Diablo Strada: All's well now

[VFRSuperfreak]

*Update; posted below.**

Hi, hope the tire gurus are around to review this;

I have a new Strada 180-55 rear and I can't get used to it. Two outings, about 300kms total. On the second ride I tightened up the front preload 1.5 turns and there was an improvement, maybe 30% better, but still, not as confidence-inspiring as the BT021 I replaced.

Symptoms: I feel that the rear is going to slide out from under me. I can't lean with confidence. It seems that the bike wants to tip over at the least input. At any speed and in any turn.

This ease to tipover may generally be seen as a positive thing, there's little resistance to change of direction and I can probably run slaloms faster than on the BT021. But when I try to set the turn, I can't get "on the groove", and end up changing the lean angle midway to avoid a slide. :ohmy:

Conditions: 24c ambient and likely 30c asphalt, mostly smooth with mid to aggressive cornering. The tire was professionally mounted, balanced, and filled with nitrogen, and I'm using a brand new chain, installed a week earlier.

Soo, is it just me and the easy-to-lean is a feature, not a problem, and it's not going to slide out if I go 7-10's and more?

Any feedback appreciated.

for your trouble, here's an action frame from a video taken in one of the twisty canyons surrounding this place;

[2FAST4U]

When I first got my VFR, I replaced the tires with a set of Diablo Stradas. They're not designed for aggressive riding. The set lasted me about 11k miles. No joke.

I never rode aggressively when I had them for a couple reasons: 1) I had recently totaled my FZ1 (which really shook my confidence), and 2) I knew they weren't designed for aggressive riding.

[soichiro]

My guess is that the tire is more tri-angulated. Turns in easier but doesent offer the same feel.

You say you have a new rear. What is the frt? Does it match?

Changing lines is never a prefered method.

[Bad Boy]

It is hard to say as your feelings are so subjective and I do not know your experience. The Diablo Stada is a great tire and if that is only change it is not going to slide out from under you any more than the BT21. Anytime you change tires you are going from a worn out squared off tire that resists turn in to a nice round profile that rolls over easier. Once you accept how it feels it will become natural. Also make sure your tire pressure is correct (42psi) and rear preload is set right.

[Baileyrock]

I ran a Strada once. I was on Diablo's and loved them, but 1800 miles and the rear was toast so I spooned on a Strada.

It was OK for the first half of it's life(1200 miles), but did step out on me several times under normal rider(for me). The Strada did last longer than the Diable, but the loss of confidence and grip wasn't worth the slightly better mileage.

I would Not run another.

BR

[spud786]

THe strada is a very triagular tire, so it will fall quickly, but it doesnt have the traction of a BT21 rear. Whats on the Front ?

[VFRSuperfreak]

My guess is that the tire is more tri-angulated. Turns in easier but doesent offer the same feel.

You say you have a new rear. What is the frt? Does it match?

Changing lines is never a prefered method.

The front is a BT016, it was a good mix using it with the rear BT021. At the time the rear was new, I did feel it had a higher resistance to changing lines or leaning than the previous Duncrap. But in short time I got used to its predictability and I could lean till once I scratched pegs.

No kidding changing lines is not a good thing. I don't plan it, it's a reaction to the lack of feedback.

When I first got my VFR, I replaced the tires with a set of Diablo Stradas. They're not designed for aggressive riding. The set lasted me about 11k miles. No joke.

I never rode aggressively when I had them for a couple reasons: 1) I had recently totaled my FZ1 (which really shook my confidence), and 2) I knew they weren't designed for aggressive riding.

I went and got this because I read here the stats; about 30% of poll respondents did like the tire -on this bike-. I don't think I ride particularly aggressive, I'd call it efficient progress; fast but not over the road/bike limits if something went wrong. (like debris, diesel spills, oncoming traffic on my lane, etc).

Anytime you change tires you are going from a worn out squared off tire that resists turn in to a nice round profile that rolls over easier. Once you accept how it feels it will become natural. Also make sure your tire pressure is correct (42psi) and rear preload is set right.

The BT021 felt more predictable on the first ride, so I don't think having used it squared (which, it wasn't, not a lot), for the last 1k miles got me used too much to a squared tire.

Pressure is 44psi on nitrogen. I can't recall what rear preload is, but it was never a problem before. Will check that too.

