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Suzuki Bandit 1250 Sub-Thread: Tires

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Cloggy said:
d tyre will handle the abuse a little longer.
Experimenting with tyres here is expensive compared to what you guys are paying. My set front and rear cost NZ$610.00, about US$475.00
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:eek2: I'll never gripe about my tire bill again! :eek2:
Keep us informed on how the tires wear. Course in South Louisiana, we ain't ate up with curves. :lol2: Regular tires generally eat up the middle before the sides.

But, I do know about that chip seal stuff,. like sandpaper to tires.
 
Anyone tried out the PR3 yet? My 2's are about ready to call it quits -- looks like the PR3 is only a few bucks more...

trey
 
I looked at the 3's and almost went with them. But, liked the service I was getting on the 2's, thought, what the heck. Reordered the 2's. I have a bit over 12,000 on this set, did over 14,000 on the 1st set. I probably have another 1000 on these. Only problem with these was my fault, and being a bit lazy letting a slow leak get by me unnoticed till I felt the front being sluggish. I was checking my tires every week but this leak took off on me at a 15 pound lose in a week.
 
treybrad said:
Anyone tried out the PR3 yet? My 2's are about ready to call it quits -- looks like the PR3 is only a few bucks more...

trey
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I put a 3 on the rear about 1K ago. So far I like it, but have no idea as to wear. Seems a bit better in the wet. Tread looks a lot "busier" ... more grooves. I think I like the front tread pattern better on the 3 than on the 2.. I'm not a fan of connected swipes.
 
In studying the Michelin web site on the PR 2s and 3s. Seems like the 3 has just a bit more rubber on the sides for better wet grip. I don't know if they are the same compound or not. For my riding, I don't need anything softer on the sides as that was my main wear problem on one other set I had. Not the PR2s but I think the Dunlops. I had wore the sides slick with thread still in the middle and the far outsides on the front but had wore the back to a little cord was showing.
http://www.michelinmotorcycle.com/index.cfm?event=pilotroad2
 
achesley said:
My PR2s just came in. I think I made an error on the front and ordered a PR2 CT. A softer tire than the regular PR2. More a track day tire than a road tire. Oh well. We'll see.
http://www.michelinmotorcycle.com/index.cfm?event=pilotpower2ct
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A fellow Falco owner runs Road2/Power2 rear/front combo and he has no complaints.

While I have about 3000 miles on my Pirelli Angels (on the Bandit) and they are doing just fine. Thank you very much. :)

The PR2 CT on the Falco are (I-don't-know-how-old) and I have no immediate plans to replace them.
 
I'm more in wonderment of the life of the tire rather than performance. Either tire out preforms me as per wet/dry weather handling. I know I'll get 12,000+ miles on the rear, just hope I get the same out of the different compound front. I have a bit more life in the present tires ( just about even with the wear marks ) and not doing any trips on the Bandit for awhile ( KLR next in line for Fall Color Tour in Arkansas ) . Plus, will be putting 90° Valve stems on this time.
 
My Pilot Power 2CT front finally bit the dust last month so I had a Pilot Road 2 installed to match the PR2 on the rear. I am extremely pleased so far with this tire. Handling is very neutral doesn't want to fall in or stand up in the corners, while braking or otherwise, and the profile seems like a perfect match for my 1st Gen B12. If it holds up as well as the rear has then I will have found the winning combination. They seem to grip about 9/10ths as well as the Power on my bike. I only have about a 1/4 " chicken strip left on the rear so I do like to lean it in the corners. I had no strip at all on my Power rear but with that tire's profile it wasn't all that hard to do. All in all the Road 2 seems to be my perfect match. :-)
 
Corgi, How many miles did you get out of the CT? My first set of regular PR2's I did 14,000 and just over 12,000 on this set. Course they are still on. I have not put on the new ones yet. I've dug the pegs on both sides , not intending to, just happened that way. It's pretty easy to do on the Bandit without any efforts. I have about a 1/4" Chicken strip on the front and zero on the back. Good thing I don't live in Arkansas or the Rockies or the Serrias. LOL! Course, nothing wrong with 3 Sisters either. Just a long ways.
 
Right around 7000 on the front. A Power 2CT was on the rear also when I bought the bike so I have no idea of its mileage. If I didn't ride to work so much that wouldn't be bad at all but since I do I'm really glad the Road 2 performs as well as it does.
 
corgi said:
Right around 7000 on the front. A Power 2CT was on the rear also when I bought the bike so I have no idea of its mileage. If I didn't ride to work so much that wouldn't be bad at all but since I do I'm really glad the Road 2 performs as well as it does.
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That sounds about right - just a little low so they weren't that old when you got the bike. I only got about 6k out of them but that's aggressive riding with quite a few track days.

Ga-Bandit said:
I ran the Power Pilot 2CT on the Bandit 1250, the front didn't do too bad - about 6k, the rear about 4k. Lots of stick though but they will get greasy when pushed hard on a track, never happened to me in the mountains. The Power Pures (on my GSX-R though) hasn't got slippery at all....yet.
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Ga-Bandit said:
chaparral has a set of the 016 for $188 shipped right now.

Anyone know where to get the best price on Road 2's? I can't seem to find a great price right now.
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Look at R&S powersports, they sell all tires for 50% off. I got a set for $238 OTD but I did not have to ship them.

Mark
 
Ga-Bandit said:
Road 2 set was replaced with some free take offs from a buddy at Mountain Motorsports in Conyers GA (Salesman Russ "Bloke"). At 43,264 miles, man those things were shot. It now has some Dunlop Sportmax D210 (?) with a 190 rear - the set came off a new R1 with "about 400 miles".
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I should have paid $258.98 shipped from STT for a set of Road 2s (they typical price) but I got them local because I gotz today to do it so I'm happy all in all. I had them put on and have new brakes all around too at 46,615 miles. Sooo......

