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New tires recommendation

13K views 42 replies 18 participants last post by  Spitfire500 
#1 ·
It's time for new tires for my 2014 CBR500R and God has sent me a clear sign of this via a nail in the rear.

I was shopping and reading reviews and like what I'm hearing about the Michelin Road 5. RevZilla has the best prices I could find.

Any thoughts or recommendations are helpful. I live near Seattle and ride a ton on the weekends and commute to work when the weather is nice. I try to not ride in the rain. It's just not fun and drivers really suck here.

Thanks everyone.

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#3 ·
I have MPR4s. Good tyres wet and dry. Lasted over 20,000km.


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#7 ·
I am not the only one on this forum who has been pleased with Bridgestone Battleaxe 023s. They are very reasonably priced. I have only put 2500 miles on them so far, but they handle great & other Bridgestone tires I have used in the past lasted quite well. I got 10000 miles out of the stock Dunlops by the way.
 
#9 ·
I'll second that. The BT-023 is my #1 top pick for best value for all season all weather tires.

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#15 ·
I'm eager to hear what you have to say about them. That set has the coolest looking tread pattern imo.

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#16 ·
My bike is in for a service and I have been told I will very, very soon need new tyres. Of all those mentioned on the thread, my local tyre place charges (for both wheels):

£262 Metzeler Roadtec 01
£241 Michelin Road 5
£240 Pirelli Angel GT
£218 Michelin Pilot Road 4
£208 Bridgestone T30EVO (BT023 successor)
£203 Avon Storm 3D XM (PiedmontBuckeye did not mention a model, but they seem comparable)
£182 Bridgestone BT023

Fitting is £16 per tyre bought from them.

Michelin annoyingly have a £30 cashback promotion, but only for September so it would need to be done by Sunday to qualify.

I bought the bike on 5k miles with PR4s already fitted, so not sure how many of those miles they had done, but it is now just under 18k miles.

I declined having the tyres done today because it is already an expensive service as the chain was getting stiff in too many place. Though I would have been able to do that myself, I am a reluctant mechanic so it is easier to pay the Honda dealer premium to have them do the chain and sprockets whilst they have it. And it also needs new front pads.

So I am thinking maybe to try the Bridgestone simply for being cheaper. Would anyone say another set of PR4s are worth the extra?
 
#17 ·
I expect you already know I'm going to tell you that the Bridgestone 023 is the best value tire you can get. A front tire will last two rears (as long as you maintain correct pressures and aren't doing track days) and they hold their grip throughout their life cycle. Paying more is a case of diminishing returns.

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#18 ·
I haven't tried that particular tire, but the Bridgestone I did try was not the same caliber of tire as Pirelli, Avon or Michelin.

I would go with the Pilot Road 4. It's last year's model, so it's marked down. Lots of people love them. The Road 5 is the replacement. I had a Pilot Road 2 back in the day on my FJR; it was wonderful.

I have the Pirelli Angel ST and I love it, but I paid half what your dealer is asking, even though Pirelli is more local.

Pony up a bit and get top class tires. You'll thank yourself when you're riding in the rain or when you're leaned way over and you hit something unexpected. I was going 80 mph in the rain today, leaning and everything. I smiled inside my helmet and thanked myself for not being cheap on tires. I can't wait for that junky OEM Dunlop to wear out so I can get an Angel on the front too.

Read the tire reviews on RevZilla.com, there some good info there, firsthand.
 
#21 ·
I did not like it at the time, but I am missing that my old 125 had weird wheels which meant there were only two tyre options. One from Michelin, and the other the cheap stock CSN stock ones. Which I am certain are what lead to breaking my elbow and finger.

As for the Bridgestone, all the reviews are positive and note performance in the wet. There is even a 2017 review of them acknowledging they are an old model, yet still recommends them if the price is better than their successor. And the authors prefers them to PR4s.

I do not really push my bike though, my ability is that not great and I am happy with that, so for me longevity is more important than how far they can lean. This makes the Avon Storm 3D XM (for eXtra Mileage, apparently) tempting, but as no one here has actual experience of them on our bikes I am hesitant to try them blind.

Had that cash back offer lasted longer I would have just stuck with PR4s, but will look around at prices for other places too. My local shop is near central London, so that may add a premium. But I think it will be whichever is the best value of the BT023 or PR4.
 
#22 ·
New tyres

A short appraisal of my new tyres, which are Metzeler Roadtec 01. Obviously when changing from tyres that have worn a bit flat, to new ones that are nice and round any tyres are going to feel great, so will bear that in mind, I have only done 300 miles, but it’s an idea to get to know what they are like. The front tyre is a bit unusual and has a tread pattern unlike I have ever seen and is also quite pointed. When I first rode with the tyres on I felt a bit uneasy when approached roundabouts and sharp corners as the bike tips in very quickly, but after about 50 miles I was use to them, you just have to relax and let the bike do it’s own thing, the bike feels lighter than before, and it’s quite exceptional when handling a series of bends which are quite close to each other, it feels extremely stable, the tyres also give a very comfortable ride. So how do they compare to the Dunlop’s that were on the bike, well I find them to be much better in general feel, however I didn’t find the Dunlop’s to bad myself other than the fact they were finished in 5500 miles, so would I recommend the Metzelers, yes I would.

Plasma1
 
#28 ·
I am extremely bad at getting things done. And between not having had much time for riding and the weather becoming autumnal this month I had still not done anything about my tyres.

When I had the bike serviced I was told I had about 500–1,000 miles left in them, so just over 1,000 miles later I finally went to have them replaced today.

Despite my plan to go for the cheaper but proven Battlaxs, the Michelin cash back offer has been extended so I went with a pair of Road 5s as it made them £10 less that new PR4s.

They are still almost £30 more than the Bridgestones, but after adding 14,000 miles to the PR4s plus whatever the first owner did on them it seemed worth the extra is they can last a similar amount of time. I never had any problems with them, and the successors are so well reviewed.

Not much to report about taking it easy on a five mile journey home through London, but all felt good. And only thee people tried to drive into me!

Next I need to get my bent handlebar replaced, have had the Renthal replacement for two weeks and still not done anything. Decided I will get a mechanic to do it, though, as would rather someone else does the drilling.

But felt the tyres were more urgent now the roads are getting wet and leafy, the bike is rideable with a slightly wonky bar, but it is not without grip.
 
#31 ·
I don't think that they make an exact fit, but when I need a new tire, I am going with Michelins. Pilot Actives are what I've had on 2 previous bikes and they are pretty inexpensive and they work GREAT for normal street & touring riding.
 
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#32 ·
Hey...original poster has no doubt been reshod...i hope he got the michelin fives!....just had one put on the rear two days ago and im astounded!.....incredibly positive improvement over the dunlops it came with...the front will be on in a week and i cant wait....happy riding
 
#34 ·
I don't think that they make the exact size, but when I need new tires, I am going with the closest size that Michelin Pilot Activ has to offer.

I had them on my BMW and they were GREAT!
 
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