| Author | Message | ||
     Hughlysses |
After some discussions at Buelltoberfest last year, I was all ready to abandon Pirelli Scorpion Syncs (which I love) and try a set of Michelin Pilot Road 2's. Of course, Michelin has just announced the Pilot Road 3's and Pirelli's got the Scorpion Trails, which seem to fix the few complaints there were about the Syncs, so now I'm up in the air about what my next tires should be. Anyone got opinions on these tires, or is there something else out there I should be checking out? I probably ride 95% pavement, 5% dirt/gravel. I have to ride a minimum of 250 miles of slab to get to any decent twisties, so a dual-compound tire that doesn't wear flat in the center too fast is highly desirable. | ||
| Desert_bird |
Hughlysses, why abandon a tire you already love? I moved over to Pirelli Trails and am pleased so far. Rear available only in a 190, but fits up quite well. I wanted a heavier weight tire with thicker sidewalls, meatier tread and longer life. I get just over 10.000 miles from the rear Syncs so anticipate more from the Trails. They handle great on the road and shed water better than Dunlops. Not sure there is much more out there if you want anything that can handle a dirt road or two. If you're looking at Pilots you may not really want dirt capability. There are the Dunlops, and Shinkos (have been used by fellow Buellers but with a thin rear). DB | ||
| Hughlysses |
DB- I'm reluctant to do so, but I'm only getting about 8,000 miles out of the rear Syncs and people are claiming far higher mileage for the Pilot Road 2's. Several Uly riders also told me they prefer the way the PR2's handle compared to the Syncs. I would hate to get stuck with a tire I don't like for ~12,000 miles though! BTW- it looks like they'll have a 180 available in the Scorpion Trail any day now. | ||
| Desert_bird |
8K aint that bad. I get 10K by running 40 in the rear and being generally moderate on the throttle. I think Froggy also runs high psi. Like comparing apples and oranges. PR2's are designed as a 100% on-road tire. There is going to be a (minor in my opinion) trade off in tarmac performance for the over-all versatility of the Pirelli's. 180 Trails any day? Pirelli told me no sooner than the second quarter of '011. Go figure. | ||
| Mikef5000 |
Hughlysses, why abandon a tire you already love? Because it just got better! Everyone loved VHS's back in the day, they were abandoned too! Scorpion Trails! (190's work 100% perfectly fine on the Uly.) | ||
| Argentcorvid |
They're visible on the Pirelli website, so you should be able to order them... | ||
| Etennuly |
Hugh, I believe you will really love the PR2. I also was all about the Syncs until I switched. I did 6000 miles on a rear Sync and get over 11000 on the PR2 and I truly am impressed with the ease of cornering compared to the Sync. They do trails and dirt roads just fine if it is dry. Wet pavement is great with them. If I can get back into putting some miles on the Uly again I will look into the PR3 for what it is worth. Of course if you buy the PR2s and really don't get into them, I would consider taking them off your hands.....for a fair discount of course!  | ||
| Hughlysses |
Vern- I'm definitely gonna try them. Looks like my tire replacement timetable has been pushed forward. My rear tire was down to the wear bars in a couple of places after Sunday's ride; I figured I could get another ~200 miles out of it. I went out to go for a short ride this afternoon after work; back tire is flat as a pancake. All I could find was what looked like the remnants of a staple- I mean like a desktop stapler staple. Those Syncs aren't exactly the heaviest-duty motorcycle tires ever made. Not much use in plugging a tire that far worn. Guess I'll be shopping for PR2's online tonight. | ||
| Tootal |
Hugh, you are so right. I plugged a sync and rode at interstate speeds towards the nearest dealer. I was on my way to Sturgis and the dealer was on the other side of Iowa! At 75 mph the rear end started that sinking feeling and I headed for the shoulder and then the ditch. I didn't want to hit my brakes but I did almost hit the mileage marker!! That would have left a mark! I found some 5 foot tall weeds at the bottom of the ditch and they slowed me right down. I rode back up to the highway and double plugged it. We took the next exit and rode back roads all the way across at 60 mph! When I plugged it I could tell the thickness was only about 3/16". I put another one on since I used a dealer but that was my last. I tried the Metzeler R6 Interacts and they handled the best of any tire so far. They turned in quick! I got 6000 out of them and switched to the PR2's. They really slow your turn in down but are easy to compensate for. It just takes a little more counter steering. Once I got use to them they did great. I'm still going on the mileage. They got me to Buelltoberfest and back and still look great! I think you'll like them. I will try the new Pirelli's next since I do like to hit the trail occasionally! | ||
