Author Topic: New Tyres for my B6 (Read 5457 times)

Marshall · « **on:** February 21, 2006, 01:55:34 PM »

Ive got a 97 B6 which has 110/70/17 and 150/70/17 tyres on it. im going to be replacing both front and rear soon and i have the below options. please choose one and state why, prices are not including fitting either.

i do want a tyre that will last long and sports touring type

METZLER MEZ4
110/70/17 & 150/70/17
£122.00

METZLER ROADTEC Z6
110/70/17 & 150/70/17
£150.00

MICHELIN MAC100
110/70/17 & 150/70/17
£145.00

A PAIR OF AVON AV45 & AV46
110/70/ZR17 & 150/70/ZR17
£133.00

Cheers
Marshall

Red01 · « **Reply #1 on:** February 21, 2006, 02:17:31 PM »

I don't have any experience with the Metzelers, but just going by what I've read from this and other boards, both are good, the Z6 is probably the better handler, but I don't know if it wears better or worse than the Z4, but the Z6 is the replacement for the Z4, so if you go with Z4's, be sure they aren't old (by manufacturing date).

A friend runs the Avons in 120/180 sizes on his B12 and liked them well enough to buy a second set. They don't seem to last as long as my Michelin Pilot Roads though.

I'd stay away from the Mac100 though. They don't cup as bad as the 90's did, but they still cup. They've been replaced by the Pilot Roads, so like with the Z4, be sure to check dates on them.

Jacknife · « **Reply #2 on:** February 22, 2006, 05:48:42 PM »

Z6 every time, had a very good time with these the Metzelers. Good grip!

pmackie · « **Reply #3 on:** February 22, 2006, 11:23:59 PM »

I'm on Bridgestones, but my buddy had excellent results with his Avons.

aussiebandit · « **Reply #4 on:** February 23, 2006, 07:18:40 AM »

I'd go with the Z4 if you can still get them, but to be honest I don't think there's really to much to pick between all the tyres, except for the Macadams.

I agree with RED on the Macadams, although I never had a problem with the rear Macadam, it lasted well and gave reasonable grip to the end, the front however was shocking. I'm considering putting a Macadam on the rear of my B12 (better life span, the idea of getting more than 10,000km out of a rear tyre is very appealing) and matching it with a Pilot Road or Pilot Sport on the front.

B6Mick swears by Shinko tyres for both grip and life.

Marshall · « **Reply #5 on:** February 23, 2006, 07:28:57 AM »

ive never heard of or seen shinko tyres?? are they a US tyre only??

Red01 · « **Reply #6 on:** February 23, 2006, 04:56:01 PM »

Quote from: "aussiebandit"

I'm considering putting a Macadam on the rear of my B12 (better life span, the idea of getting more than 10,000km out of a rear tyre is very appealing) and matching it with a Pilot Road or Pilot Sport on the front.

I never had a problem with the Mac90 rear either. OTOH, my Pilot Road rear seems to work better and lasts just as long. Got 10K miles out of the Mac90 and 10K miles out of the Roads, too.

aussiebandit · « **Reply #7 on:** February 24, 2006, 05:26:32 AM »

Quote from: "Marshall"

ive never heard of or seen shinko tyres?? are they a US tyre only??

No they're in Oz as well, I think they're made in Korea, or China, or some other small over populated Asian country.

Quote

I never had a problem with the Mac90 rear either. OTOH, my Pilot Road rear seems to work better and lasts just as long. Got 10K miles out of the Mac90 and 10K miles out of the Roads, too.

I'll price up the Road as well, if it's roughly the same price I'll give it a go.

10k miles, that's around 16k Km's. How do you manage that sort of distance out of a rear tyre, I'm not what I would call and aggresive rider and 12,000km saw the Macadam 90 on its' last legs.

B6mick · « **Reply #8 on:** February 24, 2006, 08:13:26 AM »

Quote from: "aussiebandit"

I'd go with the Z4 if you can still get them, but to be honest I don't think there's really to much to pick between all the tyres, except for the Macadams.

B6Mick swears by Shinko tyres for both grip and life.

Gotta agree with aussie on the Z4 good lasting tyre and plenty of grip, if memory serves me I think I got 26 thousand K's ( on the front) which roughly translated to 14 and a bit thousand miles, but a pricey unit. In fact the last time we did gods rd, I was running the z4 front and a new 009 rear, and both of us stopped and looked at our fronts, hmmmm, yours was chopping up big time (M1 wasn't it) yet the Z4 showed the strain but was not chopped up to bad considering I had the minister on board as well,
Been using the shinko 009 rear ever since I had to change the worn out dunlop. 24.5 thousand K's twice. (on the 3rd now) And never a nasty moment, even working as a motorcycle courier during the worst of melb's weather. However, because of the long lasting rear I am currently trying out a 005 front, it has over 15 thousand k's up, but may not last as well as the Z4, but then again it grips as well if not better than the Z4, and is a whole lot of bucks cheaper.
The next thing is to change before the rally weekend the 005 rear on the REX to a 009, and drop a 005 on the front.

Red01 · « **Reply #9 on:** February 24, 2006, 12:55:02 PM »

Quote from: "aussiebandit"

10k miles, that's around 16k Km's. How do you manage that sort of distance out of a rear tyre, I'm not what I would call and aggresive rider and 12,000km saw the Macadam 90 on its' last legs.

Maybe the roads I ride are in better condition than yours?

I do seem to be one of those types that gets more miles out my tires than "average." If you got 12K km out of the Mac90, then I'd expect the Roads to do about the same. FWIW, I go thru two fronts to three rears on the Roads. Before them, I ran a Bridgestone BT010 front and 020 rear and they wore at about the same rate. I'm guessing a 020 front & rear would have lasted similar to my Roads.

Just did some checking on the Shinko 009's and could only find two outfits in the US that listed them on the Net. Competition Accessories, which has had a history of poor customer service - and Tire Express. The TE site had the same look to it as the CA site and both had the same prices... ~$166(US) + $20 shipping for a pair of 009's. The PR's set me back $202 to my door. $16 isn't much of a difference.

solman · « **Reply #10 on:** February 25, 2006, 11:41:20 PM »

I installed a Z6 on the front and wow! What a difference it made in the handling. I already have a rear and I am going to install it when I go home in September.

aussiebandit · « **Reply #11 on:** February 26, 2006, 02:29:23 AM »

Quote

yours was chopping up big time (M1 wasn't it) yet the Z4 showed the strain but was not chopped up to bad considering I had the minister on board as well,

True, but the M1 was close to it's use by date, it'll be interesting this time. The front (M1 again) has quite a bit of life left in it, but the rear is on it's last legs. The only reason I haven't replaced it yet is a distinct lack of money. I should be able to squeeze another 1-2000km out of it before it becomes dangerous.