The 2024 season once again presents a challenge for motorcyclists: choosing the right sport motorcycle tire. The good news: A bad purchase is almost impossible, as the differences between the test candidates are minimal.
The Test Motorcycle: BMW S 1000 R
The BMW S 1000 R serves as a representative model for an extremely powerful motorcycle category, whose performance (except for top speed) almost rivals that of a Superbike. With cutting-edge electronic assistance systems and a comfortable riding position, it offers optimal conditions for the test riders.
Test Candidates
Results at a Glance:
METZELER M9 RR : Very Good - Conclusion: Very good compromise between sportiness and everyday use. Whether in the wet, at sporty speeds on the country road or on a time trial: the Metzeler Sportec M9 RR copes very well with all conditions.
MICHELIN POWER 6 : Very Good - Conclusion: "Cool or wet conditions don't affect the Power 6 with its good handling. It has gained in sporting potential compared to the Power 5. A real recommendation for sporty everyday riders."
PIRELLI DIABLO ROSSO IV CORSA : Very Good - Conclusion: "Very sporty tire that focuses on dryness in the Corsa version. The sportier it is driven, the better it functions. The wet performance is uncritical and can convince sporty fair-weather riders."
BRIDGESTONE S22 : Good - Conclusion: "Very sporty tire with good feedback. The good feeling for the front tire in particular speaks for the S22. Another plus of the Japanese tire is its overall performance, which is still harmonious."
Since there wasn't enough time for the big comparison test, we subjected the new Bridgestone S 23 to a follow-up test against its established predecessor and a hot skin.
BRIDGESTONE S23 : The Bridgestone S23 surpasses the S22 in terms of turn-in behavior, stability and lateral grip in the dry. Sporty country road riders will love it for that. In the wet, the S23 really comes into its own, especially when leaning. Here it clearly outperforms the S22, which is clearly demonstrated by the 3.7 seconds faster lap time. In terms of braking distance and acceleration in the wet, the S23 remains at the high level of the S22.
DUNLOP SPORTSMART MK3 : Good - Conclusion: "The Dunlop Sportsmart MK 3 is a very agile and sporty tire. However, the stiff construction reduces feedback in cooler conditions, which costs points especially in the wet."
Dunlop is also launching the Dunlop SportSmart MK4 as its successor this year. Probably available from November 2024.
Additional Information:
Six tires were tested on a BMW R 1250 RS in the tire size 120/70 ZR17 and 180/55 ZR17 to prove their qualities. Five of the tires had already been extensively tested in the 2022 Touring Tire Test, but without the wear test together with the newcomer METZELER ROADTEC 02.
Handling on Land Roads and Everyday Use
Three brands with equal points prove how close the touring tires can be even after 2000 kilometers of test distance. Dunlop and Michelin retain their agile, handy character from the start, while Pirelli retains its stability when cornering quickly. The new Metzeler can't quite make it to the top and places itself in the midfield with Continental. The Bridgestone suffers badly from its wear, degrades heavily and therefore only gets a "good".
Wet Performance
Although this is not about absolute lap times, it reflects the level of the four best tires. Only 1.2 seconds separate the tires in the individual evaluation, and in the sum of all points, they are only separated by one point. Continental is also good, but with slight weaknesses in grip and steering precision. Due to its high wear, the Bridgestone no longer gives the rider a good feeling.
Wear Performance
Let's start with the most striking tire. The Bridgestone T 32 unfortunately stands out negatively from the test field, as it is already waving the white flag on the front wheel and shouting "I'm done". The Metzeler has also lost some feathers, but very evenly front and rear and without any major negative influences on the riding behavior. Continental does the same. Great, after 2000 kilometers there are still fun tires: the tires from Dunlop, Michelin and Pirelli.
For the complete test, get the Motorrad at the kiosk or online today.
Michelin Unveils Three New Motorcycle Tires for Hypersport and Adventure Touring Segments at EICMA 2023 -
Michelin is showcasing three new motorcycle tires at EICMA 2023, designed to deliver more performance and grip on both the road and the racetrack. The new MICHELIN Power 6, MICHELIN Power GP 2, and MICHELIN Anakee Road tires will be available in stores from January 2024.
MICHELIN Power 6: Sportiness for every day
The MICHELIN Power 6 is a new hypersport tire that offers sporty performance and enormous grip on dry and wet roads, as well as high mileage for frequent riders. It also features agile handling and is available in many sizes, making it suitable for motorcycles from 300 cubic centimeters. The MICHELIN Power 6 has already been homologated for the new 2024 KTM 390 Duke.
MICHELIN Power GP 2: From the racetrack to the road
The MICHELIN Power GP 2 is a new racetrack tire that has been homologated for road use. Thanks to Michelin's years of expertise from MotoGP™, the MICHELIN Power GP 2 offers more grip on wet and dry roads than its predecessor, while still delivering high driving precision and optimal handling. This allows experienced riders to push themselves to their limits on the racetrack while still enjoying a safe and sporty driving experience on the road.
MICHELIN Anakee Road: Street performance in a "Trail-Look"
The MICHELIN Anakee Road is a new adventure touring tire that offers plenty of grip on various road surfaces, regardless of whether it is dry or wet. It also features high mileage and driving stability, making it a reliable choice for longer journeys. Developed specifically for large and heavy adventure touring motorcycles, the MICHELIN Anakee Road also features a "Trail-Look" design that is visually aligned with this segment.
