Table of contents

• Sports tire 2021 on the Yamaha R1 in the test Surfin ‘on Sunshine
• Bridgestone Battlax S 22
• Continental Sport Attack 4
• Dunlop Sportsmart TT
• Metzeler Sportec M9 RR
• Michelin Power 5
• Pirelli Diablo Rosso Corsa II
• Ready for home route?
• Round trip on the circuit?
• Exciting in the rain?
• The motorcycle in the tire test: Yamaha YZF-R1
• Surfin ‘On Sunshine
• opinion poll
• Conclusion

Markus Jahn, mps photo studio, Yamaha

17th pictures

Markus Jahn, mps photo studio, Yamaha

1/17
Six cutting-edge sports rubbers have to prove their qualities.

Markus Jahn, mps photo studio, Yamaha

2/17
The crisp, sporty all-rounder S22 from Bridgestone will not miss the test victory in 2021, despite stronger competition.

Markus Jahn, mps photo studio, Yamaha

3/17
The bottom line is that the Conti Sport Attack 4 positions itself as a solid all-rounder.

Markus Jahn, mps photo studio, Yamaha

4/17
The Dunlop Sportsmart TT must be carefully warmed up in order for it to come.

Markus Jahn, mps photo studio, Yamaha

5/17
All in all, the balanced mix of everyday life and sport makes the Metzeler M9 RR a top recommendation for every day.

Markus Jahn, mps photo studio, Yamaha

6/17
With the Power 5, Michelin continues the tradition of baking the best country road tires for superbikes and co. In all weather conditions.

Markus Jahn, mps photo studio, Yamaha

7/17
The Diablo Rosso Corsa II from Pirelli is just as impressive on track days as it is on a sporty turn on the country road. Loss in the rain? Not really?…

Markus Jahn, mps photo studio, Yamaha

8/17
The entire test field can only be given top marks when it comes to cornering stability, grip in an inclined position and accelerating out of corners.

Markus Jahn, mps photo studio, Yamaha

9/17
If you are very ambitious and want to chase your personal best on the racetrack, you shouldn’t focus on this type of tire.

Markus Jahn, mps photo studio, Yamaha

10/17
Big Data: The tire test also includes the finest MotoGP measuring equipment from 2D.

Markus Jahn, mps photo studio, Yamaha

11/17
PCR test: P for Pikser, C for Celsius, R for tire. All rubbers in the positive range.

Markus Jahn, mps photo studio, Yamaha

12/17
What works superbly in everyday life can also shine on a sharp cruise on the racetrack. At least this is clearly visible in the Bridgestone S 22.

Markus Jahn, mps photo studio, Yamaha

13/17
Who has the? … widest? PS colleague Volkmar wants to know exactly again.

Markus Jahn, mps photo studio, Yamaha

14/17
Interplay: tires out, tires in. New every hour. Piecework in the box.

Markus Jahn, mps photo studio, Yamaha

15/17
Warming room: the testers come back to operating temperature between turns.

Markus Jahn, mps photo studio, Yamaha

16/17
In the rain the hour strikes again for the outstanding country road athlete Power 5 from Michelin.

Markus Jahn, mps photo studio, Yamaha

17/17
Bridgestone’s famous S 22 offers the best mix of all worlds and defends the 2019 test victory.

accesories

tire

Sports tire 2021 on the Yamaha R1 in the test

Sports tire 2021 on the Yamaha R1 in the test
Surfin ‘on Sunshine

Let’s pull up the pit gates and let them out: Six cutting-edge sports rubbers have to prove their qualities. In the test on the Yamaha YZF-R1 in the dimensions 120/70 ZR17 and 190/55 ZR17.

Jorg Lohse,

Karsten Schwers

04/01/2021

In this article:

• Bridgestone Battlax S 22
• Continental Sport Attack 4
• Dunlop Sportsmart TT
• Metzeler Sportec M9 RR
• Michelin Power 5
• Pirelli Diablo Rosso Corsa II
• Ready for home route?
• Round trip on the circuit?
• Exciting in the rain?
• The motorcycle in the tire test: Yamaha YZF-R1
• Surfin ‘On Sunshine
• Conclusion

The good news first: bandages, plaster mats and spare parts stay in the closet and shelf. Test finished and despite a hairy tightrope walk in the border area, no damage to man or machine to complain about. thumbs up.

