Pirelli night dragons

[Robsweetland]

Anyone have any experience with these ?

[BA80]

The only Pirelli I've had any experience with is the 66 Route rear tire. Let's just say I was less than impressed.

It didn't handle well and was used up at around 4000 miles.

[jetmechmarty]

The only Pirelli I've had any experience with is the 66 Route rear tire. Let's just say I was less than impressed.

It didn't handle well and was used up at around 4000 miles.

This is why we love tire threads so much. My experience with the 66 Route is not like Greg's.I go farther on them than anything else. They stick well. I am not contradicting Greg. We just have dicferent results as we're different people.

V rated tires should theoretically handle best due to the stiffest sidewall.

[motoman]

Anyone have any experience with these ?

The XS11 and Conti Go's mate together like bread and butter.

[JeffH]

The only Pirelli I've had any experience with is the 66 Route rear tire. Let's just say I was less than impressed.

It didn't handle well and was used up at around 4000 miles.

This is why we love tire threads so much. My experience with the 66 Route is not like Greg's.I go farther on them than anything else. They stick well. I am not contradicting Greg. We just have dicferent results as we're different people.

V rated tires should theoretically handle best due to the stiffest sidewall.

BUT difference is explainable. Everyone needs to realize Greg is likely continuous WOT in 5th gear ..........
and Marty is on-off WOT in 2nd gear in the north Georgia mountains.
Much different demands on the tires. Riding Mach 3 mile after mile vs running 20 to 60 on very curvy roads.

Point is "it depends" on How / Where one would be riding as to what might work best for budget and performance expectations.
I can say that Marty can rip up curves with those Pirelli's better than any other tire he has run.

Jeff

[motoman]

BUT difference is explainable. Everyone needs to realize Greg is likely continuous WOT in 5th gear ..........
and Marty is on-off WOT in 2nd gear in the north Georgia mountains.
Much different demands on the tires. Riding Mach 3 mile after mile vs running 20 to 60 on very curvy roads.

Point is "it depends" on How / Where one would be riding as to what might work best for budget and performance expectations.
I can say that Marty can rip up curves with those Pirelli's better than any other tire he has run.

Jeff

Marty AND you ought to give the Conti Go's a try for ALL riding techniques. Over a 35yr. period, I've had many different brand names on my Venturer. The Conti Go's ARE at the top of the list whether on the high speed 'slab' OR mountain twisties! Plus front and rear ARE taller AND wider(.015 clearance of shaft tube on rear).

[BA80]

BUT difference is explainable. Everyone needs to realize Greg is likely continuous WOT in 5th gear ..........
and Marty is on-off WOT in 2nd gear in the north Georgia mountains.
Much different demands on the tires. Riding Mach 3 mile after mile vs running 20 to 60 on very curvy roads.

Point is "it depends" on How / Where one would be riding as to what might work best for budget and performance expectations.
I can say that Marty can rip up curves with those Pirelli's better than any other tire he has run.

Jeff

I have a Dunlop Elite III on my bike right now that I've used in BOTH scenarios. It was put on right after the last XS Southeast I attended, 1 1/2 years ago, give or take. It carried me to and from Wisconsin summer before last for the Lost Rally, on the epic trip out west, to San Antonio to help JW swap engines in The Navy Bike, and to and from Kansas City a couple times. I took it off to go to Michigan last August for The Lost Rally but probably would have been fine with it on there.

I put it back on when I got home from Michigan because there's still life there and it's still on there.

As far as I can calculate there's about 10,000 miles on it, give or take.

The Pirelli I put on just before XS Southeast the year I made an error in judgement, it made the trip over but not back. And some other little trips I can't recall right now but back to XS Southeast in 2014. It was done when I got home. REALLY done. approximately 4000 miles.

But it does depend on riding style and the roads your riding. The E3 hasn't let me down yet.

