Qualifiers vs powers

[JINKSTER]

Well folks...works not far away but I've finally put a couple hundred miles on the new dunlop qualifiers which replaced my old beloved but well worn pilot powers a couple weeks ago..and here's my updated state of the union regarding "The Switch".

But first?...I'd like to bring to the attention of the general membership here that it was about 1 year ago that I (and several other well knowns) shod the then relativey new to market Pilot Powers on our mighty busas...and in many ways the Pilot Powers were awesome as compared to stock oem BT056's and makedly better than most (if not all) other tires in this class...and within weeks?..many others joined the Pilot Power Party...with simular experiences and commentary...and only (1)....one member here took acception to our glowing reviews of the PP's...and I would now like to give that member....

"NOTABLE MENTION:"as it was our very own member "tufbusa" who challenged all those glowing PP reports/reviews with a claim of...

"The Pilot Powers Get Squirmy When Pushed Hard"

and we engaged in heated debate as I and several others scoffed at his claim...but as it turns out...the worm has turned and my final conclusion is that tufbusa was correct in his claim..and the confusion may be explained away as follows as my experience has been....

With The Pilots?: They were and still are an awesome street/sport tire...very plush riding...great handling and stunning milage/wear for the substancial traction levels they afford...and taking the streets one curve at a time?...I seriously doubt that many (if any) here would find the PP's squirmy...but once I got out to a local psuedo track here..to give the PP's a thorough and rightouse thrashing?..I found a little voice whispering in my head that said...

"damn...tufbusa was right...these fuggers are gett'in a tad squirmy"

but i wasn't able to experience that squirmyness until I did jump in with a flock of 600's and liter bikes and repeatedly hit the several esses and tight swithbacks at .6 psuedo track real hard...not once...but on several occassions..like on this day....

and this day...

and this day...

But "The Pilot Power Squirming" was nothing I'd of ever picked up on while riding the PP's in the streets aggressively...but at full hammer on the old local psuedo track?..it was a different story...and tufbusa was right...and my helmets off brother as you must be one rapid azz mofo to push PP's into..."squirm mode"

that said?...I've now got about 200 miles on....

"The Dunlop Qualifiers":and have'em scuffed it side too side..and so far?...as compared to my old PP's?...here's what I can tell...

1. The Traction Levels: of the Dunlop Qualifiers absolutely topples that of the PP's...by way of...I could get the PP's to "Step Out In The Rear Throttling Hard Out Of Corner Exits" but not easy to do with the Q's..and I haven't pulled it off yet and...yes...I tried.

2. The Handling: Of the Dunlop Qualifiers is simular to that of the PP's with respect to "Turn-In & Steering" as both are quick and neutral feeling but the Qualifiers seem to be a tad more predictable and controllable throughout every degree of lean angle and feel noticably "More Stable & Planted" than the PP's ever did.

3. Ride Quality: The PP's have "The Plush Ride Thing" hands down and if you're coming off of PP's and onto Qualifiers you may wanna back off on the compression damping a click or two however...when it comes to "FeedBack"?...The PP's are somewhat vague feeling as with the Qualifiers you do in fact feel "Hardwired To The Road" and while "Bump Compliance" may not be as plush as the PP's?...the Qualifiers are definantly more stable over the unruly surfaces through curves as the Qualifiers far stiffer sidwalls don't seem to load up stress and then deflect out nearly as bad as the PP's apparently did as one traverses the ripples.

4. The Wear/Milage Thing: and with only a couple hundred on the Qualifiers one might think it's too early to tell however...I was slick here...as I took dial caliper measurements of the sipping depths when I first purchased the Qualifiers and...at the deepest points of sipping I got measrements ranging between .200-.210"s the day I got the qualifiers...and today?..200 miles later?...I must of not been so slick because I got the very same measurements. LOL! so?...I guess it's still to early to tell but I will be shocked if the qualifiers last anywheres near as many miles as my old PP's did and I seriously doubt that they will as..I'm noticably more confident and faster on the qualifiers and therefore?..push them much harder than I did the PP's...as...the qualifiers DON'T uhem..."squirm when pushed".

