And yet ANOTHER tire thread...

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The ME880 rear and Diablo Strada front, should be a 10-12,000 mile combination for most, perhaps more for some.
Cripes!

It better be MORE. I get 11,000-14,000 out of the rear Azaros. BTW, still got three virgin ones left! :yahoo:

 
I just mounted a set of BT021s, so I have nothing to offer about them yet.
You better order a replacement front tire now.

From the way you go through tires you will need a new front next weekend.

 
Metz 880 rear is the longest lasting tire I have used. It beat the others by 4,000 miles. Front was Azaros. I have 8,000 on Shinko Raven rear and it looks like it will last around 10,000. I haven't put the Raven front on yet, it is next. Till I test Raven, I am going with Stradas on front. :rolleyes:

 
The ME880 rear and Diablo Strada front, should be a 10-12,000 mile combination for most, perhaps more for some.
Cripes!

It better be MORE. I get 11,000-14,000 out of the rear Azaros. BTW, still got three virgin ones left! :yahoo:
The figures quoted are for the "average" rider. Same figures specifically applied to you would be 32,000 - 35,000.

 
Me880 on rear, over 12000 and not quite done (hard interstate miles), Strada front 14,500 miles, dead. Combo handles and rides very well.

 
I just mounted a set of BT021s, so I have nothing to offer about them yet.
You better order a replacement front tire now.

From the way you go through tires you will need a new front next weekend.
Funny! I actually did order another set of tires the very same day I mounted the BT021s.

:)

Next experiment is the queue is Shinko Ravens.

 
Me880 on rear, over 12000 and not quite done (hard interstate miles), Strada front 14,500 miles, dead. Combo handles and rides very well.
The Michelin Pilot Road also works on the front, even though Jeff doesn't like them. In my experience I got about 9,000 miles out of the ME880 on the rear...........must be the roads here abouts?

Jim

 
Me880 on rear, over 12000 and not quite done (hard interstate miles), Strada front 14,500 miles, dead. Combo handles and rides very well.
The Michelin Pilot Road also works on the front, even though Jeff doesn't like them. In my experience I got about 9,000 miles out of the ME880 on the rear...........must be the roads here abouts?

Jim
I do like the Mich PRs. But they are very scared of tar snakes, and most of the roads around here are slithering with tar snakes.

:(

 
Guys,

Sounds like the Strada/ME880 is the way to go, but one more question:

Is the Strada a specific "model" Pirelli tire like the ME880 or is it a "line" of tires like Michelin Pilot, i.e., Pilot Power, Pilot Sport, Pilot Road.

Just need to narrow down the choices.

thanx,

'howie

 
My Z6's were toast at 4000 miles so I went to 880 front and rear. I got 9000 miles out of that set and am going with the 880's again.

Note:

Not a good idea to try to squeeze every last ounce out of the 880. That hard-meant for cruiser/Goldwing tire slides easy when its cold in the twisties (don't ask, I didn't drop it).

The Z6 was cold weather riding and the 880 hot GA summer. I'm kind of torn between very good handling (Z6/BT?) and the long life of the 880 but will try the 880 again. I was real happy with the 880 when new but the last couple thousand miles I have had no confidence in the twisties and am quite sure its the mostly bald tires.

Steve

 
The Z6 was cold weather riding and the 880 hot GA summer. I'm kind of torn between very good handling (Z6/BT?) and the long life of the 880 but will try the 880 again. I was real happy with the 880 when new but the last couple thousand miles I have had no confidence in the twisties and am quite sure its the mostly bald tires.
Actually, a mostly bald tire, as in one with no tread pattern but still good rubber remaining, will stick BETTER than a tire with tread pattern on a completely dry surface. That's why race "slicks" are exactly that, slick.

The problem is that no tread pattern usually means no rubber is not far behind. Steel belts don't grip worth a crap!

:)

The lack of grip from the rear ME880 is exactly why I keep highly recommending the Strada, Z6 etc. up front and the ME880 rear. A slipping rear is much more manageable when the front is stuck like glue, especially in hard braking situations.

 
The lack of grip from the rear ME880 is exactly why I keep highly recommending the Strada, Z6 etc. up front and the ME880 rear. A slipping rear is much more manageable when the front is stuck like glue, especially in hard braking situations.
Yeah, I get it, but if I'm willing to sacrifice "close to the edge" handling for absolute mileage, would the ME880 front AND rear be the best long-mile alternative? I am strictly talking about daily commuting, about 2 slow-speed right turns in a one-way, 50 mile, mostly slab drive.

As the forum's tire beta-tester, your opinion IS highly valued.

