well i had pirelli dragons - didn't like them
then tried conti sm's - didnt like them
now i'm on avon distanzias - i like these! still on 1st front and 2nd rear in matter of few months and don't intend on using any other tyre

but all depends on how u ride, I have to be on the limit everywhere I go and I just never felt i could get the full fun out of the bike with my other choices, but now i got the distanzias on WOW! is all i can say
even managed to get me peg down a couple of times which i didnt think was possible, but spose it helps with my weight, pushes them closer to the ground haha

I wouldn't call it a weight issue, that is your Fosters ballast tank! :nos:

Personal preferance really. I did not like the Pirelli's or the Michelins that was on. Lots of good report on the Avon so went for that. Had the front one on for ages now and it really is great. Once the rear is fitted I can then truly comment overall. :thumbsup:

I have gone back to Pirelli Diablos and after the Maxxis it is like having my bike back!!!

It does suprise me though when I read that people did not like the original Pirelli Dragon MTR01 / 02 combination, I thought they were excellent, toe sliders on the ground everywhere!! (dont know about the pegs though Fosters!! not even got them down on the track) If they still made them I would have them without question.

I met wdragon at Infinity Farnborough last week and had a chat with him about tyres. He swears by Continental tyres. Can't remember the name of them but the tread was very simular to the Pirelli Dragon's but the cuts were deeper. He's a heavy breaker and admitted to really abusing his tyres. He also does loads of wheelies. The bloke rides like a nutter. lol.

Myself, I like the Avon Distanzia rear. It grips as well as the Pirelli Dragon and hopefully will last alot longer. I also feel alot more confident on the Avon leaning into corners. Don't know why but it does.

Well, you just need to follow your own advices:
http://www.xt660.com/showpost.php?p=7179&postcount=6

Absolutely brilliant tyres did about 100 miles on it, a few hairy moments cause it was new. But after it was really scrubbed it sticks like dog ***t to a blanket. Hope I get more than 1300 miles from this tyre than the original one.

Thanks for the advice on what tyre to got for


Gavin

Yes thanks for the info people, ive only done about 1200miles on these tyres so will STICK with these for a while.

Yes, thank you for that Nein, it is a shame you cannot come to the next trackday to show us what you can do....

Just fitted the rear Distanzia on to match my front one. Scrubbed it in over the weekend and all I can say now is the thing handles even better than it did before. I can now really push the bike in the corners and it is filling me with confidence. The Michelins are now a distant bad dream

Brilliant. Just hope I get decent mileage from them.

another born again convert? :notworthy[1]:

100%. I cant see me ever changing from this whilst I have an XTX.

Can I ask which Michelins ? The Pilot Power ones ?

Pilot Sport. Nice looking tyre but IMHO not suited to an XTX. Now I can really push, it is more stable under hard acceleration, the Pilot Sport weaved all over the place (fitted to rear go figure!) Much more controllable with a full set of Distanzias.

Just had a pair of distanzias fitted from FWR in kennington, london for 169 ride in and out.

Must admit the bike felt weird when i set off, so went back and checked the pressures. They had put them at the recommended 33 36 front and back. it was like riding thru mud. dropped them to 28 30 and its much better.

Still think its slowed the steering down a bit, but i've only done about 15 miles on them, so i'm hoping i'll get used to it and adjust my riding style accordingly.
has anyone else noticed this??
they do feel very solid and grippy, and i'm only 10mm off the edge of the tyre, so must be ok. I guess the blocky construction is very different to the pirellis, which were sh1te in the wet, and i ride year round, so high hopes for these tyres.

Just Pm'd The Captn, and he said 30 32, so i'll check em tomorrow morning and let you know if its just me being sensitive to change :icon_lol:

I run my tyres at that pressure. You will find when you've scrubbed your tyres in that you'll be scraping your boots on the road before long. I've done 5000 miles on Distanzias and not had a slip yet. I had one bad one when using the original Pirelli tyres which was enough to make me change.

I was really suprised when riding in the wet with Distanzias. They are like chewing gum and still heat up really quick.

Cheers Mic, good to hear.

OK i'll hold my hands up and admit i was way wrong. These tyres are AWESOME! set the pressures to the captn's recommendation, and what a change.