[Bonz]

I have a solid 10,230 miles on a Dunlop K491 Elite II n the SG, and it has a few rides left in it this coming spring before changing it out. For a bike of this weight, decent power and a relatively small tire width, that is pretty good mileage IMO. I put a Shinko 230 Tourmaster on the front a year ago, and will put a 230 on the rear this spring when the 491 is done. For the $$ and performance I have had on other bikes with Shinko tires, they are hard to not at least take a look at. I had a set of Shinko Raven 009's on my ZRX1200 and got 10,600 on the rear and 12,000 out of the front. Currently running a Shinko Verge 011 on the front and a Verge 016 dual compound on the rear, with around 5000 miles on each and good miles to go on each one.

[MaximPhil]

Anyone have any experience with these ?

Hi Rob,
I have one on the front of my Kawi Concours. With close to 6000 Km on it I can say it does not show obvious wear. more than 2000Km were in pouring rain at highway speed (75 MPH) 1500Km in the mountain twisties some of that was wet too. Grips in the wet and felt good in the steering.
So far very happy with the tyre Nice Dragon logo on the side wall
My credit card nearly exploded and my heart had palpitations over the price but I needed something in a hurry and it was available.
Phil

[BA80]

I have a solid 10,230 miles on a Dunlop K491 Elite II n the SG, and it has a few rides left in it this coming spring before changing it out. For a bike of this weight, decent power and a relatively small tire width, that is pretty good mileage IMO. I put a Shinko 230 Tourmaster on the front a year ago, and will put a 230 on the rear this spring when the 491 is done. For the $$ and performance I have had on other bikes with Shinko tires, they are hard to not at least take a look at. I had a set of Shinko Raven 009's on my ZRX1200 and got 10,600 on the rear and 12,000 out of the front. Currently running a Shinko Verge 011 on the front and a Verge 016 dual compound on the rear, with around 5000 miles on each and good miles to go on each one.

I run Shinko 712s on the front. I bought a set of Tourmasters once and had to change out the rear in about 3000 miles. Threads showing. Won't make that mistake again.

I tried an Avon Venom on the front last summer. It's wearing OK but it's squirrely up there. Follows the cracks in the road. Too pricey too. Going back to the 712 in the spring.

[Robsweetland]

Thanks everyone

Thanks for your experience I will give them a try, grip is far more important to me than longevity, the road system over here is a lot different, and to date the longest rides I've done have been 250 miles, it's a small island with twisty roads, thanks again.

[ViperRon]

The trouble with comparing tires is all the differences in riding technique speed roads tire pressure and weight as they all make a great deal of difference in ride feel control and endurance. The other issue is one year you get a tire from a manufacturer and it does good wears good and the very next year they change something in the tire and its crap. The only thing you can really judge is a tire you have recently put on a similar bike when you ride very similar. I will say I am happy with the Shinko's I got except the mileage is low and changing tires can be a hassle. I do ride challenging roads at a pretty good speed and they hold and maneuver well but I do not ride much in the rain and I keep tires a little higher on pressure.

[jimp1967]

This is my first XS11 so I have no tire experience with a XS and reading the tire treads is like the oil threads...LOL. I thought I had my mind made up on a set of Bridgestone Spitfire S11's but now not sure. I guess I just need to buy a set and see and then work myself up or down the line....

Jimmy

[MaximPhil]

This is my first XS11 so I have no tire experience with a XS and reading the tire treads is like the oil threads...LOL. I thought I had my mind made up on a set of Bridgestone Spitfire S11's but now not sure. I guess I just need to buy a set and see and then work myself up or down the line....

Jimmy

Hi Jimmy,
Many of us have liked the Spitfire S11 on the XS. Some have suggested they do not last as long as they used to. A few years ago the price went up quite a lot here in Canada and I switched to the Shinko 712. which is lower cost with a shorter life expectancy but performs well.
Phil

[jetmechmarty]

This is my first XS11 so I have no tire experience with a XS and reading the tire treads is like the oil threads...LOL. I thought I had my mind made up on a set of Bridgestone Spitfire S11's but now not sure. I guess I just need to buy a set and see and then work myself up or down the line....

Jimmy

Yes. You're going to have to work this one out for yourself. The Bridgestone Spitfire S11 is a good tire. I have two bikes wearing them. Both are not my XS1100.