G'day from down under

[mkbart69]

Hi guys,

Just joined your forum, and looking for advice.

I live and ride around Canberra, Australia - not much of a city, but surrounded by great mountain and coastal roads. I ride 300km per working week (main roads and highway), take a 500km weekend ride once a month (mountains and coast).

I am due for another set of rubber for my 98 VFR800 (check pics for current touring setup). Headshake was completely fixed with a set of tapered roller steering bearings - second best improvement I have made to old girl.

I have had a couple of sets of Pilot Powers (front) Pilot Road (rear) then went to Pilot Road 2's front and rear and am currently running Conti Road Attacks.

Each time I have updated I have preferred the newest ones, however I will be lucky to get 8000 kilometres from the current Conti rear. Not good enough for me to purchase same again as a replacement.

Any advice?

[winaje]

Hi Bart. I used to live behind the Eaglehawk pub on the border. Great roads for sure, never got to ride the Cotter loop...

I reckon that PR2's are the go. You run down to Batemans for your ride? The PR2's seem to handle the challenges of the straight high speed runs as well as the tight corners really well.

[derstuka]

Hello and welcome mate! I am glad you are enjoying your girl. I am running Conti Road Attacks for the first time....I have to think about how many miles on have on these tires, but I will say, that they are wearing faster than I would have thought...compared to what other folks have said. Check the tire review column for advice on tires.

[drewl]

Welcome aboard, Bart.
Good to see more and more Australians here.
I run the Pilot Powers on mine, got 7000 miles out of the rear tire. I mostly commute and play on the weekends like you.

[Jabba]

G'day mate!

recently fitted Pilot Road 2 s on my 2007 ... so far so good! about 600km and still the "hairs" are visible ... perhaps not leaning enough! lol

[mkbart69]

Originally Posted by winaje

Hi Bart. I used to live behind the Eaglehawk pub on the border. Great roads for sure, never got to ride the Cotter loop...

I reckon that PR2's are the go. You run down to Batemans for your ride? The PR2's seem to handle the challenges of the straight high speed runs as well as the tight corners really well.

Thanks Winaje,
I agree with your view about the PR2's. So far they are the best package I have used for my riding requirements.
I do the Clyde mountain run to the Bay fairly regularly as my old man (Triumph Speedmaster) lives in Ulladulla. We often ride up and down the coast (not on weekends though) and he continues to try (unsuccessfully) to round me up going up the Brown!
I hope i can do the same to my kids in the future.

[winaje]

Originally Posted by mkbart69

Thanks Winaje,
I agree with your view about the PR2's. So far they are the best package I have used for my riding requirements.
I do the Clyde mountain run to the Bay fairly regularly as my old man (Triumph Speedmaster) lives in Ulladulla. We often ride up and down the coast (not on weekends though) and he continues to try (unsuccessfully) to round me up going up the Brown!
I hope i can do the same to my kids in the future.

Funnily enough, I used to live just off the top of the Brown too! Awesome roads, can't wait until I get a chance to do the Bonang.

[mkbart69]

Originally Posted by derstuka

Hello and welcome mate! I am glad you are enjoying your girl. I am running Conti Road Attacks for the first time....I have to think about how many miles on have on these tires, but I will say, that they are wearing faster than I would have thought...compared to what other folks have said. Check the tire review column for advice on tires.

Thanks Derstuka,
If the Conti Attacks lasted the distance, I would restock straight away. The grip is great, their progressive and predictable lean angles and even their wet (sometimes it rains in Canberra!) performance is good. But they wear so much faster than the PR2's that I am looking elsewhere.
I have now found the tyres (tires) forum discussions - and not suprisingly the recommendations are as varied as the contributers! And motogp is going to a single tyre!!
Cheers.

[mkbart69]

Originally Posted by drewl

Welcome aboard, Bart.
Good to see more and more Australians here.
I run the Pilot Powers on mine, got 7000 miles out of the rear tire. I mostly commute and play on the weekends like you.

Thanks Drewel.

[mkbart69]

Originally Posted by Jabba

G'day mate!

recently fitted Pilot Road 2 s on my 2007 ... so far so good! about 600km and still the "hairs" are visible ... perhaps not leaning enough! lol

Cheers Jabba,
Have you tried anything else or just swapped the originals with PR2's?

[mkbart69]

I just "googled" Bonang - looks great for bikes - any idea how much is sealed from Bombala through to Orbost?

[Jabba]

Originally Posted by mkbart69

Cheers Jabba,
Have you tried anything else or just swapped the originals with PR2's?

The originals were Bridgestones .. I replaced the rear after it wore with a Metzler Rensport ( an Ebay "purchase" ... it had done two laps of Philip Island as a qualifier) and wore that through to the carcass in 5000k but I was fine with that cos I knew it was a "soft" tyre.

So now .. yeah .. PR2's about 1500 k's now and grip is very good as well as feel! :)