ElectricMotorcycleForum.com
Makes And Models => Zero Motorcycles Forum | 2013+ => Topic started by: nigezero on June 17, 2015, 11:43:29 AM
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Hey all
OK, so my stock tyres are pretty shit and now winter has arrived I have to act. Been looking at all my options and stumbled across the new Michelin Anakee III. Really honest review here http://www.webbikeworld.com/Motorcycle-tires/michelin-anakee-3/review.htm (http://www.webbikeworld.com/Motorcycle-tires/michelin-anakee-3/review.htm) that describes them as being 90/10 road/dirt which is me. At least.
In a nutshell I've been trying to find the sportiest, grippiest tyre I can that will fit the wheel sizes, AND lowers my rolling resistance to improve range - and this seems to be it. There are not many options other than the "dual sport" types which are all very chunky or, old style tyres for older bikes that don't offer the grip or performance. Anyone else found anything better? My local bike shop even has them in stock!!
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Michelin Pilot Road 4 trail tires. They absolutely rock. not quite useless in the dirt, but crazy grip on the street, even when its cool and the best wet grip of any tire I have run except wet condition slicks. The rear is only available in a 150, but it fits just fine on my '15 DS.
http://www.motorcycle-superstore.com/64931/i/michelin-pilot-road-4-trail-front-tire?WT.ac=SLIsearch (http://www.motorcycle-superstore.com/64931/i/michelin-pilot-road-4-trail-front-tire?WT.ac=SLIsearch)
http://www.motorcycle-superstore.com/64932/i/michelin-pilot-road-4-trail-rear-tire?WT.ac=SLIsearch (http://www.motorcycle-superstore.com/64932/i/michelin-pilot-road-4-trail-rear-tire?WT.ac=SLIsearch)
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Thanks Farfle - great feedback. I took the advice of my local guy and will give the Anakee's a try; fitting on Friday. That will give us 2 options and feedback loops for DS owners!
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I uses Michelin Pilot Road 4 on my Zero SR. And the tires are the best I have tried. Now I only drive on the roads, but even in heavy rain is the no sliding on asphalt roads. The drive is 100% in control. The 150 Tire size to not a problem, I think it makes the bike better.
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Hey all
OK, so my stock tyres are pretty shit and now winter has arrived I have to act.
*checks calender*
Oh wait, Australian ;D So winter there consists of more rain?
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Hi,
I have a 1995 BMW R1100 GS and I use Anakee III tires. They are perfect! I got 11,000 miles on the front before changing and I have 12,000 on the rear and still a lot of tread left...amazing. I have no chicken strips on my tires and I have never felt them start to slide, even with very aggressive riding.
They are excellent in the rain and you can maintain dry road speed when it is raining. I ride about 20% on mountain logging trails and I have never had traction issues on wet, loose gravel roads.
This is the best tire I have ever used. Get them!
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I had my DS tires replaced with a set of Metzler Tourances. They're marketed as 85/15 and seem to handle the highway better than the stock tires.
I've had Pilot Road 3's before and would have preferred them but they were not available in a matching size.
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Great feedback thanks guys. Wheels are out and ready for Anakee! BTW, removing the wheels is really, really easy on these bikes.
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Succes! Test ride early this morning in very cold and wet conditions on a winding bumpy sealed road. No comparison to the Kenda - transformed the grip in a great way and excellent in the west. The tyre shape is about the same but I reckon the front is marginally slower to tip in. Wayyyyy smoother of course. Highly recommended
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I just want to add, after a solid week of riding these tyres have utterly transformed my bike. The feel, grip and braking are at least 20-30% better I reckon. The profile seems right based on me being old and lame and yet working towards the sides nicely. Very happy with the Anakees. (http://images.tapatalk-cdn.com/15/06/24/80cb1c46ae880c6c5825297ca67910cd.jpg)
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I am using the Anakee 3 tires on my F650GS twin and love them. I just returned from a 1600 mile trip to Oregon and they performed very well and seem to be getting good mileage, although they have squared off noticeably due to all of the freeway riding that I had to do to get to John Day, OR and back. I think they would be a good choice for the Zero, although they are kind of expensive compared with other brands/models.
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I just want to add, after a solid week of riding these tyres have utterly transformed my bike. The feel, grip and braking are at least 20-30% better I reckon. The profile seems right based on me being old and lame and yet working towards the sides nicely. Very happy with the Anakees.
What about range ?
