Metzeler Marathons are SHIT.

Metzlers are race track oriented ! On bike with thin rim combinations they tend to work fine profile plays huge part Metz are chamfered like a V with a rounded crown !!! All the Guy's in the QLD Laverda club either hated them (tried) or stayed away because of 'mates' feed back ! Pirelli's were the go in the 70/80's for European bike's anyway !...!

Metzlers don't suit long bike's or bike's designed with wider tyre and rim fitments ! As their profile 'the V' tends to make the bike feel wrong ! As if it's not cornering...!

 

This is slightly horses for courses I think. I fully respect the views about tyres after all they are vital to our safety but as far as Mets are concerned they were favoured on my previous bike which was lighter.

Previously I owned a Honda VT 750 S with Dunlop D404's as OEM, everyone wanted to convert to tubed version of Mets marathons for the exact reasons for dumping them off an America.

Now having said that I plan to keep my Mets for a few thousands miles as yet because after swapping out rear suspension I have found bike feels better planted. Come a year or so from now though when I have value out of the Mets I will try the cobra's because I get the logic of them being a softer compound thus giving more grip.

 

Wouldn't surprise me.
When the Hayabusa was released it had BT56's on.
The rear tyre wore out very quickly, this was because the Hayabusa OE BT56's had half the tread depth of the std BT56.
This was supposedly because the Busa might overheat a std depth BT56 because of the extra tread movement.

 

That definately makes no sense. I can't believe the tyre manufacturers would be that stupid.
Yes they could cut there profit margin a bit ( after all bulk buying usually gets a discount) but to supply an inferior tyre for OEM makes no sense at all.
The Metz's on mine had their chance to impress, they didn't so I switched to the Avons which I'm more impressed with day by day.
If some one came up to me and gave me a set of Metz's for free I would put them on eBay not on my bike following having ridden the OEM ones.
So for that particular tyre ( not their entire range ) they have lost a potential customer by ( if they are doing that) being stupid.

 

Honda did a deal with the tyre manufacturers on their 600 fire blade which came out with I think 16 inch front wheel ! This was because apparently we the ' Market ' wanted smaller front to speed up turn in etc ... ! But there weren't any standard front tyres suitable ! So Honda got them made with a different profile to actually suit the bike's setup ! They weren't available to tyre suppliers. So when owners needed new front tyre the one's available didn't run/ride the same and put a lot of good rider's out !

 

Playing around with crap tyres! Seriously, just start to accelerate and the rear spins up!


[video]

 

No, just fed in some throttle as I was joining an A road from a slip road and it span up. I just played with the throttle a bit to show how easy it is to do this on a tyre with no grip. They are without a doubt the worse tyre i've ridden with for years.

 

Put a Cobra on the front already, case of having to as the front was drifting wide or tucking in round corners in the damp or wet!!!. I'll put one on the back next weekend when I'm off. Well, assuming anyone ever replies to my email enquiries about prices?

 

Try Tyre Tec
Great service and possibly the cheapest tyres you will find.

 

Hi Andy, that sounds to me like a worn flat in the middle back tyre. When you tip in for a corner, the bike sort of 'flops over the edge of the flat section. Not a nice feeling at all. New back tyre time I would say.