Just curious... Bought my 2013 CB1100A second hand and it has a Bridgestone BT41 mounted on the rear and a Metzler Z6 mounted on the front and both are stock size. Realize the Metzler didn't come stock; how about the Bridgestone. Which specific Bridgestone came from the factory.
I won't even bother ask which tires to buy because everyone who has ever bought a tire thinks their tire is peachy-keen bwhahahah
The Bridgestone OEMs are BT 54. Radials. Stock sizes are 110 80 18 front and 140 70 18 rear.
And some came with Dunlop Sportmax D205 tires. Mine did.
Has anyone tried the Metzeler Roadtec Z8 tyre on the 2014 bike? The Web Site recommends them for this bike with the spoked wheels. I was talking to a suspension specialist last week and he recommended Metzeler or Pirelli tyres over Dunlop or Bridgestone as they have softer walls and give improved grip when cornering. I have to admit that my current Dunlop D205's don't inspire confidence in the wet.
I have been thinking about tires lately. The stock BT-54's on my bike seem to grip well enough, but the front tire's center rib follows grooves in the pavement like crazy. My rear tire still has plenty of tread, so I was thinking about trying a different front to reduce that groove tracking. By the time the new front tire is worn, it'll probably be time for a rear and I can think about different brands of tires. For now, I'd prefer to keep like brands front and rear.
One tire I am considering for front wheel duty is the Bridgestone Battlax T30. Bridgestone's website does list our stock rear tire size available in the T30. I checked some of the larger tire sellers (Revzilla, Compacc, Chaparral) and they don't list it. I haven't looked much beyond that.
I also wonder how the Pirelli Sport Demons work on our bikes.
Just fit some PR3's and revel in the difference.
hey Un-decider...I think both Ptero and Geezer are running T30's and have reported on them.
The Metzeler Roadtec Z8 is a new model and specifically designed for more adventurous riding on naked bikes and sports tourers. It got a superb review in a UK bike mag this year. I think I'll give them a try when I've worn the Donlops down.
(12-16-2015, 11:51 PM)The ferret_imp Wrote: [ -> ]hey Un-decider...I think both Ptero and Geezer are running T30's and have reported on them.
I saw Motogeezer's post about running the T30 up front which is where I was made aware of this tire. I believe he is running either the OEM Dunlop or some other Dunlop out back. I suspect the 140/70 T30 is not being distributed in North America. When it comes time for a rear tire, I'll be diving in to the various tire threads when I get more serious about that topic. I just want to make the front end track better, so $110 should get me squared away for now with just a front tire.
I used up a set of Z8. After having had some drifts at wet roads, I decided to choose Bridgestone T30 next time again. That's the best one I had so far for my riding style.