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Anyone tried Metzler Roadtec 01 tires on their RT?


paRTy

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RecentConvert

After a short stint with a worn 01 on the front and a new Roadsmart 3 on the rear, it became apparent that the two were not made for each other, particularly riding two-up in the rain. The RT became very twitchy and followed grooves so it was time to replace the front also. The matching Roadsmart 3 is now mounted up front.

 

Overall, I like the 01's, I didn't get much flattening in the rear tire. The front definitely developed a flat, ridged center, but was OK while matched to the rear 01.

 

The Roadsmarts as a pair only have 700 miles yet. I am still experiencing new tire euphoria!

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  • 1 month later...

I am preparing to replace my Z8 tires on my 2015 RT. I had originally intended on buying another set of the Z8 since they have given me 12,500 of service, but since my dealer needs to order anything except PR4 GTs I decided to do some research. Glowing reviews of the Angel GT and Roadtec 01 have me thinking about one of those. Obviously, I am pretty easy on tires so I may just give the 01 a shot.

 

At this point my front is pretty much shot with bad wear on the right side of center. The rear is about at 85%, so I will replace them both once I decide for sure what to get. The top 3 contenders are the Z8, the 01, and the Angel GTs.

 

I really don't understand how some people get 4,000 miles from the same tire as someone else getting well over 10,000. It is one of the great motorcycle mysteries to me.

 

John

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I really don't understand how some people get 4,000 miles from the same tire as someone else getting well over 10,000. It is one of the great motorcycle mysteries to me.

 

John

 

It all comes down to how, where, and in what weather you ride. More aggressive riding wears tires faster. More abrasive road surfaces wear tires faster. Higher heat wears tires faster.

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I am preparing to replace my Z8 tires on my 2015 RT. I had originally intended on buying another set of the Z8 since they have given me 12,500 of service, but since my dealer needs to order anything except PR4 GTs I decided to do some research. Glowing reviews of the Angel GT and Roadtec 01 have me thinking about one of those. Obviously, I am pretty easy on tires so I may just give the 01 a shot.

 

At this point my front is pretty much shot with bad wear on the right side of center. The rear is about at 85%, so I will replace them both once I decide for sure what to get. The top 3 contenders are the Z8, the 01, and the Angel GTs.

 

I really don't understand how some people get 4,000 miles from the same tire as someone else getting well over 10,000. It is one of the great motorcycle mysteries to me.

 

John

 

RE: 4K vs 10Kmi

 

My ride from Los Angeles to Salt Lake City for the MOA Rally in July wore my tires at a very high rate. The bike was loaded with gear and it was triple digit heat for the entire round trip. Even though I could have gotten more miles out of the tires from a tread depth perspective, the rear tire was squared off pretty severely and the front tired as a bit scalloped, despite 40/42 tire pressures. They only had 4500 miles on them.

 

RE: Top Contenders

 

My original tires were Z8 and I like them, except for the fact that they had no visible wear indicators on the center area of the tread. I went with the Roadtec 01 as a replacement. They have just over 1000 miles on them now seem to grip about the same. They are slightly noisier, but I like them.

 

 

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My bike came with Z8's, and I'm about to get my third set of 01's. I think the 01's are better and the Z8's are unnecessarily taking up a spot on your contender list.

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RecentConvert

I am with duegatti, the Z8's didnt wear well or evenly. The 01 is a significant improvement. The 01's are gone too. Currently riding Dunlop Roadsmart 3 and it have been a positive experience. They don't have the wet grip of the 01 but is stable and grippy in the dry. And I bought them with road hazard insurance when the Metzerler was cut. 4500 miles so far and expecting about 6000 - 6500 from the rear. The front is scuffed but looks new. I like my Dunlops

 

Mileage is directly correlated to several things. Mostly actions of the right hand!

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  • 2 weeks later...
thataintworkin

I just replaced my factory Z8's which are one of my least favorite tires from any motorcycle I have owned, just based on the wear patterns alone. Initially they were great at ride, tracking, turn in, etc. In roughly 8000 miles the front tire was severely scalloped and worn significantly midway along the sides while I still had plenty of tread on the center. Over time this became a hard squared edge between the various compounds and worsened the ride even further. At the same time the rear was balding on the centerline with plenty of tread along its sides. It had become a bit of work to entice turn in, at least much more than when these tires were relatively young. It would hold a line very well but became very rough and noisy due to the scalloping.

