Michelin Tyres

[Guzzi]

Hi Colin, hope you had good christmas. Well I have still not resolved this bloody front tyre issue!! Spoke to Michelin, 225/40/18 yes they do them but would advise against their use because they require 7.5in rim, ours are 7in, now contemplating trying to talk to somebody at dieppe! Conti do a 215/40 which is nearer the mark and original fitment on A Class Merc. So maybe I'll take a chance with a mix. Any thoughts or further experience guys?

All the best
Mark

 

[Guzzi]

Thanks for the quick response Colin. Am I being a bit thick here? You are actually using the 225/35 then, because that will clearly solve my problem. Where did you get hold of them, are they pilot 2's or 3's? Thanks again Colin, I am located 10 or so miles into Snowdonia NWales, so if its dry and warm I'm normally out on the bikes, my V6 gets a lot of damp cool and sometimes bloody wet running, even if it starts dry, it is Wales, bit like Cumbria eh! Maybe I'm a bit too tyre cautious, its the bike you know!

All the best

Mark

 

[ColinG]

Yeah I have actually had my 225/35 pilot sport 3's fitted to the front for about a month now, though I am yet to do more than 10 miles with them haha, now it's strange you say that Michelin don't reccomend the 225/40 as this is what my Renault dealer told me that Michelin had reccomended when they couldn't source some 205/40's

It was me who requested the 225/35 after seeing another car on here with them, unfortunately the only downside to the 225/35 is the price compared to the 225/40, I suppose it's a rarer size,

Know what you mean about the weather it's shocking this winter! What colour is your Vee mark? Get your name down for the lakes meet in August it's such a brilliant weekend!

 

[phillv6]

Thanks for the quick response Colin. Am I being a bit thick here? You are actually using the 225/35 then, because that will clearly solve my problem. Where did you get hold of them, are they pilot 2's or 3's? Thanks again Colin, I am located 10 or so miles into Snowdonia NWales, so if its dry and warm I'm normally out on the bikes, my V6 gets a lot of damp cool and sometimes bloody wet running, even if it starts dry, it is Wales, bit like Cumbria eh! Maybe I'm a bit too tyre cautious, its the bike you know!

All the best

Mark

Mark,

In my opinion if your using your Vee in damp cool and wet conditions (as I do) then there are alternative tyres that are more suited to these conditions than the Michelins.

In my experience the Michelins are brilliant in the dry - but no so good at all in the wet [smilie=icon_eek.gif], I've been running Continental Sport Contacts on my Vee for a few years now and find then much better when it gets wet and cold

Colin wouldn't dream of taking his Vee out in the wet therefore it would never be an issue for him :rofl:

Phill

 

[Guzzi]

Colin/Phil

Must be me, but hell of a job finding way around this website, just found your comment on tyres Phil. Anyway, after some fairly unhelpful debates with Michelin I found Conti. I now know you did Phil!

Right, the rears, Conti sport 3's 245/40/18 97Y, fronts Conti sport 2's 215/40/18 89W. This now overcomes my concern about under rimming/tyre roll and accuracy/feel particularly in the wet! Optimum fitment for 7's 205 min 215 max that also confirmed by Michelin 'but sorry we don't do a 215 so have nothing we can recommend' Thats when I raised my initial concern with the 225's Colin.

Tyre pressures, I'm new to V6 as you know, but thought book pressures seemed low, so now 38 rear 36 front and its transformed it.

The next test will be when I fit the 215 Conti's on the front, going to keep the PS3 rears 700mls, probably 500 left on PS2 fronts, and hence my initial panic. Would not contemplate different manufacturers tyres front/rear on the bikes obviously but the V6? should not be an issue, will be interesting, The EVO tyre test certainly confirmed the Conti's as their best wet/iffy condition tyre. The phase 2 was designed to induce progressive front end wash out to prevent snap oversteer, who knows, might be the perfect combination eh! Oh yes this website again, the knowledge bit won't open on mine, says page not available!

