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First New Rear For 2014...serious Opinions Sought


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Subject bike: 2014 newish VFR (interceptor?)

Rear tire is about half gone meaning if I rode like I used to (hard and fast), it would be gone soon and will be most likely.

The tire is a "Dunlop, Sportmax D222". I think this is a tire made only as an OEM tire and it can't be bought on-line. It has performed OK but nothing to brag about. This is the only set of Dunlops I've owned, my confidence in them hasn't built up yet. It takes more than one set for me.

I don't like to mix brands and, having gotten back into motorcycling after a five year absence, tire tech. and performance has definitely changed. I used to ride with a PR2 rear and liked them. That was the latest and greatest technology back then for a "sport/touring" tire. The PR2 worked well on the rear for hard twisty riding.

So, not liking to mix brands, it looks like another Dunlop rear is in order since the front still has good tread and life left in it.

Question: With the front being what it is (D222 Dunlop) and me not wanting more grip on the front than the rear (rather have the rear slip than the front), should I have a Q3 or Roadsmart as the bike's 2nd rear tire?

Once these Dunlops are gone, I will likely go to another brand I have trusted in the past. Thank you. ; )

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The Road Smart is the closest to the OEM and the Q3 is probably the most "stickier" tire in Dunlop tires. The PR4 is the latest technology from Michelin and so far seems to be a popular choice.

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I like the RoadSmart II on the VFR800. They last long and handle really well.

The PR4 is overpriced and don't last long enough.

I run the T30 on the VFR750.

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I like the RoadSmart II on the VFR800. They last long and handle really well.

The PR4 is overpriced and don't last long enough.

I run the T30 on the VFR750.

Wow. I was reading up on the PR 4 and RoadSmarts and it sounds like both will give more rear grip than the OEM front. That's a little scary considering I could only get 2000 miles out of a PR2 rear.

The bike only has 1500 miles on it as I get back up to the cornering level I was at 5 years ago when I was using dual compound tires. The OEM's don't exactly roll in a corner well, aren't dual compound, and I think that lack of confidence in the rubber is holding me back. I hate to throw away a front with very good tread but I have time to decide.

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Keep it for a spare. Why compromise if you don't like the tire in the first place?

2000 miles on a PR2? I did track days on a BT016 and still got thousands more (although it was on a bike that was 100 pounds lighter).

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Keep it for a spare. Why compromise if you don't like the tire in the first place?

2000 miles on a PR2? I did track days on a BT016 and still got thousands more (although it was on a bike that was 100 pounds lighter).

Not a bad idea and thought.

Why? Because, like I said, I hate to waste good tread. Maybe it isn't "good" tread. I have time to think about it and finish off the OEM rear. Then, it's decision time. I don't really "have" to burn up asphalt to enjoy riding. It did take a while to realize that ; )

2000-2200 miles on a PR2 rear with a VFR were normal with me, a certain moderator here, and many other people that rode/ride the Smoky's hard. Nothing unusual about that.

More opinions welcomed. A five year riding absence is unusual and harder to deal with than I thought it would be. :unsure:

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Keep it for a spare. Why compromise if you don't like the tire in the first place?

2000 miles on a PR2? I did track days on a BT016 and still got thousands more (although it was on a bike that was 100 pounds lighter).

More opinions welcomed. A five year riding absence is unusual and harder to deal with than I thought it would be. :unsure:

Ah, that makes more sense. The track has about the only curves in this state, so I spent a lot of time upright.

I definitely get that. I started back March 4 after a 4-year absence. It's partially because I care a lot more about not hurting this bike like I did my last one, but I'm nowhere near as comfortable as I used to be riding it hard.

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If you ride mostly twisties, my experience with sport touring tires has been that you will have a lot of center tread remaining when the edges are gone. For this reason, I'm going back to straight sport tires, and I love the Q3's.

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I ride mostly twisties, with a Q3 front and a Roadsmart 2 rear. About to get my third set this week. The setup allows both tires to wear about evenly, the Q3 front is nearly done when the RS 2 rear is at 10% remaining. I'm getting about 4500 miles in this setup which is outstanding for me and my riding history.

Most importantly to me, the behavior is consistent throughout the lifespan, and I have had no surprises with this setup. Some tires last a bit longer, but are miserable after half their lifespan. False economy.

The Michelin PR4's were miserable in that regard, behaving very poorly with 30% still remaining. I couldn't wait to be rid of them.

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Keep it for a spare. Why compromise if you don't like the tire in the first place?

2000 miles on a PR2? I did track days on a BT016 and still got thousands more (although it was on a bike that was 100 pounds lighter).

More opinions welcomed. A five year riding absence is unusual and harder to deal with than I thought it would be. :unsure:

Ah, that makes more sense. The track has about the only curves in this state, so I spent a lot of time upright.

I definitely get that. I started back March 4 after a 4-year absence. It's partially because I care a lot more about not hurting this bike like I did my last one, but I'm nowhere near as comfortable as I used to be riding it hard.

The twisties start literally at the end of my driveway. I live on a mountain so curves aren't hard to find here. I will get back up to speed but I have less of a "need" to prove anything. I just want the bike for recreation and fun. I obviously hate to waste anything but, in this case, right now I'm thinking that the safety of my ass is rather important even if I'm on a very tight budget. My posterior is priceless. But, this thread is just me doing my homework with the help of you, some very experienced and generous people. It's all good ; )

I ride mostly twisties, with a Q3 front and a Roadsmart 2 rear. About to get my third set this week. The setup allows both tires to wear about evenly, the Q3 front is nearly done when the RS 2 rear is at 10% remaining. I'm getting about 4500 miles in this setup which is outstanding for me and my riding history.