'howie

 
I can testify that the ME-880 combination is the most long-lasting tires I've had on the FJR. Where I'd average about 6,000 to 8,000 on numerous rear Azarros and original Bridgestone and a solid 8,000 on my PR......I went 11,000 miles on the ME-880 with lots of tread left, but howling badly. Nor were they even close to my favorite in the rain, a little harsh feeling, and one has to get used to the larger diameter tire in a 170 choice.

That has left me an ME-880 front with about half it's tread left, no signs of cupping, but definitely weak in grip compared to a new BT-021. I'll probably swap out this spring with a new front.

Skooter's long-life and tread-limit-exploring nature aside I haven't seen anything with the same relative longevity. If he were to run an ME-880 I suspect he'd get over 20K off one.

However, I would only consider running them if I'm doing something like the IBR where I wanted to go the whole distance without swapping tires.

 
I can testify that the ME-880 combination is the most long-lasting tires I've had on the FJR. Where I'd average about 6,000 to 8,000 on numerous rear Azarros and original Bridgestone and a solid 8,000 on my PR......I went 11,000 miles on the ME-880 with lots of tread left, but howling badly. Nor were they even close to my favorite in the rain, a little harsh feeling, and one has to get used to the larger diameter tire in a 170 choice.
That has left me an ME-880 front with about half it's tread left, no signs of cupping, but definitely weak in grip compared to a new BT-021. I'll probably swap out this spring with a new front.

Skooter's long-life and tread-limit-exploring nature aside I haven't seen anything with the same relative longevity. If he were to run an ME-880 I suspect he'd get over 20K off one.

However, I would only consider running them if I'm doing something like the IBR where I wanted to go the whole distance without swapping tires.
Awesome insight, Matt.....

Thanks.

'howie

 
My dilema is that the front 880 was put on 1000 miles after the rear and now with 9000+ on the set, they both need to go.

If I replace the front with a softer/better handling i.e. Z6, BT? I would expect it to be toast at 4000 miles while the rear 880 would be good at 8000 miles and still good but a little scary when pushed at 9000 miles.

I should just stop being so cheap, the Z6 and BT really do handle great but replace every 3000-4000 $$$$$.

I read about riders getting 12000+ out of the 880, won't happen for me.

Or riders getting 7000 out of Z6, not me.

I'm not Rossi but do ride brisk in the mtns, solo 499 rides out of 500.

I dunno, guess I'll try the 880 again and see if the first 7000 miles are with confidence.

Keep posting your results.

Steve

 
I typically get 7-9,000 out of a front like the Z6, or Strada. Maybe a bit less off the Strada. So matching a new Strada with a partially worn ME880 would be a good choice to me. Or did I get that all bassackwards???

I agree that the ME880 combo would be the ultimate mileage combo. I just would not feel "right" about recommending it, knowing that if anyone were confronted with the unexpected and had to do a full brake stop, especially on wet or cold roads, they could easily lose a huge portion of the braking action normally offered by the FJR. It's not the normal conditions I'm concerned about, it's the abnormal conditions. If somebody got hurt running some freako tire combo that I recommended, well... I just can't live with recommending something that I would not personally run on my own bike.

Good conscious just won't allow me to say "it's okay". I would match a new ME880 to a Strada/Z6/BT021 front and expect both the front and rear to last about the same amount of miles.

Side note: I've now put about 1,000 miles on the BT021 set. I'll start a separate thread on them tonight and update it as the miles wear on.

 
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I can testify that the ME-880 combination is the most long-lasting tires I've had on the FJR. Where I'd average about 6,000 to 8,000 on numerous rear Azarros and original Bridgestone and a solid 8,000 on my PR......I went 11,000 miles on the ME-880 with lots of tread left, but howling badly. Nor were they even close to my favorite in the rain, a little harsh feeling, and one has to get used to the larger diameter tire in a 170 choice.
That has left me an ME-880 front with about half it's tread left, no signs of cupping, but definitely weak in grip compared to a new BT-021. I'll probably swap out this spring with a new front.

Skooter's long-life and tread-limit-exploring nature aside I haven't seen anything with the same relative longevity. If he were to run an ME-880 I suspect he'd get over 20K off one.

However, I would only consider running them if I'm doing something like the IBR where I wanted to go the whole distance without swapping tires.
Iggy, I agree with Jeff about not running a ME880 on the front. At least for the riding over on this side of the country. I do like a sticky front running with the ME880 as they both wear out about the same time. I try not to run the 880 during the wet and winter time.........where you live, that's probably not too many months out of the year?

Jim

 
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