ok so i have a pilot power on the rear its brand new i need a new front though i am torn between getting a Michelin pilot power for the front or a Dunlop Q2 need some advice witch is a better handling tire fore mountain roads? and witch last longer

 

Match your tires and get another Pilot Power. I'm running Q2s for the first time this season and I love them, but I'm hard pressed to say whether they are any better than the Pilot Powers which I ran last season. The Q2s break grip a lot more controllably and offer great feedback, but the Pilot Powers are terrific in the wet. I don't know which lasts longer, but I got a lot of mileage out of my Pilot Powers. The Michelins turn in better for sure, but I don't really push very hard on the streets so I couldn't tell you which has better mid-corner grip.

 

What raylee said... the Q2's offer excellent feedback - anytime I pushed the bounds on a corner, on the street, and lost traction in the rear, I could feel exactly what was going on at the back tire, leading to a calm, controlled slide, rather than a "time to change your pants" moment!

The only Michelin's I've run (on an F2), have been the Power One and Power Cup treaded race tires, on the track, so I can't make a comparison on the Pilot Powers, but I was so happy with the Q2s, due to the great feedback, that I ran 4 consecutive sets, and didn't bother trying anything else.

It's true that the profile of the Michelin front tire would lend itself to a little quicker turn-in, like raylee attested to from riding both sets. Whether or not that would benefit you, is something we couldn't answer, and I've talked to some guys who, believe it or not, are a little freaked out when a bike turns in so quickly - it just depends on who you are, how you ride, and what you're experience level is... it's subjective.

For example, with those Michelin treaded race tires I ran, I had the Power One race rear, in med. compound, and the Power Cup V race front, also in med. compound. The "V" designation, is for the fact that the front tire had such an agressive profile, that it literally had somewhat of a "V" shape - now that sounds weird, but let me tell you, I was warned about how quick they turned, and that it could be very "off-putting", but I loved it! The bike would "fall on it's ear" so quickly, and the grip of those things was absolutely amazing!! My point is, that what scared another rider a little bit, I ate up like candy. That rider, by the way, was another racer, so it goes to show that it's just a matter of personal preference, and his concern was not due to the fact that he was a noobie... it's very subjective.

Anyway, you really shouldn't mix the tire brands front and rear, if you have a choice, AND, this gives you a chance to assess both sets. Get the Pilot Power front, make a note somewhere of the mileage on the bike, when you installed the rear, then the front, and ride them out. Then, try some Q2's, because you really should, anyway, and see which ones YOU got the most mileage out of, and which ones felt better to you over the course of wearing them out.

Good luck!

 

Don't mean to thread jack, but JNS, does that mean you're running Q2s on the track? I'm running the Power Ones right now (which I ****ing love), but wanted to give the Q2s a go as the Power Ones don't seem to last very long for me and this track addiction isn't getting any cheaper. I love the Q2s as street tires, but I know a few upper-tier intermediate guys run Q2s without any issue and it piqued my interest.

 

I ran Q2's at track days in 2011. First time I was on the track since 2000. Loved them, but as I got back into the swing of things and picking up the pace they would slip here and there. 2012 used michelin power one competition B compound, holy crap! Kick *** tire. Holy crap #2, only lasted 4 days. Right now I got a brand new set of Bridgestone slicks, cant wait to try them out.

 

No, definitely not... don't get me wrong, like I said above, the Q2s are awesome, but there were enough times that I lost grip in twisty bits on the roads, that I wasn't even going to consider street tires on the track, last race season I ran the Power One/Power Cup combination.
Now to be clear, in these instances on public roads where I would lose some grip in the rear, without a doubt, the tires probably weren't fully up to temp, and I would usually, let's say, slide the rear on a hard right, when I'd been mostly on the left side of the tire up until that point, so I don't blame the tires necessarily, but they simply are not race tires, and those Michelin treaded race tires gave me amazing grip even before they got fully warmed up, and then it just got better!!

Like Frank alluded to also, if your pace is hot, street tires won't cut it - they're just not made for the track. The Michelin Power Ones that he and I are referring to, are the "race" or "competition" versions, they are a completlely different tire then the "regular" Power Ones, they're a DOT race tire, much like the Dunlop 211GP and 211GPAs that are used in the AMA Daytona Sportbike class.

You could try it, but honestly, I can't see either one lasting long on the track, assuming the Power Ones you're talking about are the street versions, meaning you didn't choose between soft/med/hard compounds, as there is no choice with the street models.
The Power One race tires, however, are a different story, and if you're not at an advanced pace, I would be willing to bet you could get 4 or 5 trackdays out of them, but they are no longer making them for our size, and I don't know how many places out there still have them...dwindling fast, if not already gone!

 

Yeah, I'm still a beginner group rider so I don't figure I need "tire warmer" tires yet. The Power Ones I'm using are the street compound, but I'm bordering on the wear markers after only 3 track days (right side only as the track that I frequent only has 2.5 left turns) whereas I got double that on a set of Continentals. My pace is almost at the intermediate level (or so some coaches/control riders have told me) and figured I wouldn't need to worry about going with dedicated track compounds till at least I'm in the mid/upper I group and I figured I could save some cheese on street tires.

It's always tough talking tires with "fast" guys as most of them can outride street tires. :P Thanks for the tips, though. Got a set of Bridgestone 003 takeoffs to burn through next then I'll make a decision.

 

Q2's are great for the money and I personally won't ride anything else. I don't have anything to add other than that. I love everything about the Q2's and never seen a reason to test anything else out knowing I am VERY happy with what I got.

 

IMHO the hypersport tires can absolutely be used on the track and well into the intermediate pace. I personally know some guys that can and do track occasionally into the advanced group on Q2s.

Are they as sticky at Cups or a DOT race tire? No but the for non-warmer guys like myself I find little to complain about on higher end hypersport tires. After all its not a race, its a track day.

FYI I have run: Cups, BT16s, 003RS, Q2s, 209s, and currently am on a set of Power Pures.