best tyres in the world. My first thought is Pilot Powers (NOT the 2CT ones though) as I've really rated them on my last two bikes, even though I've never liked any other Michelins that I've tried. I had them on an '06 R1 (rear worn out in about 5000)  and an '08 Hornet 600 (special fitment for the Hornet, rear worn out in about  4300). My concern is obviously how long they'll last on an FZ1-N in my hands. While the R1 was more powerful (and had the same sizes in standard fitments), the FZ1-N is quite a bit heavier. Does anybody have any experience of how they last on an FZ1-N and any views on how many miles I'm likely to get, given how far I've got on the OE tyres? I don't do a huge annual mileage, and Pilot Powers are fairly cheap, so I'm not looking for them to be really long lived, but I don't want to have to change them much before 4000 miles.
 
The other option, which I'm sure would last somewhat longer, is BT023s, but they're also about 20% dearer and probably wouldn't be quite so much to my liking.
 
I'd be grateful for any advice.
 
Thanks
 
 

[Aegis Bearing Mel]

I'm done three sets of tyres in 17.5k, running Michelin Road 3's atm, superb in the wet and no real squaring off after a couple of thousand miles.
I'm not a fan of Dunlops at all, had road 2's fitted as originals when I bought 'Bee instead.

I've also run Pirelli Diablo's for about 5k and they were guid too, but swapped back to Michelins on the next set.

Must confess I'm a bit of a Michelin fanboy though as they seem to suit the 'Weeg weather better than most.

[PieEater]

Gen1 rider here but thought I'd throw in my pennys worth;
 
Asking for tyre advice is a tricky subject, people have different riding styles, different requirements regarding passengers / luggage, ride different types of roads at different speeds, and prefer certain handling characteristics over others. I used to really like Bridgestones on my bikes but would never get more than 4k out of a rear, then I read on a forum that someone was getting 8k out of their Avon Storms so I switched to Avons, and ...........still only got 4k out of a rear !!! However it turned out I preferred the handling on the Avons and stuck with them until they did something with their fronts which made them have uneven wear. I'm now back with Bridgestones as I'd heard good things about them, but I still prefer the way the bike handled with Avons, so might be trying something else when the time comes.
 
The reason you'll pay more for the newer generation of tyres is that being dual compound, they offer longer tyre life, from my experience though paying 20% more doesn't equate to 20% extra mileage, the trade off is the newer tyres offer better confidence round bends due to the extra grip and redisgned treads / profile. To me though if you really liked the handling of the Pilot Powers on your R1, the price is right and you'd prefer not to take a chance on newer more expensive rubber sounds like a no brainer.
 

[millemanuk]

Another Gen1 rider here sticking me oar in.  Just changed to a set of Maxxis SuperMaxx diamonds from a set of road pilots.  Only been on for a day but can say already that they have changed the handling for the better, feels more like a sports bike and I'll post again when I get more milage on them.

The reason I went for them?  Mainly cost, cant afford to pay out what a lot of places were asking for better known brands but what tipped the scales was reviews, mainly on wear.  I'm always on the bike and heavy on the rear tyre.  Would love to have a set of tyres that are super sticky but I cant afford to be replacing a tyre every 3-6 months.  I do between 8-10k per year and all the reviews I read on the Maxxis tyres rated the wear between 7-9k, (Give you an idea of my tyre wear, I get 8k from a road attack conti and just got 8k from the road pilot I just replaced), so that works for me.

[pitternator]

i am also a bridgestone fan, but will also praise the dunlop roadsmarts, which really work well on my 09 speed triple, which is maybe closer to ur bike than a gen1.Speed triples do eat tyres though as its so grunty, but an FZ-1N with its top end rev bias should be gentler on tyres ( cos you can treat them gently).The dunlop roadsmart are also very good in the wet. On my gen1 I got 5000 from a rear, which is very good for me. 023 bridgestones  more like 4500 to 5000.
When I next change tyres I want to try the new roadsmart2 for both my bikes.
Sorry I dont vote michelin...I never got on with them, and they are alwas at least £20 dearer per set to anything  I usually buy ( roadsmart/ 023), so am not  a fan.