| Yjsrule |
If you haven't tried anything else go for it. I've had syncs on two bikes when I bought them. My STT came with them, they were done at 4500 miles. Tried a different tire, conti road attack, and couldn't believe how much better they felt on road. When i bought my used uly it had a set of syncs on it and I couldn't wear them out fast enough to get them off there. I had forgotten how bad they felt. | ||
| Hughlysses |
Well, I one-upped myself. I found someone with the new Pilot Road 3's in stock for just a little more than a set of Pilot Road 2's (+$20 or so): http://discount-motorcycletires.com/inc/sdetail/19 18 I just ordered a set to fit the Uly for $286 shipped. It'll probably be a while before I get them mounted, but I'll try to remember to post a report afterward. | ||
| Desert_uly |
My PR2's are holding up quite well but they only have about 4000 miles currently. I also liked the Syncs but need to get more than 4000 miles from a set of tires (poor white boy). Lots of straight freeway unfortunately in my immediate area so I think the dual compound may be best for me. | ||
| Bttrthnwrk |
I'm at almost 15000 miles on my PR2s. I got them on at 22948 and I'm now at 37845. They're about done, though. PR3s, huh? I'll have to look at those, I guess... | ||
| Uly_man |
Hugh - I had Syncs and they lasted 5000 miles and worked fine on the road as well. Its a on/off road tyre. Corsa 3s - not very good on the Uly. I use PR2s now but is a pure road tyre. Rear just changed with 7k, puncture, but would have been 8k plus to the bars. It still had a perfect profile as well. Even on a brand new tyre it was still good in the wet? The PR2 is an astoundingly good tyre, suits the Uly very well for road use, and I can not, had many bikes and tyres, fault it in any way. I also ride my Uly like a sports bike. Tyre wear depends on use, all-up weight and type but I can tell you this much. I have never had a bike/tyre combination work better than what I have with my Uly. I also got my last rear to the very edge of the tyre and that was on the road as well. No drama. Warm up fast, bed in fast, even wear, stable wet or dry and very good feedback on the road. Cost a bit more though. Just remember this though. The Uly is a, low end speed, sports bike in disguise and not a off road bike even though it can do it to some extent. So pick the rubber for your main use. | ||
| Hughlysses |
Probably what got me interested in the PR2s more than anything was a fellow rider who lives in the neighborhood next to mine. He bought a BMW sport tourer a couple of years ago, installed a new set of PR2s, rode it from South Carolina to Alaska and back (including several side trips), and still had plenty of tread left upon his return. That's somewhere in the neighborhood of a 10,000 mile round trip a LOT of which had to be slab. It sounds like the PR3s incorporate several advances over the PR2, so hopefully they'll even be better. As much as I've liked the Pirelli Scorpion Syncs, I'm not convinced they are really an on/off road tire in anything other than appearance. The tread looks aggressive, but I don't see (and certainly haven't experienced) where they offer any more traction in dirt or gravel than a standard street tire. The first bike that used them was the then-new Ducati Multistrada, and I'm pretty sure I remember reading that Pirelli came up with the tread pattern because Ducati wanted an "aggressive-looking" tread as opposed to something actually functional. I'm not the only person who's noted they're relatively easy to puncture as well (at least the back tire). I think the PRs will be fine for the limited dirt riding I do. | ||
| Uly_man |
The PRs are a road tyre - full stop. Will not be great off road. The problem is that there is no such thing as a combination on/off road tyre for bike or car. The whole thing is a compromise and that is what you will have to deal with. Pick your poison. The Uly is close to the best all round road bike ever made and it can do the green lane/gravel bit if needed. The bikes torque is great for off road but it needs the right rubber for it. I would say enjoy the bike for what it does so very well and not what Buell have tried to market it as. Its not a Dakar bike. Its to heavy, solid wheels, belt drive, blah, blah, blah. Buy a KTM because even those twats that went with the BMW GS they are the best off road bikes and made for the job. | ||
| Conchop |
I have been with pr2's from the git go. Best yet - pr3's are next. Dry dirt roads and hay fields are OK for passing through. Knbbies are the only way to handle heavy duty mud and dirt/ Compromise is everything in tire engineering - my 2 cents | ||
| Druelly |
Not really much mention of the Pirelli Scorpion Trails in this thread. Are they sort of out of the discussion now? My plan was to get a rear PST 190, or if the 180 is out then one of those. Lots of mileage left on the sync in the front however. Druelly | ||
