Point blank:  who has ridden both

[WWJD]

Point Blank: who has ridden both Standard Pirelli Diablos & Pilot Powers?

I need to buy tires and get rid of these sport tour tires. I favor Diablo's [standard, not track Corsa or Super Corsa] but everyone loves the Powers.

Who here has ridden on both and can tell me which is stickier in the cold, in the warm, on the street, and on the track?

My Diablos seem to be warm ALL YEAR AROUND. I HATE tire spin. When I hit it, I want IT to be there. I have heard of Powers spinning a little and my friend slid out on the track on Powers.

Who can give me a fair, experienced, direct comparison?

DIABLO VS. POWER!!

[ding! ding!]

 

[Kento-Moto]

You know the old tire debate, but personally the Pilots hands down - no question. Both for sticky & long life. My Diablo's started out real good but grip faded fast after only 1 thousand miles and by 1800 they were done. The pilots remain sticky through out the life of the tire and I'm gettin about 4-5K out of the rear and more from the front.

 

[GMbusa]

Try the new Dunlop Qualifiers. Great tires. Very neutral feel.

 

[Cykill]

To be honest i've used both, and whatever 1 i can get cheeper when i need tires i go with. i like them both about the same. I'm going to try the new Qualifiers this time around i've been heering good things about them.

 

[WWJD]

You know the old tire debate, but personally the Pilots hands down - no question. Both for sticky & long life. My Diablo's started out real good but grip faded fast after only 1 thousand miles and by 1800 they were done. The pilots remain sticky through out the life of the tire and I'm gettin about 4-5K out of the rear and more from the front.

what sort of riding do you do?
A. none. sits and looks pretty
B. fairly average. I go over 70 now and again
C. I like to tear it up a little when no one is watching
D. I shred twisties like a new Kinsu knife thru fresh melon [wanted in 6 states]

Talking directly about sticky, what do you feel the difference is tween the two and which is stickier? What PSI do you normally run?

 

[WWJD]

To be honest i've used both, and whatever 1 i can get cheeper when i need tires i go with. i like them both about the same. I'm going to try the new Qualifiers this time around i've been heering good things about them.

I hear ya on the pricing. But, I wouldn't touch Dunslip with a 10 foot swingarm.

Thought the sticky was about equal huh?

 

[JINKSTER]

I'd like to add that I just came off of pilot powers and onto dunlop qualifiers...the PP's were all the rage...last year...but this year?..I'm predicting that the qualifiers will take the PP's out by storm...and so far?...the qualifiers are heads and tails over over the PP's in every respect save milage/wear (way too early to tell) but I can say this...it's not to early to tell that by comparo?...the qualifiers are what pointed out to me that my old PP's were "squirmy when pushed" as the Q's are dead rock stable and the Q's far superior and in your face traction automatically took my riding to the next level the day I got'em mounted and balanced...confidently and safely....and I'm still grinning!

Also...the Q's have changed my perspective of what I want in a tire and...screw the milage..even if I smoke through 3-4 sets a year that's still the cheapest insurance out there...and it's a beatiful thing to know when your on a sunday morning rip with your riding buds that there ain't nobody in the group rolling with any more stick than what's on your bike....besides..the he11 with looking at it as insurance for the bike...as I can always get another bike..but busting up myself is a far more seriouse event....life changing if not life ending...so these days?..I say screw the milage and pass me the sticky stuff please.

L8R, Bill.

 

[PACIFICBUSA]

Hmm....it appears that I have another tire to look at.

Haven't tried out the Powers yet. Running on Diablos, still have one more rear to go through before the front wears out.

I was supposed to get some Avons, but it appears I'll be doing some lookin into the Qualifiers.

Carry on....this is getting interesting.

 

[Cykill]

To be honest i've used both, and whatever 1 i can get cheeper when i need tires i go with. i like them both about the same. I'm going to try the new Qualifiers this time around i've been heering good things about them.

I hear ya on the pricing.   But, I wouldn't touch Dunslip with a 10 foot swingarm.  

Thought the sticky was about equal huh?

I used to H8 them also, BUT they changed alot on them the past year (from what i've been hearing) Plus they have a 200/55 street tire. i had dropped to the 180/55 on both the PP's and the Diablos because i like the "flickability" of the higher profile. PPs are releasing a 190/55 soon also, but can't find anyone that can get them yet outside of europe and i'll be dammed before i pay shipping from europe on a tire

I ride HARD and eat tires up. both seem about teh same as far as sticky, and i get almost identical milage from both.



<!--EDIT|Cykill
Reason for Edit: None given...|1147743684 -->

 

[JINKSTER]

Hey...I usta hate dunslops too and get this..."Never"....owned a set till 4 days ago...and I only took the qualifiers for four reasons...

