| Author | Message | ||
     M1combat  |
My first question is for anyone who has used Metzeler's Rennsport tires and their Sportec M1 tires. Do they have the same profile? The second question... I got about 7K miles out of my front Metzeler Sportec M1 and I get about 2500 out of each rear. If the profile is the same... Would it be a bad idea to use a rennsport on the front and a sportec on the rear? The intended use is street riding and the occasional track day (I think I'll do three this year, kicking it off with a L1 Superbike school from Keith Code, and finishing this September with the L2 class). I'm thinking that any "minor" differences in the profile can be accounted for with tire pressure changes and suspension adjustments. | ||
| Buells Rule! (Dyna in disguise)  |
If it were my bike I wouldnt do it. I know some folks have mixed & matched brands, profiles etc, but I wont. When my rear Dunlop 218 was worn I had the Diablo installed & I also pulled off a perfectly good front Dunlop to have a matching Diablo put on. May not have made any real difference, but the piece of mind for me was more than worth the cost. | ||
| M1combat |
I don't figure I would mix brands because they may be using a significantly different construcion technology. I think that both the rensport and the Sportec both use the "MAW" technology from Metzeler... Maybe I'll send an e-mail to them and see what they say. I'm sure they'll tell me it's not a good idea though... | ||
| Glitch  |
I'm with Dyna. Simply don't want to take a chance on something so easy to avoid. I'd hate to wash out only to hear myself say "Damnit! I should have..." Ya know? | ||
| Chainsaw  |
FWIW: I've run mixed tires (brands and models) on both of my bikes. 21,000 mixed miles on the HD, and about 7,000 mixed miles on the XB. I have never once felt any discernable difference in handling on either bike. Not once. Ever. If you are uneasy about the prospect (as I once was), try changing the one tire and riding on it on a familiar route. If anything is twitchy about the match-up, you should notice it in short order. You can always turn right around and buy another tire.  | ||
| Reepicheep  |
I mixed and matched all the time on my Cyclone, but all sport touring tires (D205's, D220's, MeZ4, MeZ6). Worst I ever got was a tiny slow weave at 55 MPH (not above or below that speed). Nothing much different then having inflation wrong. Just ride at the limit of the less grippy tire. I thought seriously about running a pure sport tire on the front, and a sport touring tire on the rear, for better stopping. Never did it though. Of course, it will be scorpions for me for the forseeable future. | ||
| Ortegakid  |
I ran mettzler front and supercorsa rear for a year, no problems,(allthough they are 'sposed to be the same so may be a moot point),used to run different brands when was sponsored and had lots of take offs lying around, just have to ride within the limits of the hard compound,not a big deal imho. | ||
| Xbolt12 |
If I were to risk mixing tire with the M1 I would use Pirelli because they are similar in construction and I believe they even have the same carcass and are manufactured with the same method. The Pirelli Diablo Corsa is a 70% track day tire and wears a little better than the Metz with better traction. I would be careful with the Metz front though as I know a few people who have had them go off (front only) in very hot weather and with the Pirelli sticking better in the back, you might push the M1 harder. The diameters are pretty close. xbolt12 | ||
| Wyckedflesh  |
I have a Dunlop 208GP on the front and a Conti M-Force on the rear currently  Suprisingly enough the tires work well together. The GP has a profile VERY similar to the Diablo, and if that is true of the stock 208 with the only difference being compound it might be worth exploring. It is also aproximately 1/4-1/2 inch taller at the cetnerline then the M-Force front I took off. | ||
| Spatten1 |
In the 500 GPs they mixed Dunlop and Michelin when one of the company's race tire factory burned down in the mid 90's and they had limited availability. They called it the Michelop setup. I've mixed brands on occasion for the last 15 years. I've had good luck, different handling characteristics, but in no way dangerous. | ||
| Henrik  |
M1; I think the Rennsports and the Sportecs are very similar in profile. There may be a slight difference in actual tire height. I've run a Metzler combination (MeZ4 & MeZ3) when I used the S3 for track days. No problems. The best thing to do, would be to contact Metzeler directly and get an expert opinion. Don't expect much by emailing their tech line on their website. I've only received bogus canned replies from there. But someone might have a direct phone #?? Henrik | ||
| Bigj |
