Tyre for trip to Scotland. Wet riding 99% guaranteed

I'm heading off north of the border in just under 2 weeks. Scotsduke is showing off the joys of the Scottish countryside to a load of invading Englanders. Originally I was going be off roading with them but my wrist is still fooked from the last time my EXC tried to kill me and my physio basically said I'd be a fooking idiot to do it if I knew I was going to fall off. As that is a given its road riding for me.

Now as the weather of the last 2 months has basically been wet apart from about 5 days, also given that it's Scotland, where rain is like the sun rising, it happens every day I need a nice tyre for the road that is happy in the wet. 2CTs used to be quite good but they are long gone. Suggestions please guys. It's myself and Motoronin riding the roads while the others off road, so the ride pace if dry will be lets say, spirited

I had a sporty dunlop on our Scotland trip rear was down to cord by time I got home after 5-6 full days!

We are going up in my van with the bikes so just riding round the mountains required. This is a god send really as the ride up there would pretty much ruin both tyre profiles.

you can still get 2cts that,s what i use road and track
ask dan and ginge about day 1 on the scotland trip
especially about the 40mph bumpy road lol

conti road attack 2

a case of rain ! what rain ?

i dont slow much for wet tarmac

I used Metzeler M5 Interacts on my Superduke, got 3500 miles from the rear and they were really good in the wet. On the launch people a lot more talented than me were knee down in the wet.

Also Cerec1 is a massive fan of Michelin Pilot Road 3's. He was using them at Crashfest last year and at Donny in the rain...

And I'm with you on the knackered wrist, injured mine last May and still can't do more than an hour on the bike. Possible surgery this winter

Michelin PilotRoad3

And I'd say your estimate on rain prediction is 1% off.

Pilot 3's no contest. Dunlop RoadSmart 2's would be a good second choice.
Did Scotland 2 summers ago, amazing roads,scenery and rain. The rivers are heaving when the heavens open. Get your tyres, waterproofs and you'll luv it.

Nice one guys. I'll keep an eye on the forecast and if it looks wet I'll get a set of the Pilot 3 fitted.

I've only got Racetec or slicks m8. One really isn't great in the wet and the other is points

Got the Metzeler M5 interacts on my RC8 and they are tops in the wet. Actually really good in all conditions. Excellent tyre.

Just ride to the condition. You don't need any special tyres for the wet stuff, just back off a bit. I myself have only ever used BT016/014 on mine as I get them cheap, but have used it in the Cairngorms just after a snowfall. The backend slide a bit, but all in good control.

Oh yeah, and depending when/which part you go, it might surprise out that it's warmer/sunnier than Dahn Saff!

If it looks dry then I'm happy as on my Racetec but they are proper shit in the rain, which considering what they are designed for is hardly a surprise. I'm not looking to get my knee down in the wet or anything but I don't want to be worrying about grip all the time either. Normally I'd have some 2CTs or BT16s left over from winter but I took the bike to bits this winter so didn't ride. There are some worn Power Pures in the pits but I fooking hated those and they aren't going back on the rims unless I'm desperate. I'll play it by ear and see what the weather looks like in 8 days time. Long range at the mo is rain everywhere for the next week

Good ol Pilot Power 2CTs dude every time!!!

Then you can use up the edges come november/december/jan/feb for winter trackday action!!!

If you want new tyres then you wont go far wrong with Pilot Road 3's. I never liked the Road 2's but everyone else seemed to. My mate had Road 3's fitted to his new Tuono before he picked it up, in preference to the Rosso Corsas they come with, the soppy great tart.

However, If you just need something multi purpose for this trip. I have a set of BT016's I wont be using again. They have approx 3mm at worst all over. I was saving them for this autumn but just got a set of Dunlop Sportsmarts at a cheap price and they are supposed to last well. Yours for nought if you collect or postage costs otherwise.

Depending how I get on with Dunlops (hated every set since I had an RGV250 in 1990). My next purchase could well be Road 3's for the RC8 (when I get one)

I thought Ronnin run's slick's all the time as he is an "animal" on the SD,,,,,,,,,,

It's the west coast of Scotland we are heading to.

That will be the wet side then. You doing the Great Glen?

Best keep those waterproofs on if that's true. Added protection

just trying some sportsmarts...great tyre
pilot 3's are very good though

Klincky....nothing I can add to the tyre thread that hasnt already been said. (2CTs)

But...if it really IS going to be wet up there and you are riding all day....I would strongly advise investing £20 in a Pinlock insert for ya visor....they are just the BEST. I've tried may options on long wet commutes on my old SD for years and nothing beat the Pinlock and a light polish of said visor (on the outside of course) with some furniture wax.....just as good as Rainex but much cheaper!

