Description of Tyre Models
July 2001
Avon
General Comments
Avon is perhaps my favourite tyre company. Some of the very best
tyres are made by Avon. While for individual bikes there are frequently
better choices, in general the Roadrunner, Super Venom, AV27, and Azaro
lines always rank up among the shortlist.
AM22 / AM23
Excellent bias ply race tyres. They also come in sizes for massive-rear
custom cruisers, especially if they're trailered everywhere -- tread life
is minimal.
AV27
This was once the front of choice to go with an Azaro rear, for its excellent
stability and wet weather performance. Now that the Azaro II has
replaced the original Azaro, there's no longer any need to use the AV27
this way. Nevertheless, it still holds an advantage for straightline
stability, and thus is a good choice for a larger sport-touring bike.
It continues in the Avon range primarily for various modern Triumph bikes.
AV281
The closest Avon has to a radial commuter tyre, it's only intended as an
OEM tyre for the Triumph Thunderbird Sport.
Azaro II (AV35/AV36)
Replacement for the excellent Azaro, this tyre is intended for longer life
than the pure sport Azaro lines. Supposedly it gives 20% more mileage
than the original Azaro. This is perhaps one of the most resistant
tyres to squaring off, and that alone helps the useful life when compared
with other manufacturers' sport radials.
This tyre, with its longer life, has now superseded the ST23 rear in
all sizes where an Azaro is offered. It's also a better tyre.
Azaro Sport II (AV39/AV40)
Perhaps the best sport tyre on the market right now. The flexible
carcass conforms amazingly well to real-world rough pavement, and gives
superb bite off the corners under power. It works well in wet or
dry. The rear resists squaring off, so helps tread life if you actually
have to ride the highways to get to the twisty roads.
Azaro Supersport II (AV39/AV40)
The track version of the Azaro Sport II, therefore not included in my selections.
RL30
OEM rear for the Triumph Adventurer and Thunderbird.
Roadrunner (AM20/AM21)
Avon's bias-ply general purpose tyre. It's an excellent cruiser or
touring tyre. Dry and wet traction are very good, and the progressive
profile of the front gives excellent straight-line stability with a linear
profile once leaned over.
The only weak point of this tyre is that the front won't stand up to
high lean angles when sport-riding a heavy motorcycle. Under those
conditions, the outer tread blocks tend to overheat and squirm, leading
to quite odd handling. Most bikes for which the Roadrunner is intended
can't lean far enough to get into that situation, though, so in general
it's not much of a concern.
One of the strongest points of the Roadrunner is that the AM20 front
is intended to work well with other manufacturers' rears as well as Avon's.
When combined in this way, it adds the benefits of the superb profile to
the traction and/or longevity of another rear.
ST23
Sport-touring rear now apparently being phased out in favour of the AV281
and Azaro AV36. This is an excellent, good wearing rear (only) to
match the AV27 front. While not really having a traction level for
a modern sportbike, it's very good for sport-touring.
Super Venom (AM20/AM18)
Without doubt, this is the finest bias-ply sport tyre available.
The straightline stability combined with linear profile once the bike leans
(also shared with the Roadrunner) makes it an excellent choice to combine
with a harder-wearing rear. Like the Roadrunner, it also works very
well indeed with tyres from other manufacturers.
The downside of the Super Venom is that the AM18 rear wears quickly,
and squares off easily. While unquestionably superb for sport riding,
this has drawbacks for bikes that are used for other purposes. In
those cases, I suggest combining the Super Venom AM20 front with a harder-wearing
rear, such as the dual-compound Bridgestone BT45 rear.
Some narrow sizes of the Super Venom rear can also be fitted on the
front. I would personally choose an AM20 front over an AM18 every
time, because of the former's profile, but there are some sizes the AM20
does not cover. In that case, an AM18 front is a good sport choice.
One of the best combinations, however, is to combine an Avon Super Venom
AM20 front with a Bridgestone BT45 rear. I address that application
under my comments on the BT45.
