Metzler Z6 vs Michelin Pilot Road/Power?!

Hi!

Actually I have two question, start with one of them first.

1/ After som fast-touring this weekend my tires looks a little bit..hmm..used. I really need my bike for some time now, and new tires won?t come until 7 days or so. If you experienced bikers look at the pictures. Can you say if it's ok to use the bike a little longer without be to afraid? I'm aware of the problem and won?t drive in any top-speeds. Maximum 110km/h perhaps...

2/ I now must choose some nice tires. After reading some I have three alternativs :

A:
Front: Metzler Roadtec Z6
Back: Metzler Roadtec Z6
Cost: 351,13 Euro

B:
Front: Michelin Pilot Power
Back: Michelin Pilot Road
Cost: 389,53 Euro

C:
Front: Michelin Pilot Road
Back: Michelin Pilot Road
Cost: 362,10 Euro

Alternativ B and C is no problem to get, they are here in Sweden. Alternativ A I have to order from Germany...and therefor there is a risk that the tires I get may have some defect...for exampel problems to balance them correctly and I can't return them. I ain?t saying that it is so, just that there is a minor risk there!

So which alternativ would you recomend? I'm going to use them only in the street for some happy biking! Most of the time I will tour with them (and therefor I need it to have low wear-rate so I can get many km out of them)...but sometimes I will be able to have some real fun in minor roads with lot?s of curves...whitout risking to totaly lose control of the bike. I now have Dunlop Sportmax om my bike. Haven't losen the grip there yet.. but the did wear out quick I think. The tire on the picture have only been in use for about 8000 km.

[image: Posted Image] border='0' alt='user posted image' />
Worn or not?! After some fast touring speed a Dunlop Sportmax looks like this.


After looking at the metzler tires I have noticed that there are no "rain-marks" (don?t know the word) and therfore no "wear-warnings...in the middle of the tire... Will this tires eat km after km... with no problem if you just go straight ahead? I mean the police can't say anything regarding that the tires is worn out.. can they???

Sorry for the long message, with all the crappy english!

//KaliZ, Sweden

The cord is starting to show...those tires are toast.

Z-6's have tire wear indicators about 1cm off center near the point of the rain sipes. They are hard to spot the first time, but once you see them they will be easy to find afterward.

I haven't used Pilot Powers or Pilot Roads so I can't comment on what is best for you. The Pilot Roads should last considerably longer, and judging from the fact that you've worn out the centers with very little wear on the outside, you probably won't get much benefit from the Z-6 and Pilot Power tire profile or extra grip.

tbzep, on Jun 12 2006, 01:01 PM, said:

The cord is starting to show...those tires are toast.

Z-6's have tire wear indicators about 1cm off center near the point of the rain sipes. They are hard to spot the first time, but once you see them they will be easy to find afterward. 

I haven't used Pilot Powers or Pilot Roads so I can't comment on what is best for you.  The Pilot Roads should last considerably longer, and judging from the fact that you've worn out the centers with very little wear on the outside, you probably won't get much benefit from the Z-6 and Pilot Power tire profile or extra grip.
<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

So perhaps... Pilot Road front and rear is the right choice for me? Those "few" times I really bend down the bike...will I be satisfied with the grip they give me?? I guess we have to big roads here in sweden..but it is possible to wear out the sides of the tires before the middle without going to the track to race?

//KaliZ

Yeah, I agree with Zep. your best choice would be the roads. You will wear out the center of any of those tires long before the edges. The roads will give you plenty of traction for normal touring.

kaliz, on Jun 12 2006, 11:57 AM, said:

Hi!

Actually I have two question, start with one of them first.

1/ After som fast-touring this weekend my tires looks a little bit..hmm..used. I really need my bike for some time now, and new tires won?t come until 7 days or so. If you experienced bikers look at the pictures. Can you say if it's ok to use the bike a little longer without be to afraid? I'm aware of the problem and won?t drive in any top-speeds. Maximum 110km/h perhaps...

