Which tires for CFMOTO 650NK/TR?

Pick your choice of sport-touring tires....

Of course there are other softer racing tires and harder touring tires, mostly in larger (for rear) sizes. I thought most riders would choose a Sport touring tire for the NK, of course some long distance TR riders might go with a straight touring tour tire, if so respond by choosing the manufacturer, same if you don't have a CFMOTO, but a similar bike, choose from the poll. Most of the prices are similar, can't find a price for the OEM CST's bit Maxxis Diamonds are about 25% cheaper than the others, torn between those and Dunlop Roadsmart 2, depends on how much money I have when I want to buy.

Tires are like oil, you will never find an agreement, and certainly not on a forum :mwink:.

In my opinion you forget at least one very useful option for any bike up to ~150hp, the Michelin Pilot Power CT2.
Widely available in China at reasonable prices, long lasting due to their duel compound structure, soft enough in corners (again, the duel compound), and not quickly aging.
They should also have good wet weather characteristics.

After experimenting with several brands, I use them on my bikes by now.
On the road they warm quick, on the track they remain in good shape, as long as you control the tire pressures.
I do not have experience in the wet, but was told they do good.
And they really last and last and last.

Alternatively, I hear a lot of good stories on the Michelin Pilot Road, and see a lot of Benelli's here fitted with them.

OK, edited the poll. :rolleyes1: Thought I'd forgotten something! I ignored Michelin because of their F1 fiasco and inability to make good MTB tires. Although that doesn't mean their motorcycle tires are bad. Put the Pilot Road three up, because I was looking at sport touring tires for Chinese road conditions. Pilot Power CT2 maybe a bit too much of pure sport tire.

I think the best tires on the list are those you can get on Taobao, rather than those you might like, as I can't find anyone that sends tires internationally. Also the rear tire 160/60 R17 isn't a common size on the Chinese internet. Seems the Bridgestone and Michelin are the most available.

For what it is worth: the guy I buy my Michelins from.
I normally get them delivered within 24 hours, quite amazing considering the distance.
He seems to have a considerable range of different type of tires from time to time.
http://item.taobao.com/item.htm?spm=...id=25942764125

Problem is many of the sellers sell in pairs, and sell 180 rears, not 160. I'm not one of those that puts on wider tires than stock for a cool wider look. :rolleyes1:

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Originally Posted by ZMC888

Problem is many of the sellers sell in pairs, and sell 180 rears, not 160. I'm not one of those that puts on wider tires than stock for a cool wider look.

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Does the CF has a smaller rear rim then the Benelli?
All Benelli's are fitted with a 180 tire (on a 5.5 rim if my memory serves me well).

I have never met a supplier who does not supply only a rear tire.
They might add as small premium, but so what?

Same supplier:
http://item.taobao.com/item.htm?spm=...id=19302841958

http://item.taobao.com/item.htm?spm=...id=18946981468

Now, I stop plugging

I'll think I'll go for Pilot Road 3. Being that Pilot Road 1, 2 or 3 are all about the same price regardless of generation. There are a few in 160 rear. And yes the CFMOTOs are 160 rear not 180, as the are copying the Kawasaki ER6N geometry. The OEM for the Kawasaki is the Dunlop Roadsmart 2.

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I can't find anyone that sends tires internationally

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Tyres are classed as hazardous waste thats why no international shipping by Air can send by boat >>>

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Originally Posted by prince666

Tyres are classed as hazardous waste thats why no international shipping by Air can send by boat >>>

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An other one of your "talk without knowledge" replies?

In spite of what you state, tires can be perfectly shipped by air by any airliner or express service.

The only restriction according IATA regulations is:
"A tyre assembly unserviceable or damaged is not subject to these Regulations if the tyre is completely deflated.
A tyre assembly with a serviceable tyre is not subject to these Regulations provided the tyre is not inflated to a gauge pressure exceeding the maximum rated pressure for that tyre. However, such tyres (including valve assemblies) must be protected from damage during transport, which may require the use of a protective cover".

For God's sake, please stop filling every thread with your nonsense.

What mileage can I expect from Pilot power?

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Originally Posted by 998S

An other one of your "talk without knowledge" replies?

In spite of what you state, tires can be perfectly shipped by air by any airliner or express service.

