MetzelerTourances ?

What does the group think of these for a general all rounder for a V-Strom
1000, tourer type riding style ?

or alternatives ?

Thanks,

Nick

 

I'm very chuffed with the Tourances, which grip well in wet or dry, and last
a long time. They're reckoned to be as good as any for big trailies, but
there are others which are also rated ok (and maybe cheaper). ISTR people
speaking well of Avon Distanzia and, er, I think Bridgestone Trailwings
also, but I haven't tried them myself.

Avoid Michelin T66's (assuming they still make them) like the plague, unless
you never ride in the wet. Nasty!

Rick (R1150GS/F650GS)

 

I have Anakees on my Varadero, very good in both dry and wet[1], Can't
speak of mileage as they have only done 5K. Still loads left though. For
my next tyres though I will be going BT 020 as they have brought out
sizes suitable for Big Trailees. They are very smooth with more even drop
into corners and seemed to grip very well[2]. I don't go off road at all
so I'd be happy to go totally road biased but YMMMV.


[1] Two up with SWMBO chasing sports bikes round Scotland getting both
pegs down on numerous occasions.

[2] Had a do on Wiks GS Adventure shod with them, Very impressed with
the tyres.

 

entwisi says...

Being diplomatic about your views of the bike itself, I see.

 

They were OE on my Tiger and after 6000 miles the rear is down to about
3mm tread depth. I'm limited in tyre choice because of spoked wheels on
the Tiger but they have been fine to me - front can get a bit squirmy
under heavy braking but I reckon that's more a feature of the bike than
the tyres, 19inch wheel and long, soft suspension. The Tiger can be
ridden quite enthusiastically and they have coped well enough that I
will just go with new ones when the time comes.

 

Without wanting to upset anyone (after all he's bigger than me), I wasn't
that impressed. I had wanted a do on a GS when I was buying the Varadero
but SWMBO said it was 'Bloody Ugly, You're not having one of those' so
when the opportunity arose I was looking forward to it. However it just
didn't float my boat, the engine didn't have the grunt or noise of mine,
the handling whilst good felt 'remote', I did like the lack of dive under
braking from the front. I'm grateful to Wik for a go as I now no longer
look at them wondering if I'd prefer it to the Varadero. I suppose its
swings and roundabouts, I just prefer the Varadero. I'm planning on
tweaking the front suspension with different springs/oil so it should
bring it pretty much to what I want. I can't think of anything else I
would want to do to it.

 

So, SWMBO reckons the GS is so ugly but not the Varadero? ALL of these
big trailies (including the Tiger) are pretty challenged in the looks
department I reckon. Having said that, the Tiger seems to turn more
heads than the ZX9 does - maybe they're just astonished at the bigness
and ugliness of it!

 

The only limitation is the size - the spokes don't limit anything as
it's got tubeless rims.

 

Not so. The Tiger spoked wheels will NOT take tubeless tyres, nothing to
do with size - they are just not air tight, which is why the latest
model has non-spoked wheels so the tyre choice is increased.

 

Bad form etc... Do you have an owners handbook for your Tiger? Page 64
in mine says "This motorcycle is fitted with spoked wheels which
require a tyre suitable for use with an inner tube"

Are you using tubeless tyres on yours?

 

You're confusing 'tubeless tyres' with 'tyres with tubes in' - big
difference. The Tourance is a tubeless tyre, which has to be fitted
with a tube when mounted on a spoked wheel (unless it's a BMW or
Aprilia spoked wheel). Alternatively you can seal the rim with various
types of gloop & run your tubeless tyres sans tube.

 

Which covers all Tiger-size tyres, & probably all tyres period, unless
any manufacturers make them with spikes sticking out the inside!

I did seal the rims when I rebuilt the wheels last year, but I kept the
tubes fitted in case the spokes needed a tweak after bedding in, which
may have broken the seal. I'll probably ditch the tubes at the next
tyre change.

 

Personally I don't see what all the issue is with the Varadero. OK its not
a Sprots bike, we don't all want pocket rockets. The varadero has a large
fairing with excellent protection and superb twin headlights. If the only
thing that the journos can keep spouting is that it is ugly then it must
be doing something right dynamically and after all thats what we buy these
things for isn't it and I actually like its 'different' look.