1. I needed new rubber desperately.

2. They were all my tire guy had available.

3. The PP's I ordered through him a week prior never arrived (when they usually get there in 2 days) and he claimed he's had problems getting the PP's in lately and finally?...

4. About 9 months ago sport rider did a 27 sets of street/sport tires shootout and they rated the fresh off the plane over-night delivered 1st Qualifiers released as #1....then the PP's in #2 and then BT014's/M1Sportecs

So I figured I'd take a huge risk and buy my first set of dunlops just to get me by for the time being.....and?...curiosity....to try them out and see if the SR editors were full of shid and as it turns out?..they weren't...not by a long shot.

I loved the PP's when I got them...a he11uva tire...real plush riding and decent stick...and in the early going of my initial review of PP's?...Tufbusa disagreed with me claiming the PP's to be squirmy when pushed hard and as it turns out?...Tufbusa was right...and when they peeled my old PP's off the rims?...I saw first hand why they were so "Plush Riding" and "Squirmy When Pushed" as the PP sidewalls were scary thin...and I could splice them between three fingers and make the PP sidewalls deform into a ruffles potato chip configuration real easy...but with the qualifiers?...the sidewalls were far thicker and at least 3X's firmer...and...super stable at all speeds and lean angles....no more squirm for Billy Boy!

...and that loss of squirm makes a marked dif in confidence and lean angle predictability...and the traction is far more stickier than that of the PP's.

L8R, Bill.

 

[JINKSTER]

btw...i have a ? for you folks...tell me if you find anything wrong with the rational'e in the following statement...

"Yes...I'm so smart because...I bought the worlds fastest production motorcycle that costs as much as a standard korean sedan...it's big, heavy and snotty quick yet handles really well...then I shod it with tires based on cost and milage wear."

Okay...so you not a highly skilled corner carver..so go ahead...place youself as a squarely affirmed "Commuter Only" rider...but get this...evne commuters...at times?...especially "Commuters"...need to employ "Emergency Braking"...and unfortunately?...you'll get "Great Milage" outta those tires there as well....so?...I respectfully urge you to "Think".

L8R, Bill.

PS...did i mention these qualifiers stop on a dime and cutcha .09 cents change?....without a whole lotta skidding go'in on?

 

[JINKSTER]

damn....i'm talking to myself again...ain't i?

 

[Kento-Moto]

You know the old tire debate, but personally the Pilots hands down - no question. Both for sticky & long life. My Diablo's started out real good but grip faded fast after only 1 thousand miles and by 1800 they were done. The pilots remain sticky through out the life of the tire and I'm gettin about 4-5K out of the rear and more from the front.  

what sort of riding do you do?
A.  none.  sits and looks pretty
B.  fairly average.  I go over 70 now and again
C.  I like to tear it up a little when no one is watching
D.  I shred twisties like a new Kinsu knife thru fresh melon [wanted in 6 states]

Talking directly about sticky, what do you feel the difference is tween the two and which is stickier?  What PSI do you normally run?

Kinda ride between C & D Not a knee dragger ( yet ) but I would shred the old D207's & 208's but the Pilots dont. I run em all the way to the edge but my style is not to get on the throttle too soon outa the apex of the turn for fear of a high side.I brake the rear lose sometimes and wheelie a little and frequently bury the speedo ... Like I said before the Diablo's will never be on my scooter again unless they were free or something. They have a high center and were nice at first to tip in but after they started to fade around a 1k miles they were slippery as heLL!

I called the Dunlop factory trying to score some free or discounted qualifiers ( but it didnt work ) anyway the rep told me about all the advancements ... but milage should be about the same as the 208's

 

[PACIFICBUSA]

You know the old tire debate, but personally the Pilots hands down - no question. Both for sticky & long life. My Diablo's started out real good but grip faded fast after only 1 thousand miles and by 1800 they were done. The pilots remain sticky through out the life of the tire and I'm gettin about 4-5K out of the rear and more from the front.  

what sort of riding do you do?
A.  none.  sits and looks pretty
B.  fairly average.  I go over 70 now and again
C.  I like to tear it up a little when no one is watching
D.  I shred twisties like a new Kinsu knife thru fresh melon [wanted in 6 states]

Talking directly about sticky, what do you feel the difference is tween the two and which is stickier?  What PSI do you normally run?

Kinda ride between C & D Not a knee dragger ( yet )  but I would shred the old D207's & 208's but the Pilots dont. I run em all the way to the edge but my style is not to get on the throttle too soon outa the apex of the turn for fear of a high side.I brake the rear lose sometimes and wheelie a little and frequently bury the speedo ...   Like I said before the Diablo's will never be on my scooter again unless they were free or something. They have a high center and were nice at first to tip in but after they started to fade around a 1k miles they were slippery as heLL!

