Tyres (again!)

[richardh]

I've been running Pirelli Diablo Corses on my ST4s since new, and love them - I get about 4-4500 out of a rear on fast solo rides, grip wonderfully, wet or dry, and utterly predictable. However, not so good fully laden two-up - they square off very quickly and are through to the cords in 2500 miles or so. So can anyone recommend an alternative, one that preferably gets as close as possible to the DC's sports performance while lasting rather longer when touring? Oh, and I get better mileage out of DCs than ordinary Diablos...

cheers
Richard

[Glyn]

i've got very good milage out of avon azaro st's av45 and av46
once again v.good in the wet great in the dry and a good 5k out of them
and i treat them pretty bad
recently tried something a bit stickyer 207rr and did not like them as much as my azaros. the 207rr always felt a bit squirmy where the azaros feel very sharp
cant compare to diablos though as i've never tried them

[Harv748]

I was going to say the standard diablos ...doh.

I'm suprised you are getting MORE milage out of a set of corsa diablos over the standard ones though???

I believe they do a diablo 'strada' now or something like that. Designed for the more touring orientated bike...look very similar to the other two diablos (tread pattern etc) but with extended mileage.

Take a look at the pirelli website...

http://www.pirellimoto.com/en_96/tires/template_categorie.jhtml?selected=desc&catid=96STSTR&productid=17646&nome=DIABLO_STRADA

[Edited on 1-9-2005 by Harv748]

[Jools]

Funny thing about Diablos is that they seem to last for ages then degrade very quickly at the end of their life - at least on my ST.

I've been thinking about Glyn's experiences with harder compounds and, knowing the pace he can ride at, I'm sure that the rest of us are kidding ourselves about the amount of grip we actually need. Maybe there is something to be said for a harder tyre that might slide just a bit earlier but lasts twice as long.

As long as any slide is gentle and predictable it's probably something I would compromise on, after all I could scrape the pegs on Metzeler MEZ4 touring tyres so....

I've been thinking about the best all round tyres (al right I know they are all round..and black) and it's always gonna be a compromise but I fancy some of those dual compound tyres next time out. The new Bridgestone 020 for example has a hard centre for straight line durability and resistance to squaring and a softer compound on the edge for better scratching. Basically a touring biased tyre that should last well, but also allow a bit of hooning

[Glyn]

hooning:D

[psychlist]

BT020 ;)

[rockhopper]

I used ordinary Dunlop D207's at TA4 and never had a moments worry from them. The back is scrubbed right to the edge and the front is hardly marked really. I can't imagine why i would need anything with more grip concidering how i ride.

[Derek]

I'm about to put on a second set of Conti Road Attacks. I've found them to be a great tyre with all the grip I've ever needed, wet or dry. I'm getting about four and a half thousand on the rear which could easliy be more with gentler riding amd they only cost £145 the pair - fitted. :burn:
Continental have recently released their new Sport Attack tyre with the same pattern but a softer compound. It has had some very favourable reviews.

[Glyn]

jools your comment about slides.....
in my limited experiance i've found the harder tyres e.g macadams azaros
almost tell you when there going to let go
for example cadwell on azaros
I was right over round the big bend at the top of the track and could feel the tyres start to "walk" a bit as i turned on the power as you ease off they slip a bit less as you wind it on they slip a bit more. very constant
then on the 207rr round snetterton
lent right over in one of the big bends and bang the back end just lets go of the road big time high side
with the 207 there was no warning
theres no dought in my mind that the 207rr gave me more grip but they dont feel as nice or give as good a feed back as the harder tyres i've tried
but then again im not normal:D

[TP]

Glyn,

In my experience of standard Diablo's they start to slide nice and progressively when they go off. I've had plenty of rear end slides on Diablo's that are just starting to lose that grip they were giving me the lap before ... they just go and it feels like a little twitch but they just keep going and then you realise they are sliding. You just stand the bike up a little more keeping the throttle neutral and it all comes back to you - lovely.

Diablo's offer huge amounts of grip for a standard road tyre and go off progressively and easily. What more can you want for a reasonably high mileage tyre?

HTH

TP

[Jools]

What you say about about Diablo's is certainly true TP. I'm on my second set now and they've stood up to trackdays very well, only a few twitches despite blatant abuse - like having to brake quite hard while still cranked over going round Cadwell to avoid slower traffic on TA4.

On a track they probably show a nice progressive degradation and just slide a little more each lap.

What I'm talking about is that, as a road tyre, they seem to last quite well for ages then suddenly wear down at a startling rate (a bit like a fuel gauge that stays on full for a hundred miles then plummets to zero). A case in point is that I went on a 250 mile rideout over to the Comfort Cafe last year with the BHC lads. Before I started I checked my Diablos and looked at the rear tyre "blimey", I thought "that rear tyre is wearing well, nearly 4000 miles on it and it's still got plenty to go". Then just 250 enthusiastic miles later it was virtually bald and definitely giving me some big twitches on the lovely twisties just before we reached our favourite pub.

[PeteC]

I'll throw in my two-penneth here,
just put on second set of Avon azzarro St's they work for me wet or dry
one or two up.

Pete

[ChrisBushell]

On the advice of Pirelli, I fitted a pair of Diablo Stradas to my St4 back in March in replacement for MEZ4 and have to say the feel and grip have been superb.

I would recommend them as a good all round tyre with a lot of dry & wet grip. In addition they have tightened up the directional stability a lot.

Tyreman did me an excellent deal on them as well

[HW]

I got very good results on ST4s from Bridgestone BT020 (rear) and BT010 (front). They are dual compound and handle well. I ran a 180 rear on the ST4s. Mileage was good, over 5k miles from the rear and 2 rear to one front.

[chrisw]

My experiences mirror Glyn's. Very happy with the Azaro ST's on my 2001 ST4S (Since sold for a 999). Switched to 207RR's only cos I got a pair for £75. They were OK but the Avons were a better all rounder for the ST. Plus you can get a good deal on a pair. (Try BFM at Shipley, they do mail order)

[John W]

Richard,

I had a Diablo strada on the rear of my bike until recently. Two up it lasted just over 3k miles, which is better than the pilot sports at 2k5, and BT010s at even less :rolleye:

The Strada did exctly as Jools said above - looked a bit low but good enough to get me home from Germany. 150 miles later of sedate riding (nursing it) I had cord showing :o

I've fitted a Diablo Corsa this time around.

You rode with me earlier in the year (French trip) so know the way we ride is similar. I have never managed to get over 4k out of a rear. My best effort was 1k8 out of a BT010 (cord showing) on a vfr800 :D

By the way, I've tried Dunlops too, but didn't like the feel of them.

Hope that helps.

[anthony]

I ran Bridgstone 010 front 020 rear for several years on my ST2. Rear was getting 6000 miles, maybe a bit more in winter. Front about 8000, but was well shot by then

Just switched to Pirelli, Diablo front, Diablo Strada rear. They are a very different tyre, the grip is good but feel more nervous. The turn in is much quicker than the Bridgestone, suit the "S" side of the ST..!!

Off to the Ring this weekend so will see how they fair over longer distances

Ant