ouch! new tire

I crossed over today. I run just a short 20 mile jaunt on the new goodyear. I like it so far. It does take a little more counter steer to get the bike leaned over, noticed it right off. But by the time I got home (I run thru some twisties a a moderate speed) and didn't even notice the change. I have about 1/8 mile gravel private road I am on and one rather sharp low speed turn, it was a little uncomfortable to work that hard to pitch it over in the gravel. By far the worst part of the whole process is mounting and dismounting. It apears that Triumph really did reinvent the wheel. There is no recess on these wheels and standard tire equipment just don't work. Goodyear dealer could not even get the Metzler off the wheel. I brought it back home and removed it with bolt cutters and sabre saw. Returned to tire dealer and they (two guys) fought with hand tools for about an hour. I do not have much knowledge on tire mounting equipment but these guys mount $300.00 tires on $1200.00 wheeles all day. and they have yet to see anything like this.. Oh well, I tipped the guys $20.00 because they were extreeeemly carefull not to marr the wheel. I suggest not trying this at home. They had all sorts of soaps, lubes, snake oil and a vast assortment of tire bars at there disposal. The tire I used was a Goodyear Eagle F1 GS D3 225/50/ZR16. My original tire had only 3600 miles. I Refuse to by 2 - 3 tires a year.
I will follow up after this weekend, I'll have another 2 or 3 hundred miles by then
 

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Gunshots:

That's a nice looking tire and it actually has some tread depth. What a concept. I, for one, will be waiting for a play by play report because I'll probably go down the same road. My sidecar outfit will definitely get a car tire when the Battalax fights it's last battle.
 
Tread Depth in the catalog says 11/32 thats over twice the Metz. I'll put a gauge on it tomorrow for grins. and 7.7 inches on the ashalt.
 
The Metz is bald before it get's it's cherry popped.......

The way I see it, that's planned obsolescence. That was the first thing I noticed other than the size of the tire...the lack of tread depth. I'm really surprised the Metz don't hydroplane. Not much in the way of rain grooves to channel water from the contact patch.
 
FYI... I've ridden several hundred miles in the rain including about a half an hour in a downpour and the Metzler was rock solid, it never even slipped. I was very impressed. Obviously Metzler knows what they are doing when it comes to tread design and tests them very thoroughly. (As opposed to keyboard speculators).

Motorcycle tires are made from very sticky rubber as opposed to car tires, and because of this they wear much faster. If you had deep grooves all that would accomplish would be that the tire would end up being very "square" but poor handling. Most rear motorcycle tires don't go much beyond the 10,000 mile mark, and many far less, which is pretty much a fact of life that most experienced motorcyclists realize.

If you lived in Western Kansas or Nebraska (or possibly even Florida) a car tire would work because there are few curves to be had. I still like that wonderful handling the Rocket has with the Metz, someone said it was like the rear was on a ball bearing.

The whole point here being chicken little misinformation about the Metz being dangerous in the rain just isn't true, its actually a very good rain tire, even considering the Rocket's huge horsepower and torque numbers...
 


Tomo:

Maybe I should have worded it a little differently. I too have ridden the Rocket is heavy rain on the freeway with no problems it's just that visually, I'm used to more sipes and rain grooves. I never said it was dangerous, quite the contrary, however, any tire that's worn below 2/32" of tread depth is dangerous, particularily so in the rain. In no way do I want it to be construed that the Metz is unsafe in the rain. My problem is the price vs. tire life. I'd better get 10K out of that sucker. I drive like the old fart I am so I should. If I don't and Gunshots is at all positive in his review of the Eagle, that will be my next rear tire.

I'm also aware that bike tires are formulated from a softer, better roadholding compound than automobile tires but then we also have to say what is the limit of adhesion and would you be able to exceed that limit in normal riding with an Eagle in place of the Metzler?

Without you or I speculating as to the pros and cons, lets just wait for Gunshots to give us his feedback. I know that many sidecarists use a Goodyear Eagle for a rear tire but the reasons as well as the applied geometry are different than a two wheeled bike.

You a Metzler salesperson by some chance??
 
I think this is what boils down to. If you are willing to lay off the throttle you can probably get decent miles off the Metzler, of course I could have bought a whizzer too. If I have to change my riding style I'll forfit thrashing the curves. I like the rush I get from a handfull. I think the Goodyear is the right choice for me. Logged 190 miles on it today and I Love it. I rode with six other bikers and could only see small dots of lights in my mirrors after the sweepers. I am not a peg scraper but I am able to keep up with the rest of the bunch. What I did notice was at a cruise on decent road (Most roads in Michigan are built like a tennis racket, Just a bunch of holes strung together ) this tire is awsome, Straight down the road smooth as it gets. With the new rubber it rates even higher in the Cruiser/Tourer class to me. Every body likes "New Tires" and as long as this tire remains in good balance it is going to continue to feel like "New Tires" I cannot believe this tire will wear flat and/or cupped like every Metzler I have ever owned. I love the curves but face it, people that rack up 12 to 15 thousand miles a year are not running up and down the Dragon. Most of my miles are racked up at 70 mph on the open road. As far as traction the Eagle F1 GS-D3 is Goodyear's top of the line tire. In their words "Goodyear's Leading Ultra High Performance Tire" and has a AA wet traction rating. (however its only rated for 186/300 mph/kph). I am going to get photo's of the cross section of the metz I cut off, I think I understand why so many captains are having punctures.

To Be Continued
 
No thanks

Car tires just don't work long run a bike. Just look at those nice sharp edges on those eagles. When you are in a corner you only have what 1/2 to 3/4 of rubber hitting the road. I bet they are good going down the road straight but wait till you hit a corner with a little dirt or when it is a little whet. Like some one has already said bike tires are stickier than car tires and there is a good reason for it.
Good luck and be carful on those eagles. I for one will stay with motorcycle tires.
 
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