I called the Dunlop factory trying to score some free or discounted qualifiers ( but it didnt work )  anyway the rep told me about all the advancements ... but milage should be about the same as the 208's

really? The Diablos are like that?

My diablos are wearin abit thin now (running into the wear bar) but they're still stickin nice.

I was caught in the rain the other night, figured I'd test them in the wet. I didn't pull no 85mph sweepers or anything like that, but for the most part, they felt planted.

Goosed it a couple of times to see if the rear would slide abit, but it stuck on pretty well. Rode the front brakes pretty hard, too...didn't notice any sliding or biased tracking.


Am I misled on the traction issue or am I just extremely lucky?


Please advise, as I have plans to shod the rear with a Diablo again.

 

[WWJD]

Pac, I've messed with my diablos too and almost never get any spin, EVEN in rain - which I don't ride in normally. Even their cold stick, sticks better than some warmed up

ok, that's an exageration. gonna take a lot to pry me off that sticks 99.9 percent of the time. I've never experienced the wear = slippery aspect and I've ground two all the way down until the cords were showing [which isn't the brightest thing]

Jinkster, we're prayin at the same church. I want stick over milage. TWO wheels needs all the help it can get on the variety of crappy roads we call America. Yeah, my Diablos wear down pretty fast [except for these st00pid Stradas!!] but they never let me down - even in winter. I'm afraid the Powers are more track oriented and not so much regular street where as I want a good balance. I'm on streets 90% of the time so I need great stick and 'road' handling - not track tires. but the jury is still out. Which is why I'm seeking feedback. Heard too much negative about Dunlop tires over the years - and the fact the stealer sells them to kids that like spinning alot - even though the Qualifiers HAVE TO BE miles ahead of their past street offering, like Kawasaki, they have a number of years to makeup in merit and reputation to me. But please keep us posted on your opinions of them

 

[Revlis]

OK POINT BLANK...

Both Are Old News, Metzlers New Sportec M3 Offers better grip wet and dry and about 40% more life. Better than the Sportec M1 which are basically your diablo's. Same Same.

So more of the same feel, fast warm up, great feedback and a smooth ride...

NoW Be about your Day! Rev has spoken...

Thought I'd try it... Seriously though, Sportec M3's are the shiznit from what I have been hearing Think of em as Pilot Powers without the fast tire wear and much better wet traction from what I have heard.

 

[bigoltool]

OK POINT BLANK...

Both Are Old News, Metzlers New Sportec M3 Offers better grip wet and dry and about 40% more life.  Better than the Sportec M1 which are basically your diablo's.  Same Same.

So more of the same feel, fast warm up, great feedback and a smooth ride...

NoW Be about your Day! Rev has spoken...

 Thought I'd try it...  Seriously though, Sportec M3's are the shiznit from what I have been hearing Think of em as Pilot Powers without the fast tire wear and much better wet traction from what I have heard.

I have heard good things about the Metzelers but thus far no one on here (that I have seen anyway) has bucked up and tried em yet. The price of them seems to be higher even than the Pilot Powers. Who's got the Low down on em?

 

[WWJD]

DOH! You are RIGHT about the new M3 Pirellzelers!!! I oughta give them a shot! I forgot about them.... those 2nd cousins of Diablos....

 

[JINKSTER]

one mo time...and just for the record?..here's my "Tire History" run down...

'00ZRX1100: Came oem with BT020's...after that?...I went through about 4 sets of BT020REAR/BT010FRONT combos and logged about 22,000 miles on that bike.

'01FZ1: Came oem with BT020's..and is about the time I developed a deep seated hatred for bridgestone front tires cupping out...after that?..I went through several sets of Metzeler meZ4's and loved the Z4's right up until I mounted up a set of michelin "Pilot Roads" which had more stick and about the same wear characteristics/milage as the old Z4's...and I loved the "Pilot Roads"...I logged 27,000 miles on that bike.

'03 Hayabusa: Came with oem BT56's....stuck a BT14 rear on for a couple weeks till it caught a nail and then mounted up a set of Pilot Powers which made a phenominal dif in my Busas handling and plush ride quality...and back then?...I thought the PP's had great stick...but I don't think that anymore...not after "Reluctantly" experiencing Dunlops new Qualifiers as the Q's are the best damn tire I've ever owned...insane levels of stick (for a DOT sport/street tire)...super stable and linear steering throughout all angles of lean...and "NEVER" experienced greater levels of cornering confidence such as I now have with the qualifiers with "ANY" street/sport tire I've previously owned..not even the pilot powers...they don't hold a candle to what the qualifiers have to offer and...

L8R, Bill.

 

[jigisup]

that's pretty damn high praise for a sets of tires. I may ditch this bt56j and really try a set this saturday and see what happens.

Local wrench monkeys quoted me about the same prices for either the PP's and Q's anyway.