2023 Poll of Tyre Options

[Arends]

Back from Spain, 3500km on Dunlop Mutants were flawless. Not a single slide, not a single skip, offroading (thanks to Google Maps) went well with gravel, mud puddles and river crossings (only ankle deep, but still.
We've picked up a nail about an inch long, and the the thickness of the thread meant I've noticed it only after half a day. Repaired on the spot and the trip continued.
We had two days of rain, and even so, I didn't need to think about tyres, only about correct heating settings of my handlebars.

The bike was agile, from leaning 25 degrees on the motorway to rear-brake 1st gear hairpins, 7km straights and 30 minute long rides through gorges when I didn't manage to go above the 3rd gear.

The myths and YT reviews seems to be correct, I have 4000km on the tyre (two up and fully loaded) and I cannot see any visible wear of the thread, especially on the half inch of chicken strips ;-)

[simbo]

Conti Motion. No issues, seem alright up to now. Will see how long they last?.

[GoldenWest]

My 2018 RT got 8,500 miles on the well rounded, very responsive Conti Road Attack 4 GT, running 42 psi front and rear. My riding combines straight line highway miles, plus an equivalent amount carving mountain and rural roads., utilizing the entire contact patch evenly. I recently mounted the Pirelli Scorpion Rally STR to retain dry and wet weather grip, with quick, responsive handling, plus the benefit of off road versatility. As a bonus they also carve and stick as well as the Contis. I run 42 psi front and rear.

[Shuswaper]

Well FWIW, was cleaning the bike yesterday and was shocked to see how much wear shows on the front Pilot Road 5GT.
There is only 11,000 kms on these tires and I doubt I can make it to the end of the summer on them.
Very disappointed ....I know, I know, fantastic grip wet or dry.
Good bye Micheline, hello Bridgestone Battlax T33 !

[Dugway]

New to me 2023 model year, still running the original tires with less than a thousand miles on the bike. I think they are Metzeler Roadtec Z8’s?

[Kugangles]

Well FWIW, was cleaning the bike yesterday and was shocked to see how much wear shows on the front Pilot Road 5GT.
There is only 11,000 kms on these tires and I doubt I can make it to the end of the summer on them.
Very disappointed ....I know, I know, fantastic grip wet or dry.
Good bye Micheline, hello Bridgestone Battlax T33 !

I just put a pair of the new T33 on my RT. Have about 300 miles on them so far and they've been solid. They stick really well and feel great when leaned over. Very confidence inspiring. I live in the desert so I can't really speak to how well they do in the wet. I'm sure they're fine though.

[Doctor T]

My 2018 RT got 8,500 miles on the well rounded, very responsive Conti Road Attack 4 GT, running 42 psi front and rear. My riding combines straight line highway miles, plus an equivalent amount carving mountain and rural roads., utilizing the entire contact patch evenly. I recently mounted the Pirelli Scorpion Rally STR to retain dry and wet weather grip, with quick, responsive handling, plus the benefit of off road versatility. As a bonus they also carve and stick as well as the Contis. I run 42 psi front and rear.

42 psi at the front is a bit high. They should be 36 psi.
Why would you fit an 80/20 Scorpion Rally STR tyre?

[Doctor T]

Back from Spain, 3500km on Dunlop Mutants were flawless. Not a single slide, not a single skip, offroading (thanks to Google Maps) went well with gravel, mud puddles and river crossings (only ankle deep, but still.
We've picked up a nail about an inch long, and the the thickness of the thread meant I've noticed it only after half a day. Repaired on the spot and the trip continued.
We had two days of rain, and even so, I didn't need to think about tyres, only about correct heating settings of my handlebars.

The bike was agile, from leaning 25 degrees on the motorway to rear-brake 1st gear hairpins, 7km straights and 30 minute long rides through gorges when I didn't manage to go above the 3rd gear.

The myths and YT reviews seems to be correct, I have 4000km on the tyre (two up and fully loaded) and I cannot see any visible wear of the thread, especially on the half inch of chicken strips ;-)

What's with fitting 80/20 tyres on a heavy touring bike? Is this a new trend?

[GoldenWest]

42 psi at the front is a bit high. They should be 36 psi.
Why would you fit an 80/20 Scorpion Rally STR tyre?

