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Dark-Jon
30-09-2004, 11:33 AM
Hi all

Just out of curiousity, how much grip can you expect from normal road tyres in the wet? I've got the original Dunlops from when the bike was new and the rear tyre is still above legal but a tad square.

I've found that since last year, when I saw my mate skidding down the road in my mirrors after he lost it in the wet, I've been really nervous about how much grip my bike has when the roads are wet. I end up riding like a tottering old gran round corners expecting my bike to slip from under me at the slightest provication, forget relaxing in the corner, its death grip all the way.

Am I just being paranoid? (welcome to Dave's world!)

I'm not expecting dry condition like cornering but it would be nice to get to work in the wet without it feeling like I'm dicing with death every corner :eek:

Manhole covers and white lines aside of course :)

Dark-Jon :o

Fosse Foxfight
30-09-2004, 11:47 AM
Sorry matey but asking how much grip in the wet is really like asking how long is a piece of string.....just remember that a tyre compound is only as good as how much of it you can keep attached to the road....personally the Dunlops are right at the bottom of my list for both wet n dry grip.....theyre basically a budget tyre........if ya wanna be comfortable and ya do ride quite a lot in the wet then stick a set of Metzeler MEZ4 or 3s on. The 4s are better in the wet. Or you could just revert to the stock Battlaxs in 010 020 or 54/56 guise. You can get a pair of Metzelers at the moment from http://www.bfmmotorcycles.co.uk/ for 120/125 a pair :eek: ....yes that right a pair.
The fact is at the moment you need to get that picture out your head or it'll become ingrained and stop you relaxing when you ride. And when you arent relaxed you cant ride as well or as smoothly.....and in the rain, smoothness is the key....although smoothness or tyre compound is **** all use when theres diesel around Im afraid.
Go on get a new set and calm your mind

ta ra me duck

Sean

manc skank
30-09-2004, 11:50 AM
I've been really nervous about how much grip my bike has when the roads are wet. I end up riding like a tottering old gran round corners expecting my bike to slip from under me at the slightest provication, forget relaxing in the corner, its death grip all the way.



heahahahahaha!!!

im the same, but i blame being an antipodean :D not used to riding in rain at all!!

Chris
04-10-2004, 09:34 AM
It all depends on the road condition, tarmac, oil, deisel etc. Often when it hasn't rained for a while the roads are worse because of all the accumulated oil and stuff. Best bet is to take it easy, and don't be too tense, that way if you do slip slightly you won't be fighting the bike too much.

Wet roads can be quite grippy (ask Dave about the run back from last years weekender!) but are very unpredictable, especially when they look like there's a pretty rainbow on top!

gary tompkins
04-10-2004, 01:27 PM
Jon,

I always try to find a tyre that gives me good wet & dry performance, and consistent grip in all conditions if possible. I've had Pirelli dragon Evo's on my M600 which were great in the wet when new, but pants when half worn with the back stepping out all the time :eek:

The Michelin Hi-sports the 900ie had fitted from new were ok, but the Pilot sports I've run for the last 12 months are better. I went for the road compound at the rear and softer 'S' compound at the sharp end, which has increased my confidence in the front tyre (especially in the wet) no end.

How fast your tyres wear depends on your style of riding, and how well the bike's set up suspension-wise. Although I don't hang about when in the mood for a blast, I'm very easy on my tyres and keep my riding smooth. This pays off in good tyre wear and the current Pilots sports have done nearly 8000 miles (including Mallory) and the rear's still got some left! :D

Generally the softer compounds give better wet grip, but wear much faster so they "go off " and lose the profile at the rear much faster. A squared off rear tyre effects the handling much more than you realise, and its false economy to try to wear any tyre out totally before replacing it, as they lose most of their grip and handling qualities well before the tread reaches the legal minimum.

Dark-Jon
04-10-2004, 02:06 PM
Cheers for the advice all

I've read quite good reviews on the Bridgestone BT010/020's and they seem to get good marks for both dry and wet. I'm tempted by the BT020's, Bike magazine gave em a good mark this/last month, anyone had any experience with them??

My original Dunlop's have done over 9500miles so they could probably do with replacing and are more than likely way past there best (mallory probably didnt help too much either :twisted: )

Tried riding a bit more relaxed in this mornings torrential downpoor, thinking happy thoughts etc, but the back end is definately a bit twitchy around some of the roundabouts round here :eek: , no sign of oil/diesel and the rain last night should have washed most of the crap away so I think my tyres are just naff :D

Cheers

Dark-Jon :)

Pedro
04-10-2004, 05:15 PM
9,500 miles!!

No wonder they're feeling a bit twitchy! My D207 rear is shot after about 3000 miles and started to feel twitchy at 2,500.

Ped

Phoenix
04-10-2004, 07:54 PM
My original Dunlop's have done over 9500miles so they could probably do with replacing and are more than likely way past there best (mallory probably didnt help too much either :twisted: )


:eek: Flippin eck :eek:

makes my 3k look real poor :(



Just noticed Peds post now...I concur 2.5k and twitchy city !

Zimbo
04-10-2004, 10:24 PM
Bridgestone 010s are superb in the wet, and very confidence inspiring in the dry, I found they suited my SS pretty well, got 4000 from the rear and I wasn't taking good care of it so was fairly impressed.
Currently wearing Diablos, again they're good and grippy wet or dry, but the rear is just beginning to square off at 2600 miles so I suspect they may not last quite as well ....

