While I personally do not like the progressive falling-in non-linear profile of the Dunlop sport radials, they are undoubtedly the conservative choice.  Dunlops are almost invariably the favourite tyre of riders who've never tried anything else comparable, and as such are the popular favourite of dealerships, mailing lists, and squid hang-outs.

They are good tyres.  They'll stick well enough in the wet and dry, last reasonably well, are not too expensive, and are generally readily available.  If you rarely push the bike to extreme lean angles and cornering force, they're fine -- they don't inspire confidence in hard cornering, but they are definitely up to the job.   If you want to go with the majority, this is the safe bet.

The cheapest set of tyres available for this bike is the Michelin Macadam 90X.  It's a good all-round tyre, and while not as sporting as most of the other pairs, it will work well enough and last well enough to be a very good economical choice.

Here you want something that lasts well and handles some load.  I somehow doubt that many of the CBR900RR's on the road are being used for touring, but I certainly have done touring on a sportbike, and I'm sure there are other folks out there who do.

The basic key is to avoid the ultra-soft tyres, and pick ones that don't square off too rapidly.  Also it helps to have a set that encourages highway stability.  At the same time, it would not be safe to put on a rear that can't handle the power delivery -- that would leave out the Avon ST23 rear, and possibly the ME-Z2.

There aren't very many long-lasting tyres in the list.  I personally would probably try the Avon AV27/Azaro AV36 pair, because I really like the way they handle and the AV27 has superb highway stability.  The reason I haven't picked it here is because I'm concerned about how long the rear would last on pure highway work.

The real winner, though, is from Bridgestone.  Their BT56 and BT56SS are some of the best tyres they make -- particularly the latter -- and for such a sticky tyre last surprisingly long.  Their price is lower than the Dunlops, and combining that with the durability makes for very good value.  Here I've picked the BT56SS over the BT56, mostly because it's a significantly better tyre.

The fine AV27/Azaro AV36 combination is in my mind the best selection for sport-touring use.  The Variable Belt Density construction of the Azaro rear spreads the contact patch and resists squaring-off, while the AV27 has superb highway stability with a good rounded profile off vertical.  The AV27 has good traction, and much more even wear characteristics than the AV35 Azaro front.  The Azaro rear grabs hard under power, and gives confidence in rolling on hard out of the corners.  This is a good all-around set for a big sportbike like the CBR900RR.

This selection is wide open.  I'd choose between the Avon AV27/Azaro AV36; the Dunlop D207 Sportmax, the Metzeler ME-Z3, and the Michelin Hi-Sport TX15/25.  Which you pick is up to you -- all provide excellent traction, in wet or dry, and all are fully capable of being ridden hard on this bike.

The Dunlops I've discussed under Safe Bet; the Avons under Sport-Touring.  The Metzeler ME-Z3 is their replacement for the excellent ME-Z1 -- better traction in wet and dry, better treadwear, and an absolutely neutral profile make it a superb tyre;  many riders love a perfectly neutral profile, but I prefer a rear that takes more of a "set" in the corner.  The Michelin Hi-Sport TX15/25 are another good sporting tyre, but in my book the price -- more expensive even than the Metzelers -- outweighs any advantages on the street; also they are one of the sets that can exacerbate front-end instability.

So this one's up to you to decide what you want from your tyres.  Better still, since you'll be replacing them fairly frequently, try a set of each in turn and find out what suits your riding style best.

This is a really hard choice.  It's actually hard to go wrong with most of the matched pairs: the exceptions would be an Avon ST23 or Metzeler ME-Z2 rear, as I don't think they would cope as well with the power delivery of this bike; and the D204 Sportmax II, which bring out the tendency to front end wiggle, and get greasy with heat.

What it really comes down to is a personal preference in terms of feel, profile, construction, and so on.  None of the good choices lack grip, and with the exception of the outrageously expensive Michelin Hi-Sports they are all around the same price.

My personal choice would be the Avons.  I'm not fond of the Dunlops, the Metzelers are too neutral for my tastes, and the Michelin Hi-Sport is just way too expensive.

Avon

Bridgestone

Continental

Dunlop

Metzeler

Michelin

Pirelli

Key: