[12493]

Hmmm... I seem to recall seeing Michelin radials at the Honda dealership in Alameda around 1974. They were being used on a trial basis on CB750 police bikes, but didn't pan out on wire wheels in a tubed application. I seem to recall the issues being squirrelly handling (probably due to the tall aspect ratio on a vehicle that leans) and ctastrophic sidewall failure in the event of a puncture. Maybe they weren't successful, but I think that predates Pirelli's "inventing" claim by about a decade, and Michelins intro of a viable radial by a decade-and-a-half!

mr****.

 

[acecycleins]

Pirelli is also making a first rate race compound for WSB. You can verify this by looking at testing times on WSB bikes compared to GP bikes on the same tracks. Pretty impressive Pirelli.

 

[32849]

I was on dunlop 209s for the last part of 05 and in 06 and 208gps for the years before that. i fought head shake all year in 06 on both bikes. my teammate had the same issues and switched to pirellis. he said they were a tad squishy in the front but the rear grip was good. he got used to the soft tire up front. he is racing at daytona this spring and was worried about needing a special tire. pirelli said "nope, run what ya brung."

i plan to give dunlop one weekend in 07. if my new penskes don't solve the head shake i'm going to start to suck up to the pirelli guy.

 

[seruzawa]

Imperialist Lies!

Everyone knows that radial motorcycle tires were invented by heroic Soviet transportation engineer Radialovich Rimskiiiy. All hail the glorious Party.

 

[32849]

Re: Imperialist Lies!

I knew that

 

[3983]

I used a few sets of the MP7 back in 1983. They were not a true radial like today, as they did fit the narrow rims on my GS1000, which back then had 'wide' allow Akronts on it. First set of tyre were the best I had ever used on the road, lasted a long time relative to other sticky tyres of the day. Mileage of only 2000kms was not unusual, the MP7s lasted nearly 10,000kms. Then they changed the compund/construction, and there were never as good again.

 

[obandoj]

Pirelli sure is making one great tire these days, we have been using their products lately and are very impresed by them. The Diablos rule the twisties and track days and they last a long time, how can you beat that?

PIRELLI, KEEP UP THE GOOD WORK!

 

[obandoj]

http://www.motorcycledaily.com/07october05_pirelli_strada.htm

 

[obandoj]

http://www.motorcycledaily.com/12january07_pirelli_diablo_corsa2.htm

 

[silentgrayfellow]

What's up with harley-davidson, did they have a falling out with Dunlop? Buell switched from Dunlop 616s on the Ulysses after one year, and are running Pirelliis now. I think the cruisers are still running "Harley-Davidson" braded tires made by Dunlop, but maybe that will change too. Anyone have any insight on that?

 

[The_AirHawk]

Jeff Adams talked 'em into the P's.......

 

[35603]

i agree with the comment about how good the new pirellis are.



i replaced the dunlop 208's on my tuono rsv with pirelli scorpion syncs recently. i'm extremely pleased.



the previous owner used the tuono at the track, and for that, the 208's were probalby very good. however, on a cold wet san francisco commute, they weren't confidence inspiring, especially when cold.



the scorpion syncs have a good feel both hot and cold, wet and dry. and tho' i'm not by any means a peg-scraper, the feel of the syncs is very confidence-inspiring.

 

[obandoj]

They are having a falling out with their own workers!

 

[57335]

I second the kudos to Scorpion Syncs... they're fantastic under almost any street use condition (wet, dry, cold, warm, smooth, rough, etc.).