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Kaudette
Posted on Sunday, June 06, 2004 - 04:31 pm:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Custodian/Admin Only)

After months on the 9R and 12S and never having been able to find the "sweet" spot in terms of handling I've had a revelation this past weekend. It all started out with a hellish evening friday, finding myself stranded 60 miles from the nearest garage with a flat rear. Luckily I was able to limp the 12S back "home" with a bottle of fix a flat and got to a good, independent, shop the next morning.

The shop only had Pirelli and some mid range Bridgestones so I had the guy swap out the Dunlops for a pair of Pirelli Diablos. It was when he pulled the rear that we noticed the Buell Fashion victim. The Dunlop 207 rear is a true 190, not a 180.! When you measure the width you really have a 190 profile... I could never figure out that with all the susp changes and adjustments I always had the front end pushing with a quick steer in, among other hanlding quirks.

Well, after putting on the Diablos, for a very good price btw - 330 euros vs. 400+ from the HD dealer... I headed out with a buddy on a 90 mile ride in the Alps to scrub them in. We took it easy for the entire ride (we had 200 miles of twisties today.) but I was SHOCKED by the immediate improvement in Handling, Turn in, responsiveness, and feel from these tires. The 12S no longer stands up while late braking into the corners, I now know exactly what the front end is doing at all times with no more front end push (did not change the susp settings). And the traction in the wet (had some wet roads due to snow melt) is 100 times better than the Dunlops. After 250 miles of corners today this bike is finally what it was billed to be - I can hold massive speed in the corners, it turns on a dime, and it as stable as a supertanker in a bathtub!

Sure the Dunlops look "bigger" but they don't hold a match to the Diablo's. I would strongly - understatement of the day - urge any Buell Xb rides to swap out the rubber for a good set of 120's, 180's. I've spend over $1500 on perf goodies for the 12S and if I had to do it over again the Diablos would have been the first investment. These things make the 12S symbiotic - truly amazing...
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Charlieboy6649
Posted on Sunday, June 06, 2004 - 04:50 pm:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Custodian/Admin Only)

Thanks for the tip... I've heard the same from locals here. I must look into them on my next swap.

Wycked,

Why didn't you stick with them by the way??? Any reason specific, or did you just want to try them all?

If it's upside down and on fire, you've gone too fast!
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M1combat
Posted on Sunday, June 06, 2004 - 04:54 pm:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Custodian/Admin Only)

AMEN!!!

Just FYI the Metzeler Sportec M1's are the same tire with a different tread pattern. Same company, same tire.

You are correct... If I had known what a difference they made I would have swapped them out long before I even wore the dunlops out. Amazing difference.
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420at145mph
Posted on Sunday, June 06, 2004 - 05:00 pm:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Custodian/Admin Only)

u can see LESS than 1/4 of an inch of unscuffed tread on the sides of my metzelers
THEY STICK LIKE GLUE no matter how low u go
AMAZING tire period
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Barkandbite
Posted on Sunday, June 06, 2004 - 05:42 pm:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Custodian/Admin Only)

So if one were going to replace the Dunlops with Metzler's, what size would one order given the postings above?

Thanks,

Chris
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M1combat
Posted on Sunday, June 06, 2004 - 05:46 pm:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Custodian/Admin Only)

120/70-17
180/55-17

The stock sizes.
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Barkandbite
Posted on Sunday, June 06, 2004 - 06:29 pm:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Custodian/Admin Only)

Thanks M1 -- just had me confused given his reference to a 190 "true" size.

BTW, while the M1 is certainly a nice piece of iron, I myself enjoy my Benelli M3 Super 90...stagger load with the choice of semi-auto or pump.

BTW, you may have missed it in a prior post, but I was laughing my off when I read the responses (esp. from Sal) on the corner-carvers.com forum a couple of months ago.

Some of the "tech" there borders on hysterics and a fear of anything not mainstream...

Glad you escpaed unscathed.

Chris
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Jasonxb12s
Posted on Monday, June 07, 2004 - 12:39 am:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Custodian/Admin Only)

Damn dude...you sold me..Wanna open up a tire dealership selling Pirelli's ?


edited by jasonxb12s on June 07, 2004

edited by jasonxb12s on June 07, 2004
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Wyckedflesh
Posted on Monday, June 07, 2004 - 02:20 am:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Custodian/Admin Only)

I switched to try a sport touring tire for the longer tire life. The pirelli's just couldn't deal with all the freeway mileage. The Pirelli front is taller in diameter and more rounded then the Dunlops.
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Kaudette
Posted on Monday, June 07, 2004 - 03:11 am:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Custodian/Admin Only)

The D207's are "supposed" to be 180's as well (rear) however the reality of the tape measure is that they are 190's - therefore the slower turn in and off-balace front/rear.

I put 300 miles of turns on the Pirelli's and 0 trace of wear for the moment - I was only getting 2000 miles from the 207's so these should be at least as good if not better.

Stay with the stock dimensions but get new rubber.

