Has anyone ridden a Monster equipped with sport touring tires aggressively on the street, say through your local twisty roads and found that the sport touring tires weren't enough?
I'm just trying to decide if I should buy the Pilot Roads versus the Pilot Powers.
I'm more in tune with the Roads because they'll last longer, and hopefully the Roads would be cheaper.
Get Road2's. [thumbsup]
Check in the tech thread for tire reviews. ;D
I've got pilot road 2's on my 800 and love em. A friend w/ an S4R put road 2s on after the pilot power's wore out... He hasn't had a complaint yet. Said yesterday that they were so much better in the wet, that that alone was worth it.
When I lived in hilly Tennessee and rode around Middle and East TN a lot, Pilot Powers were AWESOME. Then I decided to visit the then-fiance in Athens, GA one weekend. When it got dark during the ride, I had to get on the interstate. Pilot Powers get squared off really fast.
I've got the Pilot Road's sitting in my living room ready to be put on as we speak, just for that reason (and Dallas doesn't have near the curvy roads that Nashville did).
I just put a set of the Pilot Roads on, and I'll be testing them in the twisties next weekend. I'll let you know how they fare.
Sport tourers are fine, I always used them on my Monster. That is, until they came out with the Pilot Power. IMO, deciding between the Power is mostly subjective. Reading the reviews should help you.
Quote from: Bun-bun on April 25, 2009, 06:36:06 AM
I just put a set of the Pilot Roads on, and I'll be testing them in the twisties next weekend. I'll let you know how they fare.
Did you get the Pilot Road 2CT's
If so I would really be interested in how you liked them in the twisties.
Hellllllllooooooo
(taps on glass)
http://ducatimonsterforum.org/index.php?topic=2444.0 (http://ducatimonsterforum.org/index.php?topic=2444.0)
;D
Well this isn't a blind study.
I used to ride balls out on my old M800 with Pilot Roads thru twisties in WI and I even did 1 track day session with them. They never failed me. Then I started with the Powers. I'm a high milegage guy so I need a sticky long lasting tire (dual compound seems most ideal) but I just wanted specific opinions.
Now I'm in CA so I hit the canyons quite often and commute. Thanks for the opinions. I really want the Road 2's.
Hey Trouble where do you buy/install tires locally?
Quote from: trouble on April 25, 2009, 07:58:09 AM
Hellllllllooooooo
(taps on glass)
http://ducatimonsterforum.org/index.php?topic=2444.0 (http://ducatimonsterforum.org/index.php?topic=2444.0)
;D
Yeah I read that. More talk about Powers tho.
I've had Pilot Roads on my M800 Dark for a few thousand miles. I really dig 'em. Great in the twisites, worked well on the track, getting good mileage, enough stick to wheelie in the wet.
Scott
Quote from: ghostface on April 25, 2009, 08:00:16 AM
Hey Trouble where do you buy/install tires locally?
GP on 16th and G. [thumbsup]
Quote from: SA_S2R on April 25, 2009, 06:55:52 AM
Did you get the Pilot Road 2CT's
If so I would really be interested in how you liked them in the twisties.
Nah, I ran into an offer I couldn't refuse. I got a deal on the old style pilot roads. Still better than the seven year old Dunlops with the tire plugs in the rear. [roll]
I have the Road 2CTs on my bike and I live (and commute) in the twisties. [thumbsup]
I'm presently running a Pilot Road 2 on the rear and Pilot Power 2 CT on the front, and it seems to be a good arrangement. I had 2 CTs on front and rear previously, but wanted to see if I could get more wear out of the rear this time, and the Road 2 seems to be holding up well. I've got over 5K on it, and it's just starting to show some wear (did a long slab ride to the desert recently, so wore down the middle.) The rear 2 CT was done at 4500.
I typically ride at a pretty spirited pace in the canyons, with occasional freeway slogs for work meetings (but don't commute.) Mostly I'm in the twisties, and the Road 2 handles great. I did not notice a significant difference between it and the 2 CT on the rear. And it did seem like I had more traction this past year in the wet. Overall, I think it's a good combo and seems to be wearing better. The 2 CT flattened out pretty quick on the rear.
Quote from: Bun-bun on April 25, 2009, 06:36:06 AM
I just put a set of the Pilot Roads on, and I'll be testing them in the twisties next weekend. I'll let you know how they fare.