I ran a Strada once. I was on Diablo's and loved them, but 1800 miles and the rear was toast so I spooned on a Strada.

It was OK for the first half of it's life(1200 miles), but did step out on me several times under normal rider(for me). The Strada did last longer than the Diable, but the loss of confidence and grip wasn't worth the slightly better mileage.

I would Not run another.

BR

:blink: :blink: :ohmy: Say no more.

THe strada is a very triagular tire, so it will fall quickly, but it doesnt have the traction of a BT21 rear. Whats on the Front ?

Cr4p!, so why do 30% of vfrd poll respondents liked it? -Front is a BT016. now it its last 1kmile, so it has somewhat of an edge between the top and the sides, but I don't think this is a problem, it'd have been evident before the tire change.

[spud786]

Strada is an okay tire, its the first sport tour I ever ran on the vfr , that offered any real traction. But it cut pretty easy, so I ran several z6's its, Brother tire. The rear was skiddish in comparsion to tires like proad 2;s and Bt21' rears

Id say your front probably have a slower turn in than the brand new Starada rear, making it worse.

[Guest]

I bought my bike new and after 4K replaced the stock rubber with a set of PP2's. I ran those for 5,700 and thought I'd replace with a longer lasting tire. I found a good deal on the Stradas and figured WTF. BIG MISTAKE! They performed all right for the most part but with 3K on the set I went to Deals Gap and they TOTALLY scared the crap out of me. Anytime I leaned the bike over the rear felt like it was going to slide out. I would NEVER put another set on my bike.

[grizfan]

The front is a BT016, it was a good mix using it with the rear BT021. At the time the rear was new, I did feel it had a higher resistance to changing lines or leaning than the previous Duncrap. But in short time I got used to its predictability and I could lean till once I scratched pegs.

No kidding changing lines is not a good thing. I don't plan it, it's a reaction to the lack of feedback.

That's a head scratcher. It is true that the Strada is a high mileage sport touring tire and offers excellent grip for the mileage it produces. I have never been frightenend or had the experience that you are witnessing. I have only run the Pirelli Diablo Strada rear with a Diablo front and I found them to be very confidence inspiring at spirited paces. I am able to scraped pegs running that combo if I desire. Maybe the BT016 front and the Diablo Strada rear are not working well together? I am no racer but do ride aggressively in corners. And the tire has performed very well for me in all conditions that the Pacific Northwest has to offer. I do run my rear tire around 40 when cold (vs 42).

Thats too bad that tire was not for you. Everyone has different riding styles and comfort levels.

[toddulu]

I never had any issues with grip on a Diablo Strada...

[spud786]

I tell ya a story,

Ive ran so many road 2 rears I was sick of them , I actually like the BT21 rear, its just the lack of milege for me. A strada will yeild more milege.

So I left thr proad 2's, and got a BT23 to see how it compared to the 21 rear. It did gain life to around strada level, and had good straightline traction, but in the wet or poor traction area, the tire was down right scarey on the sides, The 23 is a poor substitute for the 21 perfromance wise.

I felt after running that tire I need some performance to play with after my suffereing, I got a Pilotpower rear, Id never ran one on the vfr, cause I didnt think it would hold up. surprisngly it slast about the same as a BT21 rear.

BUt I that the tire sucked on the VFR, too flimsy, even though adaquate traction , just never a real solid feel right from the get go. After that tire I went back to a road 2 rear, and Holy Shit, it was Great right off the bat.

The tire I hated , I came back to, shows you how bad going the wrong direction can mean, Im exclusive to Ppower fronts only.

I was really dissapointed with the Ppower rear on the vfr, I really expected it to Blow away everything with greatness, it really did not. It was Not a lack of traction , but lack of substanial ness needed to support the rear end of a VFR.

[VFRSuperfreak]

I never had any issues with grip on a Diablo Strada...

Nice! -I will try to lean enough to scrape, when I get to a track. Not doing it anywhere else.

Also you need to look at this. Because of this.

Spud; Park, Griz; I will reserve the rest of the review for when I change the front in a couple of weeks. Seems this is also an issue as it has little thread on top, and nearly none on the sides.

I already have the replacement, another Strada. (really only got it because a dealer paid us for advert space with merch. -otherwise I'd have a set of 023's, or 21's at the least.).

