Old tried and tested models get discontinued, such is life.
If the info helps anyone, I got these tyres and they are very nice - good grip, good handling:
Metzeler
SPORTEC™ M9 RR
Front 110/70 ZR 17 M/C 54W TL
Rear 160/60 ZR 17 M/C (69W) TL
Metzeler website page for the model:
https://www.metzeler.com/en-ww/catalogue...onId=37917
Roads in Serbia are not very grippy, so tyres like these last for a long time (don't get to wear out too quickly) and it's usually best to look for the most grippy compound available.
Not sure about other countries, or for heavier bikes and loads, but this is what works for me.
Most things done in a hurry need to be done again - patiently.
I have the Metzler Sportec M7 RR and getting ready to be replaced, no complaints about these on my bike. Not looked to see if they can still be had though. Bike tyres are like nappies - always advertising "the driest yet" - so are they just admitting the last ones were crap (pun)
Bike tyres - our best grip yet didn’t we reach peak grip a few years ago, I dont see how they can keep improving them -- not to astge where the average road bike or rider would notice anyway .
I don't do rain or threat there of. dry rider only with no shame.
I'm on my second set of Sportec M9s on both the 600 and 1000 and consider them the best tyre I have ever put on either bike. The grip levels and feel from them is phenomenal even in the wet. The do need a mile to warm up on cold days, but that no different to most tyres I have used on the Fazers in the last 20 odd years.
(05-10-25, 02:52 PM)unfazed Wrote: I'm on my second set of Sportec M9s on both the 600 and 1000 and consider them the best tyre I have ever put on either bike. The grip levels and feel from them is phenomenal even in the wet. The do need a mile to warm up on cold days, but that no different to most tyres I have used on the Fazers in the last 20 odd years.
Sounds great but when I got mine I found that they were not a well stocked tire - at least not in the boxeye size anyway. I have little use for a tyre that is good in the wet -- as you know 
I don't do rain or threat there of. dry rider only with no shame.
(05-10-25, 08:26 PM)fazersharp Wrote: (05-10-25, 02:52 PM)unfazed Wrote: I'm on my second set of Sportec M9s on both the 600 and 1000 and consider them the best tyre I have ever put on either bike. The grip levels and feel from them is phenomenal even in the wet. The do need a mile to warm up on cold days, but that no different to most tyres I have used on the Fazers in the last 20 odd years.
Sounds great but when I got mine I found that they were not a well stocked tire - at least not in the boxeye size anyway. I have little use for a tyre that is good in the wet -- as you know
At least if you get a shower on the way home you know that they will work 
Yesterday, 11:32 AM
(This post was last modified: Yesterday, 11:33 AM by Slaninar.)
(05-10-25, 01:49 PM)fazersharp Wrote: I have the Metzler Sportec M7 RR and getting ready to be replaced, no complaints about these on my bike. Not looked to see if they can still be had though. Bike tyres are like nappies - always advertising "the driest yet" - so are they just admitting the last ones were crap (pun)
Bike tyres - our best grip yet didn’t we reach peak grip a few years ago, I dont see how they can keep improving them -- not to astge where the average road bike or rider would notice anyway .
A reason why new tyres often feel like a huge improvement is because I don't ride too much so my tyres age at least a few years before being replaced.
When I used to wear tyres faster, the improvements with new tyres were often not noticeable in those terms and I could better judge the compound quality (grip and all).
Having said that, I still exchange bikes with friends and am happy to lend mine - so some more-less new tyre comparison is still possible, and the latest 9 RR whatever model is very good.
Best dry handling tyres I rode were Continental Road Attack 2 (I joked that those tyres would give you a call before they lose grip - great feedback), but they did not really shine when rain is pouring (as it often does during the summer), and they are very soft - I can easily compress them when I sit on them before mounting, so I believe that a lot harder Metzeler tyres will give me a second more time in case of a puncture so I can hopefully slow down more.  Colour me paranoid.
Most things done in a hurry need to be done again - patiently.
When I bought my bike it had a worn front, and OK rear tire, and those were Bridgestone T30's. I knew absolute nothing about these tires, and didn't care either. Never had Bridgestones on a street bike, however ran V02 slicks on my track only superbike. Anyway, replaced the front with a T31 last year, went to ride, and: holy s**t, these are very good tires, good control, warms up quickly and sticks well. I like them on the old Fazer. Recently the rear T30 wore out, so just bought a new T31 rear.
The T31 is still available and affordable, but the successor tires probably even better, T32 and T33 is available now.
I can recall when I first went to Ron Haslams Race School at Donington Park, more than 10 tears ago now. BT033's were on all the bikes including the Blades,,bog standard road tyres. And very good too. I had them on my old YX600 and the Fazer.
I'm a liitle sceptical on this subject of better tyres, believing some of it is little more than smoke and mirrors, and the need to be seen to be developing better goods for us all to buy, like built in obsolescence with other commodities. We all (think) we buy better tyres when our previous choices are no longer avialable.
Thatb sais, of course there have been improvements over time, I accept that, but when you switch from riding on a 5 year old rubber to new, an improvement is surely likely to be felt no matter what the (reputable) make
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