Needed to get new rubber after the OEM's started disintegrating (yes... powdery black dust...) To be fair, they were a couple of years old and they'd only done 2,300 km and the bike had been stored for a long while.
The bike was with Col at 10/10ths when all this came to light and he suggested Metzelers - and I agreed. In the back of my mind I think I was expecting M3's (didn't actually discuss it, I was racing between appointments and was just happy to get the job done) so I didn't know they'd be M1's until I picked her up.
I've only done about 300km on them but I'd have to say they are the stickiest, most confidence inspiring tyres I've ever ridden on. They're so sticky, I reckon you could stop the bike mid corner and get off and she'd just sit there at a lean angle of 45 degrees waiting for you to get back on.
They warm up quickly and give fantastic dry adhesion within minutes. Can't say what they are like in the wet yet - we've had a dry spell since I got them.
Went for a run with Ruffy the weekend before last (after the high winds had strewn leaf litter, small trees and sticks all over the old Pacific Hwy) and they were great. Obviously, they'll still break traction momentarily as they spit out a stick, a clump of soggy leaves or a sheet of bark - but the second the offending item has been cleared (and just before your sphincter starts doing the tango) the stuck-like-glue effect kicks back in.
They are a good tyre to have on while I get re-acquainted with the bus - so even though they are much stickier than I'm likely to ever need (scared old geriatric that I am) they rank as safety equipment at the moment.
I'm not expecting great wear out of them, but I'll keep you posted. I'm hoping to get away for the coming weekend and get some k's under the wheels - possibly Gingers Creek - so I'll report back after that.
My previous tyres (on the old Honda) were Bridgestone 014's and these Metzelers beat them hands down for feel, grip and confidence inspiring sure-footedness. Nothing against the Bridgestones... the Metzelers are just about as close to a race tyre as you can get I'm told, so you'd expect that. The OEM's were BT208's but like I said, they were crumbling. The older I get, the better I was. Regards.... Rob<i></i>
Action M/Cs in Canberra have them at $350 a set. Thought at that price I can afford to get 5K out of a back tyre.
"Sorry mate, they are not the "B" spec for the Hayabusa. We can order them in for you but not at that price"
Bugger. <i></i>
Update : 1000km
You wouldn't expect any change in ride impression after 1000km, so you won't be surprised that they still do everything magnificently. Still have not seen any wet roads though - maybe after the drought ends ????
One thing I've noticed is how stable they are on transition between road surfaces. There are a couple of recent roadworks up my way where they've inserted slabs of brand new, smooth as silk tarmac on places where the potholes had been forming. End effect is you start to crank over on the old stuff, transition to the new stuff and power out of the corner on a combo of both. Nothing. Stable, grippy... almost boring. Thats the kind of boring I like.
Went on the club ride to Kiama, but because I left so late I did the sprint down the expressway for 2 hours to catch everyone up for lunch. Then we did a cracker of a run from Kiama to Robertson on the Illawarra Hwy through Macquarie Pass. Everything from wide triple digit sweepers with billiard ball smooth surface to thin, lumpy, tar over gravel, 260 degree switchbacks (with fresh diesel spill on the odd apex just to make sure you're paying attention!). Hard braking, hard cornering, very spirited corner exits. The tyres were magic ! No squirm, no distortion just grip on and hang on. I was never in danger of reaching anything like the limits of these tyres.
Considering 70% of my riding is on flat boring stuff on the way to somewhere with corners they've not developed any central flattening. Theres the merest hint of feathering on the rims of the tread cuts on both shoulders. For 1000km of use, I'm impressed with the wear thus far. I'll keep you posted. The older I get, the better I was. Regards.... Rob<i></i>
had them in the wet yet? "Busa riders always count in three's.... 100, 200, 300"
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Update 2000km :
Well... another 1000km on various road surfaces... and yes, a 50km romp in the wet in there as well.
Everything I've written previously still holds true. No change. To that, you can add a very positive impression in the wet.
