Metzeler radial vs Bridgestone bias ply Exedra tires - 96 ST1100

Steve398

... another retired Black Rat.
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Re: Metzeler radial vs Bridgestone bias ply Exedra tires on a 1996 ST1100 (standard)

5500 miles seems OUTRAGEOUSLY LOW for any set of tires on any motor vehicle.
A bit low for us... 6-7,000 is about average, depends how you ride them I guess.
I put on a new set each year regardless, it's just not worth the risk when we're touring to start with a set of half worn tyres. A day or two getting a tyre repaired or replaced will cost us far more in lost hotel or ferry bookings.
 
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Timothy1959
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Re: Metzeler radial vs Bridgestone bias ply Exedra tires on a 1996 ST1100 (standard)

A bit low for us... 6-7,000 is about average, depends how you ride them I guess.
I put on a new set each year regardless, it's just not worth the risk when we're touring to start with a set of half worn tyres. A day or two getting a tyre repaired or replaced will cost us far more in lost hotel or ferry bookings.
I guess it's better to be safe than sorry, when doing long range touring on a motorcycle, especially through unknown territory.
I've just always thought that tires on any motor vehicle should last a WHOLE LOT LONGER than 7,000 miles! :)
There must be many people who put at least 15,000 miles a year on bikes. Does this mean that such people would have to replace their tires MORE THAN once/year? :)
 
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Re: Metzeler radial vs Bridgestone bias ply Exedra tires on a 1996 ST1100 (standard)

I recently bought a 1996 ST1100 (standard) that the P.O. had fitted with a pair of Metzeler Roadtec Z6 radial tires. The handling was CRAPPY and inconsistent across a wide speed range (5 to 135 MPH). I replaced the radials with a new set of Bridgestone bias ply Exedra G547, G548 per Honda's recommendation (label under seat & owner's manual). The handling has improved DRAMATICALLY at all speeds & riding conditions! My conclusion: Bias ply tires work MUCH BETTER on this bike than radial tires. It is comforting to know that Bridgestone designed the Exedra G547 & G548 tires specifically for the 1996 Honda ST1100 (standard)! :)
Very interesting Tim.

I just installed a set of Z6's on my '01 ST and my initial impression is very good, compared to the Bridgestone T30's I just took off.

I agree with your assessment of the OEM Bias ply tires, I preferred the feel and feedback in most situations to those of the radial T30's.

I'll post a report on the Z6's when I return from the east coast in a couple of weeks.
 

ST1100Y

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Re: Metzeler radial vs Bridgestone bias ply Exedra tires on a 1996 ST1100 (standard)

I actually took part in the testing/approval process of the Bridgestone BT54 radial for the ST1100 in about 2000/2001 when I was working for Honda UK, when they were judged to be a huge improvement on the Excedras, particularly in the wet.
I did receive a test-set BT54 FOC for my '92 non ABS right during that time and was generally not sooo impressed with them...

- traction on wet road only_slightly_better...
- front tire serious head-shake right from mile one, even worse while leaned (totally weird experience)...
- very narrow margin when pushing envelope... first they stick, then not, suddenly, no warning...
- rear tire quickly suffering severe cupping, quickly increasing sudden losses of traction while leaned...
- fast wear, achievable mileage maybe about half of the Exedras...

I now could spin off an(other) ode about the abillities of the Exedra G547/548 on the standard and ABS-I ST's (read: models with 3" wheel/110-80 tire at the front), but its mute, since this is the tire that works on this motorcycle... period.
 
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I recently bought a 1996 ST1100 (standard) that the P.O. had fitted with a pair of Metzeler Roadtec Z6 radial tires. The handling was CRAPPY and inconsistent across a wide speed range (5 to 135 MPH). I replaced the radials with a new set of Bridgestone bias ply Exedra G547, G548 per Honda's recommendation (label under seat & owner's manual). The handling has improved DRAMATICALLY at all speeds & riding conditions! My conclusion: Bias ply tires work MUCH BETTER on this bike than radial tires. It is comforting to know that Bridgestone designed the Exedra G547 & G548 tires specifically for the 1996 Honda ST1100 (standard)! :)
have a 97 non abs and had bt023s radial which handled great wet or dry but cupped and noisy. Also ran t30s last year great tire just did not like the 6-7k wear out. Now I am experimenting, have a exedra max radial 130/70 zr18 on the front and an exedra 850 190/60 hr17 on the rear. With the larger tire my rpms are reduced by about 200 at 70mph. At times I corner fairly hard and never felt unsafe or shaky. I love radial tires and don't think I would go back to bias ply.
 

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Re: Metzeler radial vs Bridgestone bias ply Exedra tires on a 1996 ST1100 (standard)

5500 miles seems OUTRAGEOUSLY LOW for any set of tires on any motor vehicle.
Ah, yup. Hence never buying another set... :)

They had a soft compound that offered great traction but, Yeah they burnt up FAST. I loved them but couldn't afford to keep replacing them all the time.
Agree. If I recall, one of the big "selling points" of the Z6 over the Z4 was a "dual compound" tread design. Ctr was supposed to be longer wearing (a bit firmer) and shoulders softer for traction.

Might also add that experience was when I lived in TN. More leaning than here in Texas...
 
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