Flat Rear Tire

Stopped in at the pub tonight for a pint and some grub. Came out and the rear tire was flat as could be. I can't see anything wrong with it, but it's losing air fast. Trailered it home and will take it to Guzzi Classics on Tuesday.
Just the other day I was lamenting that these awful stock Metzelers had too much tread left to replace yet.
I'll be looking for something with a lot more grip. The Metzelers are some of the worst tires I have had. They were stock on my 2011, but they feel hard like 10 year old rubber. I've had them start to slide on me a few times in the corners. Can't wait to have some that will give confidence when it counts. I have cheap Shinkos on my BMW and cheap Kendas on my Ryca. Both of these are way better than the Metzelers. Now to figure out which ones I want. I know there aren't any good and cheap options for this bike like Shinko or Kenda. Guess I'll be spending the money I saved on those...

Michelin PR 4

+1 on PR4.

I now carry an emergency kit: Stop N Go Tyre Repair Kit and a mini pump that runs off a 12 V cigarette lighter or straight off the battery. Worked out some time back that if you use the little nitrogen filled cylinders and don't get it right, you are right royally stuffed. This way (with the pump) I can repair by the road side. Needed in Oz as I might be several 100 km from a town or phone reception - need to be self sufficient.

All up cost less than $200 - cheap insurance.

wyno & Oz1200 have hit the nail on the head, so to speak.

LBC Tenni wrote:

The Metzelers are some of the worst tires I have had. They were stock on my 2011, but they feel hard like 10 year old rubber...

Which Metzlers?

They are Metzeler Sportec M5. They do have 4000 miles on them now, with some tread left, but I can't forgive the weak grip. They should be 15,000 mile tires for the grip they are delivering. Easily the worst product I have ever seen marked made in Germany. Maybe Piaggio bought some Chinese counterfeits from the Italian mob?

Thanks guys for the recommends on the Michelins. Looks like an excellent upgrade based on the reviews I'm seeing as well. I'll probably go with the PR4.

I agree, the Metzelers are crap. I've currently got PR4's on and am very happy so far.

+1 for the metzelers are crap and also very hard riding, replaced them for some pirelli's (there was a deal to had) and the difference is amazing, never have a change in tyres made so much difference since the 70's original fitment Japanese rubber.

You can get a good deal on the PR4s from Rocky Mountain ATV. I just purchased some and it took 3 days from the US to home. Impressive!

Weird innit? Ten, fifteen years ago Metzlers were one of my favourite brands. Nowadays I find 'em positively scary.

Going to have to replace the PR3's on the GRiSO soon, unlike the earlier 2's the front has triangulated quite badly, it was really noticeable down the coast, I was having to fight it to stop the bike flopping into the corners. Yes, the pressures are good, set by the 10% method. Looking forward to trying some PR4's

Pete

wyno wrote:

Michelin PR 4

or PR 3 if you can find them and for a little less....

PR3s have a known problem as described by Pete. Go for the PR4s as any PR3s still in the market place are likely to be older stock. PR4s were build to address the PR3 problem, I believe.

since this is a tire thread now... Dunlop Road Smart 2 have worked great for me as well, PR3 / PR4 vg in the rain , never tried the Metzlers , but i did find that the Michelin's bake out pretty quick..

I have been advised to get Road Smarts too.
I'm very disappointed by the Metzeler response.
That was my ABSOLUTE favorite bias ply tire.

DM

Have to disagree, the Metzler M5's I had on my first GRiSO were great on the roads I ride, though a bit short on mileage.
Have more recently used Metzler Roadtec Z8's which provided great wet and dry grip and excellent mileage on our shitty and very coarse Oz roads including 11,500kms across Australia and back.
Recently fitted PR4's and these are also proving to be excellent and seem to promote quicker steering as the rear 180 is noticeably narrower than most of the other brands 180 rears.

Agree. My GRiSO is noticably more nimble with the PR4's.

So... I've only got 3,000+ miles on my GRiSO and I haven't had a problem with the Metzlers. I am surprised by how little they've worn. Coming from a sportbike with narrow clip-ons I already think the GRiSO is nimble as hell. When I read about dropping the front to get it to turn quicker and how PR4s make it noticeably more nimble... Well, I begin to wonder if I have a realistic understanding of my own riding ability. Add to that that I want to get the cables and do a map update over the winter... When it comes time for new tires I'll end up with a totally different (better) bike. Wow it's not even Christmas and I think that the GRiSO might be the bike that keeps on giving...

Guzziboy66 wrote:

the bike that keeps on giving

Now HERE is a good line for the Ghetto T-shirt!!!

Thanks Oz1200. Just priced the PR4 on Rocky Mt. ATV at $282 for the pair. That'll be hard to beat. My local independent Guzzi Pirate quoted me $522 for the same tires if he orders them. I'm all for an honest guy making a profit, but that's over the line. I guess I'll be taking it further down the road to somebody more reasonable. And I'll ask him to check for proper lubrication of the swingarm bearings, etc while he has it apart.

"My local independent Guzzi Pirate quoted me $522 for the same tires"

Bugger me, that's Ozzy retail prices, we can buy tyres from the same supplier, air freight to Aust via DHL only takes 3 days, losing another 12% on exchange rates, plus the Banks raping fees on the credit card, and we still pay way less than $400.

I have to get a new front for the Mana and a pair for the GRiSO. At 'Trade' prices that will probably cost me about $650-700. I can see why people buy from overseas.

Personally I'd love to be able to try some Maxis/Shinko's I use Maxix on my cars and they are really very good. Overseas reports on the bike tyres are all good.

Pete

Consider a set of Pirelli Angel GT's. I had a dealer in Oregon spoon a set of them on my Ninja 1000 when my stock tires were toasted during a road trip, and it simply transformed the bike: Turn in was much quicker AND smoother AND predictable over the stock tires, plus feedback was waaay better, as was wear - I pretty much wore the stockers out in three days - The GT's were very confidence inspiring to say the least. I can't say how they would affect the GRiSO, but the Ninja is (was- it's sold now) also a very heavy and torquey bike. As far as I'm concerned, the GRiSO gets a set of GT's as soon as I wear out the rubber that it came (my way) with.