va_rider
Wizard
Use this section to discuss tires oriented more for sport riding than longevity. 6,000 - 10,000 Mile tires need not apply.
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Had a Metzeler M3, unbelieveable tire. Instant warm up/traction, never once felt it slide. Lasted less than 3000 miles
Lately, I've been a big fan of the Pirelli Corsa III ... it's a confidence inspiring tire. At full lean, there's no signs of slipping, even when I'm being a bit juvenile and feeding it a handful of throttle at full lean. Basically, I've TRIED to get this tire to break loose without much luck. When it does finally break loose, it does so in a very controllable manner. It doesn't happen all of the sudden. I've got about 1,000 miles on my rear right now. I may be able to get another 1,000-1,200, so, wear is about on par with the rest of the sport style tires.
The one thing I really like about the Corsa III is where the change in compound occurs. On a brand new Corsa III, you can look at the tire and see exactly where the different tread begins. There is a definite line signifying this change. On other dual-compound tires (Read : Pilot Power 2CT) the change in tread occurs on the very edge of the tire, giving you about 1-1.5 inches of softer compound on each side. Pirelli has this figured out. Even with the softer compound starting sooner, you'll be hard pressed to wear out the edges first. That is, unless Laguna Seca is your back yard.
The Good :
Confidence inspiring at great lean angles.
Sharper profile allows for very easy turn-in and good feedback.
Stability in the rain is predictable, and the rain sipes throw 6ft rooster-tails.
The Bad :
$$$$$$$$$$
Short tire life.
Causes you to become addicted. (And at this price, Heroin might be cheaper)
Thanks for the feedback!
Is there anything out there \"today\" you think is outstanding as well?
Still love the Corsa III, but lately, I've been giving the Rosso a good thrashing.... I'm almost willing to say that it's every bit as sticky as the DCIII, but with a slightly longer warm-up time... not that this has ever been an issue... cause I regularly take it out and start beating on it before it's fully warmed up... it has a very nice feel with no tread on the edges, the rubber is very stiff (as in not flexing) ... I've run through 2 Rossos on the rear so far... and I will definitely run them again in the future... but I think because of cost, and since I haven't tried one yet.... I think I'll be spooning on a BT016 early next week. .... I'll let you know how that one works out... I've heard it's great... but I've also heard it's too soft on the edges.... we'll see....
I should start taking donations to test tires... trying every new tire on the market would be a lot easier if I wasn't paying full cost for them all of the time.
normally, i'm very open to trying new tires... it used to be a lot easier when Dad and I were still running the bike shop, and I could get everything at cost.... and if I didn't like the tire, it was easy to pull them off the bike and sell them as used for what I paid for them... which was still well below retail cost...
But sadly, we don't have the shop anymore, and I've reduced to buying tires like everyone else... so... I'm a little picky about what I'll put on these days... since I'm not buying them at cost, if I don't like the tire, I'm either stuck with it until it wears out, or I can take it off and sell it, but usually at a loss...
With Bridgestone... well... I never really had a great relationship with them... I never really liked any tire they made.. cruiser, sport-touring, sport, etc. I tried a bunch of them over the years... a few different OEM Bridgestones on cruisers, the BT56's on a S/T bike... and 21's and 20's on sport bikes... none of them really did anything for me... grip was ok... the shape was ok... but nothing really stood out... I'm curious about the 016... and a local bike shop has a 180 for $153... so... it's feasible that I could rather easily go get one... but in the middle of my lovely sumer riding season, I don't want to be stuck with something I won't like.... we'll see... I probably only have a few more hundred miles on my current rear Rosso... so, I'll be needing something soon.... I'm trying to sell an old jacket of mine to finance the cost of a new tire... but we'll have to see how that pans out... depending on what the jacket sells for will determine what tire I can get...
$153 is the installed price.... and he already has it in stock.... not having to wait? Priceless.
ahhhhh screw it. I'm going down to the local shop to have that BT016 put on... will report later this afternoon.
god I love a new tire.
First impressions... the BT016 is shaped significantly different from the Pirelli's I've become accustomed to. The Pirelli has much more of a curve to the tread, and getting to the edge usually requires dragging some interesting things at over-legal speeds around 20-25mph corners. The Bridgestone... well... edge to edge occurred in the first 3 miles and it didn't take much effort. This somewhat has me concerned, as at full lean, I'll be on less of a contact patch.... but.... the feel when at full lean is amazing.... the only way to describe it is as so... imagine you're going around a curve in town... there's nice pavement, and at the edge of the road, a 6\" curb that perfectly follows the corner.... imagine putting the tires all the way at the edge of the road... against the curb, leaned over... hauling @$$... It feels like the tire is burning holes in the pavement as you roll.
I put about 80 miles on the 16 this afternoon.... but really didn't get to have too much fun... every road I got on was either covered in gravel, or had cars doing 1/2 the speed limit... so... full ride report may have to wait just a little bit... for now though... I'm liking them...