Re: Jim-Karls tire comments

[Jan and Don Draper <ddraper@xxxxxxxxxxx>]

Jim Karl,

I'll second you on the Macadam X's, they're fine tires.  I've gone
through four sets.

Where's this MCN tire test test you refer to?  Is this Motorcycle
Consumer News (can't find it in two+ years of back issues) 
or the UK-base Motor Cycle News (can find it at 
http://www.motorcyclenews.com either), or somewhere else?

I take exception to your observation that  "sticky tires, dont mean 
squat in the real world, aside from psychologically giving confidence".

I slid the front tire (BT-020) on my RS recently just by pushing the 
front slightly in a sharp right-hander.  I was nowhere near scraping 
the pegs.  I was lucky to recover from that mistake.  On the Michelin
Pilots I'm running now, I really don't think that slide would've happened.
(For that matter, I don't think it would've happened with Macadam Xs.)

Pushing the front, emergency stops, swerves, stopping on a curve, a light
coating of sand on the road-  all kinds of unplanned stuff can exceed 
available traction in the real world.  Even for riders that don't usually 
scrape pegs in the twisties.

And that's in the dry.  For riding in the wet, Gary Jaehne ("Sportbiking: 
The Real World") recommends  top-of-the-line sportbike tires with a 
soft compound.  (p.78, 1st edition)

Lastly, confidence buys safety all by itself.  Lots of crashes are caused
by simple loss of nerve (i.e., "choking".)   I've witnessed riders simply 
lift the bike up and crash because they lacked the confidence to tighten 
their line.  More than once!  On curves that were no problem for their bike
at the speed they were going.

As for me, I like the Michelin Pilot Sports better than the Macadam Xs and
hope they don't wear out *too* fast.  I'd be fine with 5/6K miles per set.
Much under 4K would be too inconvenient in terms of shop time.

- -Don


- ----- Original Message ----- 
From: "st-digest" <owner-st-digest@xxxxxxxxxx>
| Date: Thu, 14 Sep 2000 08:45:49 -0400
| From: =?iso-8859-1?Q?Jim_Karl_Gagn=E9?= <jim.jay@xxxxxxxxxxxx>
| Subject: Re: Avon vs Pirelli
| 
| > One is reluctant to fit the Avons because he's had several problems with
| > side wall's cracking. The other said that they square off quite quickly.
| > Since this was my key criticism of the BT57 rear, which seems to square
| > off after 3K or so, I'd rather avoid that.
| . I've used the Dunlop 207 which turns nicely. Do the Pirelli's
| > really turn that much slower in practice ? I'm also told they are rather
| > slow to warm up.
| 
| listen mate, 207 do take longer to heat up, Bt57 do square off too soon. so
| let's set the record straight once again, if you want the best overall tire,
| for top milage, good grip, heats up quickly, top in the rain, then buy the
| michelin macdam 90X. ive tried them all, believe me, on different bikes mind
| you, and i now have them on my ST, BT 57 lasted a mere 3000 miles, last time
| i had 90X they lasted 8000 miles on a YZF 1000 ( trip from pacific to
| atlantic and back).( heard other less aggressive rider doing more). on my
| 90X mounted st, with suspension adjusted, i scraped my pegs and right lower
| fairing. i live in canada, so the weather is not as hot as in the south and
| they still perform very well and from the get go.
| 
| i had michelin TX166 or something ( semi-trail ) on a bmw R1100GS and i
| scraped the pegs on that monster ( suspension adjusted ), after that i saw
| mate doing the same on a GTR1000(concours) with shit dunlop stock touring
| tires, a EX 500 bridgestone exedra same thing. after that and more i
| realised that those sticky tires, dont mean squat in the real world, aside
| from psychologicly giving confidence.
| 
| the 90X may have less feedback, but never let go, so. and also look at the
| MCN test, they came in third overall and the other two were sticky tires
| that dont last on the road, what does that tell you.
| 
| dont make me repeat myself !?! 8^)  jim-karl



     *   *   *   *   *   *   *   *   *   *   *   *   *   *   *   *   *   *   *
      The ST/RS Mailing list is sponsored by Jack Lilley Ltd.
          http://www.TriumphNet.com/st/lilley for more info
   http://www.TriumphNet.com/st for ST, RS and Mailing List info

------------------------------

End of st-digest V2000 #475
***************************


 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

                      End of Triumph ST/RS Digest
            ST/RS Digest is sponsored by Jack Lilley Ltd.
          http://www.TriumphNet.com/st/lilley for more info
   http://www.TriumphNet.com/st for ST, RS and Mailing List info

          This digest Copyright 1999-2000 TriumphNet.com