Ducati Monster Forum

I need some new tires for my 696.  In the past, the Pilot Powers and 2CT have been popular.  What tires are people using these days?  Any tires I should consider?

Depends on your style of riding.  There are some great tire threads if you use the search button.  I run Rossos 2's but am trying the Pilot 4's next change out.  I hear they last longer and ride great.

Dunlop Q2's are very good and reasonably priced. Q3's are fantastic, which is what I'm running on the bike right now.

I'm enjoying a set of pilot power 3 right now and like the way they perform in the corners. Too soon to predict wear tho......

Pilot Road 2's have been doing a fine job for me.

- Plenty of mileage
- Good wear
- Dual compound

They can handle anything I throw at them with a 4 valver on the street

I'm a convert to Road 2s.

they're up to pilot road 4.

generally each new version of the sports touring tyres moves closer to the previous generation of sports tyres grip wise and last the same or longer.  for most road riders they're probably a pretty good bet these days.  road 4, angel gt, z8 interact, roadsmart, road 2, etc.

I'm sold on Bridgestone BTO16's. Haven't tried the 20s yet.

I went for Road 2s rather than 3 or 4s coz they were $60 cheaper. I heard the 3s were being fazed out and they were keeping the 2s and 4s. Not sure if that's true, but that's what I heard.

I'm a big fan of the Q2's, they are cheap and stick well. Have not had a chance to try the Q3 yet

the pirelli angel st are really cheap too, compared to the gt which are the price the old st used to be.  well, they were anyway, last time  i got a price on the gt they'd gone up quite a lot from a few months ago.  maybe the au dollar diving prompted a change.

I got a bit less than 12k miles out of my last rear Angel ST on my M750.

I'm currently near 20k miles on the front Angel ST on the same bike.

The bulk of that was commuting, but they stick well enough to entertain me in the canyons.

Thanks Brad, good to know. Angels sound a good option then. For restrained street riding in this state bang for buck and longevity count for a lot.

I mostly commute on my S2r 1000 and run Bridgestone BT023's.... I like them a lot. I'll also run BT016's on occasion when i know I'm gonna be playing around more .

I run the BT003's on the 996 but she's more for track days ..


I guess i'm a Bridgestone Fan

 You'll find many choices & voices on great tires for the Ducati. Currently my voice and money would be Dunlop Q-3. These are #1 for grip and quality . Mine have just a little over 2000 miles , still wearing good. RacingJ

I used to ride in fair weather only and the Pilot Power 2CTs worked fine, plenty of grip. For the past 2 years I've changed my riding style and have been commuting everyday rain or shine. I switched to Pilot Road 3s and I thought they were great. Still plenty of grip and I felt very confident in the rain. I was able to get 14,000+ out of the PR3s.

I just switched to the Pilot Road 4s and only have about 1,000 miles on them. I haven't ridden in the rain with them yet but I'm sure they'll perform just fine. One thing to note is that the front PR4 is not as noisy as the front PR3. I noticed a lot of tread noise on braking with the PR3s most likely because of all the siping.

Michelins for me [thumbsup]

Next, please start a thread asking about what the best oil is!!   :D

I went with the Perelli Angel STs and have been very happy. I was surprised about the reasonable price. They dip in to corners very nicely, sometimes quicker then I am used to. I haven't had them long enough to comment on durability, but many people have said that they last.

Plus the whole angel turning to a devil thread thing. It's just a gimmick, but...you know 8)

I've been a pilot road 2 guy for a number of years. I had goodyear battle axe tires on my triumph RS and hated them and also had a set on an ST2 I picked up last year and hated them as well. I switched to Pilot road 2's on the ST2 and it was I could not believe how much better it handled.

I recently picked up an ST4 and just put pilot road 3's on, but have not yet ridden them.

Everyone knows it's Klotz... [laugh]

No, off coarse not, its fuchs(ed)...


I switched recently from Pirelli Angels to Diablo supercorsa's. The Angels being definitely good ( I got lot's of miles of them) with good grip but as an easy upgrade for driving performance (not necessarily a cheap upgrade) the Supercorsa's are worthwhile considering. Cornering performance, especially with braking deep into corners, are incredible compared to the Angels. This rubber gives definitely a lot more confidence on DRY roads. On wet they are , mmm, shitty, but whatever, when it's raining I just go with the flow and am just looking to get home, not for performance....

(http://i588.photobucket.com/albums/ss325/halcarter/tires_zpsdb9c410c.jpg)
I weighed sets of tires when the Q3's  came out-

Q2's were always good but fairly heavy, the pilots were quite a bit lighter. Dunlops have always been more solid and 'stiff' feeling than michelins.
the Q3's are dramatically lighter weight than Q2's -(nearly 2 pounds lighter on the rr tire, as i recall.) and even lighter than the pilots.

changing from q2 to q3 is like changing to forged magnesium wheels-only more so, because the reduction in weight is all at the perimiter of the wheel. they turn -in quicker and further, and now feel more flexible, like michelins.
 on most of my bikes, q2's used to get 2k miles rear, 4k front. now with q3's (or any brand of the new dual-compound tires) they're similar milage on the rr, but 3K or less on the front before the sides disappear completely, -leaving plenty of tread in the middle. -wish i had a way to use those-maybe on a trike ;-)

Cool to hear that about the lightness of the Q3's. I literally JUSt placed an order for a set of them with the intention to use them as my track day tire. I know they're not strictly considered a track day tire, but I'm going to use them that way. Then I'll use a strict sport-touring tire as my daily ride tire.