Hope ya'll enjoyed and...L8R, Bill

<!--EDIT|JINKSTER
Reason for Edit: None given...|1148340598 -->

 

[Justyntym]

great review

however, I'm my case I'm pretty new to whole sportbike thing and am taking things very slow. I was thinking of still getting the pilot powers as I probably lean more toward sport touring with the busa than hard sport riding. My experince and skill level (and realization of my abilities at this point) wont let me push the busa anywhere near it's capabilites. (I'll get there in good time)

So based on your experience with both tires, would you agree that for a more sport touring tire the pilots would be the way to go.

 

[busahaya]

As always, thanks for the great review Bill

 

[Super Trucker]

Thanks for the write up Jinkster, I ordered my Qualifiers this afternoon, can't wait to try them out.

 

[JINKSTER]

great review  

however, I'm my case I'm pretty new to whole sportbike thing and am taking things very slow. I was thinking of still getting the pilot powers as I probably lean more toward sport touring with the busa than hard sport riding. My experince and skill level (and realization of my abilities at this point) wont let me push the busa anywhere near it's capabilites. (I'll get there in good time)

So based on your experience with both tires, would you agree that for a more sport touring tire the pilots would be the way to go.

Honestly?...there's two ways of answering your question...one way would be to simply say "YES" if your only concerns are high milage and a plusher ride..but another way to answer would be....

to say "NO" if maximum safety is a primary concern...as the qualifiers will stop you harder and faster than the PP's will due to the fact that you can apply far more braking pressure to the Q's without them locking up and skiding...thanks to the Q's apparent and superior levels of traction.

Tough call and a personal one but I for one could never see myself going back to the PP's after experiencing what the Qualifiers have to offer....even if they do get slightly less milage than the PP's...as I can always replace my busa but there's only one "ME"...and if I break that?..I'm done...especially as a married father of three.

EDIT/PS: Also....the Qualifiers will give you the traction, confidence and stability you need to safely "get too" the next level of your personal riding skills...as the qualifiers "will take you there"...that's what they did for me and is why I currently hold them in such high regard.

L8R, Bill

<!--EDIT|JINKSTER
Reason for Edit: None given...|1148342625 -->

 

[busahaya]

Also, just noticed your sig and all I can is NICE

 

[JINKSTER]

Thanks for the write up Jinkster, I ordered my Qualifiers this afternoon, can't wait to try them out.

cool!

and can't wait to hear how happy you're gonna be..

 

[JINKSTER]

Also, just noticed your sig and all I can is NICE

thanks

 

[Justyntym]

One more question and I'll leave you alone...as I'm still running stock tires...how do the qualifiers compare to stock in the matter of plushness?

As I only have one point of reference (the stock tires), if the qualifiers are not a harsher ride than stock, I'll never notice the plush I'd give up from never owning Pilots but would notice the traction advantage I'm sure.

 

[JINKSTER]

One more question and I'll leave you alone...as I'm still running stock tires...how do the qualifiers compare to stock in the matter of plushness?

As I only have one point of reference (the stock tires), if the qualifiers are not a harsher ride than stock, I'll never notice the plush I'd give up from never owning Pilots but would notice the traction advantage I'm sure.

NP...and I'd place the plushness of the qualifiers squarely between that of the stock BT056's and the PP's as...even though the sidewalls of the Q's are thick, strong and stiff?..I believe the low durometer of the Q's soft tacky compound actually acts to make the Q's feel a tad plusher than the oem BT's...despite the Q's stiff, oh so stable sidewalls....as it appears dunlop finally nailed the whole package with their new qualifiers...sweet...real sweet.

L8R, Bil.

