Table of contents

• Touring tires in the tire test in 2021 The new grip wave rolls up
• Bridgestone Battlax T 32
• Continental Road Attack 3
• Dunlop Roadsmart III
• Metzeler Roadtec 01 SE
• Michelin Road 5 GT
• Pirelli Angel GT II
• Touring motorcycle tires on the country road
• Touring motorcycle tires in the wet test
• Touring motorcycle tires in the wear test
• BMW F 900 XR: The motorcycle in the tire test
• Conclusion

Topic special

Everything about BMW Motorrad

BMW, Markus Jahn, mps photo studio

17th pictures

BMW, Markus Jahn, mps photo studio

1/17
We drove off with six current touring tires, turned around the corner in a sporty way and hit the iron when it rained.

BMW, Markus Jahn, mps photo studio

2/17
The bottom line is that the new Bridgestone Battlax T 32 drives better than its predecessor T 31.

BMW, Markus Jahn, mps photo studio

3/17
The Continental Road Attack 3 remains a wonderfully agile and sporty tire for the country road.

BMW, Markus Jahn, mps photo studio

4/17
The Dunlop Roadsmart III can particularly stand out when changing lean angles quickly.

BMW, Markus Jahn, mps photo studio

5/17
With the Roadtec 01, Metzeler has reissued a very everyday touring tire.

BMW, Markus Jahn, mps photo studio

6/17
If you want to be on the road in the best possible way in bad weather, you definitely cannot avoid Michelin Road 5. But the good news for good weather also fits – the all-rounder is just as appealing in an inclined position in the sunshine!

BMW, Markus Jahn, mps photo studio

7/17
The Pirelli Angel GT II lets you fly, in the sun, in the rain, and for a very long time!

BMW, Markus Jahn, mps photo studio

8/17
Under ideal conditions, none of the tires tested here come even close to their limits.

BMW, Markus Jahn, mps photo studio

9/17
Can we choose a rain king? Yes, the Michelin Road 5 GT!

BMW, Markus Jahn, mps photo studio

10/17
On our elaborate lap of the country road, we take a look at the loss of profile and quality after 2,000 kilometers.

BMW, Markus Jahn, mps photo studio

11/17
Many days ended with a gigantic sundowner à la Caspar David Friedrich at the Col d’Espigoulier with a view of Marseille.

BMW, Markus Jahn, mps photo studio

12/17
After the 2000 km test lap, all impressions of the Goodyear-Dunlop test site were compared.

BMW, Markus Jahn, mps photo studio

13/17
This year we can use the wet test track from the manufacturer Goodyear-Dunlop near Montpellier (France).

BMW, Markus Jahn, mps photo studio

14/17
With 2,000 kilometers driven mainly on country roads, the front and rear tires lose around 35 to 40 percent tread.

BMW, Markus Jahn, mps photo studio

15/17
On the permanently watered circuit, all tires can be explored more or less safely in the border area.

BMW, Markus Jahn, mps photo studio

16/17
In the endurance test, all candidates come to a standstill more or less at eye level when braking from 100 km / h.

BMW, Markus Jahn, mps photo studio

17/17
The very close results of the preliminary round make it clear: There are no real losers in the first part of our 2021 tire test.

accesories

tire

Touring tires in 120/70 ZR 17 and 180/55 ZR 17

Touring tires in the tire test in 2021
The new grip wave rolls up

Is your motorcycle affected by the sluggish curve flow at the start of the season? Is there a lack of handling and liability? We have a recipe suggestion: new tires! MOTORRAD tests six current touring tires in 120/70 ZR 17 and 180/55 ZR 17. The diagnosis after 2,000 kilometers.

Jorg Lohse,

Karsten Schwers

03/25/2021

In this article:

• Bridgestone Battlax T 32
• Continental Road Attack 3
• Dunlop Roadsmart III
• Metzeler Roadtec 01 SE
• Michelin Road 5 GT
• Pirelli Angel GT II
• Touring motorcycle tires on the country road
• Touring motorcycle tires in the wet test
• Touring motorcycle tires in the wear test
• BMW F 900 XR: The motorcycle in the tire test
• Conclusion

