Ducati Monster Forum

I have a 98' M900 currently has Mich. Pilot Powers front & rear
They came on the bike and always felt great
I think I hot about 7k out of them
I was thinking about going with the Mich Road 2's this time around.... They cost $450 installed locally

I ride 75% around town, 15% freeway, 10% aggressively ( not track)

Just

I recently read an article in Ultimate Motorcycling comparing :

1) Bridgestone BT-016s
2) Michelin Pure Powers
3) Pirelli Diablo Rosso Corsas
4) Dunlop Sportmax Q2s

The tires were ridden by 2 riders of varying degrees of track experience.

The tires were 1st weighed and there were differences in there static weight.

All in all , for aggressive  riding the Dunlop Sportmax Q2s maintained it's line best through corners , turned most predictably , handled bumps the best , and gave good feed back in all situations best. At the end of the day they also showed the least amount of wear.

Additionally the Dunlops ran a little bit faster laps than the others.

The riders said that the tires that gave them the most confidence turned out to be the Dunlops.

Incidentally, the riders never knew which brand they were riding on .

Dolph      :)

You just asked for Road 2's. If you got 7k out of regular powers you should get 10k+ out of the roads.

rears maybe.... not the front

You go through fronts quicker than rears?

???

I have PR2s on both bikes.  I get 10k+ on the rear tires and more on the fronts.  I ride more on the freeway than the OP, but nevertheless I'm very pleased with the Michelins.

Thanks guys
I am going to price the Q2's locally
But I am stilling leaning to the Mich Roads 2's

i just went through the same questions

i had the original BT 016 on it when i wrecked. the front was fine at 7k but i was on my second rear.

i do a lot of autobahn to and from work so i picked up the PR 2ct's i hope to get much more use of them but I feel confident they'll stand up to the curves in the hills.

on the pilot roads thats the case.

If you only ride 10% aggressively, find whatever tire is cheapest!  $400 for a set of tires is REALLY steep.

hows that posssible?

my vote is Pilot Road 2ct. I had powers, they lasted 6000 miles. they were really flat by 4000. I had PR2 rear and PP2 front for a while.

Welcome to Honolulu!!!!
Everything is expensive!!!!

I like the Road 2s alot but recently put a Pirelli Angel on the rear of my Duc. It really feels great and it's a long-wearing tire like the Road 2s.
You're paying waaay too much for tires BTW.
Order 'em on line or go to Cycle Gear. They'll put 'em on for fairly cheap if you bring them the wheel. Invest in some stands if you don't have 'em and look around for a friend like Pompetta who has a tire changer in his garage. [beer]

Thats the going price in Honolulu...everything is MORE!!

Sure I could order online...pay shipping ....carry the tires in....pay to install and maybe save $50...
but my time is worth way more than that....
so you pay more for 360 days a year of 80-86 degree sunny weather [moto]
So I live with it

i just swapped out a set of road 2ct. got 6k on them. probably could have kept the front on for another few...

when i was running the powers, i was lucky to get 4k on them. you must ride them till they bleed to get that kind of mileage.

All the reviews I see online for those Dunlops are extremely favorable. Interesting.

Pirelli Angel ST

I found that to be true (front wore out faster) for lots of twisty riding; for mostly straight riding the rear wore out faster.

These get my vote. I ride 99% in the mountains. (Pilot Power 2ct)

http://two-wheels.michelin.com/2w/front/index.jsp?codeRubrique=2092004103725&codePage=2092004103725_07092004135921&lang=EN  (http://two-wheels.michelin.com/2w/front/index.jsp?codeRubrique=2092004103725&codePage=2092004103725_07092004135921&lang=EN)

I slapped a set of Dunlop Roadsmart sport-tour tires of the wife's FZ6 this last fall then stole/rode her bike while I did my rebuild. rode all winter, spring, and a good chunk of the summer on them over snow, ice, sand, dry, rain, mud, just about all the crud you can fine while street riding. 80% being commute, 15% tearing up canyon, misc on the rest. These tires handled all conditions very, very well. Good wear with the dual compound, were less cost than "sport" tires. A set will be on my M900 in the next two months.

For your riding style I would recommend the Pilot Roads - they are cheaper then the PR2's and provide plenty of traction while hitting the canyons.

I'm running them on my bike and really like them.  They are more rounded and feel well composed in all situations I've encountered.

Currently have Road 2's installed. I have about 8000 km's on so far. They are hardly worn. Got 8000 km on the stock BT016 and about the same on Dunlop Qualifiers. Like the Dunlops, but the mileage killed me. Overall have been happy with the Road 2's.