 

[gtrpimp76]

Nice Review. I personally have put the PP's on almost 2 months ago. They've seen over 450-500miles of hard track riding (3 track days) and 500 miles of street riding. I can't believe how well they're holding up despite their softer compound. I can wheelie much better too without any issues. I haven't tried the Dunlops yet and I would love to. So I guess I can't really comment between the two. But for track, I feel the PP's have truly lived up to their element. Plus my lean angles are much deeper.

some scuffing after a session at Willow Springs:

Nearly knee dragging T1 at 110 MPH

Turn 3 sequence:

My verdict: Yeah, they work.

Sorry for the rehashed track pics.

 

[gtrpimp76]

couple more:

First track day with the PP's (April 22, 2006)

Fontana's California Speedway AMA Track T6

AMA T12

T2:

 

[hydrabusa]

 

[JINKSTER]

well that's great gtrpimp76..and I love to see ya out there represent'in the busa on the track so well...great job and thanks for sharing the pix...meanwhile?...mark my words...you get on some Qualifiers?...and you'll never look back.....as the PP's will be just a memory...a fond memory...but just a memory..L8R, Bill.

 

[gtrpimp76]

mark my words...you get on some Qualifiers?...and you'll never look back.....as the PP's will be just a memory

That prolly explains why my buddy on his ZX-7 is quicker than me in the corners (other than him having a much more flickable machine). But I highly regard your findings/studies and opinions. I'll def. give them a try when these PP's go out (which should be after my July 29-30th Fontana weekend).

 

[JINKSTER]

mark my words...you get on some Qualifiers?...and you'll never look back.....as the PP's will be just a memory

That prolly explains why my buddy on his ZX-7 is quicker than me in the corners (other than him having a much more flickable machine). But I highly regard your findings/studies and opinions. I'll def. give them a try when these PP's go out (which should be after my July 29-30th Fontana weekend).

cool...cause I'm anxious to hear what others (who have come off of powers) have to say about the qualifiers....and....love to see folks grinning!

 

[heavybusa]

i hope to grow up and ride like that some day

 

[vman1300]

The only thing that stopped me from spooning on a set of Qualifiers, were the early non existent mileage reports when pushed to the max. A friend that rides as hard as me, reported he was down to the wear bars in under 1ooo miles.

Bill as you know I do ride rather hard on the street. I never experienced any "squirminess" at all with mine.

From looking at the profile of the two side by side, the Qualifier should provide a more nutral steering. Guys that like the M1, should really like this tire.

I very rarely use a strret tire but do kep me informed on your miles.

 

[JINKSTER]

The only thing that stopped me from spooning on a set of Qualifiers, were the early non existent mileage reports when pushed to the max. A friend that rides as hard as me, reported he was down to the wear bars in under 1ooo miles.

Bill as you know I do ride rather hard on the street. I never experienced any "squirminess" at all with mine.

From looking at the profile of the two side by side, the Qualifier should provide a more nutral steering. Guys that like the M1, should really like this tire.

I very rarely use a strret tire but do kep me informed on your miles.

Vman...you know I gotz the utmost respect for ya bro but honestly?...I can't see how you can't notice the squirm...especially you...or?..maybe it's because your so damn smooth?...because it happens to me....

"Just past mid-turn/apex as I drive hard out of the corner exit"

and just as soon as I roll that throttle on hard?...that's when I feel "The Squirm"....as the rear does this vague feeling, wishy-washy, side-too-side thingy which I'm calling "Squirm"..and the harder I push it?..the more unsettling it becomes...to both my busas chassis annnnnnd my mental state.

as in....

and here's the kicker...I ain't gett'in that same "Squirm" with the new qualifiers...as they are extremely stable and I can't even break'em loose at the exits and leave a little darky like I used to do with the powers...yet.

Kev...check out the flexability on the wall of a unmounted power...then do the same with a qualifier...the dif is no less than stunning...and a real eye opener...as is the performance of the qualifiers.

L8R, Bill.

 

[BA BUSA]

How much air pressure were you running in your Pilot Powers