It’s That Time Again…!

Dunlop Roadsmart IV's get a great review for both distance and performance. I have them on the Tuono and MrsVisor has them on her Street Triple and we are both very happy with the feel they give and performance so far

 

I posted the same question here a while back and got some pretty comprehensive reviews on available options.

https://www.thetriumphforum.com/threads/thruxton-r-metz-sportec-m9rr.32999/

I ended up getting a set of Metzeler Sportec M9RR and am very happy with them although they won’t last much more than 2000 miles by the look of it.
I think I will be looking at a set of Dunlop Sportsmart 3’s next time im due a change. They won’t last as long as the Roadsmarts mentioned above but I like a sporty tyre rather that a touring one.

 

I get your reasoning but my thinking is the big difference between the two is the centre is a harder compound (as well as the obvious tread difference) and regardless of how we think we ride the majority of our road riding is nearer the middle of the tyre than the edge. As the sides are a soft compound on both I figure the benefits of longevity far outweigh the use of the soft centre compound wearing out early. There is after all a reason the majority of track schools use sports touring tyres for their bikes. It also means I have more confidence in damp/wet conditions which, lets be honest describes a lot of UK riding

 

To get 6000 miles from the S22s you did well, tyre choice is a real personal thing for many, personally I only use Supercorsa's or Racetech RRs, for some time now I have run the RRs, unfortunately whilst these offer fantastic grip in the dry, and the wet if you keep to sensible speeds and conditions, the trade off is they don't last much more than 3000 miles or less. My son runs Supercorsa's on his Panigale1299s and they last less than 2000 miles, my younger son has a Katana 1000, the OEM Dunlop's were awful when riding spirited, I got him a set of Metzeler M9RRs and that transformed handling significantly for the better. You say you would like something a bit more "sportier" than the S22s, then I am afraid you will have a trade off in terms of mileage, anything more sportier will not give the mileage you are seeking. It is also worth considering the fact that say you went from the S22s to the RRs, then the tyre profile is different and the machine will sit slightly higher. Under road conditions it is not possible to find the limit of these tyres, given you are getting 6000 miles from the S22s I would stick with them, it is not possible to get higher mileages from the sportier tyres, by their nature they are softer in compound and not designed for mileage but performance handling. Most of my riding is done on roads that are bend after bend and dry stone walled, it is not often I am out on long straight roads, you don't mention what type of roads you ride and this is a factor in the equation, if like myself you ride these wonderful twisties then a sportier tyre would suit best, however if the roads you ride are more flowing shall we say, and the machine is upright a lot of the time, then a harder compound touring tyre would suit better. Good luck with whatever tyre you choose and ride safe all from an ageing Rocker.

 

The 023s are a great tyre both in the dry and wet, they offer a softer ride than the M9RRs and you should get good mileage from them, I ran a set on a Sprint RS some years back, I had no issues at all with them at all. I know friends have fitted Michelin’s Road 6 tyres and they say good things about the handling and mileage, personally I have no experience riding a machine with those fitted, perhaps another forum member can advise how they rate them. Going for the BT023s may be a good option, also they are cheaper to buy due to new rubber coming out, the S22 has already been superseded by the S23, as such older model tyres become cheaper, and they offer great value.

 

I used to ride on Bridgestones all the time and they were good, confidence inspiring tyres. The only downside I found was that they do have a tendency to square off rather than keep their shape, particularly if you are doing straight roads regularly. I moved to the Dunlops because all the reviews say they keep their profile well even after fairly high mileage. At the end of the day most tyres in this range are good but only you know what you're happy with and the type of riding you do. Other than our and others recommendations all you can do is read some of the reviews and comparisons (particularly long term ones) and go with the ones you're happiest with.

 

Sport touring tyres - compared to sport tyres - are designed to warm up more quickly. So one gets more grip after leaving home on a cold morning.
Might be a consideration for some.