2/ I now must choose some nice tires. After reading some I have three alternativs :

A:
Front: Metzler Roadtec Z6
Back: Metzler Roadtec Z6
Cost: 351,13 Euro

B:


That tire is shot and will go flat at any time
Front: Michelin Pilot Power
Back: Michelin Pilot Road
Cost: 389,53 Euro

C:
Front: Michelin Pilot Road
Back: Michelin Pilot Road
Cost: 362,10 Euro

Alternativ B and C is no problem to get, they are here in Sweden. Alternativ A I have to order from Germany...and therefor there is a risk that the tires I get may have some defect...for exampel problems to balance them correctly and I can't return them. I ain?t saying that it is so,  just that there is a minor risk there!

So which alternativ would you recomend? I'm going to use them only in the street for some happy biking! Most of the time I will tour with them (and therefor I need it to have low wear-rate so I can get many km out of them)...but sometimes I will be able to have some real fun in minor roads with lot?s of curves...whitout risking to totaly lose control of the bike. I now have Dunlop Sportmax om my bike. Haven't losen the grip there yet.. but the did wear out quick I think. The tire on the picture have only been in use for about 8000 km.

[image: Posted Image] border='0' alt='user posted image' />
Worn or not?! After some fast touring speed a Dunlop Sportmax looks like this.


After looking at the metzler tires I have noticed that there are no "rain-marks" (don?t know the word) and therfore no "wear-warnings...in the middle of the tire... Will this tires eat km after km... with no problem if you just go straight ahead? I mean the police can't say anything regarding that the tires is worn out.. can they???

Sorry for the long message, with all the crappy english!

//KaliZ, Sweden
<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Kaliz check the tire survey on the left hand of the home page. Will give you some idea what people are running and mileage. :thumbsup:

dude, on Jun 12 2006, 01:37 PM, said:

Kaliz check the tire survey on the left hand of the home page. Will give you some idea what people are running and mileage.  :thumbsup:
<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Thanx for all the replies so fast guys!!! The summer is short here in sweden so I appreciate it!

I have read the survey... but I'm not sure how to read the wear-rate and the cord thing. But I guess after what you have been saying that the Roads are more a mile-eater tire! Am I right?!

//KaliZ

My Dunlop's looked sort of like yours, but I had belt coming through about 1/2 from center on the left side after an 800 mile trip.

I replaced them with Pilot Roads and they held up great until they got thin. After that they were scary on the drop in and did not stick well.

I just replaced them with a pair of Z6's. The drop in is a bit sluggish on my 91 VFR but it feels OK at my normal pace. So far I have about 1100 miles on them.

I really like the feel of the Pilot Roads when new. After hitting the wear bars they are junk. I got about 5K miles out of them (1500 miles past the point they should have been replaced).


Samuel

Samuel, on Jun 12 2006, 01:52 PM, said:

My Dunlop's looked sort of like yours, but I had belt coming through about 1/2 from center on the left side after an 800 mile trip.

I replaced them with Pilot Roads and they held up great until they got thin. After that they were scary on the drop in and did not stick well.

I just replaced them with a pair of Z6's. The drop in is a bit sluggish on my 91 VFR but it feels OK at my normal pace. So far I have about 1100 miles on them.

I really like the feel of the Pilot Roads when new. After hitting the wear bars they are junk. I got about 5K miles out of them (1500 miles past the point they should have been replaced).
Samuel
<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Hmm sorry for asking.. but 5000miles you said, while 1500 of them was after they should have been replaced... this gives 3500miles.

I donnu now what that is in km.. is it 5600km? In that case...they didn't last very long..huh? :o Can anyone confim my way to translate mile into km?

//KaliZ

kaliz, on Jun 12 2006, 02:04 PM, said:

Hmm sorry for asking.. but 5000miles you said, while 1500 of them was after they should have been replaced... this gives 3500miles.

I donnu now what that is in km.. is it 5600km? In that case...they didn't last very long..huh?  :o Can anyone confim my way to translate mile into km?