46,615 - 43,264 = 3351 miles from free takes offs.
 
Well after wearing out the Metzeler Z8's at 8000 kilometers (about 5000 miles) I thought I'd try some Bridgestone BT023's. Right from the first day I did not like these tyres. The Z8's were the first set of tyres on a bike which gave me enough confidence to scrape the pegs. The BT023's were the complete opposite. The rear always felt like it was sliding ever so slightly. So I am not too sad that I only managed to get 4000 kilometers out of these. There is still plenty of tread left in the centre of the tyres but the sides on the rear are toast and turned into slicks. The front has kept it's shape reasonably well at 4000 kays but I don't think it would last to 8000 kays like the Z8's did. A couple of people on another forum here in New Zealand riding Bandits are reporting good mileage out of the Conti Road Attack II GT's. One guy is up to 12000 kilometers which sounds promising, especially on our cheese grater like, coarse chip seal roads. So I have ordered a set of those to be fitted on Monday. The GT version has an extra belt in the carcass to suit heavier bikes much like the "C" version of the Z8's. But unlike the Z8's you can get a heavy duty GT version for the front and rear tyre.
Very much looking forward to getting some new rubber on the bike again and hopefully put the bad experience of the BT023's behind me.
 
I put a set of pilot road 3's on after a good 11,000 mile experience with the 2's. I still had tread but the timing just happened. I was very comfortable with the 2's and had tested them in many ways. I figured the 3's will be even better.
I got a reality check on two tire riding the other night in a measurable rain. Somewhat of a perfect storm scenario, rain,curve and a tar road snake. Needless to say the shimmy cleared my senses and I slowed down and paid attention.
The 3's somewhat vibrate when new probably due to the cross groove pattern, but tone out after a few miles and really feel solid. But I've come to the conclusion the 2's would of suited me just fine and will most likely go back to them next go-around. Happy Holidays to All. Doug in Pismo CA.
 
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Thanks for that heads up on the 3s. I almost bought a set this Summer before a trip but opted to stays with the 2s as I was on my 3rd set and loved all about them and especially the mileage I was getting. Now on my 4th set of the 2s. Sad thing is that I have the 3rd set in the garage with only about 5000 miles on them. I pulled them due to the fact I hate to change tires on the road and didn't have any clue where I was headed to on this summers main trip , or, how many miles I was going to accumulate doing it. Turns out I could of left the old set on after a change of plan in Montana of going do Beartooth and Chief Joesph instead of heading to Washington Coastal to California Coastal. Oh well!
 
I also stuck with the 2s after much reading on the 3s, etc. I have the same problem Ach! I change my tires shortly after the season starts because of our big rides then again better safe then sorry and plus my Dad is getting free tires with some life still left on them so I think he needs to stop complaining about me constantly changing them and wasting $$$! :rofl:
 
I've had a set of 3s on mine now for a time, and I'll happily go back to the 2s. If "feel" is any constant, the 2s have a much better confidence rating. I didn't get the miles on the 3s like I have done on the 2's and the side tread feathers. All in all, IMHO, the 3s are one giant backward step (though they are still miles above Dunlops). Center of my tires are gone now, so I'm about to shut it down for a time and do major work. Tires, Chain and sprockets, Fork seals (one leaking), and a transmission neutral switch. I get to take off for a time for a knee replacement which I have in its turn put off for too long. I finally caved, when I can't quickly straighten my leg while riding and stopping.
 
Wishing you a speedy recovery Shotrod. I'm gonna stay with the tires that work so far for me. the 2's. ;-)
I remember a few years back where I did 3 tire changes in one year in just 18,000 plus miles.
 
I had MP 3s on my old 2009 ZX-14 for a cross country trip of a lifetime, and they were by far the best tires ever. I seemed to have read they could do a 45-degree lean in the rain. Sticky as ****. Unfortunately, I rode of a Blue Ridge Mountain whilst looking at my tank map in West VA on I-77 about a mile south of I-64, and trashed the bike. Heavy painkillers led me to my '07 Bandit 1250s.

People are weird about their tires and have irrational loyalties, but if I had the bucks, I would go for the Pilots everytime. Even though I only got about 277 miles on them into my dream sport tour.
 
I have 5000 miles (8000 km) on a pair of Bridgestone BT023 GT's (not the plane BT023's). The back tire has probably another 5K left, and the front a lot more than that. They are wearing well on the 75-80 mph freeways I ride in Montana and California in the winter and the have been outstanding riding the mountain twisties around my home town of Creston, BC. They are almost as good in the rain as they are on dry pavement. No signs of cupping after 5K and I do a lot of high speed 2 up riding....the twisties I ride alone. I will be getting another pair when they wear out. They do show a fine line/ seam right down the middle on the back tire, but it has never separated or opened up in any way. It was noticeable right away. I contacted Bridgestone and they said they are all like that and it's non issue and nothing to worry about.....they were correct. The dual compound works as advertised..excellent wear in the middle with sport tire performance on the shoulders.
 
FYI.. If you haven't tried the balance beads you are missing out. I have tried both the Dyna Beads and the Counteract Balancing Beads and they work the same. I had a tire installed in SoCal at a shop and when I told the guy I didn't want the tire balanced he looked at me funny....he'd never heard of the beads, so we did an experiment. He left the 2 oz weight on the front rim, installed the tire with the Dyna Beads installed. He took the bike for an 80 mph run and said it was perfectly smooth...no vibration. Then we took the 2 oz weight off and he went for another 80 mph run...still smooth. He was convinced and has since become a dealer.
 
Has anyone try fixing a Pilot Power 120/60/17 on the front to go with a PR3 on the rear before?? Any negative effects ??
 
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