 

I replaced these with Roadsmart 3's. These now have 2000 miles on them. I now have a new concern with these tires that I am wondering if anyone else has encountered. The front end seems very light and fidgety at high speeds. The front end is so sensitive that I struggle to keep a solid line on windy days or where I pass 18 wheelers where I never even noticed this behavior before on the old tires. I do like the turn in and stability otherwise of these tires on the twisty roads. Traction seems to be very reliable.

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I just took a set of Z8s off my 2015 R12R LC. They had 20,000 km (12,000 mi) on them. The rear had squared off a bit and the front showed some scalloping. They probably would have been good for a few more, but I have a 5000 km trip coming up and didn't want to worry about the tires. I replaced them with a Metzler Roadtec Z8 rear and an Metzler Sportec M5 front. They didn't have a Z8 for the front.

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I replaced these with Roadsmart 3's. These now have 2000 miles on them. I now have a new concern with these tires that I am wondering if anyone else has encountered. The front end seems very light and fidgety at high speeds. The front end is so sensitive that I struggle to keep a solid line on windy days or where I pass 18 wheelers where I never even noticed this behavior before on the old tires. I do like the turn in and stability otherwise of these tires on the twisty roads. Traction seems to be very reliable.

 

I have just under 5000 miles on Roadsmart III's. Front end seems plenty stable with mine. Much better than the Continentals it came with, maybe equal to the Bridgestone. At any rate, not what I would call nervous when going in a straight line. I found that 36-37 psi in the front has a really good feel, 38-40 did seem to take the feel out of them. At 2000 miles you are probably just now starting to hear the noise they begin to make........

 

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2014 RT owner here.

 

I noticed a slight 'nervousness' in the Dunlop Roadsmart 3s immediately after switching from the OEM Michelin Pilot Road 4 GTs.

 

Where the Michelins felt superbly stable and 'planted' at highway speeds, the Dunlops definitely felt twitchy, so much so I immediately returned to the bike shop and asked them to re-check the balance of both tires. The shop remounted and rebalanced both tires (at no charge) and the result was unchanged.

 

I know new tires feel different (and usually 'livlelier') than old, squared off tires, so I chalked up my concern with the Dunlops' markedly quicker steering feel to me being oversensitive to the new tires.

 

I eventually got used to the feel of the Road Smart 3s being (slightly) less planted straight line, and no longer have any concern with them. I like them and if they last longer than the PR4s as Dunlop claims, I will purchase them again.

 

I run the tires obsessive-compulsively at 38/42 psi front/rear, solo rider 100-percent of the time.

 

Tim

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RecentConvert

I have just under 5000 miles on the rear RS3 and somewhere around 3700 on the front RS3. Thus far I have not experienced the road noise that Terry mentions. In fact, they are considerably quieter than the Metzeler 01s. I have a slight vibration in the front tire and the rear is beginning some squaring off and slightly irregular wear. Nothing serious but definitely not new any longer.

 

I have found them to be very easy to lean in and hold a line. Since I ride two up almost all of the time, the rear tire seems to have a bit more roll than the Metzelers. Looking at tire scrubbing after a few passes through the Tail of the Dragon, I was within a 1/4" of the edge of the tread and wasn't close to dragging a peg yet. I have a new RS3 for the rear in the basement. It will be installed before going to Texas in January.

 

The rear is always held to 41-42 psi. The front varies more but seems best at 35 psi. When riding extended gravel or logging roads, I drop the front to 31 for stability. I would buy them again, I would also buy Metzeler 01 again. But that said, I think I will try the Continental RA3 for my next purchase. Yes, I like to try new things and am never very long before a new tire is needed.

 

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  • 1 year later...

Hi folks,

 

I thought I'd resurrect this thread, rather than start a new tyre thread :D 

 

My bike came with PR4 GT's, which were brilliant for my type of riding. However, at 10000km they are cactus. They still are legal in AU, but lack the sure-footedness they used to have. I have run 36/42 and ride solo. The front sounds like a 4x4 with mud tyres when cornering it's so badly chopped out.

 

I was going to have a go at Road 5's, but as the GT is still not available I thought I'd have a crack at Roadtec 01's. I note that the HWM variant is recommended for the rear, but not the front. I was wondering if anyone has an updated opinion on the Roadtecs' performance and longevity, as well as if anyone has used the HWM front variant on the wethead?

