need a good tire

[Black_Beast]

i have a 2007 busa. last summer my buddy gave me the idea of getting mich pilot powers. ran the rubber off in one summer. what is a good tire to get that will hold up for awhile. need some help

 

[kromdom]

Michelin Pilot Road 2: good mix of mileage and performance (need to break 'em in good though)

http://www.webbikeworld.com/Motorcycle-tires/michelin-pilot-road-2/

 

[Tufbusa]

There was a thread just a few days ago asking this same question: The millionth tire thread


You may find that thread helpful? Below is a quote worth quoting from that thread.

Let me poke a little food for thought in here on tire choice.

Most of the discussion on this thread seems to be pointed toward touring tires. Touring tires are fine and many guys enjoy the long lasting high mileage these tires deliver. Avon Storms, Pirelli Angels, Michelin Pilot Road 2, etc are great tires but you must keep in mind they are touring tires. Limited traction whether you are straight up or leaned over, these tires have less traction than High Performance tires. Touring tires are by no means in the same catagory with performance tires such as Dunlop Qualifier 2, Bridgestone BTO16, Pirelli Corsa III etc.

Both are round and black. That's the only two characteristics they share. If you are a commuter and never ask anything of your bike other than getting you to work and home safely, a touring tire is by far the best bang for the buck. If you are an agressive rider, even if you are not a knee dragger, I suggest you consider a performance tire. A High performance tire will allow you to make mistakes that will put you on your head on a touring tire. It's extremely rare to find a street rider whom is capable of finding the limits of a tire without crashing. And may I remind you, one crash due to loss of traction will cost more than the $$ difference in many many sets of tires!

You are riding a heavy, high HP, high performance bike. The tires you choose is what ties this monster to the pavement. Put slippery shoes on her and you can no longer unleash the beast! Learning to brake late and throttle early will become a distant memory!

 

[JINKSTER]

There was a thread just a few days ago asking this same question: The millionth tire thread


You may find that thread helpful? Below is a quote worth quoting from that thread.

ur rite tuf....and to me?..this busa owners shodding their mighty machines with touring tires for higher wear is like listening to a guy with a top fuel dragster who's concerned about fuel milage...oh it begs the thought everytime i'm look'in at bologna skins 3-5k miles latter and another $300-$500 worth of replacement rubber and even i myself (years ago) tried to lean/think that way a time or two but it never worked out..it was like my busa was on ice skates annnnnd?..to make matters worse?...maybe it's the way i ride but..what i experienced with harder rubber was actually less milage...mainly due to "wheelspin"...where instead of actually grabbing and gripping the road?..they just spin and shed rubber particals like holding a pencil eraser to a belt sander and DIDN'T last longer...just more slippery...everywhere..including having to accomodate a greater braking distanceor?...skid to a stop...not to mention (but i will) the concentration that gets robbed from me having to be extra attentive and real gentle with the throttle inputs so i don't break'em loose and die?..in short?..the harder tires sucked..as common sense would tell you so..hard tires on any hypersport machine is NEVER a great idea...and sure..are there guys out there that can whoop up on me on the same bike with lesser tires?...yep...sure are...now do i think it's a geat idea?...nope...sure don't.

jmho & l8r, Bill.

 

[Speed King]

I got a set of Pilot Power 2CT. I got them 8000 miles ago and still rolling I dont ride hard or anything, just every day normal riding.
I don't get how some guys only get 3000-4000 miles out of there tires unless they burn rubber and beat on them all the time, if your on the track a lot then i can see how ya get soo little milage out of your tires.
I think when you stretch your busa it puts a lot more wear on your tires also when turning.

 

[JINKSTER]

I got a set of Pilot Power 2CT. I got them 8000 miles ago and still rolling I dont ride hard or anything, just every day normal riding.
I don't get how some guys only get 3000-4000 miles out of there tires unless they burn rubber and beat on them all the time, if your on the track a lot then i can see how ya get soo little milage out of your tires.
I think when you stretch your busa it puts a lot more wear on your tires also when turning.

shid...i wouldn't be happy gett'in 8K miles outta 2 sets of tires but...i wouldn't be disappointed or surprised either..as i usually struggle to get 5K outta any set of tires..and usually do so but also know i shouldn't of gotten that last 1K...as most are real thin and gett'in that "wooden feelin" (via disapation of softening agents in the compound due to repeated heat cycles)...or gett'in that "Knobby Tire" feel'in cause your down to the base compound and the tread/sipping starting to cup...and my busa is not stretched at all..as i like the corner carving action and handling aspects as much as the across the board power delivery of my beloved Oren.

but?...this whole tire/wear issue might be a bit geographic in nature..in part...as i would think that those in oh say inner city or highly populated town settings have far less opportunity to actually ride their busa the way it was designed to be ridden..and to a degree?...this also holds true for the more reserved superslab ST'ing types out there.

me?..i love to carve corners but live in south freaking florida...and for the most part?...the subtle sweepers and here-n-there curves i have available to me don't even begin to get interesting until ya hit a buck 20 and beyond..maybe it's the consistant high speed action that speeds up my wear factor but typically?..i don't beat on'em and pretty much never do any burnouts until they're spent and ready for replacement anyways.

maybe if i really pussyfooted it on some avon storms i might get 8K out of a set but...who the he11 wants to do that?

L8R, Bill.

 

[Tufbusa]

I'm with ya Jinks. I have never exceeded 3K miles on a set of performance tires. A few times I didn't reach 2K miles. I know it's spendy to keep sticky skins on the beast but at least I have good confidence inspiring tires under me. I am blessed with great back roads to ponder up here in the mountains of the NW. I just don't think I could enjoy riding on touring tires knowing I had to ride like my ole granny to keep it under me.

High perfomance tires are much more likely to bring you home safely. It only takes one mistake to become very expensive. I like the additional confidence sticky tires bring me!

 

[m_ridgeway]

since were on it, i got a question maybe a dumb one but, is it possible to overheat a tire for a normal road surface and make it slippery?

 

[JINKSTER]

since were on it, i got a question maybe a dumb one but, is it possible to overheat a tire for a normal road surface and make it slippery?

absolutely...and my 1st experience with that was up in suches unincorporated, GA on my 1st trip too T.W.O. (Two Wheels Only) motorcycle resort...home of the cooler run...and?...SR180 (aka "Wolfspen Gap Rd.")..on my old '00 model ZRX1100R eddie lawson RR running BT020's front and rear...my 2nd trip was with a BT010 front..but on both occassions the rear 020's got good and boogered up..steady pressure ='s steady heat buildup and?...well...they can only take so much.

as any tire can...only take so much...now..if ur booger'in up some qualifiers or diablos?...ur do'in sumpt'in...but it can definantly be done...especially on a heavy powerful bike such as the mighty busa.

L8R, Bill.