961 commando tyre recommendation?

I've had the Q3 and Q3+ on a couple of bikes. Great dry weather performance. Not the longest lasting tire but a really good street performance option.
 
3005 miles with about 1/2mm left, punctured so changed out for Continental, readily available! So far so good. Contimotion M, sport/touring.
 
I chose Pirelli Phantom Sportcomp....purely for aesthetics
 

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Timely re-ntroduction of this thread Al, as I’m just about to have a new set of shoes fitted. Not so good though as it reminded me that I had proclaimed that I would try the Sportsmax Q3 next, but have just ordered a set of Michelin Power 5’s. Doh!

Hey Stu, can honestly say that in 40 + years of continuous biking I have never chosen a tyre on aesthetics! Lol!!:D
 
Stephen_Spencer said:
Timely re-ntroduction of this thread Al, as I’m just about to have a new set of shoes fitted. Not so good though as it reminded me that I had proclaimed that I would try the Sportsmax Q3 next, but have just ordered a set of Michelin Power 5’s. Doh!

Hey Stu, can honestly say that in 40 + years of continuous biking I have never chosen a tyre on aesthetics! Lol!!:D
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Given modern tyre technology, I think most would struggle to find a crap tyre nowadays...Ive yet to find the limit of a tyre in road use at least. I never have to replace tyres due to wear, as I never get time to bloody ride anyhow....just get replaced due to age. I chose the tyres for my 1098 based on looks too, as the Bridgestone tread mimicked the shape of the mirrors :D
 
Stu Bodycote said:
Given modern tyre technology, I think most would struggle to find a crap tyre nowadays...Ive yet to find the limit of a tyre in road use at least. I never have to replace tyres due to wear, as I never get time to bloody ride anyhow....just get replaced due to age. I chose the tyres for my 1098 based on looks too, as the Bridgestone tread mimicked the shape of the mirrors :D
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Thanks for making me laugh
 
Welshrugby said:
Guys come on, buy some british rubber and up the 84% content of your 961

Avon Spirit ST - Avon Tyres

Official website. Avon Spirit ST is our new high-performance sport touring tyre, that is highly loaded with silica compound and state of the art polymer technology with 3D Sipe Technology.
www.avontyres.com www.avontyres.com
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And… they’re good tyres !
 
Fast Eddie said:
As with medicine… it’s doesn’t matter if it’s placebo effect, so long as it works !
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Thats what I'm saying with tyres, most modern tyres now are decent enough to the point they all work very well....half of it is just whats in your head. The likes of Bridgestone, Pirelli, Dunlop etc dont make crap tyres (recent TT and NW aside)....so why not just go for what ever you like the look of, especially as the majority of the bikes in this section see minimal use and rarely in all weathers (with the odd exception).
 
Stu Bodycote said:
Just for you, buddy.
Half of your perception of grip etc is just a placebo. For me, wear rate is not a concern, nor is cost.
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I do like Ducati's,
Infact I like almost everything Italian,
It's my favourite European country,
The Italian's are my favourite people ❤,
The grub also very tasty,
Almost as tasty as they ladies, but not quite
I also liked my Guzzi,
And I tip my hat to Eddie for his choice in the MV
Glorious engine (Motor)?
And it would definitely get my attention,
Until a lady walks by of course!
 
Fitted Dunlop Sportsmart III and way better than Qualifiers. Used them on track including a session abandoned because of snow and no problems whatsoever. Michelin Road 5 are supposed to be good for wet weather; fitted them to my Humpty Dumpty for commuting and seemed fine.
 
Stu Bodycote said:
Thats what I'm saying with tyres, most modern tyres now are decent enough to the point they all work very well....half of it is just whats in your head. The likes of Bridgestone, Pirelli, Dunlop etc dont make crap tyres (recent TT and NW aside)....so why not just go for what ever you like the look of, especially as the majority of the bikes in this section see minimal use and rarely in all weathers (with the odd exception).
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I'm almost entirely in agreement except to say that wet weather use is important to those of us who do long tours.
I got caught in heavy rain with the Triumph when it had its original Pirelli Diablo Rosso racey tires. I guess they were extra sticky in the dry, that was the rave, but as Stu points out , are you really going to break loose with any modern tire in the dry? I don't think so.
Wet is another matter. I hit a large painted patch on a very slight curve and the bike drifted sideways at 75 mph. Just luck that it didn't go down.
The Diablos are almost a slick.
Give me a tire with a few more grooves to shed the water. And a dual compound so that the centre doesn't wear flat after 2000 miles of highway riding (1trip!)
Since none of the available tires are going to slide out in the dry, might as well have one that will at least last for a single riding season.
Pirelli Angel GTs fit the bill.
I'm sure that Avon has a suitable tire as well. I will try Avon next time around.
Michelin PR 5s are reported to be a step back from PR4s for wear rate, don't know if this is so, but have read a couple of comments making that claim.
Glen
 
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I've just fitted a pair of Diablo Rosso Corsa's to a customer's Domi SS (along with a ThreeD chain).....most of the bikes I see never see rain, let alone long distance touring. A blast out to a local pub meet is the usual. I suppose really thats pretty much the heart of a cafe racer...seeing as the original tonne-up boys of the 60s would just blast down to the local cafe to hang out, along with the occasional thrash down the local bypass.
 

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After my experience with them in the wet, I sure wouldn't want them again for my type of usage. That slide happened on a fairly short ride coming home from a Rally, maybe 250 miles or so.
I guess I wouldn't want to be limited to short rides only on dry days. The bike is for travelling, finding new roads and places. I find that type of riding to be the greatest amount of fun.
Some use big touring bikes for this, but then you are stuck riding a land whale through hundreds of miles of twisty mountain roads.
The Diablo Rossos would be just fine for the Sunday afternoon Coffee Shop Racer.

Glen
 
To be honest, I get absolutely zero pleasure in riding in anything but perfect conditions...by perfect I mean I'm cooking in my leathers. Ive got one bike running Dunlop D212's, you can wheel spin though when cold haha.
The bike Ive just fitted the Rosso's to, has done 1600 miles from new.....its a 2015 bike.
 
Stu Bodycote said:
Thats what I'm saying with tyres, most modern tyres now are decent enough to the point they all work very well....half of it is just whats in your head. The likes of Bridgestone, Pirelli, Dunlop etc dont make crap tyres (recent TT and NW aside)....so why not just go for what ever you like the look of, especially as the majority of the bikes in this section see minimal use and rarely in all weathers (with the odd exception).
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This is the argument we make with many customers, especially the Harley crowd. People get stuck with that's what is on my bike or that's what it came with. Many of our sportbike customers who only ride in a straight line yet want the latest in sticky street tires and then complain when after 3k miles they need to change them again. Some of that changed during Covid as tire supplies dried up but you still hear the I'll never use this or that tire. I've had Shinko crap work and wear better than some Pirelli's and Dunlops.
 

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