Tyres

[craigo]

I was EXTREMELY disappointed with the mileage I got out of the (original gen) Roadsmart tires that I tried. The fronts were down to the wear bars at about 3500 miles.

Hopefully you'll get better wear out of the RS2.

DavidR.

Yeah, I have to agree with you on the 1st gen Roadsmarts. Both front and rears were some of the worst tires I ever had. I switched to Continental Motions (mostly for budget issues) and love them. I have around 3000 miles on the set and they are not even close to the wear bars. My riding is all done in the canyons and backroads of San Diego. I do not commute on the bike and my bike has never been in the rain as long as I have owned her. I will buy another set when these wear out.

CraigO

[ribbert]

Speaking off tyres, my "local" has no stock of PR3's (currently run PR2's on FJ1) - so they mentioned/recommended Pirelli Speed Demons... have seen them mentioned on some posts from FJer's in the US, anyone ride them in here in AUS? They are going on FJ2 on Thursday.....

Yes, I have a bike with them F&R ( I take it you are talking about "Sport Demons") and I have one with tyres I like.
I always thought Pirelli took a bit of licence with that name, it's like calling a tractor tyre "the Bathhust Qualifier" or "the Schumacher Special"
The name conjures up an expection of performance the tyre won't deliver.
A lot depends on how you ride and what you expect. While PR2's had their flaws you cannot compare the two, they are cross ply tyres with a sporty tread pattern and there are many good radials out there.
One of the reasons for 17'' wheels is to get away from tyres like that. I assume if your running PR2's you have 17's F&R.
Anyway, that's my opinion.

Noel

[ribbert]

These ( Road Attack 2's) are a completely different tyre.

I can't find where I recorded the mileage I fitted them at, but can account for 6000k's in trips alone.

Noel

Noel, just wondering how the RA2's are goin? I'm just about to buy a pair of tyres and have narrowed my choice down to either a set of RA2's or Pilot Road3's.  I've read good reviews about both tyres so I'd be happy to go with either brand.  Regards, Pete.

Pete. still very happy with the tyres. Post #194 has a bit more to say.
Update: they continue to amaze me in the wet and one of the things that age hasn't dulled is my love of corners.  My previous tyres occasionally had moments for no obvious reason and I've not had a single one on these tyres and I get them right to the edge from time to time, even with the back raised that's mufflers, belly pan and rear mounting bolts, collector etc and my boots that previously had a chamfer on the outside of the sole are now through the uppers.
Well may you ( and many ) say but I don't need tyres that will do that. True, but you will need to brake in an emergency, ride in the wet and probably overcook a corner from time to time and it's very comforting having that margin up your sleeve.
The main reason I got these was because my previous dual compound tyres developed a ridge where the compounds met making for increasingly strange handling.  This tyre achieves the same result with different amounts of heat applied across the tyre during manufacture, no join.
If I was tyre hunting tomorrow I would research the Metzeler Roadtec Z8 Interact a bit more.
Tyre technology moves very quickly and the tyre of the moment today will be gazumped tomorrow, next week or next year and I would never buy the same tyre again without seeing what's come out in the meantime.

This is my current tyre at 5000 k's, looking good.

[Chromaxe]

Speaking off tyres, my "local" has no stock of PR3's (currently run PR2's on FJ1) - so they mentioned/recommended Pirelli Speed Demons... have seen them mentioned on some posts from FJer's in the US, anyone ride them in here in AUS? They are going on FJ2 on Thursday.....

( I take it you are talking about "Sport Demons")
Noel

Yes Noel, "Sport" - I felt the same way when it was mentioned..... I hear Pirelli and I hear Martin Brundle waxing on about tyre degradation and marbles on Turn 1...

Thanks.....

[fj12_rider]

i`ve just put a new set of Avon Roadriders on mine and I LOVE them . I paid £161 gbp for them . about $200 i think and fitted them myself. They are much much better than the metzlers that it did have on it and have improved the way the bike handles by a huge amount. It`s now lush in the corners and they have given me a huge confidence boost . Highly recommended IMO .

[oldktmdude]

  Noel. thanks for your reply and great photo. Looks like you're gonna get around 7 - 8,000 kms out of the RA2's. I've just wore out a set of Pilot Power 2CT's and got just under 6,000 kms out of them. They were great tyres but would like to gain a few more miles out of my next set of tyres. I ride mostly twisty mountain roads and curvy coastal back roads so the Conti's should fit the bill nicely. Thanks again for your input.   Regards, Pete.

[ribbert]

  Noel. thanks for your reply and great photo. Looks like you're gonna get around 7 - 8,000 kms out of the RA2's. I've just wore out a set of Pilot Power 2CT's and got just under 6,000 kms out of them. They   

And the rest! The last set were the only tyres I didn't record the mileage when fitted but I got way more than I was expecting.  I reckon I got 10 - 12,000  hard k's out of them riding the back one down to the casing.
The current one at 5,000 should have at least that much again in it going by wear to date.