Venom
This seems to be the one weak spot in Avon's line-up. While all their
other tyres excel in wet or dry, the Venom X seems to have a distinct preference
for dry pavement. Supposedly a replacement for the Super Venom or,
more likely, Roadrunner, from what I've gathered it's inferior to both.
Venom R
Massive rear radial intended mainly for custom bikes.
Bridgestone
Bridgestone have recently introduced new tyre lines. While these
are now fully available, the older tyres are still being sold -- and appear
on Bridgestone's website. The new ones are so much better than the
old -- in fact, where other manufacturers were frequently better than Bridgestone's
older lines, the new tyres are very good indeed. I am not including
the old lines in my selections. The BT010 replaces the BT56 and BT57;
the BT020 replaces the BT54.
Battlax BT010
The BT010 is rapidly getting a reputation as a very good sport tyre.
While the BT56SS still dominates Bridgestone's line in terms of pure traction,
the new BT010 is well capable of holding its own even on the track.
Battlax BT020
In replacing Bridgestone's range of sport-touring tyres, they've come up
with a much better product in the BT020. It's more oriented towards
tread life and sport-touring applications than the BT010, but still is
quite capable of being pushed hard. It's a good tyre.
Battlax BT45
This tyre us available in both H- and V-rated versions; aside from the
speed rating and range of sizes, there's no perceivable difference between
the BT45H and BT45V. The rear has a dual tread compound construction
that combines a harder central band, to resist squaring off and for longer
life, with a softer, stickier compound on the edges.
This is a superb tyre. This is the model with which Bridgestone
introduced their new silica-rich compound, and thus took an enormous leap
in wet traction. Also, the dual tread compound works exactly as described
-- it wears well in normal riding, while the outer edges stick very well.
It's even capable of hard track use -- I've used it that way on both ends
of the weight range, a track-prepped Yamaha RD400 and a Moto Guzzi California
1100i.
There is no question that a pair of BT45's is one of the best bias-ply
sets you can buy.
If your bike is easy on front tyre wear, though, and the sizes work
out, using a BT45 rear with an Avon Super Venom front is an unbeatable
combination. The Avon adds excellent highway stablity, confidence-inspiring
profile,
and ultra-sticky traction, while the BT45 wears well and sticks very well
in the corners. The Avon, designed to work well with a wide range
of rears (note that Avon themselves say you can combine it with other manufacturers'
products), lives up to its promise; while Bridgestone has finally perfected
the dual-compound rear.
Battlax BT56SS
Due to be replaced by a new BT010SS early next year, nevertheless the BT56SS
remains a very good and relatively inexpensive sport tyre. Its main
drawbacks on the street are the stiff carcass and tendency to follow pavement
irregularities. While it's an excellent for track events, particularly
given the price, for real-world twisties it therefore may not be the best
choice.
Firestone VT01
More an exercise in marketing than any particular tyre technology, the
Firestones are intended to sell a classic American name to image-conscious
Harley-Davidson owners. Now that Dunlop actually has tyres with "Harley-Davidson"
on the side, it remains to be seen whether the Firestone will draw many
from even that market. It has no place in my selections.
Spitfire S11
If the price is right, this is a good choice. It's a dual-compound
tyre, with harder rubber in the centre of the tread for longer life droning
down the highway, and a relatively softer compound on the edges of the
tyre. Unlike the BT45, however, the "softer" does not mean it's up
to sport riding, just that it gives better traction than one would expect
for a tyre that lasts reasonably long. It's a decent general-purpose
tyre, a good choice for commuters or those with a tight budget.
OEM
Tyres from the Excedra and Mag Mopus series are standard equipment on many
motorcycles, mostly where the cost is an issue. Most of them are
pretty much useless except for keeping the metal rims off the showroom
floor. Other OEM tyres in the Battlax series, and the Honda Valkyrie
and Goldwing Excedras, are not bad -- but generally better tyres are available,
even from Bridgestone themselves.
Cheng Shin
General Comments
Awful "tyres", both in design and in quality. These are the worst
you could possibly buy -- don't do it under any circumstances. Kenda
and IRC are vastly superior at a similar cost.