The only restriction according IATA regulations is:
"A tyre assembly unserviceable or damaged is not subject to these Regulations if the tyre is completely deflated.
A tyre assembly with a serviceable tyre is not subject to these Regulations provided the tyre is not inflated to a gauge pressure exceeding the maximum rated pressure for that tyre. However, such tyres (including valve assemblies) must be protected from damage during transport, which may require the use of a protective cover".

For God's sake, please stop filling every thread with your nonsense.

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Thank you for you insight into this matter and duly noted!!! do you have problem with me !!! why is it all the asshole come from Shanghai and ride Ducati ???

And as i said before i have good fucking eyes no need to make you fonts so large

Not easy to answer, but I am running >3-4.000km on the rear (Pilot Power CT2 and Pilot Pure CT2), and I guess double on the front.
That is with ~120-140hp depending the bike, a lot of stop and go, and squaring off more then anything else.
I used to change them halfway to my trackbike to use all of them, but hardly any trackdays recently.

You should easily do double the distance with your NK.

By the way, I am not sure on your rim size and the space you have on chain, swingarm and some other obstructing stuff.
But if that allows, there is nothing against trying a 180/55.
You will have a bit more rubber on the road, and the geometry will not be too different, unless you nail it in the corners (which is highly unhealthy in China if you are not on a track).

E.

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What mileage can I expect from Pilot power?

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We need to find out the Treadwear number on the side of the tyre


"Choosing a higher UTQG Rating for treadwear means longer tyre life yet the traction is usually lower as the treadwear rating goes up.
In turn tyres with better traction ratings have lower treadwear ratings due to the tread compound required for better handling characteristics."

Lower the number better grip but dont last long higher the number no grip but last long !!!!
i have found over many years in the tyre game Michelin tends to get a good compromise between the 2

is this a load of shit as well 998S prick

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there is nothing to try a 180/55.
You will have a bit more rubber on the road, and the geometry will not be too different

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Bullshit .... OE tyres is 160-60-17 = 625.4 mm O/A dia
180-55-17 =635.30 mm O/A dia

That means the 185/55 will be 10mm O/A bigger thats nearly 2% so you gearing will change and then you need to find out if the wheel rim size will take a 185/55

You need at lest a 5.5 rim to take a 185-55 tyre so bad advice on 2 counts

see 998S it is very easy to find fault in someones post :mwink:

if you want to ??????

so get of my back or just move on to the next post

Well, if you knew your stuff other then from the books, you should know that there are huge differences in actual tires sizes.

Take 6 different brands of a 180/55 tire on the same rim, and you will see differences of up to 10mm in width, and about the same in OD.
There your calculation goes through the drain already .. that makes it (1-0).

Then, Michelin tires are normally on the smaller side, so the difference with the OEM tire will probably be less.. (2-0).

The remaining extra diameter will put the bike very slightly more on its nose, making it a bit more agile (never wrong), but 1 or 2% is impossible to notice in the gearing, nor will have negative effects on it.. (3-0).

If there is space or not in the swingarm was already mentioned by me, so that makes it (4-0)

And then, most important, ZMC888 knows his stuff on bikes and motorbikes, he does not need theoretical nonsense.
5-0, knock-out and time to go home for you...

Actually that's OK for Pilot Power, I was think if it was 8,000kms on the rear for the NK that would be enough. Seeing as you can pick up a set for 2000RMB it's actually a fairly sensible option seeing as I'll get some shrapnel road debris puncture on average every 4,000kms on average anyhow.

I wouldn't ever use a different tire size than stock, I'm just odd that way, but I still can get 160 on Taobao anyway.

I prefer riding tracks than roads but there aren't any tracks around here at the moment. I usually get a 1.5-2cm chicken strip on mountain roads, and can get the tire black across on the track or in a car park after about half an hour.

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Originally Posted by 998S

Well, if you knew your stuff other then from the books, you should know that there are huge differences in actual tires sizes.

Take 6 different brands of a 180/55 tire on the same rim, and you will see differences of up to 10mm in width, and about the same in OD.
There your calculation goes through the drain already .. that makes it (1-0).

Then, Michelin tires are normally on the smaller side, so the difference with the OEM tire will probably be less.. (2-0).

The remaining extra diameter will put the bike very slightly more on its nose, making it a bit more agile (never wrong), but 1 or 2% is impossible to notice in the gearing, nor will have negative effects on it.. (3-0).