The front feels so planted, its almost unnatural. I'm still scrubbing them in and had one rear slip when i went a bit too hard into one of the few bends i get on my commute home ( gotta move to the countryside ) but it was so controlled and easily corrected, that it was quite simply enjoyable.:YellowCrazy_J8GDC6:

Now i just need a way to get rid of all these cars messing up my riding enjoyment. Any ideas??:067:

Go for a ride with CaptMoto. He'll show ya how to do traffic. Inside, outside......I swear he'd go over the top if allowed. Ha haa!

Now get rid of that chicken strip.

http://i211.photobucket.com/albums/b...ickenStrip.jpg

Oh i can do traffic Mic. 18 yrs on bikes and most of it in and around the capital has given me that skill. Not without the odd scrape tho ;)
Its just there's always some dozy twonk in the way of the few corners i get, or a pedestrian, or a mum using her pram to stop the traffic, or traffic lights, or a staffordshire/pitbull terrier running after its owner(no lead obviously) or worse still an R1 with the slowest rider in the world on board.
You get the picture.

They are good in the wet aren't they, soaking on the way to work today and leaving sports bikes floundering in the corners...nice

Right �181 drive in and out for the pair seems not too bad.
My front is probably still ok (original Pirelli Dragon)
Would i best to replace both anyway???? Or just do the rear for now?????

is that for Distanzia? very different thread pattern to keep the original, best to change both imo.

Cheers Capt thought it would be best, just wanted 2nd opinion
Yeah give these Distanzias a try, see what all the fuss is about

you will not regret it

Oooooh new shoes
http://i228.photobucket.com/albums/e...h/SNC10195.jpg

Just got to get them scrubbed in a bit and get used to them they do feel a bit different.
And ManicMic will be pleased to know i need new cush drives now

i still tink we should swap number plates!!!!

Take the bike down a tiwsty gravelly road and then report back. :smilies0948:

The other thing i forgot was that when they took the rear tyre off i had a 16" inner tube on and obviously its a 17" rim. That tyre was put on at the dealers when i bought it, must have ran out of 17s??????? They said it was lucky it had lasted??????

goes to show what bunch of idiot we are often victim of. they should be bloody hanged, some of them.

Considering they are supposed to know what they are doing i agree.
I ordered my cush drives from my local dealer and they want �23 to fit them.
Think i will do it myself then, if i had thought about it i could have ordered some before and popped them in when they did the tyres today,,,,, oh well, live and learn

@ meach. Without reopening the cush drive debate (even though I know I'm right) lol. How many miles have you done on that set?

You will notice quite a difference when you fit them. I can't believe a garage would charge so much to do such a simple job.

ManicMic
I am not sure, the bike has 5200 on now so i presume they are the originals, i have no record of them being changed before (i got it with about 2000 on). I will now keep a note when i change them again.

Right been out for a couple of hours today (bloody weather's strange) and i must say i am mightily impressed with the Distanzias. I do feel more confident with them and even had my boot scraping a bit , not done that before.

there you go! another happy ending!! :ytiller:

One reason I find them good is they don't square off half as quick as other tyres. When a tyre squares off you have a ridge to get your bike over when leaning into a corner and that can upset the balance and knocks my confidence a bit.

I had a bit of fun last weekend when I went around a 180 degree corner which had wet leaves on it. I opened her up on the exit of the corner and had a nice controllable power drift coming out. Nice!! I wouldn't fancy doing that on Pirelli tyres.

Cheap tyres
 

Hey guys i was looking for tyres for my XTR,and
rear Avon Distanzia AM 44 130/80 -17 TL 65T costs 70.30
front Avon Distanzia AM 43 90/90 -21 TL 54T costs 57.80
all including delivery.
here's the link
http://www.moto-tyres.co.uk/start.html
good luck. ordering mine today

Got the OE Pirellis swapped for Distanzias yesterday at National Tyres in Altrincham (I live up north now). �173 for supply, fit, balance, and new inner tube with excellent service - they even re-waxed my chain.

Maybe a teeny bit more than other places but so worth a visit if you're up this way! 0161 928 3268 ask for Mark or Brian.