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Sports tires in the tire test in 2021
Surfin ‘on Sunshine

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The second thumb goes up if you draw a line under the performance of the current generation of sports tires offered here. It should be mentioned again at this point that there is another type of tire for pure trackday use “on top” there – said racing tires, partly with, partly without street legal.

With the six pairings from this test, the trip to the racetrack is feasible. Maltreated by the 200 big bang horsepower of the R1, they give at a sharper pace and “drove on the edge” not after, remain stable, always easy to control and assess. Much more important, however, is that, despite this coordination, the essential everyday virtues do not fall by the wayside. Because let’s be honest – most of them will be out and about on country roads and alpine passes with their double and triple R or power nakeds, or they will be extremely quick to load on the train. Bad weather passages are of course included.

Bridgestone Battlax S 22

Markus Jahn, mps photo studio, Yamaha

The crisp, sporty all-rounder will not miss the test victory in 2021, despite stronger competition.

Weight: front 4.3 kg, rear 6.8 kg

Country road: Once brought up to temperature, the S 22 rolls around the corner very smoothly and with crystal-clear feedback for its adhesive reserves. Dhe Bridgestone feels pleasantly neutral and steers almost curvy in an inclined position. With good handiness and full self-damping, it continues to provide top feedback even at brisk pace.

Racetrack (driven with filling pressure recommendation v./h. 2.3 / 1.7 bar): Exemplary steering precision, full grip, unshakable stability and very good maneuverability are the advantages of a brisk ride on the racetrack. Thanks to the phenomenal feedback, it can be bent extremely extremely and impressed with the best lap times in the test.

Wet test: Thanks to its wide limit range, riders announce themselves early – this makes it very easy to assess when it rains. Front and rear tires are very well balanced in terms of grip. Very good braking values!

offers

Bridgestone BT S22 Rear 200/55 R17 78W

Delivery time: 1 – 3 working days

€ 181.84
including shipping

To the shop

Conclusion: As early as 2019, the then newly introduced S 22 made it to the top of the podium. The crisp, sporty all-rounder will not miss the test victory in 2021, despite stronger competition. A “Kampai” to Japan!

MOTORRAD verdict: very good

Continental Sport Attack 4

Markus Jahn, mps photo studio, Yamaha

The bottom line is that the Conti positions itself as a solid all-rounder.

Weight: front 4.4 kg, rear 6.7 kg

Country road: With its rough surface (“Traction skin”) is the Conti there right away – No other new tire has this advantage! No. 4, however, can no longer build on the outstanding handiness of its predecessor, the competition is now setting the tone here. On the other hand, it can convince with its neutrality over the entire incline range.

Racetrack (driven with filling pressure recommendation v./h. 2.5 / 1.9 bar): Even in race mode, the Sport Attack 4 lags behind in terms of maneuverability and steering precision. The bottom line is that the adhesive reserves are sufficient for track days, but a limit area that is a little too narrow limits the exploration of the limit at extreme pace.

Wet test: Wet and cold are not the thing of the Sport Attack 4. When changing lean angles quickly, there is a little lack of clear feedback for the available grip reserves. Even on the brakes, he remains cautious.

offers

Continental ContiSportAttack 4 M / C Rear 190/50 R17 73W

Delivery time: 1 – 3 working days

€ 142.53
including shipping

To the shop

Conti-Sportattack 4 190/50 R17 73W

Delivery time: Delivery between 8 and 10 working days

151.90 €
including shipping

To the shop

Conclusion: You could always use the forerunners due to their outstanding handiness “House route badge” hang around. Sport Attack 4 does not want to continue this legacy. The bottom line is that the Conti positions itself as a solid all-rounder.

MOTORRAD verdict: Good

Dunlop Sportsmart TT

Markus Jahn, mps photo studio, Yamaha

The Dunlop has to be warmed up carefully before it comes.

Weight: front 4.6 kg, rear 7.1 kg

Country road: In cool temperatures, the Sportsmart TT needs to be warmed up sensitively. But then it convinces with agility and handiness, can be turned with little steering force and impresses with a good grip with good feedback. The stability is great, even when braking in an inclined position, the righting moment is reasonably low.

