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Metzler Z8

ejwanat

New member
I had a rear go out at 7O mph. No issues, it must have gone down slow. Anyhow I am going to replace both tires and I have heard some good things about the Metzler Z8. I am just a weekend rider (200-300mi), with just a long ride once a year( 1500-2000). Oh yea, it an R1150R.

I would appreciate any comments on the Z8 or any recommendations on another Metzler before I hit the buy button.
 
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I'd look at the Michelin Piolt Road 2 or Pilot Road 3.


I was looking at the Pilot Road 3 also. I should have mentioned them. Do you have any experience with them. I have had Michelins on my cars for the last 40 years. Ive had great luck with them on the cars.
 
My PR3's on a 1997 R1100RT turned it into a different machine, rain or shine. I have various Metzler and Dunlops on different bikes but I'm hooked on the Michelins.
 
I have always been a Metzeler fan going back to the mid-80s. I switched Voni's R1100RS and F800 to Pilot Road 2s or 3s. I have also been running PR2s on my R1150R. We still run bias ply MeZ 880s on our K75s and I like Tourances on my F650.

I refused to run MeZ6 tires on our R11xx bikes or F800 because the tread design renders the placement of the tread wear indicators useless - nothing to gauge the rubber left at the center of the tire. I know too many folks who got stranded with cords showing on Z6s.

I am told that the Z8 has actual functional tread wear indicators, but have been so happy with the PR2 or PR3s that I never felt inclined to find out.
 
+1 for the Michelins.
I had a Metzeler on my '04 and did not like the difficulty in discerning how much tread was left.
I have been very happy with the Pilot Roads on the bike.
 
ej said:
I would appreciate any comments on the Z8 or any recommendations on another Metzler before I hit the buy button.

I was "forced" to buy a set of Z8's for my '09 12RT on a trip becaue that was all I could find in a bind. Last week I had a mechanic look at the bike because the front end had become unsteady at high speeds. He said it was the tires and showed me how severely cupped they were after only 5,000 miles. So, I have a set of PR3's sitting in my garage that I'll put on this weekend. Have always had very good luck with the entire Michelin PR series. UMMV
 
ditto, ditto, ditto on Michelin Pilot Road 2.
This is the best tire I have ever tried.
I just bought a new set. They are being marked down now that the PR3 is out.
I am under the impression that the PR3 is identical except for the tread pattern, which is supposed to handle thick rain better.

I have not tried the Z8.
But my least liked tire ever was a Z6.
 
I've had Dunlops,Continentals,Avons and Metz. Z6's on my r1150rt . Put on a set of Mich. Pr3's just before a week long 2600 mi. trip up in colorado, through the wet, and dry. I'm sure that they all make good tires, but for me, I like the PR3's the best .
 
I have been running Shinko Ravens. About 170 for a pair delivered. they last 8K. I have ridden in torrential down pours, 100+ heat,. down to 20F. I have drug peg on occasion, when I over cooked a corner. I ride on gravel, and grass several times a year. I think it is good practice for when you hit something slick on the street. The center rib and wide grooves make a bit of difference. I took a nail to the rear. The sidewalls are stiff enough that while you know something is wrong, I did not go down. Bitch to plug.

If you can not tell, I like these. If the difference was only 50 bucks, I would get the longer life PR3, but for 150 bucks difference this is a no brainer.

Rod
 
I have a 99 R1100RT, purchased last year. I put a set of PR3's on it and thought they were a vast improvement over the Metzlers that came with the bike. Don't think you can go wrong with the PR3's. I did a cross country trip and back in July, so I opted to put a new set of tires on before the trip so I wouldn't have to change tires at the rally or somewhere else on the road. I had about 6k on the PR3's and they still had a good amount of tread left on them. I opted to go with the new Pirelli Angel GT tires after reading a tire evaluation that included both the PR3 and Angel GT, which gave the nod to the Angel GT. These tires were a little less expensive than the PR3's, but not that much to talk about.

7k+ miles on the trip and these tires were fantastic. Still plenty of tread left, I am guessing more than what was left on the PR3's with fewer miles. So bottom line is the PR3's are great but the Angel GT's are great also and worth a look, in my opinion.
 