[Boris]

I agree with Pie eater, with tyres it's usually down to personal preference. In my case I've got Roadsmarts on my Gen 1 thou and they do the job for me.

[Janet]

i am also a bridgestone fan, but will also praise the dunlop roadsmarts, which really work well on my 09 speed triple, which is maybe closer to ur bike than a gen1.Speed triples do eat tyres though as its so grunty, but an FZ-1N with its top end rev bias should be gentler on tyres ( cos you can treat them gently).The dunlop roadsmart are also very good in the wet. On my gen1 I got 5000 from a rear, which is very good for me. 023 bridgestones  more like 4500 to 5000.
When I next change tyres I want to try the new roadsmart2 for both my bikes.
Sorry I dont vote michelin...I never got on with them, and they are alwas at least £20 dearer per set to anything  I usually buy ( roadsmart/ 023), so am not  a fan.

Thanks for that (and to everybody else who has responded). I was always a Bridgestone buyer of choice until recently. I also loathed anything Michelin with a passion. I had the dreadful Michelin Hi Sports on my Hornet 900 and hated them. When they wore out I got BT010s, which were miles better and lasted a bit longer (what's not to like!). I've ridden several demo bikes with Pilot Roads, and always felt like the front end was trying to go wider than I'd aimed it. When I got my '06 R1 I chose the limited edition yellow one, and then my heart sank when I realised that it had Pilot Powers as opposed to the Dunlops or Bridgestones (I don't recall which) the standard bike came with. But then I was absolutely amazed by how good they were in the dry or the wet, and how quickly they warmed up. Yet they still lasted fairly well. Then I got a Hornet 600, which my dealer had to order from Honda UK as they didn't have any in stock. That bike came with either Pilot Powers or BT012SSs. Of course mine came with the Pilot Powers. I wasn't convinced that I'd like them, even though they worked well on my R1. But again, on a significantly different bike, they were really great (at least for my riding style). So I'm pretty much sold on the Pilot Powers. I've always found that I'm either way about Dunlops. My only reservation about the Pilot Powers is how long they'll last on my FZ1-N.
 
However, I got my dealer to price up a few options on a ride-in, ride-out basis and the cheapest quote was for Dunlop Qualifiers, with the pair of Pilot Powers being just £4 dearer. The BT023s were a full £50 dearer than the Pilot Powers. I want to get them dealer fitted, as the bike is ABS and I want to be sure that it's done properly (and with comeback if they do bend anything), but actually all their quotes were only about £7 dearer per pair than our local branch of Protyre, so I'm reasonably happy. So the upshot is that I'll go with the Pilot Powers and report back on how I get on with them and how they last compared with the OE Dunlops.

[mcyoungy]

Gen 1 owner......... currently running BT023s as they came on the bike and they seem to be much better than the 020 and 021 I've had previously.


I just traded in an R1 which had Metzeler Sportec M3s on it. A rear lasted me 4k and I thought they were fantastic tyres. I really rate them and if they're still available I might try them on the Fazer when I need new tyres.

[Janet]

Gen 1 owner......... currently running BT023s as they came on the bike and they seem to be much better than the 020 and 021 I've had previously.


I just traded in an R1 which had Metzeler Sportec M3s on it. A rear lasted me 4k and I thought they were fantastic tyres. I really rate them and if they're still available I might try them on the Fazer when I need new tyres.

My other half has the Sportec M3s on his 2010 Speed Triple. He loves them, but they're wearing quite quickly. When they need changing I think he'll be torn between sticking with them or going for Pilot Powers like me.

[PaulSmith]

Another vote for 023's

[pitternator]

interesting Janet cos my M3 tyres  OE on my speed triple wore like lightning ...had to replace the rear at just 1800 miles 
 
hence why I looked at the latest sport touring options, which have very sticky side rubber but harder middles. My mileage has doubled, and I kid you not I believe the 023 and roadsmarts have better grip on full lean too.I am sold on this latest rubber. At a track day last september on the fazer, I could scrape the crash bungs, and the sides of the 023 were balling up and curtaining  molten rubber  like a full on sport tyre. Humungous !..and the same tyres gave tremendous grip in the cold soggy mountains in switzerland last " summer"....cant see how we can ask much more from a tyre.