Winter Tires/Dual Purpose Tires on Roadster

[MikeCam]

Anyone done the research and have opinions, facts or fantasies about putting Dual Purpose tires on the Roadster for sloppy, winter work?

First: My commute is limited by temperature to about 25 degrees F. I am fine at 30-40 degrees. Have survived the lower numbers. The roads are 1/3 minor country highway; 1/3 major 4 lane highway and 1/3 mixed use suburban, city, gravel roads. Each trip is 65 miles one way, so it's problematic to change my mind if conditions change.

Next: I am down to wear bars on the rear and 3/32 front. Time to change. I have on hand a Z4 combo Front and rear that I can easily use. Just thought I'd examine the possibilities before committing.

Now: It appears that Pirelli makes a DP tire the Corsa MT60R in 120/70HR17 and 160/60HR 17 that would fit the existing Roadster wheels. And Avon makes the Distanzia in those same sizes. Both appear to have nice tread patterns.

BUT What would the lower overall rear profile (about .25 inch radial difference) do to the ABS sensor? Does the DP tire tread and rubber perform substantially differently than sport/touring compounds? Better grip and wet performance or worse?

You can see where this goes... So line up, sign up and chime in!


Oh, and thanks.

[gelbe Kulter]

Mike, I have used some semi-dual sport tires on other bikes. I still have a set of Avon Distanzias in 120/17 and 160/17. I had them on my SV and never wore them out. They are a bit hard, even for street tires.
http://www.tiresunlimited.com/ALL%20TIR ... tanzia.htm
I also used Pirelii MT60 Corsas in the same sizes. They had better grip in gravel, but are very soft and won't last more than a three or so thousand miles in hot weather - don't know about cold. They handle great and grip great except in hot weather, when they get a bit greasy.

You might try racing rain tires - that's what MT60 Corsas are. In cold weather they may last you the winter. Here's a typical tread - click the pics. Dunlop and Metzeler have gone away from the knobby style treads, but Avon and B'stone still make them.
http://www.tiresunlimited.com/ALL%20TIR ... e_rain.htm

[MikeCam]

Great info. I like the look of the Corsas better from a tread design point of view. Your comments make it seem they will perform as I need as well. I'll definitely change over for spring, summer, fall to the street sport tires, but I am now very interested in trying the winter with those MT60R's.

Any feedback on the rear profile working with the ABS sensor?

[Biff's R]

Mike,
kevin50r has had the distanzas on his R, but I think that he is out of town at the moment. He liked them, and was considerinig running the distanza rear all of the time.

[gelbe Kulter]

Any feedback on the rear profile working with the ABS sensor?

I have no idea really. I used those tires on my SV650. The added weight of the R may wear the rear out sooner than I experienced, too.

[Kevin50r]

I ran the distanza tires front and back and was very pleased with the results. Used them at Deal's Gap and on the Blue Ridge Prkwy, as well as many of our local curvy roads. I'm am not such a good rider that I needed the extra 10mm of tread surface a 170 tire provides. I did use all of the 160 and could feel them squirm while on the edge, particularly in warm weather/ aggressive riding scenarios. They are a little louder sounding and affect the smoothness of the ride, both things I could live with. Initial wear was high on the rear but once I reached the wear bars they seemed to keep going for a long time. (At the wear bars there seems to be about 1/4 inch of tread left and I figured that the bars were there for off road. Your opinion could vary)
I was running a GPS at the time and the front tire, which seemed to have a greater circumference, gave me a more accurate speed reading (when compared with the megellan).
My experience is that you can get one front to last as long as two rears, using as much of the the available tread, as I do, regardless of brand.
I liked them and as BiffsR pointed out will probably use them again-BUT as always with internet based advised, YMMV!

[scottybooj]

what about the Diablos from pirelli? aren't they a softer compound tire, which is what you would want in the winter? plus, they'll last longer than the corsa.

[MikeCam]

Scotty,

Yes that's a step in the right direction. But Pirelli's Diablo and Bridgestone's BT014/020 are essentially the same tire. So I am already there.

Looked at the Continental ContiForce SuperMotard (120/70HR17 and 160/60HR17) that claims good cold grip. I'll keep the board posted....

[jimcameron]

I haven't lived in the Va. Md. area for about 10 years, but do you think it makes much of a difference what type of tire you have if you hit "black ice"?

Freezing conditions, precipitation, motorcycles......I'm not too sure of that combination no matter what tires you have.

Ride safe.

[scottybooj]

umm, with black ice, the only thing that would help would be spikes.

[MikeCam]

What are the definitions y'all use for Black Ice?

I won't claim superior knowledge, but my memory from Europe in the 70-80's is that black ice is saturated roadbed that freezes - hence, no shiney spots and no surface - just frozen roadway.

As opposed to glare ice, sheet ice, frozen drainage, sleet, ice fog, packed snow or the more common and visible kinds of surface based ice.

At any rate, I don't venture out with the bike when such conditions threaten, but have been caught out. Hence my interest in tires/rubber and other mitigation techniques.

[scottybooj]

black ice is but merely a 'glaze' over the roadway. The thinnest continuous sheet of ice possible. rather, it's not a sheet. you can see the road's indentations as if there were nothing there.

also, black ice forms at 37 deg. fahrenheit. we get it sometimes up north. believe it or not, it's not frequent here.

HOWEVER, when I lived in Atlanta, we got it ALOT. If you live in a clime that hovers above freezing, you're in for black ice.

good luck and stay safe.

[gelbe Kulter]

Here ya go, Mike. That's a big knobby.

http://forum.svrider.com/index.php?topic=52730.0