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On IC motorcycles you should get over 10K miles on the A3. Probably more on the Zero as those bikes are pretty easy on tires.
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I haven't noticed any perceptible range improvement but reasonably expect some. Being the depths of winter, I'm noticing a change in battery performance anyway. So many small issues can make a difference.
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I haven't noticed any perceptible range improvement but reasonably expect some. Being the depths of winter, I'm noticing a change in battery performance anyway. So many small issues can make a difference.
Well I'm expecting a reduced range, because better traction means more friction and less range.
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Interesting point Kensiko grip losses versus better rolling resistance gains. So far, I think the rolling resistance gains (compared a chunkier off road tyre) is winning.
On another note I spent the last few weeks playing with suspension settings after noticing a subtle but persistent "patter" in the front end. I tried a series of progressive adjustments but everything just made it worse.Compression, rebound, tyre pressures in a myriad of combinations. In frustration I went back to the shop today and we found two things.
1. The wheel balance was slightly out.
2. The tyre was slightly elliptical. They reseated it three times and still couldnt get it to sit right on the rim and are going to talk with Michelin.
Compounding the problem was the "atrocious stiction" in the front forks, as they described it. I'm well aware of this and was hoping things would free up with use but after almost 5k kms no change. The stiction means that the damping is not right because it tends to feel better when it's compensating for the stiction. The Youtube video on the FastAce fork rebuild looks like a hornets nest to me. Anyone have a clue what the stock fork oil weight might be?
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I don't like the MX tyres on my DS. These are good on off road tracks but I ride for 99% on asphalt. The Anakees are a good option. Hopefully, the stock tyres will be worn soon
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My mileage is now 4,500 kms and my MT 60 rear tyre is almost gone. I thought that the super soft Continental SportAttack 2 on my previous KTM 990 SMT worn so fast (about 4000 kms) but that these MT 60s don't last so long disappoints me.
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Ik got my Annees3 today! Unfortunately, the temps dropped seriously here in Holland so a good comparison is not possible.
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So Lecram,
Do you have your Anakees already fitted?
I will have mine fitted by the end of the month by Motoport Amsterdam. They called today that the types are delivered.
If you have rode them already, i'm curious about your findings... Do they make less noise compared to the nubbies?
Greetings, buutvrij
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Better late than never, I guess... :)
Anyone have a clue what the stock fork oil weight might be?
My guess is 10W - it's a lot thicker than the 3W I put in. This FastAce thread has more info:
http://electricmotorcycleforum.com/boards/index.php?topic=4929.msg33616#msg33616 (http://electricmotorcycleforum.com/boards/index.php?topic=4929.msg33616#msg33616)
The Youtube video on the FastAce fork rebuild looks like a hornets nest to me.
+1 - but to change the oil, you really only need to loosen the caps, then remove/invert the legs to drain the oil out. It's still a PITA, but there doesn't seem to be any good places for drain plugs.
Compounding the problem was the "atrocious stiction" in the front forks
Yes, it's pretty severe. I treated my slider surfaces twice with Tri-Flow Teflon spray lube after the oil change, and it made a lasting difference in plushness and resistance to deflection. I can now easily pump the forks about 4" without using the front brake, whereas my FX's forks (stock oil, no Teflon) move about 2" and then stick.
Ray
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So, got my Anakees III fitted yesterday, and drove some 70 km's with them. First impression:
The bike feels quicker in corners and some faster steering. The improvement is definitely there, but not world changing :D. They make less noise as well, which is great, due to the fact that the nubbies made a slightly irritating jet-kind of sound at higher speeds. I like the jet-kind of sound, but not when it's to loud (in my opinion). I have an open helmet.
I didn't have the opportunity to do some serious 'testing' yet, but i think they are worth the buck's (euro's)
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I tried to order some Anakee 3's this week only to find they don't make them in the size my 2014 DS requires. At least they're not available in the UK.
Has anyone any experience of road pilot 4's on a DS? I don't know if those tubeless tyres will fit on the spoked wheels I've got.
Any more recommendations would be gratefully received. I don't plan to do any off road riding with the next set. Grip on wet and cold tarmac is my top priority.
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For my FX that almost never sees dirt I was looking at Avons, either Trailriders or Roadriders. There aren't a lot of tires that aren't full on knobbies in the right sizes.
2015 FX ZF6.5 👹 DoD #2160,6
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Thanks clay. I'll let you all know what I go for.