Every rider and bike wears tires differently. Therefore the shape of the tire is changed anyway. If you put the same exact model of tire on two different bikes with two different riders, with one wearing the back tire at 2500 and the other at 4500, you don't think those are different tires now? Of course they are. Did the tire manufacturers test thier tires on your bike with you riding? No. Then how do they know how THAT combination is going to wear.? I even read a mag test on a new model(forget which one) that had an 020 rear and an 011 front, from the factory. | ||
| M1combat |
Well, I'm not interested even remotely in combining brands... Only the same brand's different models. I'm pretty sure both the rensports and the M1 use the "MAW" tech in their construction. I'll call Metzeler. | ||
| Spatten1 |
In 1999 I ran a BT56??? Bridgestone track day style rear and a D207 Dunlop on the front of my 1998 ZX9R and ended up with the best setup that bike ever delivered. Ahhh, memories of a time without responsibilities when crashing seemed meaningless. | ||
| M1combat |
SO far... This is what their website says "Mixing Brands" Different brands of front and rear tires can lead to riding problems. Unfortunately METZELER is not able to test the METZELER tires in combination with all competitor tires, therefore - for safety reasons - we have to insist in suggesting you to always fit METZELER tires both on front and rear. "Speed Ratings" The use of a tire with higher speed index rating (e.g. “H” instead of “S”) is permitted only if listed in the fitment chart. In any case, especially for speed ratings over 210 km/h the recommendations in the METZELER fitment chart have to be respected. "Construction" We distinguish three different constructions: Bias tires = "-", bias belted tires = "B" and radial tires = "R". These different constructions feature different reaction capabilities to side and longitudinal forces. Therefore a combination of different constructions between front and rear can influence the motorcycle overall behaviour. Only the tire combinations listed in the motorcycle manufacturer's and tire maker's fitment charts are permitted. "Different Compounds" The fitment of tires with special compounds dedicated to a more sporty use like “CompK” or “Racing” should always be done on both front and rear tire. In special cases contact METZELER for exceptions. "Different Patterns" METZELER motorcycle tires are designed to fit the different front street patterns on front wheels with all rear street patterns on rear wheels. But it is not permitted to fit a combination of a street pattern with an on/off pattern. Looking through this infor and the information they provide on the tires tells me that I should use a Rennsport street compound on the rear, with a "hard" race compound on the front. Now I'm just interested in knowing if the "hard" race compound will be affected very adversely by going through a bunch of heat cycles. I'm assuming that the race compounds don't stand up to that as well as the street compounds, so I may end up with rennsport street compound on both ends... | ||
| Spatten1 |
Guys I've ridden with have used take-offs from track bikes on the street and had them get "slippery" after a number of heat cycles. That was in the late 90s and earlier when rubber may have been different. | ||
| Ortegakid |
Take offs have always been an exersize in heat management,you need to be careful when you first ride and after they cool, look at my pics you'll see the blue,just takes longer to heat up in the am.I remember the old 591 dunflops, used to take half the hwy to work, slid like ice at first, just be careful! | ||
| Spatten1 |
Ortega kid, the guys that I was talking about using those take offs were Ortega regulars. LOL. I moved out of OC 4 years ago, are the cops still all over Ortega? They were starting to be a pain in the ••• on Angeles Crest about 5 years ago too. I'm thinking of moving back and was wondering if the heat is off now. | ||
| Xbolt12 |
Guys, I am pretty sure it is Metzler and Pirelli that are a combined company, not Michelin. I have been wrong once before though xbolt12 | ||
| Spatten1 |
I understand that Metzler and Pirelli are the same company too. At one time Metzler was the brand marketed in the US and Pirelli was the European version of similar products (for MCs that is). | ||
| Barkandbite  |
M1 -- I have a similar scenario. I'm thinking of leaving my Metzeler M1 front on and going with the Metzeler Roadtec Z6 rear since I ride mostly freeway/street. My rears square off and wear very quickly while the front just takes it like a champ. Chris | ||
| M1combat |
I think it would be "ok" to mix any of Metzeler's tires that use their multi-angle-winding or "MAW" technology. I don't think Metzeler would recommend it, and quite frankly I don't think I would either. I may do it myself, but like Dad always said... Do as I say, not as I do . | ||
| Spatten1 |
At the shop I worked at in college we always ran the softer Metzler compound front and the harder rear. I believe that tread was different, but structure was pretty much the same. Although we tried to hit twisties a bit, there were a lot of straights inbetween and rears just lost their shape and wore out too quickly. It was always confidence inspiring to know that you had good tacky rubber in the front. |
