My Dad is looking for a good replacement tire for his BMW touring bike. He is not getting very good durability out of the Michelins that are on it (not sure the model). Full disclosure........90% of the mileage will be here in Florida, so I've pre-warned him that just about EVERY tire is going to wear like garbage, but it would be nice if he could maximize tire life. Any hands-down winners currently out there?
Buying the correct spec is important. Most tire companies have a different spec in these standard sizes to help carry the load and increase mileage. So I would suggest the Angel GT II and get the A spec front and rear. See below https://www.pirelli.com/tyres/en-ww/motorcycle/all-tyres/sheet/angel-gt-ii
As already mentioned, you need to be looking at only the 120/180 combos that offer a heavier capacity option that is specifically made for these heavier touring bikes. They’re a heavier carcass and more durable compounds. The Pirellis mentioned should do better than Michelin’s offerings, just from what I’ve seen.
As mentioned above...for a heavier touring (or sport touring) bike you need the GT versions or the spec tire to get the best performance out of them.
ooooooooo....the dark side! LOL Talk about a polarizing subject. I'd have to seriously consider it if I lived in FL or only did interstate riding.
Tried the Angel GT on my GSXS1K- it lasted good, but the carcass/compound on the rear was a bit too stiff for that bike, Should work well on an RT or other heavier ST bike as suggested above. Got a set of the Angel ST's, only mounted the front so far (still some life left in the GT). Did 300 miles yesterday on it and it felt good if a little too pointy of a profile (tipped in a bit abruptly for my liking).
Angel GT's are excellent tires, with much better life for me than the Michelin equivalents. Excellent grip, wet and dry. The GT2's are really good too, but the new siping pattern does cause some weird squirminess when riding on grooved surfaces. I think the old profile (GT) looks more aggressive too. The Michelin Road 5's were terrible for me in the wet, so I'd avoid.
I'd have to check with him, and I'll note what model Michelins he's currently running. FYI, he's 80 years old..........so we don't need to balance sport performance in the equation, Florida roads notwithstanding. He just needs something that is going to last a bit longer for his 2009 BMW R1200 RT.