Questions On Tires M3 Or Mz4 / Z6

[tinyminds]

I bought my bike with horrible Battleslides on them. With about 200 miles on the bike ( 3 slips later ) I changed the tires to Metzler M1's. Love the tires. I've ridden thens relatively aggressively. I live in KY and take many weekend trips to Deals Gap. Have no chicken left on rear. Don't think its possible to remove to front 1, my centerstand keeps me from going over that far =P. Anyway. I'm fixing to move to Orlando in 2 months, amazingly, the M1's managae to rack up 5500 miles in a couple months, and are about shot. Obviously theres not a lot of covers in Orlando. I kind of want to change back out to touring tires, for the tire wear purpose primarily. I love the M1's but replacing tires every 5k miles ( every 2 months ) gets expesive. The 3 slips i got from the Bridgestone Battleacks made me hesitant of going back to touring tires.

My questions mainly is what kind of average tire wear do you get out of m3's, mz4's and z6's. Florida is hot, w/ hot roads, and little turns. Will be commuting everyday on bike, so tires are important. Not sure what to do. I take the long routes to work to take the twisty back roads here. Don't have to worry about that in FL.

Comments? I need help deciding =)

[johnmark101]

I have heard good things about the Pirelli Diablo Strada which is supposed to be a touring tire. Might be worth consideration.

[HispanicSlammer]

I tried some Z6's and did not like them at all, sidewalls are very stiff and I had at least one slip a ride with them, on perfectly good pavement. I could understand if I had ridden over somthing like a greasy tar snake but some of the slips were just from getting on the gas out of a turn? I dont care for Metzlers at all! Michelins from now on!

[Guest Ramzes]

IMHO My best choice front:M3 rear:Z6

[Guest]

Pilot Powers: Front and Rear is the only choice.

[Guest Ramzes]

Pilot Powers: Front and Rear is the only choice.

The expensive

[johnmark101]

Pilot Powers: Front and Rear is the only choice.

:beer: No, they are not cheap. But if you like to ride the curves at a brisk pace, the extra grip they provide is a margin of safety that is well worth the price. They wear well for a sport tire.

[Darth Bling]

My questions mainly is what kind of average tire wear do you get out of m3's, mz4's and z6's.

I got 9000 miles out of my Z6s before I saw this:

http://www.vfrdiscussion.com/uploads/1155024042/gallery_4208_389_303343.jpg[/img]

I didn't like the fact that there was no center tread on the z6s, so I picked up a set of Pirelli Diablo Stradas. Suppose to be the exact same time for the most part, expect the tread makes it all the way over to the center on the Stradas.

Before the z6s, I had the z4s. I also got 9000 miles out of those but the z6s had much better traction than the z4s.

I've never tried the m1s or m3s before, so I can't comment on that. But, I liked the z6s right up until the cords showed. IMHO, the Strada are much better and would be the way to go if you were going to choose the z6 route.

[Guest VFRBee]

I just put the Stradas on and they are the best tire I've used so far. Light steering feel and great grip. My bike feels 100 lbs lighter.

[Guest]

It that what a two inch chicken strip looks like?

[Baileyrock]

:beer: Wow, how did you get 5k from a M1 rear, I could only manage 1600 miles!!!

As far as a FL tire goes does it really matter if you never ride the twisties anymore ? I would get a decent ST tire thats good in rain and wears long if you stay in the flat lands! :P

Here's my M1 with 750 miles on it!

New M1 with 750 miles, almost toast!

Here's a my Pilot power with 2200 miles on it!

shop-garage 007.jpg

[SEBSPEED]

I say go for the Z4's if you won't be leaning much. They wear like iron, but suck big time for sport riding. The profile just doesn't allow a lot of lean without being on the edge of the rubber:

[Darth Bling]

It that what a two inch chicken strip looks like?

http://www.vfrdiscussion.com/uploads/1155024042/gallery_4208_389_303343.jpg[/img]

:huh: What chicken strips!??

I don't know if you're trying to be funny or not (hard to tell when you don't use emoticons). <_<

If you look at the far left edge of the tire, you'll see a 1/4" strip of unused rubber there. That's the chicken strip. It's harder to see the right-hand side due to the angle of the picture.

[HispanicSlammer]

That is the biggest complaint about the z4's that came mounted in the vfr at sale, they dont lean over very far before you at the edge! Slip all the time too. The Z6 replaced them as the Metzler sport touring tire, but they suck too IMHO, I dont know why anyone would actively go out and buy a Z4 when its been replaced by a newer version?

The Z6 dont give you much indication they are about to reach the cords either!

[Bent]

Tires are like women. Just depends on what you like.

Can't speak for the other tires you mentioned but NEVER will I own another set of Z6's. On my "other" bike, I burned through a rear Z6 in ~3200 miles of medium hard riding to me, and the front cupped like it was in a cupping contest. And, no, they don't stick well for me.

I hope I never get 9000 miles out of a motorcycle tire. I love burning through a rear tire quick. It means more fun!!

[Guest]

I burned through a rear Z6 in ~3200 miles

I hope I never get 9000 miles out of a motorcycle tire. I love burning through a rear tire quick. It means more fun!!

Hence, why you only got 3200 miles out of your Z6's :goofy:

[Guest]

seems like it'd be kind of slippery in the wet?

Wet traction for the Z6's is amazing. As a matter of fact I have never ridden on a better ST tire for riding in the wet stuff (although I have heard good things about the Avon's as well).