Continental
General Comments
I really don't know what to make of Continental's product line. They're
for the most part adequate tyres, basically on a par with IRC; the exception
are the sport tyre lines, which are actually pretty decent. The big
problem is that they are often all so much more expensive than other comparable
brands. At a lower price, they'd be a good buy.
Avenue
This has been expanded in range from what used to be a single size front
into a full range of general purpose tyres. I've really heard very
little about these.
ContiCity
This is a new general purpose tyre, for front or rear fitment. I've
heard nothing about it at all, so I don't know whether it's an improvement
(like the ContiForce) or merely adequate (like the ContiTour); I suspect
the latter.
ContiForce
This is the new sport and sport-touring tyre. By all accounts it's
really pretty good -- not on a par with the best sport tyres, but definitely
good sport-touring rubber. If the price is right, it could be a good
choice.
Milestone (CM1/CM2)
This is another of the new generation of Continentals, designed for cruisers
and tourers. Supposedly it has very long tread life, and promises
improved wet-weather traction over their previous generation tyres.
I really don't know if they live up to their promises or not.
TK 16 / 17 (formerly known as ContiTour)
TK 22 RC/ 44 RC
TKH 23 / 24 (formerly known as ContiBlitz)
These are budget tyres in terms of quality and performance, and should
not be considered as anything else. If the price is cheap enough,
then they're a decent budget tyre, but they offer nothing over IRC or Kenda.
TKV 11/ 12
One of Continental's classic all-purpose tyres. I wouldn't bother
considering them.
Dunlop
The main issue I have with Dunlop is concern over their sport-radials.
The profile is such that you should never mix a Dunlop sport-radial with
a tyre from another manufacturer. While there is no question that
the tyres stick well, I feel that the profile leaves a lot to be desired.
There is a tendency for the profile to be non-linear, and the more the
bike leans the more it tends to drop inwards. This can lead to quite
unfriendly behaviour at certain lean angles and pavement conditions, and
is far from confidence-inspiring.
I recognize that there are many riders who love Dunlops. While
I joke that "Dunlop radials are the favourite tyre of riders who've never
tried anything else," I also realise that some riders just like the Dunlop
profile. If you do, that's fine. I don't, and so will almost
always recommend some other sport tyre over the Dunlops.
I have no such concern over their bias ply tyres. The 491 is probably
the best long-distance cruiser/tourer tyre ever made, and there is no doubt
that the GT501 will continue to be respected as has the K591 it replaces.
On the other hand, Dunlop has perhaps the best website of all the tyre
manufacturers. I wish everyone else would include applicable rim
size, diameter, width, and so on.
491 Elite II
The 491 sets the standard for bias-ply touring tyres. It is an excellent
choice for touring and cruising bikes alike. With the demise of the
Avon Elan series, it becomes the undisputed leader for tread life under
load. For a touring tyre, it performs very well in wet and dry.
The profile is particularly well suited to cruisers -- the less rounded
profile of the rear when compared to other brands can give the effect of
extra ground clearance. Harley-Davidson riders swear by these much
like BMW riders swear by Metzelers, and for good reason. They're
excellent tyres.
Cruisemax
This is Dunlop's primary cruiser tyre. I know no reports of anyone
being dissatisfied with these on a cruiser, but then that's also true of
most other cruiser tyres too. Personally I feel that there are often
better choices -- including Dunlop's own 491 Elite II -- but I would not
hesitate to ride on these.
D205
In my opinion, an unfortunate mistake on Dunlop's part. This sport-touring
tyre is surprisingly inferior to those of quite a few other manufacturers.
While I suppose if you like the Dunlop sport-radial profile this might
be a reasonable choice for a more hard-wearing tyre, I cannot really recommend
it. The main problem is that although it starts out OK -- not great,
but OK -- as the tyre wears and ages the traction (particularly wet traction)
falls off well before the tread is worn. Since most riders judge
when to replace a tyre based on the tread wear, this can cause unpleasant
surprises when the traction goes away before the tread. I hesitate
to use the word "dangerous," because when new the tyre is not too bad at
all, but it is the word that comes to mind if you are accustomed to wearing
tyres out before replacing them.
