Best overall high speed tires for a gen 2

[Ghost81]

I love Dunlops, Q2, Q3, Q4, and the Roadsmart 1 and 2(sport touring)are all excellent.
Years ago at the advice of old @Tufbusa
I started running a Q2 front(sport) for max grip and control, and a Roadsmart(sport touring) rear, for more mileage, as the harder compound held up longer to the Busa's torque, so much so that I could change the tires in sets, vs 2 rears to one front(a little over 2k miles average, but I was happy with that, I want grip over mileage, and you really Cannot have Both).
The Roadsmart still had Plenty of grip too. There are old pictures of them here somewhere, but no chicken strips, and nicely boogered edges.
At 185-190lbs in gear, and with 7w fork oil instead of stock 5w, I had great sag numbers(mid 30's mm), and the Busa stuck like glue.
I kept both tires at 36psi hot, and down to 34psi hot on great roads.
36psi hot front always.
38psi hot rear with a passenger.
I got my old gen2 coming off of 1000's, and had to learn the Busa, as I could put it Too Far over in corners, dragging the bottoms of the stock mufflers, and leaving an egg shaped and size scrape on the lower right fairing(right fairing sticks out further than the left).
Dragging hard parts is bad, and asking for trouble, and I quickly adjusted.
The point is, I was chewing sidewall edges and Still Stuck to the road.

I think you may have sold me into trying a set of the Dunlop Qualifiers. Q2 front and I’m also thinking the same for the rear..how much more distance did you get running a Roadsmart on the rear rather than a Q2? Just wondering if it was substantial. More importantly I’m curious on what size and profile you we’re running on the rear to get that lean and stick? 190/50s or 200´s? As the 200s seem to be more elliptical and mast prone to « squaring off » as the 190 allegedly does on the Busa. My question is regarding any loss vivacity when « throwing » the bike from one side to another so to speak

 

[HayaWakened]

how much more distance did you get running a Roadsmart on the rear rather than a Q2? Just wondering if it was substantial. More importantly I’m curious on what size and profile you we’re running on the rear to get that lean and stick? 190/50s or 200´s? As the 200s seem to be more elliptical and mast prone to « squaring off » as the 190 allegedly does on the Busa. My question is regarding any loss vivacity when « throwing » the bike from one side to another so to speak

Substantial for me. Running PR5's now and they're at least double the mileage of the Q3+ - which shouldn't be surprising; also including a track day.

IMO, running a 55 aspect ratio makes the bike easier to 'throw', but more prone to 'squaring off'.

 

[fallenarch]

I have not personally tried the Pr's on my Busa but I love them on my BMW 1250. I expect the wear life and bad weather safety would be significant over the Q's though. I don't like the 55's and I run the 50's (opinion). The 55's do increase roll rates but I feel they are a bit nervous. They also wear the middle of the tread faster and you can feel the flat spot in like 1K miles. The 55's would be a good track choice though IMO. I have 1" rising links and that's the trick for making the Busa handle. You get better turn-in and more straight-line stability for $40.

 

[Bumblebee]

Substantial for me. Running PR5's now and they're at least double the mileage of the Q3+ - which shouldn't be surprising; also including a track day.

IMO, running a 55 aspect ratio makes the bike easier to 'throw', but more prone to 'squaring off'.

I like them on my bike....they handle just as good as the S21Rs they replaced..

 

[Dopey]

I think you may have sold me into trying a set of the Dunlop Qualifiers. Q2 front and I’m also thinking the same for the rear..how much more distance did you get running a Roadsmart on the rear rather than a Q2? Just wondering if it was substantial. More importantly I’m curious on what size and profile you we’re running on the rear to get that lean and stick? 190/50s or 200´s? As the 200s seem to be more elliptical and mast prone to « squaring off » as the 190 allegedly does on the Busa. My question is regarding any loss vivacity when « throwing » the bike from one side to another so to speak

Just me but I decided to go grip versus mileage and I love the q3 plus... everyone who's bike i have put them on have said the same thing

 

[sixpack577]

I think you may have sold me into trying a set of the Dunlop Qualifiers. Q2 front and I’m also thinking the same for the rear..how much more distance did you get running a Roadsmart on the rear rather than a Q2? Just wondering if it was substantial. More importantly I’m curious on what size and profile you we’re running on the rear to get that lean and stick? 190/50s or 200´s? As the 200s seem to be more elliptical and mast prone to « squaring off » as the 190 allegedly does on the Busa. My question is regarding any loss vivacity when « throwing » the bike from one side to another so to speak

I ran stock sizes for both
120/70/17 front
190/50/17 rear
I got about 1000 miles more out of the rear Roadsmart than the rear Q2
About 1000-1200 miles on rear Q2
About 2000-2300 on rear Roadsmart
I never did or would run a sport touring front(just me) and got 2000-2300 out of a Q2 front.
I could not tell much of a difference in the handling of the rear Roadsmart vs the rear Q2.
The Busa's weight and torque help give the sport touring a little more bite.
Q2's are also out of production.
The Q3's are a little better.
The Q4 is stickier and lighter, but also softer and will get less road mileage than a Q3.
I will look for an old thread with pictures(as the original pics are in a laptop that I need to take to get fixed).
To me the sport front/sport touring rear is perfect for heavy, high torque bikes, like a Busa, zx12, zx14, etc.
You can drag knees with confidence and both tires wear out pretty evenly.

 

[sixpack577]

.

 

[sixpack577]

Here you go
Before, after first dialing in the suspension.

