Pirelli Diablo Strada vs. Michelin Pilot Road

The squared-off flat portion on my rear tire is approximately 1-7/8" wide or 15/16" from the centerline. The Strada has a wear bar which is 11/16" from the tire's centerline. This wear bar should be a reasonably good indicator of the tread remaining in the center section of the tire.

Constant Mesh said:

This wear bar should be a reasonably good indicator of the tread remaining in the center section of the tire.

Click to expand...

It's not.

Don't see anybody else complaining about this problem with the other tires.

Well, my Mich PR rear just wore out after 3k of hard riding. So the new Diablo is going on this week.

So far, the front Diablo is superb. Wear/life looks good. Handling is superb. There is a little resistance to roll-in at high speeds, but the FJR is a little beasty to me above 100 anyway. So I am probably not experienced enough to ascertain that characteristic.

Constant Mesh said:

The squared-off flat portion on my rear tire is approximately 1-7/8" wide or 15/16" from the centerline. The Strada has a wear bar which is 11/16" from the tire's centerline. This wear bar should be a reasonably good indicator of the tread remaining in the center section of the tire.

Click to expand...

I just got back from meeting with the group on hwy36 with the stradas installed. Personally, I will not be putting these tires back on my bike. Prior to departure the rear tire looked fine, 300 miles later, things had changed quite a bit.

In the twisties, the stradas did not instill any confidence while leaned far over. They are ok when you are not pushing things, but try to pick up the speed and things quickly change to running wide in turns and a slimy feedback feeling while the tires are partially breaking loose. The tire is not compliant on rain grooves and general crappy pavement and just begins to shimmy. While leaned over, even on the freeway at speed was quite an eye opener. When I press on the cords of this tire, it is flexing in and out around 1/8" with ease.

The wear bars are too far off center of the tire, to provide any warning of impending cords, and after another 360 miles home, here's what the rear looked like. There was another rider there on a set of metzler z6 who had the exact same symptoms as mine, thinking he had ample tread left.

Not having a suitable wear bar on a tire could turn a happy day of riding into something a lot different. The wear bars are clearly visible in the picture.

++1 on what Skyway said. I don't even have 3000 mi. on the Metz Z6's and from day one in the corners the tire has an uneasy feeling as you can feel the tire losing its bite as in the slippery feel. And I too would like wear bars near the center of the tire. From what I understand the Strada's and the Metzlers are the same manufacture. For a newbe like me this is not causing me to gain the learning confidence needed. This is a dangerous situation. Need I say more? PM. <>< :angry2: