Some of you may remember the Ian Dury album, titled as above. Well it’s time for new boots on the Monster because if I don’t get them I’ll be needing new pants. The present M7’s aren’t down to the wear bars but I’m shitting myself when I push it into a bend and where I am right now in southern Spain, there’s lots of bends. Around these parts the problem isn’t squaring off, the problem is the sides of the tyre have worn away so it’s triangular in profile as opposed to a nice constant curved profile. This results in three things. 1. The front end feels really unstable, flighty. 2. It feels like it’s going to wash out at any moment in a bend. Hence the underwear problem. 3. Lots of counter-steer. Counter-steer usually says under inflation to me but I check them rigorously. In fact there’s another thing, it flops into the bend as it drops from top dead centre suddenly onto the side of the tyre. Uncle Bazzer had the same wear problem on his Panigale when we toured last year. Although if I remember rightly they were Metzeler racetec’s. I’ll have to check if they were M7’s or M9’s but I think the racetecs did the tour and that was it. So there’s the difference between roadtecs and racetecs, mileage. I usually go through this process and Metzeler always seem to win. I had a bad experience with Michelins a few years back. They seemed slow to turn and the feeling of lack of grip didn’t give me confidence. In fact I hated them with a vengeance. That was a few iterations ago, I’m sure the newer road 6’s are a completely different tyre. So many people seem to swear by them. The other tyres I like are Conti road attacks. I rode my bro’s K1300 with them and they were planted. I also did a track day on them at Donnington and I couldn’t fault them. My question is has anyone else found the Metzeler’s flighty on the front end? The M9’s seem to have a lot more rounded profile. They’re good on a sports bike but I’m wondering about the more sat up bikes with less weight on the front. I ride this bike in a hot dry climate. I wouldn’t mind slicks but that ain’t going to happen. That’s why I like the look of the Michelins. They’re slick on the edge, come to that though I think the M9’s are too. Decisions, decisions.
Dunlop Sportsmart TTs? Though the rear won’t tolerate long straight stretches as it wears fast in the centre when not cornering. Managed about 1700miles on the TT rear of my V4 mutley here oop North in Blighty . I’ve also heard the lesser Sportsmart mk3(? Latest) is a good sporty tyre, though some think they might be a bit faster steering though ime that’s compared to staid touring oriented rubber which promotes steering stability as part of their design remit.
I understand exactly what you are saying ...... and I hope you don't mind me editing your post in this reply . I know the area you mention ( and the roads ) really well . Even though I'd always loved that part of the world , my main reason for moving there permanently was for the 300+ days a year of fantastic bike weather ! My rear tyres always wore out perfectly rounded , but the fronts usually ended up with a definite "peak" on them , even though there was still lots of meat left on the sides . For a while I ran the Ducati recommended Metzlers ( can't remember which type ) but my favourite tyre shop started advertising a "3 for the price of 2" deal on Michelin Pilot Sports so I tried them , and I stuck with them ..... ( no pun intended there ) I could always feel if they were about to let go , well before the little b*stards actually did it , so they never challenged my "intestinal fortitude" at any time ..... ..... and any "scrotum-tightening" episodes were probably my own fault entirely ...... ..... but this is just my dos pesetas worth ......
Hard to say. Metzler M7RR & M9RR have been my go-to tyres for ages. I have never had front issues with them, other than the front shoulders wearing out fast on Spanish roads. Recently I have had bikes that require a 200 x 60 rear, which Metzler don’t make so have been using Pirellis. Diablo Corsa IIs were very nice. First pair of Diablo Corsa IVs were horrible! Complete lack of confidence on the front. Just like you describe. The next two pairs have been fine. Perhaps I had a bad one. I have read elsewhere on here of people trying M9RRs on Multistradas and having stability issues. I guess some tyres just don’t suit some bike geometries.
How many miles on the tyre ? Every front tyre I’ve used on my Multistrada 1200 eventually gets a feather edge, it’s the way I ride, I put a lot of stress through the front tyre. M7RRs last me about 2500 miles, no more. Andy
The M7RR is my favourite ‘scratching’ tyre so the miles are ridden with enthusiasm Touring miles, I fit Roadtec 01SEs and can get into the 4000 + mile range. Andy
I’ve got M9RR’s on my 1200s DVT Multistrada. I wouldn’t say it had stability issues but again before I fitted the steering damper it too felt flighty. Now with the damper it’s fine.