D207 ZR
Dunlop's ubiquitous sport tyre. See my comments above on Dunlop's
sport-radial profile, and why I don't like them. If you can live
with the profile, there is no question that they stick very well indeed.
D208 GP
Dunlop's latest race tyre, and therefore not included in my selections.
D401
Intended as an OEM tyre for Harley-Davidson motorcycles, it's available
only in limited sizes. It's very similar to the 491 in performance
characteristics, but with less tread life. Nonetheless, it's undoubtedly
a good tyre.
D402
Intended as an OEM tyre for Harley-Davidson touring motorcycles, it's available
only in limited sizes. It's very similar to the 491 in performance
characteristics. Nonetheless, it's undoubtedly a good tyre.
GT501
This is a replacement for the well-respected K591. It fills the same
niche, that of a bias-ply performance tyre, but with an updated compound
and tread pattern. I have not had much experience of these tyres
-- first- or second-hand -- and so I'm not sure how they perform.
I see no reason, however, to doubt that they're a good tyre.
K591
While it's been replaced in the general market by the GT501, the K591 name
lives on in a line intended for Harley-Davidson's "sport" models.
I see no reason not to use the GT501, if available in the correct size,
unless you have to have "the look" (and if you are buying tyres by
look, you don't need to be reading these pages!).
OEM Tyres
Dunlop offers a wide variety of OEM radials and bias-ply tyres for many
bikes. I don't include them in my selections unless recommended in
the fitment chart.
Firestone
General Comments
Bridgestone uses the Firestone name to add an air of American credibility
to these cruiser tyres designed primarily for Harleys.
VT-01F / VT-01R
I know very little about these tyres in terms of their performance.
They're intended for Harley-Davidsons, and the size selection reflects
that. While I have no reason to believe that they're anything other
than good tyres, I personally would choose Dunlop's well-proven product
lines over this unknown quantity.
IRC
General Comments
IRC produces some tyres that are good value for money. They are surprisingly
good, in fact, considering the price. While usually not as good as
the "premium" tyre brands, products from this manufacturer can generally
be relied on for adequate performance. The tyres themselves aren't
exactly stellar in design, but the quality of manufacture seems to be good,
and they are reliable products. While rarely my first choice, I certainly
have nothing against them.
GS-11
These are general purpose cheap tyres. They're not really worth considering.
GS-18
These are OEM tyres for the Suzuki Savage LS650. They're actually
pretty decent as OEM tyres go.
RS-310 Durotour
While IRC calls this a "Sport Touring" tyre, don't let that fool you.
It's a low price touring or commuting tyre, not up to any of the premium
brands in performance. Still, it's a good choice at the right price.
RS-320 Carapace
Described as an "Extra Sport Touring" tyre, this is the closest IRC gets
to a sporting tyre.
RS-410 Durotour
Billed as for "High Speed Touring", it's basically just a cheap touring/commuting
tyre.
RW-010 Road Winner
This is a general-purpose cheap tyre.
RX-01 Road Winner
This is the newest addition to the IRC range. Supposedly intended
for "Naked Sports Bikes", I know very little about it. I would expect
it to be a decent budget tyre, but I wouldn't dream of trying any sort
of sport riding with it.
WF-920 Wild Flare
Originally developed for the Suzuki Marauder, the range has been expanded
to cover a lot more sizes for touring bikes and cruisers. They should
be pretty decent if the price is right. The Wild Flare WF910 is a
tube-only version with a questionable rear tread pattern, and doesn't seem
to be available in the U.S.A..
Kenda
General Comments
Kenda makes cheap tyres. They're very inexpensive, and are really
not bad. There seem to be two products, only one of which -- the
K657 Sport Challenger -- is readily available mail-order. I have
no information on their other product, a cruiser tyre.