I'm really happy with these tires. Went up to western VA and rode about 200 miles thru the mountains on Saturday including any number of curves marked 25MPH. Even saw one sign with a twisty arrow that said "25MPH next 3 miles". [laugh] Ran the whole day with no problems, tires stuck like glue, scraped the pegs more than once. Contast this with my buddy who hasn't changed from his original 2002 Dunlops, and was constantly playing catch up on the straights, then losing the rest of us in the twisties.
As an aside, I just got caught in a severe thunderstorm with hail on the interstate, winds over 45mph, and had no problems with the tires in those conditions either(Wet to my drawers, but the tires held the road.).
Quote from: Bun-bun on May 04, 2009, 12:37:53 PM
I'm really happy with these tires. Went up to western VA and rode about 200 miles thru the mountains on Saturday including any number of curves marked 25MPH. Even saw one sign with a twisty arrow that said "25MPH next 3 miles". [laugh] Ran the whole day with no problems, tires stuck like glue, scraped the pegs more than once. Contast this with my buddy who hasn't changed from his original 2002 Dunlops, and was constantly playing catch up on the straights, then losing the rest of us in the twisties.
As an aside, I just got caught in a severe thunderstorm with hail on the interstate, winds over 45mph, and had no problems with the tires in those conditions either(Wet to my drawers, but the tires held the road.).
Cool. I just scored a set on ebay for $269 shipped. [thumbsup]
i had the pilot power and switched to the road 2, front and rear. I'm not a very aggressive rider (a man's got to know his limitations) but the biggest difference I noticed with the road 2 was, for me, a much more predictable turn in.
Still turns plenty hard enough, but I like tires that don't dive in. I could never get used to the powers the whole time I had them. always felt unpredictable and I could never get a good feeling of when the turn-in would hit.
The road 2, I feel, is much better suited to what I ride and how I ride (SoCal, freeways, surface streets, canyon ride a couple times a month maybe).
Andy
Quote from: Privateer on May 04, 2009, 05:39:42 PM
i had the pilot power and switched to the road 2, front and rear. I'm not a very aggressive rider (a man's got to know his limitations) but the biggest difference I noticed with the road 2 was, for me, a much more predictable turn in.
Still turns plenty hard enough, but I like tires that don't dive in. I could never get used to the powers the whole time I had them. always felt unpredictable and I could never get a good feeling of when the turn-in would hit.
The road 2, I feel, is much better suited to what I ride and how I ride (SoCal, freeways, surface streets, canyon ride a couple times a month maybe).
Andy
I plan on getting the Road 2's next time around. I've been reading about the Bridgestone BT-021's on the sport touring forum and they've been getting good reviews as well. Seems like there isn't much "Michelin" talk. Maybe I'm biased for Michelins' without giving thought to the Bridgestones'.
Quote from: ghostface on May 04, 2009, 06:02:49 PM
I plan on getting the Road 2's next time around. I've been reading about the Bridgestone BT-021's on the sport touring forum and they've been getting good reviews as well. Seems like there isn't much "Michelin" talk. Maybe I'm biased for Michelins' without giving thought to the Bridgestones'.
one of my buddies with a z1000(?) raves about the bt021's so I'm gonna try those next time too.
I'm planning on standard Pilot Roads for the M750's next set. I have a Dunlop Qualifier on and I don't beat on it enough to warm it up properly for wet ridding. The Roads are probably better in the rain than the Powers, but no FHE ~
JM
i was under the impression that there were no more pilot roads being produced. thats why i went with the 2ct (although i have no complaints...)
i just got a set of roads from SportbikeTrackGear.com
Road 2's are the Pilot Power 2CT of the Pilot Roads category.
Quote from: herm on May 05, 2009, 12:30:54 PM
i was under the impression that there were no more pilot roads being produced. thats why i went with the 2ct (although i have no complaints...)
They're still around. According to Michelin the Roads are still under production.
Quote "An extension of the Pilot® Road line, not a replacement" End Quote.
http://www.michelinmotorcycle.com/index.cfm?event=pilotroad2 (http://www.michelinmotorcycle.com/index.cfm?event=pilotroad2)
I currently have the Road2 on the rear, and a 2CT Power on the front of my 750 monster.
The only difference I can notice between the Road2 and the regular Powers, is the stability at a good lean angle. The Powers would just set in and stick throughout the whole corner, and would not be upset easily. The Road2 has a more aggressive side profile and makes its stability at significant lean angles more noticeable.
That is my only complaint with the Road2's. The rear has been great otherwise, with no real noticeable wear after ~2500 miles. I would really like to see them in the same profile (shape) as the Powers, but with the Road2's rubber compound. That would be nice. [thumbsup]