 

Thanks all!

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On 2/13/2017 at 9:01 AM, realshelby said:

cricket chirping....

 

I too would like to hear from actual owners that have run them to replacement. That is the ONLY review I take seriously.

So here you go. My 2016 came with the 01's. I felt glued to the road, very confidence building. I knew I could pull the bike way down in a corner if I needed to. They were a little noisy, so after research I bought Pirelli Angel GT's. They are quieter, but much more lively handling. I don't have the same confidence with the Pirelli's, but I haven't pushed them either. I don't think about mileage that much, or cost for that matter. I miss the 01's. 

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+1 on the Angel GT, but make sure that you get the "A spec." ones for the RT.  They are very much livelier than the PR4GT, but if you ride hard in curves, then you will appreciate the precision of the Pirelli!  Much better than any of the PRs that I had ever used (PR2, PR3, and PR4GT).  Better than the Metzler Z8 that came on my '15 RT.

 

For better front tire wear, and minimizing the cupping, try running the front at 40 psi!  Many of us runs 40/42 (F/R) with good result.

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I'm joining a bit late on this one. My experience with Metzlers has been mixed. My 2015 R1200R has the Z8 and they are doing the same (not good) cupping front worst ; as they did on my 94 Triumph (01's I think). Initially I thought the Metzlers were great but after a wear in did not like them. I've tried Dunlops - good but fast wear (can't remember the exact type).  The R1200R and the Triumph are about the same weight wet (230Kg wet), mine is only 145 lbs - so the bike weight is most relevant.  The best tires I've experienced are the Michelin Pilots for both handling and longevity. They are also wear and handle more consistent over the life of the tires. I will most likely replace the Metzlers before the wear indicators appear with Pilots      

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On 3/9/2019 at 5:45 PM, BigTup said:

So here you go. My 2016 came with the 01's. I felt glued to the road, very confidence building. I knew I could pull the bike way down in a corner if I needed to. They were a little noisy, so after research I bought Pirelli Angel GT's. They are quieter, but much more lively handling. I don't have the same confidence with the Pirelli's, but I haven't pushed them either. I don't think about mileage that much, or cost for that matter. I miss the 01's. 

Mr. Realshelby, I need to back up a little. I think my 2016 came with Z8's. So the comments applied to theose tires.

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My 2016 came with Z8's.  They felt pretty good and at least as good as the Michelin PR3/PR3GT and PR4/PR4GT options in my opinion.  I did not get good longevity from the Z8, however...  My bike was heavily loaded riding from Los Angeles to Salt Lake City and back for the 2017 BMW MOA Rally.  This 2K mile heavily loaded ride flattened the center of the rear tire and scalloped the front tire pretty badly.  I only got about 4500 miles on those tires.

 

I follow up the Z8 with a set of Roadtech 01 and went with HWM tires front and rear.  These tires gripped better than the Z8 (and better than the PR3 and PR4 that I had had on my previous 2005 RT), but they were loud.  I also had an odd vibration with them, despite taking them back to the installer to re-check the balance.  I never found out what the vibration issue was with them, but for grip and wet performance, I've found none better.  These also scalloped up front, but had better longevity than the Z8.

 

I am now running Continental RoadAttack 3 and I'm very pleased with them.  They are very quiet and smooth.  I am also pleased with their handling characteristics.  The jury is out on longevity because I've only had them for about 3500 miles.  So far, they look like they will last a longer than any tires I've ever used previously, but I can't be sure because a long heavy ride could make a big difference.

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Motobricker

So what I wonder is why I can't run PR 5's on my 2018 RT?  I never carry a passenger and only load it up with gear for one long trip per year.  Most of the time it has saddlebags loaded on trips with trunk filled with light loose items easily grabbed.  My buddy runs a Concours 14 with PR5's and his bike weights darn near exactly what mine does.  He never carries a passenger and loads his bags like mine, and we ride together all the time.   So why not PR5's and not wait for GT's?  Answers??

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Last fall I had started a similar thread on this question and the general consensus was:

  • It would likely work fine if you were not loading the bike like a pack mule
  • You might find the need to run higher tire pressure to control sidewall squirm, but the lighter side walls could give a more plush feel on small bumps and road ripples.
  • It could void you warranty from Michelin 
  • Some dealers may not sell or mount those tires on your RT as they are clearly not recommend by Michelin.