Most importantly to me, the behavior is consistent throughout the lifespan, and I have had no surprises with this setup. Some tires last a bit longer, but are miserable after half their lifespan. False economy.

The Michelin PR4's were miserable in that regard, behaving very poorly with 30% still remaining. I couldn't wait to be rid of them.

Wow. If I could get 4500 miles on a set of tires I would celebrate. Maybe it will happen some day.

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  • 3 weeks later...
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I always cringe when I read or hear that someone keeps a keep a tire on a bike because it still has tread left. Shit can it if you plan on any kind of sport riding at all. New tires are the same as a new bike and the extra degree of safety and enjoyment they provide is the difference between having the time of your life or just spending some time on a bike. You can buy tires all day long. Time will eventually run out. Use it wisely.

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I always cringe when I read or hear that someone keeps a keep a tire on a bike because it still has tread left. Shit can it if you plan on any kind of sport riding at all. New tires are the same as a new bike and the extra degree of safety and enjoyment they provide is the difference between having the time of your life or just spending some time on a bike. You can buy tires all day long. Time will eventually run out. Use it wisely.

Good point.

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Put a set of the new Pirelli Rosso III on my Y2k hybrid and they are AMAZING. Heat up quickly, great turn in, and stick like glue. They feel like track tires, not street tires. Will they last 6000 miles? Prob not, but I didn't get them for mileage. If you live in an area with some great twisties I highly recommend them.

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Put a set of the new Pirelli Rosso III on my Y2k hybrid and they are AMAZING. Heat up quickly, great turn in, and stick like glue. They feel like track tires, not street tires. Will they last 6000 miles? Prob not, but I didn't get them for mileage. If you live in an area with some great twisties I highly recommend them.

I'll be trying these on my Duc, well actually the Supercorsa, as I have also heard the Pirelli is a great tire for the reasons you mentioned. A friend of mine has a track day buddy who gives him his track day take offs and he's impressed with these tires and they are well used by the time he gets them.

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The Metzeler M7 is turning out to be a decent tire.

I can't speak for riding twisties... If I got 4500 miles from a tire riding twisties, I would keep that tire combo.

I am happy with 1400 miles on a set of tires.

At 4500 miles riding twisties do the road sign read I-XX?

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I am pulling the trigger on two sets of M7s just for the rebate money and in the interest of testing them on the CB, Versys or NC. I will probably go back-to-back with the Q3s and the M7s on the NC to see if they measure up in the mountains.

Shot past your area on Sunday gr8vfr after staying the night in Franklin and leaving tire remnants from 215 to 129 with a trip into NGA just for kicks.

Craig tells me he keeps you pretty busy and I have been telling him to try the M7s. Surprised he disliked the Rosso Corsas and then said the M3s were OK. Maybe he can get more than a week out of set of M7s.

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I Liked the M7RR, but the Rosso III is way better IMHO for sport riding. Mileage wise I think the M7RR would offer more life.

Riding nothing but track/ twisties I would vote Supercorsa V2 SP. Want a bit more mileage, I would go Rosso III. Want more mileage still with really good grip but not as much as the R3 and SC, then go Angel GT.

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I think I got Craig holding a smile on his face... Up to meeting me, he only rode on 190/55-17.

He got 500 from the Rosso's and 400 from the stone RS10. He is a fairly aggressive rider.

I asked him to try a 180/55-17 and up his tire pressure.

He is on his second set of Metzeler and getting over 1000 miles.

He got 1200 on the M3 without changing how he rides that tire might be too stiff for him.

I am now putting tires on his bike every two weeks. He is about to finish his M7 and he is liking it.

I like the feel of the M7 when installing. It feels better than a Q3. Besides, Q3's are too overpriced for the limited mileage.

We found one of his forks is tweaked from the last crash. It forced his wheel bearings in and caused them to bind on the inner spacer.

I have moved more tires this month than all of last year... Man! I love those Harley owners.

I have used up the Rebates for Pir, Met, and Dun for five addresses so far.

I can't wait until those Visa cards start showing up. I have done over thirty rebates so far for me and folks who have bought tires through me.

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I think I got Craig holding a smile on his face... Up to meeting me, he only rode on 190/55-17.

He got 500 from the Rosso's and 400 from the stone RS10. He is a fairly aggressive rider.

I asked him to try a 180/55-17 and up his tire pressure.

He is on his second set of Metzeler and getting over 1000 miles.

He got 1200 on the M3 without changing how he rides that tire might be too stiff for him.

I am now putting tires on his bike every two weeks. He is about to finish his M7 and he is liking it.

I like the feel of the M7 when installing. It feels better than a Q3. Besides, Q3's are too overpriced for the limited mileage.

We found one of his forks is tweaked from the last crash. It forced his wheel bearings in and caused them to bind on the inner spacer.

I have moved more tires this month than all of last year... Man! I love those Harley owners.

I have used up the Rebates for Pir, Met, and Dun for five addresses so far.

I can't wait until those Visa cards start showing up. I have done over thirty rebates so far for me and folks who have bought tires through me.

Glad you found the problem with his front end. He just hasn't seemed comfortable on his CB since last years wreck.

I am at the wear bars on the NC and I installed the Q3s last Friday. 2 days riding with the locals and a whopping 480 miles. Two weekends ago I did 560 miles on the ST1300 with freshly installed Pirelli Angel GTs and they may be good for one more ride if I take it easy. Craig was on that ride when his RS10s seemed to evaporate before our eyes and the guy on the BMW S1000RR got a real kick out of watching the ST1300 running up and down 28.

I am going to run the new Metzler 01s on the ST for TMAC. They are expensive and not eligible for the rebate but I used up my max rebates per household on the M7s anyway and the 01s have a lot of hype so time to find out what's what.

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