| Whisperstealth |
Druelly, Surprised myself. After the write up mike5000 did on the scorps, thought Hugh would give them a shot. Next time I have that much scratch to spend on tires, those are the one's I plan on getting. Figure I can get 10K out of a rear, with just as much proformence as the syncs | ||
| Drunk_uncle |
Well does anyone recall if you can stretch a 150/70-17 onto the rear of the Uly. I just got some Shinko 705's, 120/90-17F and 150/70-17R. For 150 bucks front and Rear, can't go to wrong. | ||
| Hangetsu |
Wow! Tires, politics, and religion, passionate topics. Well, for my two cents - I don't know what some of ou guys are doing to get that kind of mileage out of a Sync., but I got a whopping 4,700 out of my stock rear and said, never again. From there I went to a Metzler, Roadtech Z6 Interact. I managed to get about 6K out of each of two sets of those. They cornered great though, especially when they were new. Syncs felt like truck tires by comparison. I have (as many above attest) heard many great things about the PR2 and that was going to be my next tire, until the Scorp Trails came out - and they are available now in 180 rears. I will be picking up a set soon from a vendor here in CO. What really sold me on them though, was when I saw the mileage they seem to run. There's this Italian guy (forget his name) who's riding around the world in a 1200 Multi and I met him when he visited the local Ducati shop on his way through the US. Even with the sustained mileage he's logging per day, he gets about 10K out or a rear 190. I figure the 180's still got to be food for at least 8 to 9K. And it's got that .002% off-road capability, for what it's worth. | ||
| Hughlysses |
Whisperstealth- I gave the Pirelli Scorpion Trails serious consideration, but I wanted to try something different. They'd definitely be my next choice and I may try them next go round. | ||
| Reepicheep |
I think person to person comparisons of tire life are too noisy to be that meaningful. Froggy and Mike can probably wring 10,000 miles out of a sync, but I get about 6k out of them on my 9sx (now sold), and it looks like my Uly ate them in 5k miles. I ran Dunlop D205's (yuck), Dunlop 220's (double yuck), MeZ4's (nice), and MeZ6's (nice) when I had an M2, and averaged about 5k on those as well. Haven't tried the Pilot Roads on anything, but I have a buddy with a Honda Blackbird and he likes them. I need to order new fronts and backs for the Uly now, I'm trying to stall to get the Scorpion Trails in the 180 size. I wish there was a cheap good option, but there doesn't seem to be. Seems like in this day and age somebody ought to be able to build something like a scorpion trail rear for $100, which would make it bug me a lot less to replace every 5k miles. | ||
| Dynasport |
My XT came with the Pirelli Angel STs. I got about 8,000 miles on the original set and liked them well enough that I put another set on. I will probably try the PR3s next thought, just for comparison. | ||
| Simond |
"I think person to person comparisons of tire life are too noisy to be that meaningful." I couldn't agree more. One person thinks a tyre is done, another might look at the same tyre and say there's another 2,000 miles in it. Personally I love the feel of fresh tyres and always err on the side of caution when it comes to replacement - there's not much connecting the bike to the road! I've noticed that my '09 X has a habit of dropping into slow speed turns on the oe Syncs. Upping the pressures a little has helped but I was wondering if anyone else had noticed this and whether it is a function of the bike or the tyres. | ||
| Hughlysses |
I agree that rider-to-rider comparisons on the same tire are often misleading, but if one rider says I get 4,000 miles out of a set of X's and 12,000 miles out of a set of Y's that's a much more useful comparison. | ||
| Buellhusker |
So how many of you mounted up a set of the Shinko Ravens when they were on sale last year? I mounted a 190-50/17 rear and a 120-70/17 front and was not real happy with the mileage I got from that rear, less than 5,000 miles and down through the wear bars on one side of the tire, but the front is still good. So this time I am mounting up another Raven for the rear (on sale again) but this time it is a 180-55/17. The first set seemed to move around a little like the bike was hunting around looking for something. | ||
| Whisperstealth |
>>>Shinko 705's, 120/90-17F and 150/70-17R. For 150 bucks front and Rear, can't go to wrong. $170 shipped for shinko 009 ravens that fit right is a better one. Check fleebay | ||
| Yjsrule |
I actually have a set of shinko 705s on mine right now. Not a bad tire, great on dirt roads, not as good on the road. I think I may get 4k out of the rear if I'm lucky. | ||
| Conchop |
Regardless of what tire I run and on what bike, I do not get near the mileage you guys talk about. The pr2's have been the best all round, but they go away fast in the Appalachians. |