If there is space or not in the swingarm was already mentioned by me, so that makes it (4-0)

And then, most important, ZMC888 knows his stuff on bikes and motorbikes, he does not need theoretical nonsense.
5-0, knock-out and time to go home for you...

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A pictures tells a 1000 words


Attachment 14087

sorry ZMC888 about this on your thread...

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Originally Posted by prince666

A pictures tells a 1000 words


Attachment 14087

sorry ZMC888 about this on your thread...

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Attachment 14088

good point need to talk about tyres but as the good Captain did say .....

Captain Jean-Luc Picard: Mr. Data...
Data: Sir?
Captain Jean-Luc Picard: Shut up.
Data: Yes, sir.

Data = 998S

The difference in sizes is do to the starting point the manufacturer used, their measuring rim size, the resulting differences are in that. If everything is the same then everything would be the same and all rims have different widths. Even though they are the same size they have varying widths that affect the resulting size and the size ratio of the tires.

My vote goes to the Pirelli ST. I speak from experience on my Monster 696 (that also fit similar tire size). Even better, depending on availability in China (scarce, I know but, as always in China, there is a solution to every problem...), you should go for the Angel GT, which has similar performance characteristics to its predecessor Angel ST, but improved mileage by 30%. The goodness of this tire was also certified by many independent tests:

http://www.pirelli.com/tyre/ww/en/mo...elGT.tab?tab=2

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We need to find out the Treadwear number on the side of the tyre

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Has anyone ever seen a UTQG rating on any motorcycle tire? No? Maybe that's because it doesn't apply to motorcycle tires. One can ascertain information about tire mileage only from direct experience or experience of other users. Tire manufacturers rarely and only reluctantly state numbers for tire mileage, because it is a value that is influenced by an incredible amount of factors. ZMC you can be pretty sure that in the Sport Touring segment the GT has the best mileage in town. On my STs I was able to run for about 8000 km and that was applying frequent and thorough rotations of the right wrist :mwink:

Let us know how your search/selection process goes.
Cheers

Vale, can't find any Pirelli Angels on Taobao. That means I'd have to bring some back from home, not sure that is the most cost effective solution. As 998S recommended Michelin Pilot Power CT2 seems good, just enough mileage and super sticky. Ideal for me as I'll be able to buy some in my sizes and about 2000 RMB which is similar price to back home. Seems only Bridgestone and Michelin are available in China in any quantity.

Michelin Pilot Power 2CT are very good tires but hardly comparable to Angel ST or GT, Pilot Road, Roadtec Z6 or Z8: all these tires belong to the "Sport Touring" segment whereas Pilot Power 2CT belong to another segment, that is commonly referred to as "Supersport" (the direct competitors would be Metzeler Sportec M5, Pirelli Diablo Rosso 2, Bridgestone Hypersport S20, Dunlop Sportmax Qualifier 2, etc.). From a Supersport tire you can expect much lower mileage (probably half of a Sport Touring), less water drainage (but enough to ensure plenty of safety in wet conditions), but on the other hand they allow much more confidence in lean and much higher levels of grip in all riding phases (braking, acceleration). Supersport tires (Diablo Rosso 2) are always my choice when I am back home in Italy because they suit my riding habits: I am very aggressive on twisty mountain roads but I also use my bike for short 2-3 days trips (they would even allow for some light racetrack usage). In China I'd probably go for a Sport Touring tire, since I would never be in search of that high lean angle and I would need a solid tire to carry me around for longer distances. It really all boils down to how you use your bike.

If you're interested in trying some Italian rubber for your China-made bike, please PM me and I can maybe point you in the right direction.

Cheers

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Originally Posted by vale46

Michelin Pilot Power 2CT are very good tires but hardly comparable to Angel ST or GT, Pilot Road, Roadtec Z6 or Z8: all these tires belong to the "Sport Touring" segment whereas Pilot Power 2CT belong to another segment, that is commonly referred to as "Supersport" (the direct competitors would be Metzeler Sportec M5, Pirelli Diablo Rosso 2, Bridgestone Hypersport S20, Dunlop Sportmax Qualifier 2, etc.). From a Supersport tire you can expect much lower mileage (probably half of a Sport Touring), less water drainage (but enough to ensure plenty of safety in wet conditions), but on the other hand they allow much more confidence in lean and much higher levels of grip in all riding phases (braking, acceleration). Supersport tires (Diablo Rosso 2) are always my choice when I am back home in Italy because they suit my riding habits: I am very aggressive on twisty mountain roads but I also use my bike for short 2-3 days trips (they would even allow for some light racetrack usage). In China I'd probably go for a Sport Touring tire, since I would never be in search of that high lean angle and I would need a solid tire to carry me around for longer distances. It really all boils down to how you use your bike.

