Tire Options for BMW R1100S

[VictoriaR1100S]

Hi Everyone! I have been running Metzler Tires on my 1999 R100S for many years. I would like to try a brand that has longer centre life. Heard that the Pereli Angle GT are a good option. Please let me know if you know of other options. John in Victoria

[iminspaaace]

I've had good luck with the Michelin Pilot Road 3 and 4. I think the 4 even has longer tread life than the 3. The grip is fantastic, too.

[BadToTheBown]

There's some threads on this. Metzlers are good. I like M3 in front, and Z6 out back on stock engine. If you want a better turn-in, Pilot Powers buy you something more than the others. Otherwise, I like the Q2s (Q3s are out now) and sometimes run a Q2 up front with a StreetSmart out back. I don't know what rear tire you have but the 170 rear turns-in better than the 180.

People I trust the opinion of say the Pilots are great, I didn't like them. Too hard to put heat in with less then warm conditions. Perhaps it is just me. Good luck.

[Meeni]

I have not been a great fan of the PR3. The 2CT was very good but didn't last that long at the end of it.

[Paulaner]

I love the M5, and have enjoyed a few sets of Bstone S20's...

[flatbutt]

My '99 likes the Pilot Road.

[sgoodwin]

Any Shinko, Kenda, IRC, Cheng Shin, Full Bore, Maxxis. Only the bestest for me. Why waste good money on rubber, it just evaporates anyway

[bradzdotcom]

i'll throw pirelli rosso 2's into the mix.
seem to work okay. a little slow to warm up (maybe it's me), do well in the rain.

[BadToTheBown]

Pirelli's sound good too and 2CTs do wear fast but plenty good for a track day. In the end, for the R1100S, I like to mix the compounds. I load my front up and on two bikes and have shorter Telelever arms, and I brake late, so softer it where I go up front. 6-9K miles seems to be what I get. Out back is different, I go harder and can drag a knee on this mixed combination but rears still wear out before the front. I feel it squirming a bit but it works. The only time I have a problem is when I ride hard on a tour with GotRoad?, I've worn the front into a V riding with him. I think he knows where EVERY curvy road is America is. If he doesn't, Dee does.

Although I haven't tried the Pirellis yet, the best combos to date have been M3/Z6 Metzler and Q2/StreetSmart Dunlop. I have some softer rears I'm going to run this year (have a tire changer now, so buying more tires more often isn't the penalty it was). Hope this helps.

[throttlemeister]

The fronts are already softer than the rears, even if you stick to the same model F/R. But 6K miles from tires? Man, I could only wish. I wear my tires out equally fast and 6K is about my limit for ST rubber. Something like an S20 or M5 is gone in like half that.

That said, and to go back on topic: John is asking about something that lasts him a bit longer, and most I see here are sports tires that will be gone in no time.

The Angel GT are getting rave review from the press and 'Das Motorrad' considers them to be the best ST tire at the moment. Personally, I am not a big fan of Pirelli; they always seem to have a bit of a wooden feel to me, with no clear limits or feedback. I never quite trust them.

The Michelin PR3 pretty much sucks in my opinion. It is wonderful in the wet, but crap in the dry
The Michelin PR2 is not as good as the PR3 in the wet, but excellent in the dry and overall a better tire imo.

My current favorite ST tire is the Bridgestone T30. Great wet and dry, very predictable and lasts pretty good. A bit slower handling than some other tires, but very neutral.

For those looking for grip over wear on the street, the Bridgestone S20EVO beats the crap out of just about every other tire. Insane amounts of grip under every road or weather condition. Very agile handling without getting nervous. But they do wear fast.

[twitchy]

I put Michelin Pilot Road 3's on my R1100s when they first came out. I heard great things about them and after some soul searching gave them a try. I am not a fan of Michelin Tires. I had a bad experience going back to 1979 and hadn't used them since.

I have to admit, they are very good in the wet. In the dry I found them to be very vague. I was constantly correcting to make the bike go in a straight line. I got used to it and thought it was just me.

In 2013 I had a trip planned to the Upper Peninsula in Michigan and wanted fresh tires for the trip. I put Pirelli Angel GT's on. Oh My God - what a difference. The bike was now very planted - didn't wander any more and realized it wasn't me at all. I also felt they were very compliant. I didn't think the Pilot Road 3's were.

I got 10,000 miles from that set of Pirelli's. I now have my second set of Pirelli Angel GT's on the bike, with 4,000 miles on this set and I will probably get a 3rd set this coming year if they still make them. I would probably change them at 7 or 8,000 miles this time, but that is fine.

I, unlike Throttlemeister am a fan of Pirelli. I don't think they feel wooden, but we all feel differently. Tires are very personal. You can listen to someone here, but at the end of the day, it's what you like and not what I or anyone else likes.

Do your homework and buy a set of tires. I hope you like what you buy.

[VictoriaR1100S]

Thank you everyone for your conments and suggestions. John

[ricky racer]

I ran Metzlers on my R1100S but didn't like the way they wore. I tried PR 2's and was impressed with not only the mileage I got out of them but they wore very evenly. When those wore out I tried PR 3's. I really like the PR 2's better and also got around 1000 more miles out of them than the PR 3's. I just put a PR 2 on the front again and will add a PR 2 to the rear in the spring. Maybe when those are wore out, I'll try the PR 4's.

[kroberts]

UPS delivered my Angel GTs last night. Took them to to get installed this morning. Shop just called, wheels are ready for pick-up.

I hate this part. I hate breaking in new tires. I find myself riding very tentatively, like I'm on ice. I almost crashed my bike last year on brand new tires. Sheer luck kept me from low-siding, skill had no part in me staying upright. I need to find an empty parking lot and start with the circles.

[twitchy]

You might be amazed when you first ride these tire. They are pretty awesome.

Wipe them off with alcohol when you get them home. It will help get the mold release off the rubber.

Take it easy for the first 100 miles. After that you'll be fine.

[sgoodwin]

I use mineral spirits for the same thing, removes all the gooey crud left on the tires without causing any damage to the rubber.

[BrianG]

I ride a few hundred yards, at real slow speed, in the sand/gravel at the edge of the freeway shoulder. That scrubs off the mold release without the use of any chemicals.

[bradzdotcom]

i just overcook corners and run off the road with new tires.
never realized i was being uber-organic and chemical free.
cool!
come here tree, lemme give you a nice big hug.

[Nitro]

I have not found a longer lasting rear tire yet, they are all shot after about 3k. I've tried sport, sport touring, and harder touring tires...same deal with all of them. I get twice as many miles with the front.

Speaking about the front, aggressive sport tires tend to cup more than sport-touring ones. Also this bike loves higher pressures, in the 40s.

I just ordered a Conti rear because it was cheap less than 100 shipped.

As a side note, I wish the 180 were available in /60 for all brands...it seems that only Pirelli understood that 180/60 is the way to go.

I'm thinking about putting a Night Dragon in the rear next...it's a tire designed for big cruiser with massive torque...

[sgoodwin]

Talking Continental, these are the cheapest set of tires I've seen in forever,,,,,reviews are iffy but mostly positive.

Amazon.com: CONTINENTAL MOTION Tire Set 120/70zr17 Front & 180/55zr17 Rear 180 55 17 120 70 17 2 Tire Set: Automotive