 

[sixpack577]

Same tire after
It had full tread before a 200-300 mile trip on a hot day that did it in...but it never slipped and stuck like glue.

You can see the line in the center of the tire where it is a harder compound, and the tread is the same depth in the softer side edges as well, so great balance between the two.

 

[sixpack577]

Front Q2 stuck great

 

[Bumblebee]

Same tire after
It had full tread before a 200-300 mile trip on a hot day that did it in...but it never slipped and stuck like glue.

View attachment 1640484

You can see the line in the center of the tire where it is a harder compound, and the tread is the same depth in the softer side edges as well, so great balance between the two.

You wore it into a slick...

 

[sixpack577]

You wore it into a slick...

lol...and it stuck great like one too!

 

[Bumblebee]

lol...and it stuck great like one too!

Pretty amazing testament to that tire.

 

[sixpack577]

Pretty amazing testament to that tire.

Indeed, it sold me on that combo for the future.
@Tufbusa was a track coach, and shared alot of great advice with us, and with me here and and on the phone until it was dialed in.
I could half-ass suspension before, but he was the guy to put it all together for me.
My riding went to the next level after that.
Thanks Tuf

 

[Bumblebee]

Indeed, it sold me on that combo for the future.
@Tufbusa was a track coach, and shared alot of great advice with us, and with me here and and on the phone until it was dialed in.
I could half-ass suspension before, but he was the guy to put it all together for me.
My riding went to the next level after that.
Thanks Tuf

My bike's set up pretty well for what I use it for which is mostly back roads and some of them are pretty rough...

The PR5s I have serve me well for the riding I do...once the rear squares off, I replace both, as it's nice to run on fresh tires.

I ran some sort of Battlax on many of my bikes and they did well for me...I think my first set was on my '86 Katana...my '85 GSXR came with them but those were taken off when it was race prepped.

 

[sixpack577]

My bike's set up pretty well for what I use it for which is mostly back roads and some of them are pretty rough...

The PR5s I have serve me well for the riding I do...once the rear squares off, I replace both, as it's nice to run on fresh tires.

I ran some sort of Battlax on many of my bikes and they did well for me...I think my first set was on my '86 Katana...my '85 GSXR came with them but those were taken off when it was race prepped.

Yep, Suzuki has been putting BattleAx's on the gsxr's since the beginning.
Wow...the original gsxr...blast from the past threadjack...now we need pics of @ROADTOAD1340 's classic Zukes to go with all this tire talk.

 

[bigoltool]

I have not personally tried the Pr's on my Busa but I love them on my BMW 1250. I expect the wear life and bad weather safety would be significant over the Q's though. I don't like the 55's and I run the 50's (opinion). The 55's do increase roll rates but I feel they are a bit nervous. They also wear the middle of the tread faster and you can feel the flat spot in like 1K miles. The 55's would be a good track choice though IMO. I have 1" rising links and that's the trick for making the Busa handle. You get better turn-in and more straight-line stability for $40.

I have a 190/55 rear and 1" raising links on mine, and it is lively for certain, but I have not experienced any flat spotting.

 

[ROADTOAD1340]

Six , you are a gifted manic rider , those pics are verging on the V extreme , as in most outrages wear I have ever seen on the street tire lol . The uniform wear is actually amazing , lol , man , you should of been quickly identified and put in a road race team , I truly mean that bro .
In the early / mid 90's we used to run Michelin Hi Sports , they were the lightest tire , and gripped like crazy on our GSXR1100 . The Dunlops in those days were heavier and the widest for the 180 / 55 in those days . It was 188 mm across on a 5.5" rim , but they were chosen by a lot of riders also .
I know a very good rider who does love Pirelli Super Corsa on his Busa , and really uses them , think some of you on here know of him as well @Ac41 . His track prowess is amazing , certainly holding up the Busa banner on the race track , very entertaining . He has taken this season off , for personal commitments , so looking forward to his next season . Below is his youtube channel , well worth a look .

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCZIoFxDrQY5p57qevaUPvfA

Compared to you fast younger and indeed older guys , I am not in your talent league , but I still like having fun , as we all do on our bikes , we are lucky nowadays , the tires available are very good , something for everyone s taste .
Some pics of AC41 Pirelli Super Corsa and his very capable machine , and my last Gixxer with Dunlops Q3 before Busa .

 

[sixpack577]

There's that Beautiful Toad classic!
Best old school gsxr I have Ever seen, I love it, excellently put together.
Thanks for the love on the tire too man, but I assure you...I am nothing more than a has-been, lol (that tire pic is Old, I dug it up as it answered the OP's question).
As I've said before, I prefer Andy Bell's title on Nitro Circus...Washed up motorcycle rider, lmao.
My friend is still on me about wanting wheelie videos of me on his 1k, I keep telling him I'm retired, lol, but he won't give in.
He's about to break me, so maybe I'll post something decent soon.
He wants a low speed, some 70-110mph 10-11 o'clock standups, and is looking for a 150+ fly by...that's my Speedohealer'd/gps record, about 1' in the air.
Another buddy has our group record of 8 miles...I'm at a little over 2, lmao.
But, I already rode off into the sunset, and the sequel is rarely better.
I'm also ashamed of the Q4 I just took off the 1k, but in my defense, my friend wore out the center and got a puncture, before I got to really shred them.
I only have about 30 miles of parkway on them after making some suspension setting changes, it really rails now.
The Q4 front is still good, about 1500 miles.
Now, back to the garage to balance the Q3.

 

[sixpack577]

And you are right Toad, I Should have been on a race team!....I could've been the janitor!
lol