I use recommended pressures as a starting point, then fine tune based on handling. My ‘18 RT @ 42psi Front & 41 R noticeably lightens up the front end. It lessens effort / heavy feel, aids quick responses, increases turn / tire feel in corners and improves overall maneuverability.
Why I did install the Pirelli STR was for Safety and predictably. They provide a very high level of wet/dry/slalom/cornering/low and high speed performance and feel, commensurate with my previous Conti RA3/4 & Metz Roadtec 01. And with added safety benefits on “unexpected” unpaved roads (common in Oregon) and funky~gravel littered road surfaces. The bike is “unphased” running over sudden loose gravel or gravel filled potholes in thru sharp, blind corners, switchbacks, etc.

[Jggpossum]

My last post was May 2023, not long after I had bought the 23 RT with Michelin Road6 GT as standard.

I got 18,000Km on those tyres and they still had at least 3-5,000Km left but I was about to start on a tour around Australia of 16,000 Km in June 2024. I couldn't get Road 6 GT's at my dealership and they recommended Pirelli Angel GT so I got them fitted and headed off. Took some getting used to as the front tyre has straight grooves either side of the middle and these cause the front to ever so slightly tram track. I learnt to live with that but by the time I got to Perth 4 weeks and 11,000 Km later the rear profile was so flattened off I decided on a tyre change with the 30K service there. They recommended Bridgestone T32GT which I had fitted. They handled better than the Pirelli, but the last 5,000km of the trip across the Nullarbor played havoc with the tread and I found that by the 40k service (9k tyre wear) there was significant scalloping of the front tread and a change was necessary.
This time I insisted on Michelin Road 6GT.

At the recent 50k service the R6GT tyres had done 10k and looked like they were barely worn. I also realise the feel of the Road6GT on the road is predictable and I haven't experienced that same secure feel with Pirelli or Bridgestone. Personal choice and I guess depends on ones riding style. I will never win an Isle of Man.

[Arends]

@Doctor T , the Mutants had only good reviews, and I live on a gravel road with farming machinery all over (for half a year). There is always crap on the roads here, and I do tend to wonder onto smaller roads with grass in the middle and even with loose surface. Not to mention that half of my riding is in the rain here in Ireland, where more thread is only beneficial.
Main advantage for me is that I am used to "slowly losing grip" from mountain biking and knobbies on my previous bike. I feel riding more predictable with more thread on the tyres, they just don't "snap" out of sudden.
Apart from emergency braking practice, I am yet to activate ABS or traction control with the Mutants, which is different story to my previous tyres.

Overall, I see the Mutants 95/5 tyres, enabling me to deal with the odd gravel and lots of water. If I did good tarmac riding in mostly sunny weather, I don't think I would be considering the Mutants though, but as it stands, they seem to fit my needs at the moment. I have about 6,000km on them so far, and cannot praise them enough.

[Shuswaper]

Battlax T33 now fitted...feel well planted and smooth. Somebody please add this latest sport touring tire to the Poll list ??!!

[David.]

Battlax T33 now fitted, please add this tyre to the poll list.

Sorry, I can't remember how to, or know if I can do this. Perhaps Admin. or Mod. could do it for you by replacing one of the spare options.

[Dirty Boxershorts]

My 2018 RT got 8,500 miles on the well rounded, very responsive Conti Road Attack 4 GT, running 42 psi front and rear. My riding combines straight line highway miles, plus an equivalent amount carving mountain and rural roads., utilizing the entire contact patch evenly. I recently mounted the Pirelli Scorpion Rally STR to retain dry and wet weather grip, with quick, responsive handling, plus the benefit of off road versatility. As a bonus they also carve and stick as well as the Contis. I run 42 psi front and rear.

Very similar to me... 2022 1250 RT.... Bike came with Road 5 GT's I am at 10,700 miles on the bike and tires. Run front at 40-41 psi to prevent scalloping of front tread, and 42 psi rear. The increase air pressure up front makes a huge difference in how the tread wears. It wears much more effectively with the increase in front tire air pressure. I honestly think I'll get another 2500-3000 miles out of the tires, with the way I ride, similar to you, here in S. CA. Lots of mountains and Twisties here, keeping my tires from squaring off. If I do a big 1000 mile tour of and around NV and Death Valley this winter, I'll have to do another 400-500 miles of weekend Twisties to take that square edge off, to wear it away on the sides.

[Arends]

Damned, I had a hole that could not be fixed, and the only tires I could get were Road 6 GT. Wish me luck!