In the end I turned into a big-ol-chicken and went with a PR4 GT  buc-buc-buc-ahk.  image.png.2a33b38cbe0c0a1e0df2fe7a17d4d999.png

 

 

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4 hours ago, Motobricker said:

So what I wonder is why I can't run PR 5's on my 2018 RT?  I never carry a passenger and only load it up with gear for one long trip per year.  Most of the time it has saddlebags loaded on trips with trunk filled with light loose items easily grabbed.  My buddy runs a Concours 14 with PR5's and his bike weights darn near exactly what mine does.  He never carries a passenger and loads his bags like mine, and we ride together all the time.   So why not PR5's and not wait for GT's?  Answers??

It’s a liability issue for Michelin, but you can use any tire or tire combo you want in the USA, while in some European countries, like Germany the government will only allow you to use approved tires. 

Its Michelin that is telling everyone not to use the PR5 on the RT, it may very well have nothing to do with weight, but maybe the tire design or thread pattern causes negative or dangerous problems. But as I said it is Michelin and their engineers that are making those recommendations. They also don’t recommend plugging a motorcycle tire, but we still do it. 

You be fine as long as you know you are doing it on your own risk. 

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I think the choice for the RT maybe different than that for my R1200R, as I believe the R1200R is a lighter bike. BMW Toronto told me the GT has stiffer side walls and used on the heavier bikes and the standard sport touring tires for mine. I have noticed that Metzlers cup less (but still more than pilots) if slightly over inflated and handle better (wander less - tracks better on straights) - experience on the Triumph Trident of similar weight. The Michelin PR 2 (got these on sale and stored them in the dark and wrapped) on the triumph have about 20,000km are still good (Was careful to check tire pressures every few days) - running 36 psi in the front and 42 psi in the back. My R1200R is the European model (don't know if all are in Canada) so my tire pressure monitoring reads in BAR.  I run 2.5 front and 2.9 rear and adjust anytime it drops below that reading (on the Metzlers Z8 I run slight above that ~0.1 BAR). The bike has just reached 20,000km. When I got the Bike it had 8,700 km and I noticed some cupping at that time. The slightly higher pressure seems to have stopped the worst of it. I will run these down before changing them and follow this topic closely.  If I was changing today - most likely would go with PR 4 or 5 because of my current history with PR series.  But of course that could change with more feedback.

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I think the "GT, A Spec, heavyweight" tires offered by manufacturers is an answer to a question that wasn't asked. They created a problem that could indeed be a liability to them. 

 

Proof? Think of a jury's perception when the lawyers says " Mr. Michelin, do both of the tires shown here meet the size requirements for a 2018 R 1200 RT? " Yes, says Mr. Michelin. Lawyer says " Do both of these tires carry the exact same weight class and speed class rating?" Yes, says Mr. Michelin. Lawyer says " then you cannot claim the tire did not meet the weight and speed ratings for this bike. So your claim the incorrect tire was used cannot apply". 

 

I get that a heavy bike might like a heavier sidewall. But are RT's really heavy bikes? LT's, K 1600's probably should have a tire size with a higher load rating. That way when you buy a tire for them, there is no confusion about "GT or not". Put 190/60/17's on them so they cannot be confused. Or something different from other bikes if weight is all that important. 

 

My next set of Bridgestone T-31's will NOT be the heavy sidewall version. ( Bridgestone is maybe the only company that sells the heavy version for the same price ). The ride of the Dunlops I had on before was so much smoother that I want that back. 

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I have run several sets of Michelin Road 5’s now and think highly of them.  They are quiet through the life of the tire, balance out very well, and stick well wet or dry.  The only downside for me is tread life.  I only get about 6K miles until the top of the wear bars, but this is right in line with other brands I have tried.  This is on a ‘15 RT ridden solo with 40/42.  No cupping at these pressures.  I recently bled the front down to 37 to see if cupping shows up.  So far with 2500 miles on them none has.

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1 hour ago, Rockosmith said:

I have run several sets of Michelin Road 5’s now and think highly of them.  They are quiet through the life of the tire, balance out very well, and stick well wet or dry.  The only downside for me is tread life.  I only get about 6K miles until the top of the wear bars, but this is right in line with other brands I have tried.  This is on a ‘15 RT ridden solo with 40/42.  No cupping at these pressures.  I recently bled the front down to 37 to see if cupping shows up.  So far with 2500 miles on them none has.