K657 Sport Challenger
How can you beat this in value for money? The rear is an excellent
choice for the cost-conscious. It lasts fairly well at a fraction
of the cost of the premium tyres. Traction is decent -- not good,
but decent -- and while they can be made to slide under sport-riding conditions,
they handle the heat build-up well. When they do slide, it's predictable
and they can be brought back into line easily. Wet traction is adequate
too. All in all, it's a good low-cost option for an all-around rear.
The front is another matter. The lower traction, and a tendency
to accentuate weave on the highway, makes it a poor choice. Other
inexpensive tyres, like the Bridgestone SE11, are a much more reliable
choice. Generally you can save so much by fitting a Kenda rear that
it makes sense to spend a few more dollars for a better front.
Metzeler
General Comments
It's a generally true statement that you can never go wrong fitting Metzeler
tyres. They haven't made a bad tyre yet, and in particular their
new products are very good indeed. This is the same company that
makes Pirelli tyres, and in general there's a fairly direct product comparison
between the product lines; one big difference is that the comparable Metzeler
is usually the cheaper of the two -- which is why I rarely select Pirelli
over Metzeler in my choices.
| Model |
Type |
Notes |
| ME-1 |
Sporttouring / Allround |
Sports H-rated for light and middleweight bikes. |
| ME-1 CompK |
Supersport |
|
| ME-1 Racing |
Supersport |
|
| ME-11 Perfect |
Sporttouring / Allround |
Generic style, front only |
| ME-22 |
Sporttouring / Allround |
For small and medium bikes. |
| ME-33 Laser |
Sporttouring / Allround |
Front only, can be used with any other Metzeler bias rear. In
fact, it's designed to work well with any other rear -- Metzeler claims
it damps out any oscillations that could be caused by otherwise incompatible
tyres. |
| ME-33 Laser V Racing |
Supersport |
Front only. Intended for Harley 883-Cup racing |
| ME-55A Metronic |
Sporttouring / Allround |
Rear only, intended to be used with ME-33. |
| ME-55A Racing |
Supersport |
Rear only. Intended for Harley 883-Cup racing |
| ME-77 Perfect |
Sporttouring / Allround |
Generic standard tyres. |
| ME-88 Marathon |
Chopper / Cruiser - Touring |
The ME-88 rear can also be used with the ME-33 front, a classic combination.
Slowly being replaced by the ME-880 |
| ME-880 Marathon |
Chopper / Cruiser - Touring |
Replacement for the ME-88. |
| ME-99A Perfect |
Sporttouring / Allround |
Rear only, intended to be used with ME-11 or ME-33 |
| ME-Z1 |
Supersport |
Can also be used with ME-Z2 rear. Slowly being replaced by the
ME-Z3. |
| ME-Z1 HR |
Supersport |
H-rated racing tyre |
| ME-Z1 Racing |
Supersport |
|
| ME-Z2 |
Sport & Mileage |
Can also be used with ME-Z1 front. Slowly being replaced by the
ME-Z4. |
| ME-Z3 |
Supersport |
Intended for ultra-fast sport- and sport-touring bikes, like the CBR1100XX
and ZX-11. Slowly replacing the ME-Z1. |
| ME-Z3 Racing |
Supersport |
|
| ME-Z4 |
Sport & Mileage |
Slowly replacing the ME-Z2 |
| ML2/ML2 Plus |
Chopper / Cruiser - Touring |
|
Michelin
Commander
Hi-Tour 79
Macadam 50
Macadam 50E
Macadam 90X
Macadam 100X
Pilot Race
Pilot Sport
Pilot Sport HPX
Tarmac
Pirelli
General Comments
Pirellis are made by the same company that makes Metzelers, and in general
there's a fairly direct product comparison between the product lines; one
big difference is that the comparable Metzeler is usually the cheaper of
the two.
Nevertheless, Pirelli sport radials seem superior to the Metzelers,
enough to justify the difference in price. The Corsa range in particular
are excellent.
Several Pirellis don't seem to be available in the U.S.A. -- in particular
the MT65 and MT15 Mandrake, both intended for motorcycles under 350cc,
and which I have not included in the data on these pages. Likewise,
the MT75, which should be a good choice for several bikes, is only available
in a very limited size range.