My favorite use for pilot powers...

[BusaCruise]

OK...so perhaps for the track people or those that spend 99% of the time in the twisties... the powers are OK... but for me using them in real world commuter miles and the occasional tear through the countryside, things are different.

I have all the confidence and bite with my new Avon as I did with the powers....and more. With the powers, they tend to follow lines or grooves in the road...giving an unstable feeling, especially if this happened in a turn. I have ZERO issues with the Avons and even places where the pavement transitions to different heights ... offers no problem.

Having said all that...I did get about 4K miles out of my powers...and I nearly got to the wear bars on the sides as well... but all I can say is that I am glad I won them in a raffle and didn't spend too much on them.

Here are a couple of pix...

and a little clip of what I decided to do to the tire...I kept going till I thought the tire went down....turns out that the concrete got hot enuf to crack and throw a chunk.

THE SMOKER
I started in 2nd gear....and it made the bike lurch a bit....lol


and lastly the new rear Avon after a quick 240 miles jaunt on Sunday.

BTW...tried using motor oil as a chain lube = MESSY!

 

[fstbusa]

 

[Hy_Rolr]

TWIST IT UP 'N BURN IT DOWN...

 

[guido4512]

+1 on the Avons!

 

[Jynx]

Avons here as well.

 

[Shanling]

Your pictures certainly illustrate the difference in the curvature of the two tires. I guess it depends on what kind of riding you want to do as to what kind of tire you should purchase.

 

[omslaw]

BC - which Avons are those?

 

[GJoker]

Schamokin! I sure hope the camera was on a tripod... otherwise someone got smoked out pretty hard there!

I have a friend who swears by the Avons also~ I've yet to try them myself... I'm still wearing down my Pilot 2CTs~ I do hear ya on the cracks and paint lines~ I've noticed that myself, but typically read it as tire wear~ That is to say, I don't notice it until the tires have been worn down some and take it as a sign to start saving for a new pair~ Guess I may have to give the Avons a try next time around... thanks for the write up!

 

[Tango1300]

Maybe you should also look into the Metzler M3s. I have gotten 7200 miles out of my first set and over that onmy second set of M3s. They are not flattening out like yours... I am getting equal wear all the way across the tire.

You just need to get some arse off that seat and rub those tires in during your commute.

 

[BusaCruise]

(Tango1300 @ Mar. 20 2007,14:05) Maybe you should also look into the Metzler M3s. I have gotten 7200 miles out of my first set and over that onmy second set of M3s. They are not flattening out like yours... I am getting equal wear all the way across the tire.

You just need to get some arse off that seat and rub those tires in during your commute.

I already tried those ...wasn't that impressed....solid, but not "inspiring"


and it sounds like you haven't been to FL ...

"scrub it in ...where?

 

[Varlo]

Nothing but Pilots on my bike, I did try the Avon and did about 2000km with them and they scared the shnit out of me, they where always sliping and loosing grip, maybe it's because it's a little colder up here in Quebec and most of my riding is done in the twisties, I would say I drive 90% of the time in twisties.
Here a little vid of our road here up north, this is one of my friend on his gixxer1k, they where'nt riding that hard, just wanted to film the road and yet still looses the rear end in mid video.

 

[Tango1300]

(BusaCruise @ Mar. 20 2007,11:32)

(Tango1300 @ Mar. 20 2007,14:05) Maybe you should also look into the Metzler M3s. I have gotten 7200 miles out of my first set and over that onmy second set of M3s. They are not flattening out like yours... I am getting equal wear all the way across the tire.

You just need to get some arse off that seat and rub those tires in during your commute.

I already tried those ...wasn't that impressed....solid, but not "inspiring"


and it sounds like you haven't been to FL ...

"scrub it in ...where?

I've been to Florida many time...

Sebring

Moroso

Homestead

Daytona

All those places have great roads to ruin tires.

LOL!

 

[BusaCruise]

(omslaw @ Mar. 20 2007,09

) BC - which Avons are those?

this is what I am running.

I like the softer fronts...it allows me to feel planted in the turns whilst ripping the throttle open leaving darkies for others to follow. lol

 

[BusaCruise]

the problem with:
Sebring
Moroso
Homestead
Daytona

is that they are not open to the general public...and when they are, they aren't even remotely free or reasonably priced for someone who's bike isn't already race prepped.

 

[Shanling]

(Varlo @ Mar. 20 2007,09:37) Nothing but Pilots on my bike, I did try the Avon and did about 2000km with them and they scared the shnit out of me, they where always sliping and loosing grip, maybe it's because it's a little colder up here in Quebec and most of my riding is done in the twisties, I would say I drive 90% of the time in twisties.
Here a little vid of our road here up north, this is one of my friend on his gixxer1k, they where'nt riding that hard, just wanted to film the road and yet still looses the rear end in mid video.

What tires was your buddy running when he almost lost it? That was a nice save by the way! I puckered watching it!

 

[dadofthree]

(Varlo @ Mar. 20 2007,14:37) Nothing but Pilots on my bike, I did try the Avon and did about 2000km with them and they scared the shnit out of me, they where always sliping and loosing grip, maybe it's because it's a little colder up here in Quebec and most of my riding is done in the twisties, I would say I drive 90% of the time in twisties.
Here a little vid of our road here up north, this is one of my friend on his gixxer1k, they where'nt riding that hard, just wanted to film the road and yet still looses the rear end in mid video.

Nice vids, way to save it on more than one occasion

 

[dadofthree]

Cost of those Avons TYD

 

[BusaCruise]

(Varlo @ Mar. 20 2007,14:37) Nothing but Pilots on my bike, I did try the Avon and did about 2000km with them and they scared the shnit out of me, they where always sliping and loosing grip, maybe it's because it's a little colder up here in Quebec and most of my riding is done in the twisties, I would say I drive 90% of the time in twisties.
Here a little vid of our road here up north, this is one of my friend on his gixxer1k, they where'nt riding that hard, just wanted to film the road and yet still looses the rear end in mid video.

well...mine is an ST tire...so as I said in my first post (about those riding twisties)....

the added weight of a busa does help keep things under control...
I didn't see a busa on the ride...

if you are happy with what you have, then go with it.
this was just MY perspective .... which so rarely aligns with anyone else's.

and there ARE models for most conditions....you might do better with the Viper Supersport or Extreme on your gixxer.

 

[JINKSTER]

how come the link won't play for me?...came up with some sorta "MIME" crap window.

 

[1meanZ]

Having been through a few sets of Pilot Powers, if you have a shop mount your tires and they inflate to what the sidewall says (42 psi I think) the tires will never feel right. You have to break the tires in and keep them at about 34psi front - 36 psi rear. My second set I forgot to check psi until I had about 300 miles on them and they never felt right. Shop had them at 42 psi.