Phoenix
05-10-2004, 08:43 AM
I too got Diablos now. Nice tyre and makes the steering quick but again like Zim got 2500 and squaring off.

martin b
05-10-2004, 09:50 AM
John

ive got bridgestones on and seemed to cope well racing round rockingham in the rain did have a few slides though and stayed so and as chris sayed (ask dave how fast we came back from the weekender ).

martin
ps must try and get a room by my self this at the weekender this time.
:D :D

kaysee
05-10-2004, 11:20 AM
Jon.

Batleax 010 on the front and 020 on the rear, is a very good set up.

Rick
12-10-2004, 01:58 PM
Batlax 010 on the front and 020 on the back are a great combination on my 750. Didn't know if they were that good until i did the track day at Mallory. They were really sticky and predictable when up to temperature, no slides and scuffed right to the edges. great!
regards, Rick

Dark-Jon
12-10-2004, 02:21 PM
Cheers all

I've managed to find somewhere that'll do a pair of BT-020's for £170 inc vat and delivery. Seems pretty resonable so just waiting for them to turn up :)

All I have to do now is get somewhere to fit em :D

Dark-Jon

Bruza
12-10-2004, 02:34 PM
jon... where from??

need a pair !

ta

Bruza

Dark-Jon
12-10-2004, 02:50 PM
http://www.motorcycletyresuk.com/index2.htm

Prices inc Vat and orders over £150 are delivery free :)

Dark-Jon

Fosse Foxfight
12-10-2004, 02:58 PM
Also try:

http://www.bfmmotorcycles.co.uk/

you can buy pairs of Metzelers which are excellent on Monsters for 125 :cool:
The Battlaxs are about 160

S4R Dude
12-10-2004, 08:58 PM
I always use Bridgestone now, after many tyres on bikes i find them the best...consistently in all weather. Dunlop, i would pay not to use Dunlop, twitchy in the wet twitchy in the dry.

M900nster
12-10-2004, 11:27 PM
[QUOTE=Dark-Jon]"Hi all

Just out of curiousity, how much grip can you expect from normal road tyres in the wet?"
The answer to that is: Quite a lot - IF the road is clean. However, the road is RARELY as clean as a race track and isn't a fraction as safe, so only idiots try to corner really fast on a wet road.

It's obvious that there's no safe option other than to go real slow in the places most likely to have deisel spills, or when you can see it's slippery (mud, gravel, snow, ice, etc.) but for general wet road (or track) riding I'd advise:

A) Make a conscious effort to relax - particularly your shoulders and your grip on the bars. If you feel yourself tensing up you might be cold so do something about that, but otherwise you're probably going into corners too fast and /or in too high, or even too low a gear. (ie. You want some engine braking, not masses.) If another bike overtakes, don't worry, but be prepared to stop if he falls off a couple of corners on. Just keep riding within a pace that allows you to stay relaxed.

B) Get used to the feel of the road - Make sure your not being followed then squeeze the brakes, progressively hard. See how quickly you can stop from different speeds. You might skid a bit, one wheel or the other, but you'll automatically ease off the brakes and regain control. Do it in a straight line of course, and do it frequently. Are you staying relaxed?
Also try squirting the throttle to feel the rear traction. Do it on a damp/wet (straight) road and you'll feel the back end wriggle a little as the
rear tyre loses grip and finds it again as you ease off. Again, practice it frequently. Your body learns the relationship between brake and grip, throttle and grip. It becomes a reflex. Soon you'll be able to feed in the power as you straighten up out of a bend and feel the rear tyre break away a little, and grip again as you automatically ease off the throttle.
Slow down well before corners. Are you blipping the throttle on each down change? You should be, as it gets the revs right for the lower gear and when you release the clutch there no snatch at the chain. (If you can't blip the throttle whilst braking your front brake lever is too far from the bar.) Go into corners slow, but on the throttle. Stay relaxed and gradually feed in some power as you come out of the bend on to the straight. If there isn't much traction you might feel the back tyre step out a little, but you're virtually upright, you'll automatically ease off the throttle a little and find grip again.

C) Beware of keeping pace with others. You might have thought you were going slow, but the guy behind fell off when you didn't, probably because he was pushing too hard trying to keep up with you. Riding with another bike is always easier if you're in front, so make sure the lead rider knows to take it especially easy. Group riding is dodgy because even the nicest of people tend to show off. If you're not feeling relaxed, ease off until you are. If the others get away from you, let em go. They're probably too near the edge, but are too proud to back off. Always make sure you know where you're going (ie. have your own map!) so it doesn't matter if the group gets split up.

You're getting it right (in the wet or the dry) when you feel you could have taken that last corner much faster. Margin for error - yours or someone else's - is essential anyway, and that margin allows for the uncertainty which is the road surface ahead.

"Am I just being paranoid? (welcome to Dave's world!)"
No. I think you have a healthy appreciation of real danger. You just have to go at (and be happy with) your own pace.

Fosse Foxfight
13-10-2004, 08:57 AM
Dunlop, i would pay not to use Dunlop, twitchy in the wet twitchy in the dry.

I would pay for others not to use Dunlop :p Yet theres still a percentage that fits these excuses for tyres. I had a nearly new one on my front end when I got the Monster......weeeeeeeeee, straight off...get rid. I rode it on the rims for a few days.....major improvement

ta ra me ducks