It's a revelation!
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Charlieboy6649
Posted on Monday, June 07, 2004 - 03:38 am:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Custodian/Admin Only)

Yea Wycked. I'm tired of only getting about 3000 out of mine as well. I've heard of a new tire that's hard compound in the middle and soft compound on the sides. Anyone know who makes them??? I'm interested...
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Stoobr2
Posted on Monday, June 07, 2004 - 04:16 am:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Custodian/Admin Only)

Bridgstone 010 have a slightly harder compound in the center section of the tyre,and soft edges,and they work well offer good grip/feel/feedback & last quite well on XB's I managed about 4 - 4.5k before I had to change mine (because they had squared off during winter riding) *The 010 is now replaced with the 014.

I've just fitted (1000miles ago) Pirelli diablos to my 9s,and they are a revalation!!!! they offer excellent grip/feel/feedback and warm up very quickly, I use the stock tyre pressure and I can safely say,the Pirelli's are the best tyre I have on the XB in 10,000mls & 3tyre changes,they were also very cheap aswell £165GBP *this included wheel removal,tyre fitting,balancing & re-fitting.
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Ingemar
Posted on Monday, June 07, 2004 - 05:09 am:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Custodian/Admin Only)

Stoobr2,

Was this some kind of sell out for the diablo's? That's very cheap for a set of tires including all the work etc. Where was that?

My bro lives in england (near cambridge). I might plan a tire change next time I visit him.
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Flick
Posted on Monday, June 07, 2004 - 06:44 pm:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Custodian/Admin Only)

Noticed the difference in width this past week when I changed from the rear stocker Dunlop to Dunlop 208's. At first I thought I was seeing things...from the rear the new 208 didn't look nearly as wide as the stock 207...now I know why!
Got around 10,000 miles out of the stock front, only 5,000 out of the stock rear.
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Bigj
Posted on Monday, June 07, 2004 - 07:21 pm:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Custodian/Admin Only)

Actual tire sizes differ much from the listed size. Even the same sizes in the same model. Don't believe me? Check Bridgestone's site. When changing tires, don't ever take that for granted
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M1combat
Posted on Monday, June 07, 2004 - 07:43 pm:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Custodian/Admin Only)

"BTW, you may have missed it in a prior post, but I was laughing my ••• off when I read the responses (esp. from Sal) on the corner-carvers.com forum a couple of months ago."

I missed it : ). Do you mean a discussion of shot guns? You are right about their rejection of anything not main stream... I've found that to be the case w/ both my Benelli and USP. For the most part I've found that people who don't like them may or may not have fired them, but almost all that don't like them can't/won't afford one.

I looked at an M3 the last time I bought an M1 and considered it, but I wasn't certain it would be as accurate (yeah, accurate and 12 gage... There's an oxymoron eh? Benelli certainly pulled it off though). I'm sure it is, but I had already owned one M1 and missed it VERY much. I'll be replacing it AGAIN pretty soon.

By stagger load do you mean 00 then slug or do you mean hot loading? You can do both with the M1. What really impressed me was the double tap potential... Two rounds within about three inches at 50' w/ slugs. I loved that gun. Maybe I'll look closer at the M3 when I buy a new one. As I recall they are $300-400 more??? I would imagine the only reason I would want the pump would be for the sound and LR-LEO rounds. I never got the low recoil stuff to work well in my M1.

The other thing I like about it was loading 2-3/4" slugs until the last one and then load a 3" Magnum and hand it to a friend : ). I love that gun : ).
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Wyckedflesh
Posted on Monday, June 07, 2004 - 07:56 pm:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Custodian/Admin Only)

"...then hand it to a friend."

Personally I didn't like firing the USP, just a bit squirmy in my hand. I just couldn't get a solid enough grip on it. I miss my Glock 20. I used to use hotloads in it for Silohuette shooting. As to shotguns, well I miss my grandfathers. Not even sure who made it, it was that old, but it made a great slug gun for deer hunting, over under double barrel. I know he had the barrels replaced before I came around but he suppossedly bought it when he was a teenager before heading off to serve in WWII. Oh and he handloaded his own shotgun slugs with brass casings.


Back on the listed topic. I am liking the Conti's more each day. They feel alot better then the Dunlops and barely even look scuffed at all after 300 miles.
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Barkandbite
Posted on Monday, June 07, 2004 - 10:36 pm:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Custodian/Admin Only)

M1 -- sorry, it appears I win the prize for the most non-sequitirs in one posting. Here goes:

1) Corner-Carvers -- this was the thread when you announced (came out of the closet) that you loved your Buell... the hordes descendeth.

See here if you want to re-live the horror:

http://corner-carvers.com/forums/showthread.php?s=31eb4525ec63c0a563e5cc4d84fb47 ac&threadid=14899&highlight=buell

2) M1/M3 discussion -- here's where I bounced to topic #2. I love my M3. By stagger I did, indeed, mean 00 and then slug. If the spray doesn't stop you, the slug sure as hell will.

I like the pump for the sound. Worked once already...judging by the puddle of the guy left on my floor ; )

The M3 costs more, definitely. I like the ergos of it more than the M1 and it suits me better at "long" range...that's about as stupid a sentence as I could ever hope to deliver, but you get the picture.