At this time I can only add that it feels like I'm maintaining turning lines with the front only, and the back just tilts or tries to lean without knowing how low it can go. Serious.

[Chaz06i]

I found when "spirited" riding was involved with the Strada's on, it does help to drop 1-2 psi. I feel it helped have a little more flex which then helped with traction.

Just my .02 cents though.

[HispanicSlammer]

I found when "spirited" riding was involved with the Strada's on, it does help to drop 1-2 psi. I feel it helped have a little more flex which then helped with traction.

Just my .02 cents though.

my recomendation as well, drop the rear a click or two as well, seems you have too much weight up front now with the taller strada, and just go a few lbs less air pressure to get a bigger contact patch. You wont get as many miles that way but its better then feeling scared to lean it over.

[Beck]

Uhmmmm.......... did anyone notice the bike's a 4th gen and the tire in question is a size 180/55 :blink: .........unless he has a different, wider rim in the back, it's oversized. Not sure if the symptoms clearly points towards a tire that's too big (wide), but I think it does not help.

Beck

95 VFR

[MattB]

I was really dissapointed with the Ppower rear on the vfr, I really expected it to Blow away everything with greatness, it really did not. It was Not a lack of traction , but lack of substanial ness needed to support the rear end of a VFR.

Funny how different we can all be. On the Strada's my experience was similar to what BaileyRock is touting.

On the other hand I ran a set of Pilot Power 2CT's on the VFR for a trackday and thought that they did an outstanding job. :comp13:

[spud786]

I was really dissapointed with the Ppower rear on the vfr, I really expected it to Blow away everything with greatness, it really did not. It was Not a lack of traction , but lack of substanial ness needed to support the rear end of a VFR.

Funny how different we can all be. On the Strada's my experience was similar to what BaileyRock is touting.

On the other hand I ran a set of Pilot Power 2CT's on the VFR for a trackday and thought that they did an outstanding job. :comp13:

Id be 100 mph coming into a sweeper, if you let off the gas while leaned over, it was so flimsy and extended past the rim edge it would waffle, giving a flat tire feel. Even slow corners it would waffle if you didnt keep it driving on the sides.

The road 2 doesnt do that, I call the Power rear a Jelly tire in comparision. I really dont understand why the front Power does not have the same trait. its damn good!!! Ive ran them exclusively for years.

[spud786]

Uhmmmm.......... did anyone notice the bike's a 4th gen and the tire in question is a size 180/55 :blink: .........unless he has a different, wider rim in the back, it's oversized. Not sure if the symptoms clearly points towards a tire that's too big (wide), but I think it does not help.

Beck

95 VFR

Nice catch Beck, that would squeeze the tire even taller and more triangulated, still the strada rear is not a Bt21 rear , which he might have been running a 180 too, but they are slightly narrower tires.

Hes about to have a full strada package, I dont believe he will be happy over what he came from, Z6;s and strada , where a step above z4's but the world has moved on much since that time.

[VFRSuperfreak]

*UPDATE*

For the last ride I lowered the pressure to 40 rear and 34 front as suggested, and lowered the front preload 3/4 turn. Confidence restored!. The leaning angles are a lot more gradual and predictable, control is up to 100%. I was having so much fun yesterday that I led most of the time on a tour of the Sierra Madre mnts. west of here.

In a dozen corners I had to lean more than I had before on this tire, there were two wide corners done at very high speed, some 80-90mph 'cause we had to shake off some idiot on a cage trying to keep up, (a section of 4-lane divided road, it's the only situation a car might try to do this), -and the wall looked mighty close on the 2nd turn!.

-So I just dipped the left h'bar more, (yes, changing the turn setup midway), and round we went without any drama. Excellent. Thanks all!

Here's a pic of city hall and 3 VFRs at El Grullo, Jal. taken yesterday.

Uhmmmm.......... did anyone notice the bike's a 4th gen and the tire in question is a size 180/55 :blink: .........unless he has a different, wider rim in the back, it's oversized. Not sure if the symptoms clearly points towards a tire that's too big (wide), but I think it does not help.

Beck

95 VFR

Yeah I'm aware of this. It is a stock rim and I had done this on a 3rd gen. I like the way it adds "solid" to the "flickable" package. It feels more planted and error-forgiving.

Well it appears I don't know how to link up a map, so here's an image...