Race tyres for daily road use?

[bvghead]

Hey all, just after your opinions on using race scrubs for commuting, bad idea? would they be a nightmare in the wet?

Really drawn to the price - starting from 40 quid for a rear! supercorsas, gp racers and metzler k2's.... lots of centre tread left.

Ta in advance

[SlingVTR]

Yes scrubbed slicks will be fine for commuting in the wet, remember the faster you go the more heat will be retained in the tyre, and dont forget to brake hard and deep into corners in the torrential rain...................................... oh and you will go faster if you have a few bevvies inside too.....

[benny hedges]

i imagine plod would approve of them too....

great if you fancy changing your tyre every 600 miles.
why dont you just get some maxxis on instead, theyre only about 80 for the rear?
good for a couple of thou - not tried them myself yet but heard good reports on them for a budget tyre, nice soft compound...

[futterbingers]

Don't do it. Unless you can keep your wrist closed most of the time. You can't keep the heat in the tyres to make them heat up properly, once you stop at traffic lights, heat disappears, if you forget on the next roundabout and open the throttle wide quickly, the back tries to mate with the front, seen it many times with friends trying to save money. Unless you are conscious of your riding all the time, it's not worth it. My friend had a sparkling fresh rd500 until he did that, really did go round and over!
I've used bridgstone bt020 and 21's and get good mileage from them on previous bikes. I'd always go for sports touring tyres, but stickier if you go on track a lot. (or a track bike - even better!)

[bvghead]

Cheers for the feedback all. I was about to buy some pilot road 2 but they were going to cost about 230 fitted at http://polepositionint.com/

I've ordered the Metzler scrubs anyway... maybe put them on for a trackday hopefully next month.

Maxxis does seem to be the obvious choice on the forum. I'll get them ordered

[Zakalwe]

Steve (Zakalwe) uses them on his blade as well. Sticky in the dry, crap in the wet is my recollection. I recall Steve saying something about it when we got caught in that delluge in Windermere.

^^This^^..though that was on a freezing cold day in March.

Racetech scrubs are more awesome than an awesome thing ona warm dry day. They are OK in damp conditions, as long as you keep them warm (I have KD'd on damp-ish roads). In the cold and wet, forget it. They feel like you are riding on tyres made of mahogany. That are covered in oil.

[benny hedges]

Cheers for the feedback all. I was about to buy some pilot road 2 but they were going to cost about 230 fitted at http://polepositionint.com/

I've ordered the Metzler scrubs anyway... maybe put them on for a trackday hopefully next month.

Maxxis does seem to be the obvious choice on the forum. I'll get them ordered

got some supermaxxis coming tomorrow - 134 delivered (pair) from http://www.bitz4bikes.co.uk
pity you dont live nearer - ive got some pilot 2s with about 1ooo mile off, dont like them.
can't say they havent been well tested lol.... i'm hoping it's the tyres anyway lol but saying that, bike does left handers great, just doesnt want to go down on right handers... thinking yokes twisted tbh, need to check theres the same cc of oil in each leg first, wheel alignment etc...
but the maxxis are going on tomorrow anyway
when i first rode with the pilot 2s they felt great, but that was comparing the storm handling vs my cbx with roadriders on... even in the wet they felt more predictable than the avons in the dry.

now ive got more used to the storm and try to flick it about more i find the tyres are letting me down a bit, sliding out under power on fast bends etc, very disconcerting even though it must look cool from behind, drifting a bit & the front giving way and skidding instead of pulling a stoppie
can't say it's cos the tyres aren't warm cos in this weather it's hot enough to melt the road. they should be sticking like cheese to a helmet.
ordered new pads as well cos ive done in the ebc hh in just over 1k lol, down to about 1.5mm atm!
dont see the point in having a 3000+ mile tyre if i bend the bike in the meantime lol.
and pls dont say slow down - tried that, it's gah.

[marlbororman]

Im runing michelin pilot 2 and think there great. lean angle wise, im right at the edge on the rear, but front ive got a 1/2" chicken strip Dunno why, im never gunna get rid off it. The tyres are really hard wearing though, Bridgestones wot i had before (bt014) i killed the rear in 1400 miles. This pair have maybe done 2500 to 3000 now, still loads left. And they wernt new when i got em (40 notes off ebay for the pair)

[benny hedges]

ah agree with the hard wearing but im not so sure about the lean angle... to me they drop off too quick once you get them on the edge - i'd much prefer a softer compound on the outside.
i've had these right to the point of no return, not going stupid quick mind, just laying it down see how far it'd go, nearly lost it on c&f and again on saturday coming back from wales cos of the hard rubber.

front one as you say, mine's same, can't see how anyone can get them to the edge

i wouldn't mind changing rears every 1000 if it means i stay on the bike lol but i cba with scrubs due to the low mileage and wet weather traction - plus i hate changing tyres (and patching up the rims after)

[benny hedges]

ordered supermaxxis form bitz4bikes at 3.15pm yesterday, they arrived 8.15 this morning.
now that's good service!
they feel great - very soft & i like the profile.
can't wait to try them

[bvghead]

benny hedges, Did you go for the Presa Sport ones? For only £15 quid extra over the M5029's it's kinda odd pricing.

Cheers for the feedback!

[benny hedges]

m6029 they say - i'll find out if theyre any good later!
as i said to a m8, remember those rubbers (erasers) you had at school with an ink rubber on one end & a pencil rubber on the other??

that's a fair comparison between the pilot2 compound & the maxxis...

[MJONESY]

what you doing with old pilot road 2s benny?

[benny hedges]

well, on closer inspection, it has a pilot 2 on the back and a macadam on the front, which is why i feel uneasy on bends lol - the front could well be the original tyre! - according to the book...
dunno what to do with the rear yet, still trying to get the bugger off lol, bent a lever already so might just take them my mates garage tomorrow and let him fit them & balance them.

if i decide to let the rear go i'll let you know.
the front is only fit for the bin imo - tread's as good as new but i can't tell it's age so it's being made into a playground chippings

[BarryH]

Metz Sportecs, swear by them. For track use go for the Renntecs, they're road legal too, just don't expect too many miles. I average 2.5k on a rear if I'm gentle.