Sorry to hear your wrist is STILL giving you gip mate. Patience is a bitch isnt it?! But glad to hear Ronin is back in the saddle

hi all
emm after some tyres as well . 2ct i have used =ducati.. torn between roadsmarts or pilot 3s or conti road attack ,used on a tuono to france ..
no more tyres that last a 1200 mile .bikes used to commute on .
could do with a spare set of wheels really.

hi cerec1
4000 miles out a pilot 3 , emm that is a bonus to a twin anyway as they do tend to be hard on tyres . would probably last to 7000 .
did you use them in the wet as a few write ups last year said its possibly to get you knee almost down .
please what else have you used on the duke .
i suppose to use them on a track thrashing the bike everywhere they are pushed to limits and would squirm .
i would imagine they were rolled up round the edges too.
lot harder to do with a road compound .
hurts my pocket a lot keep buying tyres every 1250 miles .
couple of years back the guy ghostrider only used touring tyres on his bike as everything else delaminated at the speeds and
stick he gave the bike , this article was in performance bikes . the tyres he used were michelin ,cannot remember what one though .
one thing i do like about road tyres is that they warm quick , with a sticky compound they cool to quick for the road , a short break stop
will send them down and can catch a lot out .. for me any tyre that will last 4000+ is ok .can do a trip without the fear of coming back with a bald tyre
and wearing it out to much before you go .
rac

Nobody really mentioned Metzeler Roadtec Z8 Interacts? MCN "wheelie specialist" Michael Neeves said them to be biggest surprise after trying different types of tyres during his GSX 750 long term test in 2011... Allegedly they are lasting really long and holding the grip on the same constant level until worn out up to 90%... And here is one another fresh test from 2012:

hi cerec1
thanks for the info , pilot 3's look really good .think at the minute ,my top choice for the new tyre .
hi 41ks
great vid , takes a lot of bottle to get knee down in wet ... thats i a test track and no oil gravel ,diesel ,bars of lard (dead things ).
the z8 tyre looks good.. though .. be nice to know which will last the longest out of a all the touring tyres.
the harder the compound the longer they last ,will be more slippy.
the softer compound better grip dismal lasting .
rac

Pirelli angels, used them for 2 years rear is squared off with long trips but good grip and feel

Silly question - any idea where you're going? It's a (very) long time since I lived up there and I'm sure some of the locals on the site can point you in better directions but this is a few of my old favourites:

Aberfoyle (A821) to Strathyre (A84) to Crieff (A85) - the first part on the A821 was my Friday night special (it was a bit of a tourist trap but there was no bugger up there Friday afternoon/evening) - peg to peg fun.

A82 - pretty much all of it but Arden - Tarbet is big and fast. Tarbet - Ardlui is the real tight and twisty bit and then it is big sweepers to Crianlarich.

A83 (turn left at Tarbet, rather than right) and go all the way down to Lochgilpead and up to Oban - and then back round to Crianlarich. On the way, the A819 runs from Inveraray (south) to the A85 (north) - every time I rode it, I reckon I saw less than 1 bike or car each time - mostly it was empty and it used to be a classic "where the fook does all our EU money go?" road.

The road numbers might have changed but you should be able to work it out from the names - just be prepared for the sodding weather!

I have been riding with the Dunlop Roadsmart 2 for a few month now and must say I am happy with them. I was stuck between the Q2's and the new Roadsmarts but got convinced after talking to the Dunlop folks at their stand during the New York Motorcycle show in January. When I told them that I would be riding in all sorts of weather, but also some hard street riding, but no track, he said he could guarantee me that I would give up before the Roadsmart 2's give up for street riding. I grinned, but he told me to contact him if he was wrong and so far I haven't contacted him. So we will see. But they are definitely worth checking out

http://www.tyrereviews.co.uk/Article/Du ... unched.htm

Well I went for 2CTs in the end. Saturday was a write off as it pissed down all day Sunday we got out, roads were wet first thing so scrubbing in was fun. Once dry line appeared and tyres got up to temp they were fantastic. Even running over wet/damp patches wasn't a concern and they just gripped like fook. Forgot how good these tyres are.

I am so surprised

You can actually. Tell the difference?????


Yous ride about, like so much "Nancyboys" I have the feeling that yous actaually want to be. Roadtesters" for MCN !!!



?

Yeah, like they marry those sheep and put curtain up in their hovels?

And Fakujak, good typing skills. Did you do it with your nose??????

Our do yous have one of those 'Blink' operated keyboards like STEVEN Hawkin!!!!!