Hope I can find any replies! Thanks again for your help Gents is much appreciated

All the best
Mark

 

[Guzzi]

Colin/Phil

Oh I forgot my motor 255 No 309 is Illiad Blue, totally standard, bought from Portsmouth Nov 2010 25kmls now 36Kmls 2nd set PS 3's so probably 7500/8000 out of last set rears. Hmm similar wear/cost ratio to the bikes! Pilot Power rear on the RSV did 3100 and the 900 Tornado managed a blast to Estoril on an NCT 3500 total and the bikes are better on fuel and carry nearly as much luggage eh!

I bet Colin is always out in the wet! Its Cumbria, a slightly cooler Wales, but wetter!

MG

 

[Cold fusion]

The tyre pressures you have mentioned are way too high 2.1 bar rear and 2.0 bar front will keep the whole width of the tyre on the road.

 

[WONGY]

Agree about tyre pressures - I run 28 rear and 22 front on my mk1 vee vs handbook states 30 + 24

Anything above that makes it feel like im ice skating! Much better feel if you lower the pressures especially the front

Didn't affect tyre wear as my last set of tyres did 22k +

Im running Yokohama ad08s not michelins by the way

 

[Guzzi]

Hello Nigel

Chester and Illiad Blue, I'm on Rydtalog Moors above Mold. Thanks for your comment 2.1 bar rear and 2 bar front thats what the book says also I think. Thats just over 30 psi rear and 29 psi front which seems very low, for a 1400kg machine. Interestingly On my Moto Guzzi, yes got a number of bikes the book pressures were 32 front 36 rear and yet Michelin pressures for their Pilot Powers were 36 front 42 rears, and that transformed the handling. Bikes are different obviously, the proof in the pud will be how they wear, if too high then the centres will wear, and the last set didn't, although it was in the last three or so thou that I upped the pressures, improved the way it handles, so stuck with it for the new rears. Probably got 500 or so in fronts then will fit the Conti's and stick 36 in them. I like to experiment, track days on the bikes etc, tyre compounds/structure advancing, side wall stiffness lower rolling resistance etc. The V's are 10yrs old now, is the book still correct? I'll let you know how I get on splashing around Snowdonia! One final thought I bet a 997 Carrera doesn't run 30psi in its rear tyres.

I've only seen one other 255 in the area, that was black responsibly crobbing through Heswall highstreet in the summer, yep I was bimbling on the RSV behind, they are lovely looking things from the rear eh! Taxi now go and pick my missus up from hen night!

All the best
Mark

 

[oilyal]

The Heswall sighting will be one of the forum guy's on here !
Forgoten who but lives Bromborough I think so very close to were youre sighting was !

 

[Cold fusion]

Hello Nigel

Chester and Illiad Blue, I'm on Rydtalog Moors above Mold. Thanks for your comment 2.1 bar rear and 2 bar front thats what the book says also I think. Thats just over 30 psi rear and 29 psi front which seems very low, for a 1400kg machine. Interestingly On my Moto Guzzi, yes got a number of bikes the book pressures were 32 front 36 rear and yet Michelin pressures for their Pilot Powers were 36 front 42 rears, and that transformed the handling. Bikes are different obviously, the proof in the pud will be how they wear, if too high then the centres will wear, and the last set didn't, although it was in the last three or so thou that I upped the pressures, improved the way it handles, so stuck with it for the new rears. Probably got 500 or so in fronts then will fit the Conti's and stick 36 in them. I like to experiment, track days on the bikes etc, tyre compounds/structure advancing, side wall stiffness lower rolling resistance etc. The V's are 10yrs old now, is the book still correct? I'll let you know how I get on splashing around Snowdonia! One final thought I bet a 997 Carrera doesn't run 30psi in its rear tyres.

I've only seen one other 255 in the area, that was black responsibly crobbing through Heswall highstreet in the summer, yep I was bimbling on the RSV behind, they are lovely looking things from the rear eh! Taxi now go and pick my missus up from hen night!

All the best
Mark

Hi Mark,
I am about 9 miles from you in Hawarden, the black 255 in Heswall was most likely walshy255.


Nigel.