If you're interested in trying some Italian rubber for your China-made bike, please PM me and I can maybe point you in the right direction.

Cheers

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Thanks for the advice. Obviously I realize that the 2CT is a more sports orientated tire. And yes my original list was all sport touring based. Yet I'm still considering the 2CT because:

-It is dual compound.
-I rarely ride in the wet anyway.
-The reviews are excellent.
-My lower powered bike won't burn through them as quick as a 100hp plus machine 8-10,000kms seems plausible.
-They are easily available.
-They aren't that expensive (comparatively).

Anyhow I'll get the 2CT, IF I feel the mileage is poor, I'll switch to a more sports-touring orientated tire next time. I just feel I've gotta try a sports tire after years of painful riding on small bikes with rock-hard economy tires.

You guys know there are Pilot Powers, and Pilot Roads, right?
Pilot Powers surely a Supersport tire, the Pilot Roads (as also mentioned in the poll) more road touring biased.

From my expeirence, I predict you can't go wrong with Plilot Powers on your medium powered bike, they should last forever (probably cut short by that always present nail), and it gives all advantages of a bit softer tire.

That said, I see and hear alot of good reviews on the Pilot Road 3, and see a lot of Benelli riders change to them.
I guess for daily road riding in China, there is probalby not that much difference if fitted on a NK style bike.

Pilot Power 2CT, yes I'll get those. Michelin say it's 95% road and 5% track tire, suits me, I like mountain twisties for a day out. I won't get the regular pilot power as they seem not to be dual compound and will square off too quick. If no Pilot Power the Pilot Road 2 or 3.

I've been riding for over 20 years, but haven't ever ridden anything much other than sport-touring tires over ten years ago and a bunch of Cheng-Shin, Sakura, Kenda and Duro in China for years. Keen to see what a 5 star rated modern tire can do, I want the Pilot Power as a benchmark tire.

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Originally Posted by ZMC888

Keen to see what a 5 star rated modern tire can do, I want the Pilot Power as a benchmark tire.

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The first and most important difference would be safety, and that's really something you should not skimp on. This is an image that made me realize a lot about advanced technology tires and how safe/performing they can be.

Attachment 14165
This is a tester using Metzeler Roadtec Z8 Interact M/O, on a flooded racetrack. Of course he is in a controlled environment, with perfect asphalt etc. but still, makes you realize how far you can go before reaching the real limit/how much room for correction there is in unforeseen circumstances.

If i may, ZMC888, I would be curious to know more about the OE tires for your CF moto. What is the model, exact size, and could you maybe do a brief description of their qualities: mileage, wet grip, dry grip, overall sensations and impressions? I think that could be of interest not only to me!

By the way, a Supersport tire is also my personal benchmark ar far as on road riding is concerned.

Cheers

I would go with Bridgestones, have them fitted to a ER-6F good life and good enough grip for a non sportsbike and they take allot of miles before even starting to square off.

Kennon

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Originally Posted by vale46

If i may, ZMC888, I would be curious to know more about the OE tires for your CF moto. What is the model, exact size, and could you maybe do a brief description of their qualities: mileage, wet grip, dry grip, overall sensations and impressions? I think that could be of interest not only to me!
Cheers

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Hehe. OK then.
Review of OEM Chengshin 'radial'.

120/70 R 17 M/C 58H Max load at 40psi
160/60 R 17 M/C 69H Max load at 40psi

Kilometers so far, 2,800. Seems as though they are possibly half worn, rear is getting visually squared a bit so maybe total mileage will be 7,000 kilometers or so. They seem to be a dual compound Nylon/Kevlar lower grade version of the Maxxis Diamond, obviously without the diamond pattern around the edge, but a similar tread pattern and profile. They squirm under heavy acceleration and lose composure on dirty roads a bit and seems like the rear can spin up. Never seen them before CFMOTO. They are honestly OK. I could go back to them, but I need a benchmark 5 star tire to really know how good they are. At the moment I would guess they are a three star sport-touring tire. Never tired them in serious wet and never on a track or a secure riding area.