From the Dunlop Tires website: http://www.dunlopmotorcycle.com/infocenter_tiretips.asp?id=31#tip (http://www.dunlopmotorcycle.com/infocenter_tiretips.asp?id=31#tip)

Dunlop technical personnel have attended touring rallies all over North America to collect vital data and give instructional seminars. What we have observed at these rallies alarms us; many touring riders are not following proper tire maintenance procedures. The requirements for proper tire usage are not complicated, but they do require consistent attention. Owners and operators of motorcycles should closely monitor vehicle loadings to insure they are within the maximum loads and corresponding inflation pressures for their tires. This basic load and pressure information is clearly stamped on the tire sidewalls.

The tire does not support the load-the air pressure does. The manufacturer's ratings for the maximum load and inflation pressure are critical tire design elements. If not observed, the handling and performance of your motorcycle will be greatly affected. We have checked inflation pressures at several touring rallies and found a high percentage of rear tires to be underinflated. In addition, weight checks of the rear axles of these motorcycles indicated a number of tires were loaded beyond maximum capacity.

Our inspections have not been limited to those cycles fitted with Dunlop tires; the situation exists for all brands of tires. Regardless of the make of tire, this is a serious problem. Riders of motorcycles with significantly underinflated and overloaded tires will experience handling and steering difficulty. In addition, this abuse will result in disappointing premature tire wear and may cause catastrophic tire failure.

The addition of accessories, cargo, and dual riding to touring motorcycles aggravates the problems of overloading and underinflation. The excessive flexing that results from underinflation or overload causes buildup of internal heat, fatigue cracking and eventual carcass breakup resulting in complete failure. A consequence of such failure may be an accident with serious personal injury or death. The appearance of stress cracks in the tread grooves is one indicator of overload and/or underinflation. If you find evidence of tread groove cracking, you should remove and replace the tire immediately. This damage is permanent and non-repairable.

Our inspection of tires of various style and manufacture at rallies and our subsequent testing have confirmed that underinflation (and/or excessive load) causes tread groove cracking and can result in more serious damage within the tire body. Uneven wear may also accompany underinflated use. Failure to heed these visual warnings can result in tire failure or blowout.

The use of trailers can also contribute to tire damage and touring motorcycle instability. Although most motorcycle manufacturers recommend against their use, a percentage of the motorcycles we have inspected were so equipped. The trailer tongue weight added to an already heavily laden motorcycle can fail a rear tire. The percentage of overloaded motorcycle rear tires found during our inspection would have been higher if trailer tongue weight had been considered. The forces of rapid acceleration and deceleration may also multiply the effects of trailer tongue weight.

To get the maximum safe use out of your tires and maximum touring enjoyment you should:

• Properly maintain all aspects of your vehicle in accordance with manufacturer's recommendations. Read and reread your motorcycle owner's manual.
• Never exceed the loading and accessories restrictions found in your motorcycle owner's manual, or the maximum load displayed on the tire sidewalls. Know your loaded vehicle weight!
• Check air pressure at frequent, regular intervals, particularly just before and during long trips. Always use an accurate tire gauge* and check pressures only when the tires are cold (i.e., wait one hour after running). We have found many cheap gauges to be off more than 5 psi, so be sure to use a top quality gauge and preferably one that retains the pressure reading until reset!
  
• Inspect your tires as often as possible. Look for irregular wear, any signs of cracking in the sidewalls and tread, blisters, knots, cuts or punctures. Immediately remove and replace damaged tires.

If in doubt, ask your motorcycle tire dealer to check your loading, inflation and tires. Remember, your tires stand between you and a serious accident.

For touring motorcycle loading, follow these general guidelines:

• Light loads-single rider with some luggage (up to 200 lb. total)-minimum tire pressure of 32 psi front and 36 psi rear must be maintained.
  
• Heavier loads-dual riding and/or luggage (from 200 lb. total up to maximum motorcycle capacity stated in the owner's manual)-pressure of 36 psi front and 40 psi rear must be maintained.
  

Please Note:
For any dual riding or fully loaded use, 40 psi must be maintained in all Dunlop rear tires fitted to touring motorcycles.

In addition to following these recommendations, notice what your tires are telling you while you're riding. If your steering response is slow or mushy, or if cornering and braking response is heavy, there's a good chance your tires are underinflated. Vibration or wobble may signal that actual tire damage has occurred and failure is imminent!

Hey Frederick, how's it going?  You can usually get REALLY good prices on Michelin tires from sportbiketrackgear and Rick knows a place to get the mounted and balanced cheap down there. 

How's the bike been treating you?  I sure miss tearing it up on Tantalus!!!! 

$400 doesn't seem that high after they're installed.

I don't know anyone else having that issue. :-\

Hi There Ben,
Monster has been great to me!!!
But it is in need of new rubber, brake fluid, oil & spark plugs...all of which will be taken care of in the next 2 weeks.
I take it from your post you are off island?  It has been a month or so since last Tantalus run...need to go up there!

Yea, I moved to DC at the end of May.  Go buy Rick a nice cigar and a six of flying dog imperial porter and he will be glad to help you out with that work.  ;) 

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