My '12 RT came with Z8?s; I still have the original set at just over 10k miles. The tires likely have another 2-3k miles left on them. I believe regularly monitoring tire pressure was the key to getting the tires this far along. There is some feathering on the front and rear but I have never had a tire on a street bike that didn't.

I have no issues with these tires, especially in dry conditions. The bike has never misbehaved and has also been very predictable. Although I haven't had any issue with these tires in the rain, I just don't have the confidence I would like.

I am now beginning to look for replacements and I am interested in PR3's due to the mileage and rave reviews from everyone with them. If the PR3's are not available and/or are significantly more costly I wouldn't hesitate to fit the Z8's for another round.

Scot
 
PR3s on my R1200RT (2008)

I know tires are subjective in some ways but I honestly believe that switching to PR3s has made me a better rider, not only because of their wet/dry, hot/cold performance but mostly in the 'subjective' area that I feel more confident and settled on the bike which leads me to riding more confidently, selecting better lines on the road, riding more smoothly etc. Don't intend to change as long as I can get em.
 
I have a set of Z8's on my ST and really like them. They work well in the rain. I got this bike last year, and it came with Battleaxes, also a fantastic tire, but I burned them off in 4,000 kms. Hopefully I'll get better mileage out of the new ones. :D

Current tire technology is amazing.
 
Our 09R12RT came with Z6s and we started running Z8s when they became available. I found that the Z8s handled much better in wet and dry conditions.

The wear bars a slightly better for reading wear, but still left me caught out at a remote rally in Oregon when I thought that there should have been plenty of tread left (5700 miles on the rear before it began cracking over the belts). Fronts yield about 8000 miles. Different weight motorcycles and different riding styles yield a wide range of tire life, YMMV.

At the rally in Salem this year, I was talking to the Metzeler rep about their tires, difficulty reading the wear, and the balance between better performance (grip) versus wear (tire life). Upon his suggestion, I bought a set of Pirelli Angel GTs. I've only installed the rear (with a Z8 up front).

I tried them out for about 100 miles yesterday in mixed downpour/drying road conditions. The Angel GT transitioned nicely into leans, wet grip exiting turns was substantial. I'll need more experience with the Angel GT, but first impressions are that they provide similar (if not better) wet grip performance over the Z8s. Only time will tell how long the tire life is compared to Z8s.

I loved the Metzeler Z8s wet or dry. If the Pirelli Angel GTs last longer (a bonus, not a requirement), then I may have found a new favorite tire. (Not too surprising, as Pirelli is the parent company of Pirelli.)

On the other hand, I was quite impressed with when I was hearing from the Michelin engineer (who holds a patent, btw) at the Salem rally. They, too, make a great product.

It all depends on your performance criteria.

Like Paul, I've been a Metzeler fan since the mid-'80s with ME 33 Laser (Comp-K), ME 1 (Comp-K), and lastly the ME 55 Metronic.

Cheers!
 
RT Tires

I bought a 2002 R1150RT this spring (after 35 years on some great airheads) & just finished an 8 week travel of the 4 Corners. The bike had Bridgestones when purchased. I replaced those with Michelin Pilot 3 dual compounds which had @ 2000 miles when my trip began - absolutely great tires, especially in the rain - probably due to their added sipes. Although they probably had another couple thousand miles left, I replaced them at Pensacola BMW (my riding buddy's tires needed it, so that's why I went early on them - mine had over 8000 miles at that point). They were out of P3s, so I had them put on P2s. Rode the last 4000+ miles to MI & (I know a lot of this is purely subjective) felt the 2s to be a bit softer - all things like pressure being equal.
The point being, after years of Metzlers & Continentals, I am sold on these Pilots. My next tire will be the Pilot 3s. Order online, have a local mount them if you can"t, & you'll be on the road for @ $350.
 
Thanks

I appreciate all your replies. Between the comments here and from members at my local Club, I decided on the PR3. I'm sure the Z8 would have been fine, but most of you, and my local riders preferred the PR3.
 
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