MICHELIN Anakee Road: Street performance in a "Trail-Look"
The MICHELIN Anakee Road is a new adventure touring tire that offers plenty of grip on various road surfaces, regardless of whether it is dry or wet. It also features high mileage and driving stability, making it a reliable choice for longer journeys. Developed specifically for large and heavy adventure touring motorcycles, the MICHELIN Anakee Road also features a "Trail-Look" design that is visually aligned with this segment.
MotoGP control tyre supplier Michelin has extended its contract with the premier class series and will continue in its role until the end of 2023. Michelin, based in Clermont-Ferrand in France, joined MotoGP™ as sole supplier in 2016. Since then, the premier class has enjoyed two of the most spectacular seasons in the 69-year history of motorcycle Grand Prix racing - something both parties are delighted to extend for a further five years.
Bridgestone today announced the launch of the BRIDGESTONE BATTLAX HYPERSPORT S23, a new sports radial motorcycle tyre for street use that will be available from January 2024.
The Bridgestone BATTLAX HYPERSPORT S23 is the latest product in Bridgestone’s BATTLAX range of premium motorcycle tyres, which is celebrating its 40th anniversary in 2023. Delivering various performance improvements over its predecessor, the BATTLAX HYPERSPORT S23 is a next-generation sports tyre that’s engineered to meet the requirements of sporty riding on asphalt, featuring increased levels of exceptional dry grip performance when riding on circuits or cornering on mountain roads.
In MOTORRAD (issue 07/2023), sport and sport-touring motorbike tyres were tested on the KTM 390 DUKE in the dimensions 110/70 R17 and 150/60 R17.
Three manufacturers received the test rating "very good" BRIDGESTONE S22, METZELER M9 RR, MICHELIN ROAD 6
One manufacturer received a "good" DUNLOP GPR 300
Two have to be content with a "satisfactory". CONTINENTAL CONTIMOTION CHENG SHIN CST CM-615 CM-616
How MOTORRAD tests
A quick tyre test on a country road? Not conceivable! Such tests are only seriously feasible on specially designed test tracks of the tyre industry. In this case, we were able to use the premises of the Japanese manufacturer Bridgestone in Nettuno (near Rome). For the asphalt test, we used the 2.2 km long "Carrera track" with many bends, for the wet test we used the permanently watered, 1.6 km long handling track. These criteria are the focus of the MOTORRAD evaluation:
*Sections marked with an asterisk are transferable to motorbikes that have a similar geometry to the KTM 390 Duke. **Indicated is the price range for a set of tyres (front/rear) in the tested version in common tyre online shops, as of 1 March 2023.
BRIDGESTONE S22 - "Conclusion: The Bridgestone S 22 is a sports tyre that shines in this test above all with its excellent everyday qualities. Perfect handling is joined by 1a rain qualities with the best braking values in the test."
METZELER M9 RR - Verdict: "Sportiness in sun and rain - the Metzeler is a recommendation for cornering junkies, whatever the weather. For a sports tyre, a very unusual and, in this test, very impressive combination."
MICHELIN ROAD 6 - Verdict: "The bottom line is that the Michelin offers a very balanced package for everyday riding. Beginners who ride their 125 or 48 hp bike year-round will quickly come to appreciate the Road 6's good-natured characteristics."
DUNLOP GPR 300 - Conclusion: "With the Dunlop, an entry-level bike like the 390 KTM in this test clearly gains in sportiness. Even in the rain, the GPR-300 delivers enough grip to push around corners with decent confidence."
CONTINENTAL CONTIMOTION - Conclusion: "In good weather, the ContiMotion is really fun on country roads, even if they are small and winding, and leaves a good impression. In the rain, its restrained grip quickly makes it lack confidence."
CHENG SHIN CST CM-615 CM-616 - "Conclusion: Fair-weather riders on 125s won't feel any shortcomings, but in the rain you quickly reach the CST's limit. On bikes in the 48 hp class, however, the tyre is not a recommendation on dry or wet asphalt."
The entire tyre test can be reordered as a print edition or PDF here.
Also in the next issue there will be a test and technical analysis tyre wear. Which factors are decisive for outstanding mileage?
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Although the tire had already been removed from the Michelin portfolio and was no longer available, lo and behold, the MICHELIN PLOT POWER will be relaunched again in 2023.
We cannot say whether so many customers mourned this, and the 2CT remains in the program.
On January 1st, 2022, Bridgestone will also increase the prices for motorcycle tires for the coming season.
For motorcycle tires and scooter radial tires, the price increases by 3%
The prices for cross-ply scooter tires should be increased by 6%.
Some videos they explain you how to change your motrcycle tyres.
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In the edition nr13 06/2017, the Europes nr1 magazine "MOTORRAD" 
has finally addressed the subject of the motorcycle tyre age more extensively. Thus, two sets of Michelin Power 2CT DOT 2515 were tested, one of which was stored in a cool and dry place, the second in a direct sun in a greenhouse to make it even faster.
DOT Nummber - "Department of Transportation" tyre age code
Conclusion: "If the storage conditions are favorable, the tires are durable for many years, but they are often much faster in use. Only in the extreme test in the rain did the performance decrease slightly. "
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During the Motorcycle Trophies, MICHELIN ROAD CLASSIC received the prize for the best motorcycle equipment of the year. This tire intended for neo-retro motorcycles combines driving pleasure and safety.
Michelin does not forget classic motorcycles with the new Michelin Road Classic tire which uses the group's latest technologies. It was Franck Ferreira da Silva, Business Segment Manager Michelin who came to collect his prize.
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