Like you I enjoy the twisties and the open road and give it plenty but I spare it ripping off from the lights and ringing it out in the lower gears around town, this probably adds some k"s to it's life.

Noel

[markmartin]

I finished the season with 5000 miles on the Road Attack 2's, front and rear.  The rear is worn to the plies at the center.   The front still has tread left but has squared off and has some cupping.  I'll replace them in the spring with another set.

I do wish the rear had some sort of wear bar, but it's not a deal breaker.

[Alf]

I was EXTREMELY disappointed with the mileage I got out of the (original gen) Roadsmart tires that I tried. The fronts were down to the wear bars at about 3500 miles.

Hopefully you'll get better wear out of the RS2.

DavidR.

Yeah, I have to agree with you on the 1st gen Roadsmarts. Both front and rears were some of the worst tires I ever had.

CraigO

Curious...

I´ve always have a duration problems with my front tyre because here the tarmac is very abrasive, and in summer is very hot because even although the ambient temperature is around 25ºC, we are near the tropic and the sun is very hard, so I near destroy front tyre hedges in less than 5.000 kms... and I LOVE the Roadsmart because these last longer, and I like the feeling and the flickability of the bike with them. Much better than the PR by a mile. The Michelin crystallize with the hot instead of wear, remaining like bakelite... and been as effective in a bike like this material   

My dunlops are made in France, if it helps

[SlowOldGuy]

Gee Alf,
Is there ANYTHING we agree on?

:-)

DavidR.

[Alf]

 

I´m gonna give you a chance: you´re right with the problems with the 16"... but only if the tyre is not in excellent condition. Last weekend I rode with my friend Mingo´s 86 FJ. Their tyres are worn now and the bike run wide on brakes, don´t give confidence at high speed and feel harsh... Only 3 months ago the bike was a perfect sweet handling bike

Its clear that the OE 16"· are more tyre sensitive than with 17" rims

Are you happy? 

[andyb]

Wow, trashed the tires in 3 months.

My 17" radials certainly don't do that. 

[SlowOldGuy]

Sorry Alf, maybe next time.  :-)

All my (bad) Dunlop Roadsmart experience has been with their 17 inch front tires. 
And, I'll repeat, I was happy with the performance of the tire, just disappointed that they only lasted 3500 miles.

DavidR.

[craigo]

I was EXTREMELY disappointed with the mileage I got out of the (original gen) Roadsmart tires that I tried. The fronts were down to the wear bars at about 3500 miles.

Hopefully you'll get better wear out of the RS2.

DavidR.

Yeah, I have to agree with you on the 1st gen Roadsmarts. Both front and rears were some of the worst tires I ever had.

CraigO

Curious...

I´ve always have a duration problems with my front tyre because here the tarmac is very abrasive, and in summer is very hot because even although the ambient temperature is around 25ºC, we are near the tropic and the sun is very hard, so I near destroy front tyre hedges in less than 5.000 kms... and I LOVE the Roadsmart because these last longer, and I like the feeling and the flickability of the bike with them. Much better than the PR by a mile. The Michelin crystallize with the hot instead of wear, remaining like bakelite... and been as effective in a bike like this material   

My dunlops are made in France, if it helps

Hi Alf,

Remember this conversation about the Roadsmarts?:

http://www.fjowners.com/index.php?topic=5699.0

Seems we all agreed that initially the Roadsmarts were good tires, they didn't last long and when they gave it up, the results were immediate, as in no warnings...

Merry Christmas,

CraigO

[Alf]

Its true. I´ve read it again

Reviewing my maintenance chart (I write all the things that I do to my FJ) I see than my RS have covered 6.000 kms and its possible another 1.000 more
The excellent news for me is that the front is not worn at 3.000 kms, like I usually do with BT 20, BT21, BT23, BT45 (in my CBX)...

I have a couple of friends who owns a tyre workshop in Madrid, both of them FJ owners too and excellent guys (being FJ owners is not necessary to say it)
Last summer we had a long talk about tyres. They were amazed with my front tyre destruction prone. (I always buy my tyres from them)
We take in conclusion that like the Tenerife tarmac is so hot, a sport touring tyre is degraded so fast because of its working temperature is out the range that the tyre is made to operate. So they recommended me the RoadSmart like a more sport tyre, and that the next time fit a Race Smart

A race tyre in a normal use suffer because don´t work at its properly temperature, but in my case the race tyre IS going to work correctly

And my guys seem right, because a front tyre has never lasted me 5.000 kms or a little more like the RS

The problem is that the rear is worn at 4.000 kms. Also no rear tyre has lasted so few kms to me