im having a hell of a time deciding.

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cpatt

New member
well i cant figure out what tire suits me best. im looking at pilot power 2 and pilot road 2 but i cant decide what one is better for me.

i take my bike to work most days when it gets warm out. and its 20 miles each way a 30 min ride. 15min small town roads and 15 min on the highway. but on the weekends we go out riding and we go "hard" as my friends say. im doing my best to keep up with a few r6's a ninja 650, cbr600rr and a few buells. i also run it at the drag strip a few times a year. thats why im leaning to the power 2's not to mention there 50$ less
but im worried bout warring them down to fast in the center on the high way. i also put almost 6kmiles on my bike in 3 months last year. so they deff need to last.

or hell is just throwing a stock rear back on my best bet?

ive read so much but it all seems to confuse me more. and if you guys are running somthing different you thinks better let me no i just no i need a back tire this year so might as well replace the stock front too.
 
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FastZ8

FastZ8

New member
I had pilot power 2s on my old katana...they were awesome...when I bought the bike it had shinkos and didn't handle very well at all...even for a katana lol so when I bought the pilot powers it was like an entirely different bike...felt like it just fell into the turns...much stickier compound...they used to grab small gravel and throw em once they warmed up...the shinkos wouldn't grab the road much less anything else I felt them kick out a couple of times in sharp turns...all they were good for was burnouts...as soon as the tires on my fz wear out that's whats I'm going with.
 
ssky0078

ssky0078

New member
Why not jump up to the Pilot Power 3? Supposedly they have 20% longer tread life mixed with better than the stickiness of the power 2CT. In theory that 20% tread life increase would justify the increase in price in my mind along with improved performance.

I would not do Pilot Road 2's. My bike showed up with a brand new set of Pilot Road 2's and I really don't like them. I came off a set of S20s for comparison.

I "go hard" as you say on the weekend and just yesterday I was hating my tires. I was with a really experienced rider group and was leaning in corners at some times 20 mph over the posted speed and was still getting left behind. I could have managed more speed but every time I would push it a little more I felt like the tires were wanting to give. I've got 3500 miles on the tires and they look only maybe 20% wore down but I think around 10,000 miles I'm getting rid of them regardless.

BTW I think they were anticipating like 12k-14k tread life on the new Pilot Power 3. Which is about the same as the Pilot Road 2 from what I've researched.
 
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cpatt

New member
ssky0078 said:
Why not jump up to the Pilot Power 3? Supposedly they have 20% longer tread life mixed with better than the stickiness of the power 2CT. In theory that 20% tread life increase would justify the increase in price in my mind along with improved performance.

I would not do Pilot Road 2's. My bike showed up with a brand new set of Pilot Road 2's and I really don't like them. I came off a set of S20s for comparison.

I "go hard" as you say on the weekend and just yesterday I was hating my tires. I was with a really experienced rider group and was leaning in corners at some times 20 mph over the posted speed and was still getting left behind. I could have managed more speed but every time I would push it a little more I felt like the tires were wanting to give. I've got 3500 miles on the tires and they look only maybe 20% wore down but I think around 10,000 miles I'm getting rid of them regardless.

BTW I think they were anticipating like 12k-14k tread life on the new Pilot Power 3. Which is about the same as the Pilot Road 2 from what I've researched.
Click to expand...

sounds like the best of both worlds.... hmmm and only like 23$ more.... no what ill give em a try
 
ssky0078

ssky0078

New member
cpatt said:
sounds like the best of both worlds.... hmmm and only like 23$ more.... no what ill give em a try
Click to expand...

Double check my research in case I was delirious when doing it. But I was really impressed with the Pilot Power 3. I can't wait to get them. Probably be in about 3 months if I keep riding at the rate I'm going.
 
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cpatt

New member
ssky0078 said:
Double check my research in case I was delirious when doing it. But I was really impressed with the Pilot Power 3. I can't wait to get them. Probably be in about 3 months if I keep riding at the rate I'm going.
Click to expand...

i read about them on a few other forums and a few youtube videos and i ordered up a set. 20% more tread life and it should handle like a pilot power 2 ct i think it was and they cost less than the road 2's
 
ssky0078

ssky0078

New member
Also, from what i've been able to price, Motorcycle-superstore has the best price at $303, but Revzilla has them for $310 and you get $15 in Revzilla cash back.
 
ssky0078

ssky0078

New member
What size rear tire does the Fz8 take on it?

On my Fz1 I just realized the 17R190/50 (55) comes at a pretty premium
 
anelson24

anelson24

New member
I run bt016's on mine and love em! The bt016's are the triple compound which I think is perfect for me cause I can ride the shit out of it on the street without worrying about the middle wearin out but when I go trough the canyons the medium to soft compound on the edge and inner edge get super sticky and work great!
 
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Camo

Guest
anelson24 said:
I run bt016's on mine and love em! The bt016's are the triple compound which I think is perfect for me cause I can ride the shit out of it on the street without worrying about the middle wearin out but when I go trough the canyons the medium to soft compound on the edge and inner edge get super sticky and work great!
Click to expand...
I liked em too but they've been replaced by the s20r's, they seem to be even better thus far :)
 
waypoint

waypoint

mod squad
Just put the Pilot Power 3s on but haven't ridden them yet so I can't speak to their performance. Probably not what you're looking for anyway. But a buddy of mine who rides and SV650 got the Road 3s and absolutely loves them. He's about 260lb and says the rear carcass feels solid and stable. Says he knows they will grip far beyond what he'll put them thru. He's been riding about 12 years and while he's no ricky-racer, he's a great touring rider. He came of the bt-23s and is happy with the switch. He's only had them a few months so no longevity info. :2cents:
 
ssky0078

ssky0078

New member
I loved my S20's. They were amazing. I am going to try the Pilot Power 3's and if they don't cut it, then back to the S20's.
 
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Camo

Guest
I've never been down the pirelli route. Think I may have a look at their options when I'm due.
 
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Fazed

Guest
I have the pilot road 3's and find they have more than enough grip for me, I have got them to squirm under power and they are pretty good in the wet. I'll be doing a track day on them in June. Probably the best tyre I have ever had. I've never had the privilege of having a proper sports tyre due to the amount of kms my bike puts on in a short amount of time. Maybe one day.

Pirelli have some pretty funky tread designs
 
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cpatt

New member
i put the pilot power 3's on yesterday. and just went for my first ride on them... its about 40 out right now and these tires are awesome... evin in the cold. i only did about 20 miles but holy shit the bike want to turn it self. its like floating on a cloud. i cant wait for the sand and salt to be gone so i can really feel confident to get on the gas and see what these tires have to give
 
SeñorJack

SeñorJack

El Guapo
I love my michelin Pilot Road 3s

went up to a 190/50 in the rear and i love that too.

I ride my bike 365 days a year. and right now its the fz8 and I have had them in all sorts of weather. Just recently us over here in california got hit with some crazy hale. no like the midwest, but bad for us :) anyways my tires did well in those conditions, and the gnarly rain to follow. i love to practice wheelies and I am pretty heavy handed, and still I have no flat spot. and on the front the side compounds are so grippy that they apear to be wearing out FASTER than the center.

In my book these are the best daily driver tire that money will get you.
 
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