Racetrack (driven with filling pressure recommendation v./h. 2.0 / 1.6 bar): The Dunlop mediates in the new / cold state a rather average feedback in terms of liability and gives in a bit sluggishly. Only when it has been brought up to temperature does the hut of the Sportsmart TT, which is geared towards track days, burn. Then it can be thrown from one lean angle into the next in a stable, precise and agile manner.

Wet test: A rear wheel that spins quickly indicates a lot of slip and little grip. Even in an inclined position, early slides do not build a high level of trust.

offers

Dunlop SportSmart TT Rear 180/55 R17 73W

Delivery time: 1 – 3 working days

€ 139.88
including shipping

To the shop

Sportsmart TT Rear 180/55 R17 73W

Delivery time: Delivery between 8 and 10 working days

€ 149.39
including shipping

To the shop

MOTORRAD verdict: Good

Metzeler Sportec M9 RR

Markus Jahn, mps photo studio, Yamaha

All in all, the balanced mix of everyday life and sport makes the M9 RR a top recommendation for every day.

Weight: front 4.4 kg, rear 6.8 kg

Country road: The M9 RR from Metzeler strikes the balancing act between high sportiness and very good everyday use. Right from the start, it impresses with good grip and good feedback on the country road, and it also steers neutrally into bends. The handiness is not quite as outstanding as that of the competitors of Bridgestone and Michelin, but still remarkably good.

Racetrack (driven with a filling pressure recommendation of 2.5 / 2.3 bar): The M9 RR impressed us with the second best lap time. It delivers a good grip with very good accuracy. In terms of agility and handiness, it is a little more restrained than the S 22 and Sportsmart TT. But it delivers perfect stability from fast corners!

Wet test: The best time on the wet test track shows that the M9 RR builds phenomenal grip in the rain. His feedback is great, the limit area makes him perfectly assessable!

offers

Sportec M9 RR 160/60 R17 69W

Delivery time: 24 to 48 hours

€ 130.54
including shipping

To the shop

Conclusion: The successor of the already presents itself with a great debut “very good” M7 RR in the 2021 sports tire test. All in all, the balanced mix of everyday life and sport makes the M9 RR a top recommendation for every day.

MOTORRAD verdict: very good

Michelin Power 5

Markus Jahn, mps photo studio, Yamaha

With the Power 5, Michelin continues the tradition of baking the best country road tires for superbikes and co. In all weather conditions.

Weight: front 4.3 kg, rear 5.8 kg

Country road: More than on the track, the Power No. 5 can demonstrate its advantages especially on the country road. It impresses with its agility and is the handiest tire in this comparison. The feedback for his detention reserves is also above average, even in cold temperatures he remains very easy to assess. Further points: the neutrality and almost no righting moment when braking in an inclined position.

Racetrack (driven with a filling pressure recommendation of 2.5 / 2.9 bar): Despite the suitability for everyday use, the power does not want to give way on the racetrack either. The feedback is very good, the self-damping at its highest, and it steers ultra-lightly into an inclined position. Only when the pace is very racing does it not deliver the stability that the competition does.

Wet test: Exemplarily designed limit area, excellent grip reserves when accelerating and on slopes – the Power 5 loves rain. Shortest braking distance in the test! To ask?

offers

Power 5 200/55 R17 78W

Delivery time: 24 to 48 hours

€ 155.39
including shipping

To the shop

Michelin Power 5 Rear M / C 200/55 R17 78W

Delivery time: 1 – 3 working days

€ 158.25
including shipping

To the shop

Conclusion: With the Power 5 continues Michelin continues the tradition of the best country road tires to bake for superbikes and Co. in all weather conditions. And even when it comes to track days, he can Michelin keep up for a long time.

MOTORRAD verdict: very good

Pirelli Diablo Rosso Corsa II

Weight: front 4.4 kg, rear 6.6 kg

Markus Jahn, mps photo studio, Yamaha

The DRC II can convince on track days as well as on sporty gymnastics on the country road. Loss in the rain? Not really?…

Country road: The lower the temperatures, the more run-in time the DRC II also needs. But then it impresses with exemplary adhesion and good feedback. Thanks to the two rubber compounds on the front tire and three on the rear tire, you can quickly trust your grip pad.