//KaliZ
<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I would say they held up pretty good. Or at least average for one of my tires. I am pretty hard on my rear tire. I down shift allot I keeping a pretty good pace. I keep telling myself that I need to take it easy and on this set of tires and I am really going to try hard. My bike is getting some age to it and so am I.
The front brakes suck as far as stopping power goes. The front on the PR's was worn past the wear bars on both the left a right and about 1/3 in the center had no visible tread.
I am the type to get every mile out of a tire. I know this is stupid. I have had three rear tires blown out on me while riding. The last one was when I was about 22. I was riding in Kagle Canyon California going about 65 mph. It was on a 25 mph switch back turn. I was going down hill. Lucky for me it blew just after the first bend. I was able to keep it on the road long enough to slow down a bit then ride a bank back down. It was on an RD350 Yamaha.

I have p-roads on the front and rear. the Rear is at 7300ish miles now and is basically at the center wear bars. The front isnt far behind. I road with one of the "spirited" groups at the T-Mac meet (which is faster then i normally ride) and i liked the grip. Although they did have a little minor slip on a couple of turns. The things have been great in the rain, commuting, touring (1-1000mile trip, 1 1800 mile trip) and corner carving in the cold and hot. I will agree with the above in that they loose grip when they hit the bars. The rear felt "wierd" to say the least on saturday when i went out to have a little fun!

I think the real answer on tires is to bounce around trying different tires until we find one we like. I think individual preference and the subsequent confidence in a tire or lack thereof, is what it all boils down to. I don't think any two riders really ride exactly the same.

If there were one best tire for all of us, there wouldn't be any reason for there to be different tires to choose from. Of course this isn't anecdotal but is based on my many years of scientific study..... :P

When you change out that tire, check out for yourself how thin the rubber is in that center area. Once you realize you are riding on nothing more than a glorified balloon you will have the tires already purchased before you get to that point. I wouldn't ride on that tire. But, It's up to you, you are free to do whatever you want to do.
It amazes me how if you were to talk about the use of helmets on this forum and those that choose not to wear them, that you would get a lot of people talking about "this persons choices affect me through higher insurance costs through the hospital costs of trying to save this person who doesn't even have the sense to try to protect themselves."
But, if you are riding on a tire like that, you are just seconds away from a blowout, and we all know how bad those can turn out at times.
I'm not criticizing you for letting your tire get to that point, but to continue to ride it after you can plainly see that it is a hazard is just ludicrous.
Only one person here told you that those tires are toast, but not one person warned you not to ride on them anymore, not even at slower speeds. I mean, what are you calling slower speeds? 25 mph on residential streets? That is about the extent I would trust those tires!
Just be sure to check out how thin the tire is in that area and that will make you see what I am talking about.

[image: View Post]seadooloo, on Jul 8 2006, 08:11 AM, said:

When you change out that tire, check out for yourself how thin the rubber is in that center area. Once you realize you are riding on nothing more than a glorified balloon you will have the tires already purchased before you get to that point. I wouldn't ride on that tire. But, It's up to you, you are free to do whatever you want to do.
It amazes me how if you were to talk about the use of helmets on this forum and those that choose not to wear them, that you would get a lot of people talking about "this persons choices affect me through higher insurance costs through the hospital costs of trying to save this person who doesn't even have the sense to try to protect themselves."
But, if you are riding on a tire like that, you are just seconds away from a blowout, and we all know how bad those can turn out at times.
I'm not criticizing you for letting your tire get to that point, but to continue to ride it after you can plainly see that it is a hazard is just ludicrous.
Only one person here told you that those tires are toast, but not one person warned you not to ride on them anymore, not even at slower speeds. I mean, what are you calling slower speeds? 25 mph on residential streets? That is about the extent I would trust those tires!
Just be sure to check out how thin the tire is in that area and that will make you see what I am talking about.

Good point, Seedooloo. The last rear I changed out was on the return trip home from a long weekend in the Dragon area. I coulda, maybe made it home but decided to put a new sneaker on the rear. When I checked the amount of rubber left, there wasn't much at all and it was at the wear bars.

I know this is a tire thread but I got back Friday from a business trip in Ohio Friday and saw the "bikers" there don't wear helmets (most). It gave me the creeps man, real bad. And to think, yesterday I plopped down a few hundred bucks more for protective stuff. Oh well, it's a somewhat free country.... :wheel: