I need to buy new tires this spring. I've never done so. What is the best brand/style to buy? also I'm looking into the seat skins to recover my seat. anyone have any experience with these? worth getting?
Thanks!

 

There's a lot of opinions on tires out there, really though anything from a reputable company will work.

I ran bridgestone bt016's for a while. I didn't like them, I felt they wore out really fast, and they just weren't for me.

After that I ran Pilot powers, and they were great. Never once had anything crazy happen with them.

Now I'm running Michelin Pilot power 2ct's on my current bike (06 gsxr 750) took them to the track and rode them out to the bitter edge as hard as I could, and they stuck like super glue.

I have shiko 005 advances on my girlfriends F2. Scrubbed those in in the rain and killed the chicken strips, and not a bit of unpredictability. They're great tires for the price (if you're trying to go cheap). I have heard due to how soft they are for a compound that they'll wear out quick, so while you pay half as much, you get half the tire life. They do however have twice the grip, so if you're a newer rider wanting to lean on the side of cheap yet safe... I'd get those.

 

I got Metzeler Sportec M3s as recommended here, and they're fine tires

 

I ride mainly BT-016s. I think my next pair will be BT-003RSs. I have had pirelli angels (good rain tire) and corsa IIIs. I like the BT-16s best of what I've used. You can't go wrong with any major manafacturers offerings now though, pirelli, michelin, bridgestone and dunlop all make excellent tires.

 

Thanks for the replies, Gives me alot to think about. Either way the new tires will be much better than the ones I have now. Just need to hope for some good weather. Been raining here in Maine for the last 3 weeks. :-(

 

WHAT KIND OF RIDING DO YOU DO

That should be the first question asks before they recommend anything. So, what kind of riding do you do?

 

x2

also remember not to just go out and buy a Z rated tire because they are "high performance". Your bikes top speed with stock gearing is 230KM/H or 143Mph. So a V or W speed rating will work just fine.

 

I'm a very casual rider. I DO NOT speed at all. The fastest I have ever been on my bike is 85 MPH. I do not do wheelies or anything like that. I pretty much want what the bike OEM standard tire rating was I think. Hope that helps! One more question.. I'm trying to buy a second look set skin but can not place an order on thier website? anyone else have any luck buying from them or know were I can get a new seat skin? My seat has a tear in it now and its getting worse.

 

I'd get the Pirell Angels then. They last a long time (I put about 4000 miles on mine, the rear is PERFECT, the front about half wear 'cuz I ride hard) and were good enough as take offs to put on my girlfriend's F2. They have pretty good grip, all you need unless you're burning off the chicken strips on front and rear and balling up the tires. They grip great in the rain and have some excellent siping to clear that water and dust. Good tire, just not a supersport tire.

 

The Angel is a great tire...also look at the Pilot Road II...with the way the you ride, you're likely to get 8k miles out of that tire. Both Bridgestone and Dunlop offer comparable tires too. Basically, look for a "sport touring" tire in your price range and go with it. At this level, anything will work and price/life should be your biggest worry.



That's odd...you may be the first person ever to wear out a front before a rear "cuz you ride hard"...typical ratio is two rears to one front for as long as I can remember.