I have to admit, I'm still a 9mm . At one time I had over 20 9mm's -- everything from original Belgian Browning Hi-Power's to HK PK9S, Sig's, HK SP89 (my favorite.)

Your last sentence just brought a huge smile to my face -- I did the same thing to a friend of mine. He still has the bruise after a year and a half! ; )

CHris
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Skunk160
Posted on Tuesday, June 08, 2004 - 10:50 am:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Custodian/Admin Only)

M1-Combat - no wanting to hi-jak this thread...but reading thru the corner carvers thread you mention you'er a Mustang owner...same here

What have you got?

Me? thanks for asking I got a 96 Saleen S281 Coup

edited by skunk160 on June 08, 2004
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M1combat
Posted on Tuesday, June 08, 2004 - 11:57 am:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Custodian/Admin Only)

Wycked - I had a Hogue "hand all" on my USP. I never fired it w/o that installed so I have no idea what it feels like w/o it. I assure you though, w/ the hogue there was virtually no muzzle flip (thanks to the secondary spring as well) and just felt "right". Some people who fired it complained of the grip being a tad too big but all liked the feel. It was VERY accurate and controllable.

BarkandBite - Yeah, I remember that thread now... I just wish I hadn't left off when I did. I should have pointed out that maybe we have 2X the displacement, but they have 2x the number of pistons and four times the number of valves...

At one point I had an old Belgian Browning HP that had the German bird stamped into all of it's pieces. It was a bit rusty when I got it but I polished it up real good and took it to Bill's gun shop in MN. That was one of the best guns I've fired. I had a Mk 23 and my USP there at the time and I think it was a toss up between that and my USP. I never liked the Mk. 23 much. It was cool with the threaded barrel and size but I just didn't like it that much.

Skunk - I've got an old '72 Mach-1 in it's original white and black paint. Except for a bit of damage to the left fender and a spot of rust about the size of a dime (or smaller) it's in VERY nice shape. The interior is very well preserved and I have the original 351C that's slated for a rebuild sometime late this year or early next...

Saleen's ROCK. I like those "S" cars. Have you seen the new orange and black Saleen?
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Skunk160
Posted on Tuesday, June 08, 2004 - 12:14 pm:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Custodian/Admin Only)

Nice, love the Mach's, would love to build a Pro-tourer MACH look alike....just add that to my to do list....

to do
get money...lots
get garage space...lots
get machanical skils...lots

I DO like that new Orange GTR...but then Im biased

http://www.fotango.com/p/eba00397198f00000002.jpg
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M1combat
Posted on Tuesday, June 08, 2004 - 01:16 pm:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Custodian/Admin Only)

Damnit... I was going to upload the pic of the new one but it's too big and I don't have the time to XAT it...
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Smadd
Posted on Tuesday, June 08, 2004 - 02:08 pm:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Custodian/Admin Only)

Regarding getting new tires...

You said that you had "months" of riding on the Dunlops. New tires.... same model... will handle differently than the worn ones. The shape has changed. When I've gotten new tires (same brand/model/size), I've always noticed a marked improvement in handling... they're doing what they're designed to do, better.

I'm not saying that you're wrong regarding your findings... might very well be right! I just wanted to throw that in as food for thought. (And I like seeing my name in print. ; ) ) BTW... I feel the best handling tires my S3 has owned for the street were Pirelli Dragon GTs (Now I'm trying Michelin Pilot Roads as no Pirellis were immediately available.).

Steve
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Kaudette
Posted on Tuesday, June 08, 2004 - 03:20 pm:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Custodian/Admin Only)

Smadd - I've had both a 9R and 12S and could not, for the life of me, find an ideal susp setting to make the bike handle as I thought it should. I've been on new 207's, and 3/4 worn ones as well on both bikes - from 10 to 120 mph in all road and weather conditions.
The Pirelli Diablos (and perhaps other tires) simply make the bike amazing in terms of feel & handling. No push, no weaving, good wet weather grip and fast warm-up (so no more sliding on the 207's for the first 5 miles). Perfect? Maybe not, but damn near close.
I'm not here to sell the things, just share the info as this is the best thing I've ever done to the XB.
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M1combat
Posted on Tuesday, June 08, 2004 - 03:30 pm:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Custodian/Admin Only)

Ditto
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Smadd
Posted on Tuesday, June 08, 2004 - 04:15 pm:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Custodian/Admin Only)

When I put on the Pirellis, I too couldn't believe the improvement over the Dunlop (I haven't bought a Dunlop since... it's been years!). At least it felt much better to me. As well as other, I'm sure, differences, I believe they were much "rounder" than the Dunlops. Turned very quickly and controllably. At the very first, I thought the bike felt a little "squirrely" with the Pirellis... until I realized just how much more I could do with them. I'm liking the Michelin Pilot Roads on my tuber right now... they handle decently... and I'm hoping to get a little more mileage out of them. I've never ridden an XB... I've read about how carefully they should be set up. I suppose differences in tires might stand out more on those bikes. Hope to ride one soon! (But I probably won't demo one until I can afford one!!!)

Steve
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