ZX-14 Tire Advice

[CIKI]

I'm looking for some advice on upgrading from the stock Bridgestones.
I ride my 14 daily, but need some better tires to do top out roll-ons and hold corners when running with these liter bikes. My 636 is only for the track now. I'm looking at the Michelin Pilot® Sport HPX, Pirelli Diablo, Avon Storm-ST. Since I ride year round I need some that can hold well in the rain too. As anyone had any experience with any of these?:notsure:

 

[Meat]

CIKI;12783 wrote: I'm looking for some advice on upgrading from the stock Bridgestones.
I ride my 14 daily, but need some better tires to do top out roll-ons and hold corners when running with these liter bikes. My 636 is only for the track now. I'm looking at the Michelin Pilot® Sport HPX, Pirelli Diablo, Avon Storm-ST. Since I ride year round I need some that can hold well in the rain too. As anyone had any experience with any of these?:notsure:

I like the HPX on my BMW K1200S. I don't ride it nearly as aggressively as some may on the street, but the shape of it (as in the cross-section) doesn't seem as aggressive. Therefore I don't go through the center as quickly. I also like the feel as I am leaning over, and at higher speeds I feel more controlled. Others may hate the tire, but I like it for a big sport touring bike.

 

[PACABADA]

Hard to beat the Pilot Power 2CT for the street, great performance and wear should be round 3800 to 4000 miles. Better for cold days than the Pilot Road which is good also but takes longer to warm up for the street. Powers are what I run on my ZX-11

Paul
09 1098 #121

 

[bigkaley]

I currently have the Pilot Road's on my '93 ZX-11 (which is far from stock), and I like them especially in the wet. There is a new Pilot Road 2 which, like the Power 2CT, has a dual compound with better grip on the sides and longer life in the center.

 

[CIKI]

Thanks

Thanks for the feedback. I'm thinking the 2CTs for the spring and summer since they have shorter lives than the HPXs. Plus, I could get a few track days on those too.

 

[CIKI]

How to those HPXs retain heat? I would run these throughout the fall and winter.

 

[Meat]

CIKI;13160 wrote: How to those HPXs retain heat? I would run these throughout the fall and winter.

I never had an issue with the HPX winter or summer. I really was very happy with them on my BMW. I have Pilot Powers on there now and I don't like it as well as the HPX. I would like to try the Pilot Road 2CT next, or may just go back to the HPX. It is really tough to keep from wearing the center out before the edges on a streetbike.

 

[Meat]

And as far as heat retention, for winter riding, the more aggressive the tire compound the more heat it needs to develop grip. You will get more winter grip out of a touring tire than you will a race tire on the street (to use opposite ends of the spectrum).