Tires

[MJB]

So the rear tire will fade before the front.
What if one decides to change brands

I have Metzeler Z6 tires front and back
When my rear tire goes, can I say install a Pirelli.
Same type of tire, but a different manufacture.
Lots of tread left on the front, so why through out a good tire?

My Metzelers are working well, just some of the posts here give the Pirelli Scorpion Sync good reviews.

[Lost Rider]

It's been my understanding and experience that's it's best to have matching tires. Of course it can be done, I was forced to mix brands on my last trip, but it didn't handle the best when I did. YRMV. If there's nothing wrong with the metzler's you could just do the switch after replacing the z6 with another, or save the front for later and get the Pirelli's... I'm not sure if it will be an improvement with them mixed.

Cheers!

[Graymonkey]

I ran a Pilot Road on my rear when the Conti Road Attack wore out and kept the conti Road Attack on the front for another 4000 miles. Did not have any issues. As long as they are the correct size I don't see it being a problem unless your are running at the edge of the performance envelope.
So you can mix and match, unless the person is saying that to get you to buy a complete set?
Cheers
D.

[brem]

The gentlemen at Chicago BMW feel very strongly about the topic of not mixing and matching tires. I bought my bike used with a Metzeler Z6 on the front and a Dunlop D-something on the back and was told the error of my ways during its first service under my ownership. I have to say I think they're right; I believe it was a contributing factor in a stupid crash I instigated on a cold fall morning when the tires were not heating up at the same rate (though I should specify that the REAL cause was me being a dumbass). There was a *tremendous* handling difference when I put on new Pilot Powers front and rear- the handling went from being slow to tip in and slightly nervous to being what I can only describe as... right. Some of that is down to the type of tires before & after but I think a significant amount of it had to do with going from mix & match to uniform.