Did the Putty a couple of weeks back chasing a mate on a Gixxer and it had been pouring down by the time we got to the really good part (not sure what you call the area, but its the section about 20km past the Half Way shop heading north). For those who know the road... the bit with the fantastic array of corners from 25km/h signposted switchbacks to fast open high speed sweepers that goes for miles and miles (love that section)... its a great surface and slightly greasy in the wet. Add that to the usual array of roo and wombat carcasses on blind corners.
Usually, my sense of self preservation would kick in pretty hard in wet conditions but with someone to chase and a sense of honour to uphold I decided to go with the flow and whilst we were not doing 'dry' speeds, we were well out of this little possum's comfort zone.
The tyres performed flawlessly. The only 'moments' were (1) overshooting a 30km/h left (and that was pure rider error considering the velocity involved) and (2) the rear slipping thru some wombat guts on the exit of 65km/h signposted bend. Both situations easily rectified and the tyres were stable and predictable throughout the wet run. Big thumbs up. The front just hangs in there - no fuss, no bother, just does the job reliably and with good feel thru the bars. Never got close to thinking I needed to back off. Even when we hit the 'guts' the front hardly reacted, it was the rear (under 4th gear acceleration) that had the tiniest of spits before digging in again in a very controlled manner. By contrast, the Gixxer almost spat its rider off.
Still no squirm or distortion. Very impressed with the wear. 2000km under the treads and theres barely any change in tread ridges (or depth that I can perceive) compared with my 1000km inspection. The tread ridges have slightly more feathering and thats about all. Mind you, compared with Max, Ruffred and Kawa, I'm no cornering guru... far from it.
I estimate these will be good for over 5000km if they keep up this rate of wear. I'll be amazed if they do (wasn't expecting much more than 3500km), but unless they suddenly start shreading or losing traction theres no way they won't comfortably surpass that number. I'll keep you posted.
So far, a big from this scared old bloke. The older I get, the better I was. Regards.... Rob<i></i>
sounds good
just wondering tho - since coming in to summer as well - this is what I was doing to BT012 - that was coming out of putty & banging it up to singleton - so it had time to throw off the rest of the rubber before stopping. I wondering if these will chew up as well or hold in those type of riding conditions - at the time I admit I was chasing a 1k & 750 gixxer who I creamed once the road opened up on the way out of the putty hahaha
"Busa riders always count in three's.... 100, 200, 300"
<i>Edited by: RaZ80 at: 27/11/06 19:01
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.........
giant chicken strips!!!!!!!!! RaZ80, go scrub them out on the spur this instant <i></i>
meh - that pic is about 2 years old mate - probly more when I was still recovery from my low slide & telling my mind that its all ok hahaha - my current set feather at the edge "Busa riders always count in three's.... 100, 200, 300"
<i></i>
just stirrin mate <i></i>
come to coffee wednesday :-) oh & bring those rear blinkers ;)
"Busa riders always count in three's.... 100, 200, 300"
<i></i>
what type do you want? the spearhead type or the small oval type? I'm now using a led tail-light with integrated blinkers so I dont have any use for them. <i></i>
oval type
you rock!!! "Busa riders always count in three's.... 100, 200, 300"
<i></i>
Finally someone agrees usually its just me when I look in the mirror
Anyway If I cant make it tomorrow I can send em to you or drop them off during the day, since I'm working afternoons still getting to Roys if a bit difficult.
<i></i>
I'd offer to pick ya up - but I am not sure if your in a rideable condition or not "Busa riders always count in three's.... 100, 200, 300"
<i></i>
Quote:"Sorry mate, they are not the "B" spec for the Hayabusa. We can order them in for you but not at that price"
Hmm, I just spoke to Action Canb, got them to put away their last set of $350 M1s, told them it was for Bus. Then I read this, rang them back someone else answered from spares said he'd never heard of "B" spec.
<i></i>
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