Continuing - So what did you do to your bike today...?

[grog]

I'm guessing Avon Hooli?

[Hooli]

That's the plan Grog, I think it's still the Spirits but I'll find out.

Today I've washed the Bloo Thing as it's going to a bike show Saturday. It's the local MAG group I'm at every Thurs and it's a good day out. I'll polish the alloy as well but not today.
I'm about to wash Quinn too, I managed to find a flooded road due to a burst water main earlier so she's manky currently.

[Boa]

That reminds me I need to price up tyres for the Bloo Thing. I realised how bad the front had got last weekend, there's life in the rear but it'll get a pair.

I'm pretty happy with Angel GT2's Andy, although i'm sure technology has advanced since i bought them 2 years ago.

My partner's got Road6's on her Street Triple and she's cornering more confidently now (it's only taken her 48 years  ) 

[grog]

Agree Boa, I'm on my 3rd lot of Angel GT, they came out 2013, I can't fault them but I'm sure technology has changed since then. For better, for worse??

[Coopz]

Had a free day yesterday so I installed the Alixexpress dial set.
It fitted reasonably well. Had a few minor issues...
-The dial predrilled holes were too big for the Suzuki screws so I had to source some slightly wider ones. The odo and time buttons were too short to engage properly (not the best quality either) but I glued some rubber grommets to the ends to increase their length by 2-3mm and they are working ok. There was some minor marks and scuffs on the glass but the seller gave a $10 discount, too difficult to organise a refund but for $64au I won't complain.
 
Certainly a cleaner upgrade than the 25 year old originals. 

[Hooli]

That reminds me I need to price up tyres for the Bloo Thing. I realised how bad the front had got last weekend, there's life in the rear but it'll get a pair.

I'm pretty happy with Angel GT2's Andy, although i'm sure technology has advanced since i bought them 2 years ago.

My partner's got Road6's on her Street Triple and she's cornering more confidently now (it's only taken her 48 years  ) 

I had the original Angels and wasn't over impressed, it was so long ago I can't remember why though.

As for Road 6, I've got them on Snotbox. Brilliant in the cold and wet but after a PR4GT delaminated on me years ago I've always refused to give Michelin any of my money. Their response to a complaint was to collect the tyre then ignore all communication.
It came with PR6 and I did replace the rear as needed to match the front but the mileage from them doesn't seem great either. It's squared off in 3-4k miles on a bike that's often ridden right to the edge of the rubber.

I'll stick with Avons, I like them, they last and so on.

[Eric GSX1400K3]

That reminds me I need to price up tyres for the Bloo Thing. I realised how bad the front had got last weekend, there's life in the rear but it'll get a pair.

I'm pretty happy with Angel GT2's Andy, although i'm sure technology has advanced since i bought them 2 years ago.

My partner's got Road6's on her Street Triple and she's cornering more confidently now (it's only taken her 48 years  ) 

I had the original Angels and wasn't over impressed, it was so long ago I can't remember why though.

As for Road 6, I've got them on Snotbox. Brilliant in the cold and wet but after a PR4GT delaminated on me years ago I've always refused to give Michelin any of my money. Their response to a complaint was to collect the tyre then ignore all communication.
It came with PR6 and I did replace the rear as needed to match the front but the mileage from them doesn't seem great either. It's squared off in 3-4k miles on a bike that's often ridden right to the edge of the rubber.

I'll stick with Avons, I like them, they last and so on.

yup, my biggest concern would be wear. Got 16000km from the last set of road 2s. Not expecting anywhere near that from these, but you never know.

[Hooli]

I've heard reports of both. Some people find they last forever, others wear them out in no time. Doesn't seem any logic to it, but I suspect being such a soft construction you need to adjust the suspension to suit them & most people won't bother.

I don't know if you did, but you can squash them in your hands before fitting where as a lot of tyres hardly flex. Apparently that's why they grip so well as they adjust to the exact shape of the road surface better than a stiffer tyre.

[GSXKING]

Can of worms stuff here boys.

MotoGP technology works it way down to the street over time. Race tyres are nothing like street tyres and some are specific to each race track so just do the numbers on how many for each team are required on 1 weekend by the number of races plus practice etc. each year. Tyres are hand made and unless perfect don't make it to the teams. Remember PI one October it was hot and tyres couldn't make race distance so they shortened the race rather than pit for a change.
My point is, all this palava costs many millions and manufacturers make us pay.
Michelin road 6 GT is the best tyre I've ever used on big heavy bikes i.e. GSX1400 and RT BMW.
For grip and handling plus longevity using traction controls.
My two cents worth 👍

[grog]

Angel 2 now over 7 years, pilot 6 nearly 5, seems not much input from makers upgrading.

[KiwiCol]

Shame I can only get a Road 6 in the front (if I use a rear mounted backwards) I'd like to try them, but not a lot of choices really, that may be a bad thing, but is it really? 
The Avon Cobra Chromes are a great tire, so the fact that there are not a lot of other choices doesn't really matter, because the 1 I have is very capable. 
Just trying to get them over the last couple of years has been hard, but they're being made again now, so will slowly trickle back into the stores.

[Irish in Oz]

I'm up for a new set on the 1400, don't think it will matter what I put on now as I only cruise these days.
Just put a set of Michelin Road Classic on my XJ900 the tyre shop owner told me they would see me out, others are getting 20,000 k's out of them that's approx 12500 miles.

[Eric GSX1400K3]

Shame I can only get a Road 6 in the front (if I use a rear mounted backwards) I'd like to try them, but not a lot of choices really, that may be a bad thing, but is it really? 
The Avon Cobra Chromes are a great tire, so the fact that there are not a lot of other choices doesn't really matter, because the 1 I have is very capable. 
Just trying to get them over the last couple of years has been hard, but they're being made again now, so will slowly trickle back into the stores.

reading lots of good stuff re the Avon's, just hard to get here as well.  The tyre shop had two cobra chrome on the shelf,  looked like they had been there a while.

Not sure re fitting a rear Road 6 on the front facing backwards, they are a directional tyre, as the tyre shop asked me which side the wheel mounted on the K1300GT.  Theres arrows on them too.

[KiwiCol]

Yeah I know Eric, but plenty of the USA guys do it, they don't have any problems with the tire being backwards.

[Tony Nitrous]

Angel 2 now over 7 years, pilot 6 nearly 5, seems not much input from makers upgrading.

Tyres are a very personal thing and a lot of it is down to individual taste and needs. What is a fact is that the US is a huge market, far beyond the UK or EU and the GT2's got bad press there. I expected a new differently named tyre to replace it, something like an updated GT with a "let's forget about the 2" type name and tread pattern.



"Pirelli discontinued the Angel GT II in North America due to poor rider feedback. Many riders disliked how the front tire tracked in rain grooves on the freeway. Others felt the front tires gave very little feedback and did not work well on certain road types."

"I know of a couple riders who did not like the parallel sipes around the centerline of the front tire. They didn't like the way it would occasionally "seek" lines/grooves to follow in the asphalt and bridge gratings, etc."


I see tyre sales a little bit like bike sales.  The manufacturers are happy to keep turning out an old product for individual markets if the sales justify it, no R&D or investment. They rarely invest in a new product, bike or tyre, unless it can get a global return. A new GT2 or "3" would be hard to see to some folk, despite the earlier GT's far better reputation.