 

Wow, how many miles have you got on your bike? The Michelin PR5's haven't been out very long and you have gone through several sets!

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On 3/19/2019 at 8:53 AM, realshelby said:

I think the "GT, A Spec, heavyweight" tires offered by manufacturers is an answer to a question that wasn't asked. They created a problem that could indeed be a liability to them. 

 

Proof? Think of a jury's perception when the lawyers says " Mr. Michelin, do both of the tires shown here meet the size requirements for a 2018 R 1200 RT? " Yes, says Mr. Michelin. Lawyer says " Do both of these tires carry the exact same weight class and speed class rating?" Yes, says Mr. Michelin. Lawyer says " then you cannot claim the tire did not meet the weight and speed ratings for this bike. So your claim the incorrect tire was used cannot apply". 

...

 

FWIW, BMW quotes "Total Permitted Weight" specs as:

K1600LT: 1,235 lbs

R1250RT: 1,113 lbs

R1200RS: 992 lbs

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  • 4 weeks later...

I've got 9100 miles on my 6 month old '18 and while the front is down to the wear bars, the rear still has another 1,000 miles left by my guesstimation.  This is the first time that I've ever worn a front tire out before the rear.  These are Metzler Z8's.  The front is pretty cupped too...but I ride in the twisties over 90% of the time due to where I live, so I expect that.  

 

I liked the handling of the Dunlop RS III's on my last bike, so the RT will get a set tomorrow when the new shoes go on.  I'm replacing both tires since I'm leaving on a two-up 1,200 mile tour next week.   If these don't give me what I want, I'll probably try the Michelin Road 5GT if it's out or the Metzler Roadtec 01's.  

 

The reason that I didn't go back to Metzler's is that the first two thousand miles on the RT with Z8's felt squirmy as hell.  Once the tires got a bit of a flat spot that stopped.  I read a ride report of the RT that complained about what I was experiencing, and I wonder if any of you have had that happen.  I have had Z8's on another bike and had never felt that, so it was a surprise to me...but not my BMW dealer.  When I complained about it at my 600 mile service I was told to wait until the Z8's flattened out a bit.  

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Randal Lyon

RE: Metlezer Z8's on a 96 BMW R1100 RT.   

I wore one out in about 4000 km, give or take.   turns out I have been running them under inflated apparently, but not by much,  around 34-36 psi.  as the recommended 40 psi  and seemed high to me.  What do I know apparently?  I  wore the front down to the core in no time.  The back has a decent flat spot now. hmm.   I put a new front one on and run them both about 40-42 psi.  just those few pounds made the bike handle completely different.   However, at about 1800 kms on the front its starting to split at a manufacturers seam.   This week ,I learn will how good the local dealer is with warranties and so forth.   I run a bluetooth tire pressure motoring system know exactly what tire pressures are at all times. :)   

 

Performance wise, they are top notch.  Handling in wet and dry these tires are amazing. but longevity is really a concern.  if I can get a few thousand miles out of a sport touring tire,  I wont be a happy camper.  These things are crazy expensive in Canada as well.   

Edited by Randal Lyon
typo
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Well, I narrowed down the choice to the Roadtec 01 and Angel GT's (in the absence of Michelin Road 5 GT's this year). Tyre places here in AU typically have a 'take it, or leave it' attitude to selling. I found a place that sells both, and really wanted to make a sale. They didn't have the Angel GT front in stock, so they offered the Metz at the same price (Metz are for some reason dearer over here). They knocked another $20AU at the register. So I can't complain about the price...
Got them fitted up today and will take them for a spin on Saturday.

 

Thanks for the advice :) 

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  • 2 weeks later...

I took the bike up to Newcastle via Wisemans Ferry (dry day). On this bike I only have the PR4's to compare. First impression is the 01'a seem to be similar to the 4's in a straight line. Perhaps it's the new tyres, but the 01's seem a little reluctant to tip into corners, but once there, they seem okay, with albeit less feedback than the 04's.

 

I'm taking it away for a workout into our Snowy Mountains and Victorian high country on Sunday for 6 days of riding. Will let you know.

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John in VA

Just replaced my factory PR4 set at 12.5k mi with --- another set of PR4s. Michelin PR1,2,3,4 have worked well for me for 20 years.

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