When you're leaning in a corner and, you're scraping the bottom then, you're tires have enough grip to them. The stock Dunlops have always been able to do that for me. 16,000 miles on them with plenty of visible thread still showing. I don't understand how or, why so many seem to use them up so quickly.

 

I hear what you say, BT, but I'm a new rider and while my technique probably isn't brilliant, it's not going to get any better if I don't have confidence in the machine. I just find the Dunlops slippery, even when going straight and level and on anything other than a perfect strip of blacktop. I had the bike skip out from under me on a damp roundabout. it caught again in a few inches, but it could have ended badly. And I just don't feel like I can take anything other than very wide, sweeping turns in perfectly dry conditions at anything like normal road speeds. It may be all in my head, but I've seen enough people comment on the qualities of other tires to make me think this might work. Even if only for the peace of mind, the £185 investment is worth it.

 

Metz 880's. Tim

 

Avon Venom-x for me. Lots of miles (16k) out stock dunlops but loose handling in the corners and rough ride, Avons are grippy and smooth riding, I'm sure ME880s are the same.

 

I agree with the worthiness of the Dunlops. I scrapequite a bit, and there's never been a feeling of having the bike go out from under me.

As far as mileage on a set of tires, I think a number of things influence that, besides riding style. IMHO the other factors that play into tire longevity are:

1. Air pressure
2.Road temperatures
3. Road surface:
A. Black top?
B. Concrete?
C. Gravel?
D. Loose Sandstone and shells? (I have a lot of this)
E. Highly crowned road?
F. Tar and stone surface?
G. Poorly maintained roads (read: lots of cracks, pot holes, poor and high patches, etc.)
4. Speed
5. Sprung weight (rider and/or rider & passenger)

It seems to me that there are so many variables that aside from air pressure and riding style, everyone gets what they're gonna get and there's pretty much nothing that can't be done about it.

 

I don't have a problem with my stock dunlops. Ride in rain quite often and I only get slowed down because of my self. I occasionally take a corner fast and have no problems. As for wear mine seem to wear decent.
If you are having that many problems with your back end sliding I would look into either the basic or advanced MSF. IMO something in your technique isn't kosher and causing the problems more than the tires.