I'm running Continental Sport Attack 2's after listening to another members experiences and they are fantastic for grip and look cool as hell! If you want a tyre that lasts this aint it! I was running Dunlop Q2's previously and kept getting cold fractures across the tyre and only managed to get a bit over 3500 k's out of them. They are soft but grip was fantastic. I am quite gentle on the tyres till they are warm and the Conti's have not had a single issue after about 3000 ks.

I used to run road attacks on my Buell.  At 3k they were consistently dead.  Currently I am getting 3.5k out of a rear Rosso2 and 7k out of the front.  Might be trying PP3 or 4's next time around.

Pirelli angel St's?  Well after a butt whomping 2400 mile ride on a Multistrada (two up) the tire was shot beyond reason.

(http://i46.photobucket.com/albums/f149/Skybarney/Ducati/Galaxy3142_zps2ffd3fef.jpg) (http://s46.photobucket.com/user/Skybarney/media/Ducati/Galaxy3142_zps2ffd3fef.jpg.html)

(http://i46.photobucket.com/albums/f149/Skybarney/Ducati/Galaxy3144_zpsc2f2bf1b.jpg) (http://s46.photobucket.com/user/Skybarney/media/Ducati/Galaxy3144_zpsc2f2bf1b.jpg.html)

Your argument would be a lot more convincing if those were actually Angel ST's.  [roll]

Looks like a regular Diablo to me.
Which would be shagged after a 2400 mile ride 2-up.

It was a rental.  Thought I heard them say they were ST's when I picked it up.  It would not surprise me to be wrong.  It was brand new though.

Yeah those look like a Diablo Corsa or the like.

My Diablos were pretty well shot after 2500 miles.

I have Road 3's on my 2002 S4.

On the street I run them hi at around 36f/42r psig ( will double check when get home)

but planning on doing track on them for 2 sessions for fun. What do you guys recommend?
I have it written down at home so will double check and post later again. I believe its
31f/30r psig

I run intermediate but probably at novice pace lol Thanks

Q3 on the wifies 696 really impressed with them added bonus they look like they run a little wider on the rim.
First ride scrubbing them in was in the pouring rain they never felt like they were going to loose grip
even jumped really hard on the front brake gripped like my 14 year old daughter on my open wallet.
running 34 f 36 rear

I was running cont sport 2s on the S2R1000 for three sets changed to Diablo rosso corsa as I wanted
something similar to the track bike Pirelli supercorsa sp
turn in is so much better now  [Dolph] [thumbsup]
the conti always felt like you had to muscle the bike into the corner.
The bike seems to flow so much better through the twisties.
running 34 f 36 r

 PP3 on my Bimota, just shy of 5k now with 3mm of tread in the center. I run 32f 35r and don't baby it.

so  this is from my notes and what I think I run and should run..

Street 36f/42r
track 31f/30r

what you all think?

Too much pressure.

31/30 for the track too .. hmm  any recommendations?.. i been searching

32/34 street...

30/28 track for Michelin street tires.

You can even go lower if it's cold out.

How did you come up with 36/42? The things must ride like bricks.

I think they'd stick like bricks too.

Otalora Racing, from whom I bought the tires recommended those pressures.
I used to run close to your suggestion for street but he said that is too soft.
I read others riding such pressure in street to get the most miles(and safe sticky miles) at those pressures...

the track numbers I thought he gave me those too but seem hi.

She seems to ride nice on the street.
My first track day with S4 I did using Pirelli Dragon SuperCorsa something or other at .. not remmember pressures.

Thanks guys..

Have you's run these tyres?

for a 696, should you plan to ride the snot out of it, I'd look to the Pirelli Angels

Even for other sizes.

I've gotten 21k out of a front, and 12k out of multiple rear Angels.

The pressures I gave were for Michelins.

Other brands will use different pressures.

You certainly would get maximum mileage, but minimum grip at the street pressures you mentioned.

Hey guys,

had a great track day. Did only one session on Chleo (my Monster S4).
Reporting back, the Pilot road 3' held GREAT!!! used  31f/30r cold. even dragged knee for the first time and I almost crapped my pants, did not expect it.

Weather was cloudy, hot and it was a little wet in that first session .

check out my worn out knee puck  [cheeky]

i'll get pics of the tires to see how they wore out but there really is nothing to see, they still look brand new, I have about 500 miles on them lol

(http://i1229.photobucket.com/albums/ee464/Qomomoko/photo.jpg) (http://s1229.photobucket.com/user/Qomomoko/media/photo.jpg.html)

(http://i1229.photobucket.com/albums/ee464/Qomomoko/photo-1.jpg) (http://s1229.photobucket.com/user/Qomomoko/media/photo-1.jpg.html)

 Yer gonna need a new knee puck pretty soon!

 [thumbsup]

lol

IVe just ordered a new rear. Taking off the OE Pirelli Diablo Rosso. I have to say I'm not overly impressed. Only got 6500km out of it on the road (no track days). Have to add I wasn't very happy grip levels in cooler weather either and was running factory pressures.

I've decided to go to the Rosso Corsa with a slightly softer compound... Dont mind a bit of mileage sacrifice for grip. I'll drop in a report back in a few weeks.