Racetrack (driven with filling pressure recommendation v./h. 2.5 / 2.3 bar): Already when rolling in, where it asks for a little pressure, the Pirelli gives exemplary feedback on liability. Its exorbitant strengths are the high cornering stability and the full grip with increasing cornering speed. It is not the most agile in the test field, but it is manageable and neutral. Exemplary: the stability when accelerating out of bends!

Wet test: The similarity to the Metzeler from the same development forge is noticeable: The DRC II is also a good grip and very easy to assess rain tire.

offers

Pirelli Diablo Rosso Corsa II Rear M / C 160/60 R17 69W

Delivery time: 1 – 3 working days

€ 130.33
including shipping

To the shop

Diablo Rosso Corsa II 160/60 R17 69W

Delivery time: Delivery in 48 hours

€ 131.29
including shipping

To the shop

Conclusion: With its unshakable stability, the DRC II is a super sports tire from a picture book. He can convince on track days as well as on sporty gymnastics on the country road. Loss in the rain? Not really.

MOTORRAD verdict: very good

Ready for home route?

Easy warm-up before things get serious? No, peculiarities lurk in everyday life that should not be taken lightly. Chapter One: Country Road!

When you roll your super sports bike, naked bike or power crossover in front of the garage in the morning during these weeks, not only will you shiver a little. The same applies to the rubbers on the rims, which initially do not have goose bumps to look at. You can feel it all the more when you roll into the first corners: hard and bony response, diffuse feedback, stubborn handling. Just like engine oil and coolant, the rubbers on the rims need to be warmed up properly in order to ultimately develop their optimal function. And that is exactly what makes the development process in this genre not easy. On the one hand, there are more and more powerful naked and superbikes that require a correspondingly stable basic construction. They move smoothly around curves of all colors, but can also be turned out for an over 250 km / h ride on the track. Superb handiness on the one hand, steadfast straight-line stability on the other. Let’s come back to the temperatures. We are not talking about pure midsummer rubbers for the sports tires in this test, which should only work in asphalt temperatures above 40 degrees. The season lasts from Easter to October and despite all climate change, normal Otto drivers have to deal with very moderate weather conditions on many days of the year. Which is why sports rubbers configured for maximum performance are a bit at a disadvantage in this test section. They simply do not reach the optimum operating temperature in everyday life or cannot be kept stable there. If you are primarily looking for a sporty all-rounder, take a closer look at this table.

tire

Touring tires in the tire test in 2021

The new grip wave rolls up

read more

Round trip on the circuit?

Get out of everyday life, into fun, up on the racetrack. Will the six sports tires take you on the trip or is there a risk of departure? Chapter two: racetrack!

First of all: if you are very ambitious in chasing your personal best on the racetrack, you shouldn’t focus on this type of tire. For the predominant use on asphalt tracks outside of the StVO, appropriately pointed racing tires are recommended, some of which are available with and without road approval. However, that should also be “normal” Sports tires do not buckle when it comes to hobby training in Hockenheim, the Sachsenring or Oschersleben – we’d be happy to be more committed! Only and exclusively for this test section have we reduced the inflation pressures to the values ​​given in the table below in accordance with the recommendations of the tire manufacturers. The highway rating described above was achieved with the usual recommendations of the vehicle manufacturers of 2.5 bar (front) and 2.9 (rear). Our puncture thermometer showed 60 degrees and more during the regular temperature check of the tire tread – in other words, constantly perfect conditions for the test R1 on the old Grand Prix track called “Carland” angled to a full incline. Which sports tires are particularly fun in the hobby racing mode? Let’s take a closer look at the table and the lap times determined by 2D data recording.

Exciting in the rain?

For us this is a test chapter, but for many it is the decisive one: Driving in the wet. Because with the wrong tires on a 200 HP bike your heart can quickly sink into your pants.