I could always pull the old 'You don't notice the mantlepiece whilst
stoking the fire' one now couldn't I )

 

I had always believed it to be a bad idea to use a tube in a tyre meant
to run tubeless(dunno why really - something about making the tyre run
too hot, but I could be talking bollocks). My point was that Triumph say
that because it has spokes you should use a tube, so yes, the spokes do
limit your choice of manufacturer recommended tyres.

What would be the benefit? Sure, you can fit other makes of tyre but if
you had an insurance claim and the assessor spotted a tyre not on the
manufacturers recommended list where would you stand? Personally I'll
stick to Tourances with tubes - the Tiger doesn't need expensive sticky
rubber and it would be a waste of money buying it (IMHO). Having said
that Tourances aren't exactly cheap, the rear 150x17 is only about £15
cheaper than the 190x17 BT01 on my ZX9, but they do last a bit longer

 

Agreed. The looks do grow on you too. I'm more likely to use the Tiger
for everyday routine and it's a great tourer - the ZX9 has become very
much a Sunday toy. This last year, I only did 2k miles on it as against
nearly 5k on the Tiger. The Tiger is an excellent bike, good fun and I'm
less likely to lose my licence on it!

 

I think we'll have to agree to disagree. But as a parting shot, the rim
on Tigers is designed for tubeless tyres, not tubed - the area where
the bead sits is different between the two. The Tourance is a tubeless
tyre, & it doesn't say on the Michelin website that it's suitable for
use with a tube - ditto the Anakee, & the T66 before it, & probably the
various flavours of trailwing too but I can't be arsed to look. Anyway
it's neither here nor there really as Tourances rock so why look
elsewhere.

IMHO it wouldn't make a blind bit of difference to which tyres you can
fit, for the reasons I've already stated. The 19" front rim limits you
to big trailie tyres and BT020s, with a few more options if you don't
mind reverting to crossply.

Most people's reason for going tubeless, and one of mine, is the
thought of trying to break the bead at the side of the road if you get
a puncture in the middle of nowhere. It's obviously a lot easier to
plug a tubeless tyre than change/patch a tube, & you don't have to
carry spare tubes, levers etc. OK it may not be a problem in the UK if
you've got breakdown cover, but if you're on a by-way 10 miles from the
nearest road it's still a hell of a push! Or if you're touring on the
continent & don't want to lose a day faffing around.

The other reason, which only applies to those of us mad enough to
venture off-road on such behemoths, is compression punctures. Putting
it simply, you don't get compression punctures if you haven't got tubes.

 

I'm not disagreeing as I freely admit I don't know a lot about the
subject. I find it most odd that if, as you say, the wheels are designed
for tubeless but Triumph say fit tubes. Also Triumph have now ditched
spoked wheels on the Tiger and the reason given was to increase the
choice of tyres, according to my local dealer anyway.

That makes very good sense, but I'd be tempted to ride the bloody thing
on the rims for ten miles rather than push it!

I'm not mad enough to off-road mine, is it fun or terrifying?

 

If you pick your trails carefully, it's a complete hoot. Fast gravel
tracks like the ones criss-crossing Salisbury Plain are perfect Tiger
country. I suppose some people might find it terrifying to do 90+
standing on the pegs with the back wheel sliding from side to side, but
if you've got the confidence to do it it's stupidly good fun!

I took a bunch of people from the Yahoo group in my sig out on the
Plain this year. Most of them had never ridden off-road on anything,
never mind a gurt great beastie, and they all absolutely loved it -
even the ones who fell off. The pic on the group homepage is from that
trip.

I'll be doing another one this summer if you want to come along.
Details will go on the Yahoo group as & when if you want to subscribe
to it. We do loads of other Tiger runs throughout the year too.

 

I use tubeless tyres (BT45s) with tubes on my Guzzi's conventionally
spoked wheels. I always have done; even with the cast alloy wheels.

I've not had any problems and none of the tyre fitters have said anything
in the past.

 

That's good, because I've got a part worn BT45 for my Bandit that I had
to use a temp plug for. The bike shop I took it to wouldn't plug it[1],
because I'd used a get you home plug. This means I can use a tube
instead.

[1]I dunno if they're talking BS.