Year-round riding on Suzuki SV650X reveals which tyres work best and Tiger 1200 closes in on 20,000 miles
13,000 miles of tyre-shredding on Suzuki’s café racer proves revealing
Tyre choices have a huge impact on your ride. Go for a flatter profile sports touring tyre and the bike will behave lazily with easy, predictable steering. Go for a set of taller profile, sportier hoops and the ride becomes more engaging on spirited jaunts, often to the detriment of longevity and stability.
It’s a compromise that all riders face and one I have been experimenting with this year on the SV650X. After more than 13,000 miles over the last eight months, I have tried five sets of tyres in a bid to find the best all-rounder for commuting, weekends and the odd trackday.
Dunlop Roadsmart (£182 pair)
My eight months of fun began with the standard fitment Dunlop Roadsmarts. Beginning my time with the bike at the tail end of the Beast from the East cold snap, I was initially quite sceptical at their ability to carve through winter sludge. But, after around 1500 miles, I was pleasantly surprised. Although lacking some feel in serious downpours and low temperatures, they were perfectly acceptable for getting me to and from the office on my commute during the early running-in period, as well as the occasional weekend ride when the weather allowed.
Michelin Road 5 (£241 pair)
I was certain that better wet weather performance was achievable and after much head scratching, I opted for a set of new-for-2018 Michelin Road 5s, which I had previously tested at the world launch in Spain in late February.
Offering wet weather grip unsurpassed by any other tyre I had tried to that point, I was certain they would be the rubber to unlock additional performance in the run-up to Spring.
Using dual-compound technology, featuring a harder centre for longevity and softer shoulders for sporty cornering grip, they gave the performance I desired and then some. With bags of grip when cornering and braking in the wet, as well as ample toe-dragging bite in the dry, they showed plenty of life after 4000 miles of testing, when they were abruptly removed to make way for something sportier to tackle trackdays.
Dunlop SportSmart TT (£252 pair)
The Michelins were replaced with a set of Dunlop SportSmart TT tyres, which were recommended to me by Chief Road Tester, Michael Neeves. Now in peak summertime, they transformed the handling and made my weekend rides much more engaging. They also supplied the perfect amount of grip for a stint around Brands Hatch Indy, Rockingham and Silverstone.
Managing the bike’s modest 75bhp with relative ease, once up to temperature they inspired kneedown action aplenty on track, as well as more confidence in the front when burying the bike into corners.
Unfortunately, this performance made for a sacrifice in longevity, with the rear showing signs of squaring after just 3000 miles. In heavy rain, I also experienced a break in traction at 70mph on a dual carriageway.
Metzeler Sportec M7RR (£239 pair)
Determined not to let go of the summertime fun I swapped the Dunlops for an old favourite: the Metzeler Sportec M7RR. These have been my go-to tyre for my own road bikes since their inception and I knew they were capable of trackday fun, as well as coping with downpours. From early August to around mid-November, I piled on around 4000 miles on these tyres, snatching the last of my year’s trackday excursions at Cadwell Park.
As a tyre designed for fast, sporty road riding, the M7RRs blew me away when the temperatures dropped, still offering huge feedback below 10-degrees in all conditions. Had they not squared, I would have been happy to run them through the winter. However, with the middle band of tread dwindling on the rear, I decided to swap them out for a set of Metzeler Roadtec 01s.
Metzeler Roadtec 01 (£255 pair)
Now they are fully bedded in after around 300 miles of riding I am astounded at the level of grip on offer in cold, dry and wet conditions. Taking the performance of the Road 5s and knocking them for six, you feel like you’re gliding along a dry road, despite the drizzly conditions. The forgiving profile makes handling predictable, with no signs of breaking traction under hard acceleration. So far I am very impressed and can’t wait to pile on more miles. Now, where are my keys?