There is of course a magic cure for rain and that is silica. With this silica compound, tire developers manage to inject a certain suppleness into the rubbers even when it is wet. Wetness means first and foremost cold. Because rain basically has the same effect as the coolant in the engine, in that the temperatures are permanently reduced – which is desirable for the engine, but has unbelievable disadvantages for tires. Because the tough, stubborn rubber already needs a certain core temperature in order to interlock optimally with the asphalt. While you can quickly move the tires into the comfort zone between 40 and 60 degrees Celsius during sporty cornering in the sun, you can manage a maximum of half on wet roads – you are, so to speak, permanent “garage cold” On the way. Now the mentioned silica helps, so that it still grips somewhat. However, this plasticizer should not be added to the rubber compound at the end of the period. The best and notable example: a MotoGP race that is started in a permanent ship on rain tires. It’s unbelievable which inclines and acceleration orgies are possible out of curves, isn’t it? But then the precipitation suddenly subsides, the track dries up, the tires get a violent heat surge without rainwater cooling – and suddenly the pilots’ tread blocks fly off the skins. Have we all seen it before and don’t want to experience it on our own or on our bikes! This is precisely why the best possible balance has to be found for everyday life so that the rubber compound adheres adequately on cold, wet roads, but does not roll dangerously in hot bends and continues to provide superior stability with high-speed bolts. That is the job of the prudent tire designer. And if he’s done well, his rubber will work after chapters one and two in this one too. In order to achieve solid, but above all comparable results, you have to simulate everyday driving in the rain as well as possible. Like here on the Goodyear-Dunlop test site, where all journeys on the permanently and evenly watered circuit are recorded by data recording. When evaluating the curves, there are clear differences when the tires are moved to the limit in the rain.

The motorcycle in the tire test: Yamaha YZF-R1

While the existing 17-inch tire sizes 120/70 (front) and 180/55 (rear) are widespread, current superbikes now roll on wide 190/55 rubbers at the rear, sometimes even on 200/55. In accordance with the requirements for original equipment, tire developers are increasingly adapting new models to these fat dimensions. With the current R1, we deliberately selected a typical super athlete so that the findings in this comparison are as general as possible.

Surfin ‘On Sunshine

Due to the corona, our sports tire test planned for 2020 also had to pause. But don’t worry, essentially nobody has missed anything. On the contrary. Due to the change in the test procedures, we can now run the 2021 tire test much earlier than usual. The old hands remember that we mostly played our rubber hit parade in the May to early June issues of MOTORRAD. Not infrequently, however, the wish was expressed to place this not entirely insignificant purchase advice for ultimate cornering happiness a little earlier in the year. Preferably towards the start of the season. And voilà, let’s turn the hit parade into a request concert – and let the tire test combo grasp the keys, uh, jingling.

Part 2 now focuses on six pairs of sports tires from the premium brands Bridgestone, Continental, Dunlop, Metzeler, Michelin and Pirelli. In the high-gloss manufacturer brochures, these are often given the attributes super or even hypersport. Usually there are various model variants to choose from, depending on the manufacturer. We have placed the focus on a composition that is as suitable as possible for all-rounders. The individual test chapters clearly demonstrate: We will evaluate all six rubber sports on country roads, on the racetrack and in the rain with the same weighting of one third each. In total (two thirds), the everyday part predominates in this test. In accordance with this requirement, the manufacturers named above were free to send in the model they believed was the most suitable for testing purposes.

Bridgestones S 22 is already known to us from the 2019 test. And as the test winner at the time, he will defend his title. With the Sport Attack 4, Conti is sending the successor to the No. 3 into the race for the first time. We are curious to see whether the four-wheeler is a similar handling miracle. Dunlop’s Sportsmart TT is an interesting hybrid model: heavily designed for track days, but how does the mix work in everyday life? We will see! While with the Pirelli Diablo Rosso Corsa II remains a well-known profile in the line-up, comes from the group sister brand Metzeler of the M9 RR as the successor to the all-rounder M7. Can the M9 defend the strong legacy? To take on the legacy again, Michelin’s new Power 5 has been scratched into his profile. After RS ​​and RS +, the five-man wants to tie in with old power virtues – keyword rain space. So it promises to be exciting. But enough of the foreplay, knobs on for the top six!

opinion poll

What brand of tires do you drive?

Voted 1928 times

Pirelli, what else.

Metzeler, of course.

Always Michelin.

Conti, that fits.

Dunlop, are the best

Avon, they’re good.

Bridgestone, it couldn’t be better.

Vredestein, something new.

Maxxis, they are great.

Kenda, great off-road skins

Heidenau, they take me everywhere

Mitas, they convince me.

Conclusion

Bridgestone’s famous S 22 offers the best mix from all worlds and defends the 2019 test victory. Just behind, the two rain kings Metzeler M9 RR and Michelin Power 5 can place themselves as newcomers. And now? Can you step on the gas with confidence – grab the flag!

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