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[dkw12002]

 Bridgestone Battlax came  stock on my Gixxer 1000 and I got  6500 miles from the rear. They were good tires though. I replaced them with Pilot Power 3s which were even better I thought although I never raced with either set. The Michelins are composite tires and less susceptible to squaring off. 

[NoiseBoy]

I recommend Avon Road Riders.

I got 14k miles on my 2012 ZF6 with them.

I'll second the Avons. Purchased from my ZF9 on EC's say-so. Transformed the ride and handling.

What is the wet weather performance like?  That is where the road whiners really fall down (literally.)

[Lipo423]

My experience with the std. tires is not bad (this includes some "hard cornering driving" with no issues at all).
They are not Michelin quality (for example) - I would agree with that, but in dry conditions they perform very well.
I have not got a lot of experience in wet condition with them though 

[Doug S]

Tires on any vehicle are always going to be a compromise between efficiency and traction. A high-traction (sticky) compound is always going to have higher rolling resistance than a compound designed for high efficiency. You just need to decide where on the curve you want to play.

I hear a lot of complaints about the OEM tires, and I agree, they're pretty mediocre in terms of traction offered. I haven't had any sideways sliding yet (knock on wood), but then again I no longer ride the way I rode 30 years ago. I HAVE chirped the rear tire on my 2014 SR when "demonstrating" the bike's launching ability.

But I'm assuming Zero selected them for their relatively low cost and high efficiency, not their ultimate gripping ability. If you want a different compromise in your tires, you can always change them.

[Francois]

I have a zero s 2013
i put in front 110/70/17 pirelli diablo rosso II
and in rear 140/60/17 pirelli diablo rosso II
it is a very good compromise event on wet street.
in addition it is a good look.

[ultrarnr]

I am running the Pilot Road 3's on my SR. The back is a 150 (smallest they make) instead of a 140 but don't see any issues with it.

[RickSteeb]

I recommend Avon Road Riders.

I got 14k miles on my 2012 ZF6 with them.

I put Road Riders on my '12 DS when it was my main commuting vehicle, and found they were MUCH better than the stock tires for road/highway use.

Now that I have my SR for my daily highway adventures, I'm seeking suggestions for dirt or enduro-style tires that will fit a '12DS... wish I hadn't tossed the originals!

[vfkf]

I am running the Pilot Road 3's on my SR. The back is a 150 (smallest they make) instead of a 140 but don't see any issues with it.

The profile of the 150 might be strange no? The stock S 2013 130R/110F tires are pinched in too narrow wheels at 120R/100F mm wide. The result is a more acute profile which I am not comfortable riding with. I checked all my other bike wheels and the installed width is very close to the spec. the 2014 has a 140 rear and if it is in the same wheel as the 2013, it should be worse.

I am looking at wheels conversion, ideally to 160R/120F (or 150/110 that stay 150/110). The swing arm has enough room but there is very little margin to offset the engine pulley. I would not mind swapping the whole front end, forks and brake included.

[NanoMech]

I had Metzler Tourance tires (85-15, road vs off-road tire) installed on my 2014 DS, when purchased in April/May. I researched the tires for my type of riding (slower than freeway 85% of the time, possibly light moist forest paved roads, some off-road on dirt trails) and selected the same tire that the BMW GS has/had as standard on their bikes, along with some DS Ducati and similar bikes.

I'm happy with it, although it does not grip the dirt roads very well,  and I average 130-140 miles for the 11.4KW and power-tank option (extrapolation, since I rarely discharge more than 80% of battery, and nearing the end-point of available battery power may reduce mileage). Most driving is closer to 35 mph and very hilly, and the tire may slip on uneven pavement, but always grabs traction, lending a feeling of trust in the tire. But, my driving is not aggressive and I am certainly not pushing it.

[ammonsh]

What is the safest (widest?) Tire combo for the 2014S?  What exact sizes for front and back?

[Richard230]

What is the safest (widest?) Tire combo for the 2014S?  What exact sizes for front and back?

I would stick with the standard sizes of 110/70-17 front and 140/70-17 rear.  There are getting to be lots of choices for brands and tire designs in these sizes now that the new 300-400cc motorcycle models are all using these size tires.   

[ut-zero]

What is the safest (widest?) Tire combo for the 2014S?  What exact sizes for front and back?

I went with Pilot Road 4's
120/60 front and 160/60 rear.

[benswing]

Just got some Pirelli Angel GT's and absolutely love them!  They are 120/70 and 150/70 which makes the fit a bit tighter, but no rubbing that I have seen and cornering is significantly more fun now!

[Manzanita]

Yes, both the Michelin PR3/PR4 or the Pirelli Angel GT have a more flat center section, and together with the slightly larger 150mm size will help stabilize the quick Zero S/SR frame geometry. The Rosso II is more of a pointy profile (quicker turn-in and less stable in a straight line).

Not sure about pre-2014 rim widths, but I doubt zero has blindly increased the tire width without making the corresponding appropriate increases in rim width. The 150 PR3 does not seem pinched on my 2014 S (but I wouldn't go wider...). Does anyone know for sure if 2013 rims are the same as 2014 rims?

[ctrlburn]

9,700 miles on the OEM's so I stopped at a local motorcycle shop. I showed them my wear patterns (pretty much squared off the rear tire from commuting and mellow cornering) kindly they kept from smirking at textbook chicken strips and they agreed the Pirelli Sport Demons would be a good replacement in the same size as originals -  Zero seems to have made a credible selection for the newer models.  i think the Angel GT and Diablo are a bit more tire than I would ever use.

Of course the bearings too will be replaced, so until those come in I left the Zero as the shop's errand cycle, only slightly worried I compromised speedy service.