After 2,000 kilometers, let’s draw a conclusion that is already apparent after the first 200 kilometers: The current generation of touring tires from 2020/21 is at an extremely high level. It claims to be a universal all-rounder, and every candidate can impressively underline that in our test across the board. The often second or third update of the various model series is now extremely mature, so that you can almost blindly reach into the shelf when changing tires. Rather, one should be guided by personal preferences. If you are looking for an all-rounder that offers the best recipe, especially in bad weather, this is the one for you Michelin Road 5 or 5 GT (depending on approval) on the rims. Those who value the ultimate endurance runner above all can go on a long journey with Metzelers Roadtec 01 SE. With their balanced mix, these two types ultimately drive, if only just, the test victory on the BMW F 900 XR on. The tested dimensions are 120/70 ZR 17 at the front and 180/55 ZR 17 at the rear.

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The new grip wave rolls up

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Bridgestone Battlax T 32

BMW, Markus Jahn, mps photo studio

The bottom line is that the new Bridgestone Battlax T 32 drives better than its predecessor T 31.

Weight: front 4.4 kg, rear 6.7 kg

Country road / everyday life: With two rubber compounds of different hardness at the front and even three at the rear, the T 32 has a very sophisticated design. Nevertheless, the good-natured tire is rather inconspicuous compared to the competition. It responds well in cold temperatures, but not above average, and is neutral and easy to use. With increasing wear, slight counter-steering forces can be felt in an inclined position. Good self-damping.

Wet test: The pronounced negative profile promises good water displacement, but this was not noticeable in the test. Compared to the competition, the grip is slightly lower when leaning, and when accelerating and on the brakes, the level is on par with the test field.

wear and tear: Wide tread grooves with correspondingly high flexing movements promote tread reduction, so that in the end over 50 percent wear is measured, especially at the front.

offers

Battlax Sport Touring T32 Rear 180/55 R17 73W

Delivery time: 3 to 5 working days

€ 134.32
including shipping

To the shop

Bridgestone BT T32 Rear 180/55 R17 73W

Delivery time: 1 – 3 working days

€ 135.18
including shipping

To the shop

Conclusion: The bottom line is that the new T 32 drives better than its predecessor T 31, but the competition is and will remain strong. The can score Bridgestone as a good all-rounder, but the icing on the cake is missing in wet conditions and mileage.

MOTORRAD verdict: Good

Continental Road Attack 3

BMW, Markus Jahn, mps photo studio

Like its predecessor, the Continental Road Attack 3 remains a wonderfully agile and sporty tire for country roads.

Weight: front 4.7 kg, rear 6.4 kg

Country road / everyday life: The Conti convinces with the shortest running-in time, a roughened tire surface ex works and the lack of release agents ensure good adhesion from the first few meters. The outstanding handiness of the predecessor has decreased somewhat in No. 3, but the straight-line stability is now exemplary. Sporty pilots benefit from a full, more than adequate grip, even with a brisk driving style.

Wet test: The successor has completely eliminated the deficit in the rain that was criticized in Road Attack 2. The threesome delivers a solid performance in terms of wet grip, which does not quite come close to the top trio in the test, but in an emergency – e.g. B. when emergency braking in the rain – you can count on the Conti 100 percent.

wear and tear: The revised, now more technically styled profile has a positive effect on wear and tear. With four other competitors, the Conti lands well in front after 2,000 km.

offers

Continental ContiRoadAttack 3 Front M / C 110/70 R17 54W

Delivery time: 1 – 3 working days

€ 96.65
including shipping

To the shop

Conti-Roadattack 3 110/80 R18 58W

Delivery time: Delivery between 8 and 10 working days

€ 108.39
including shipping

To the shop

Conclusion: Like its predecessors, the Road Attack 3 remains a wonderfully agile and sporty tire for country roads. Due to its significantly increased rain performance, this Conti has now gained significantly in everyday quality.

MOTORRAD verdict: very good

Dunlop Roadsmart III

BMW, Markus Jahn, mps photo studio

The Dunlop Roadsmart III can particularly stand out when changing lean angles quickly.

Weight: front 4.5 kg, rear 7.3 kg

Country road / everyday life: The Roadsmart III is particularly impressive when changing lean angles with the least amount of steering effort. More light-footed than the competition, it works from one lean angle to the next – without appearing nervous. The feedback at cold temperatures is a touch more subdued than z. B. at Michelin. When warmed up, it convinces with full cornering stability and precise steering precision.

Wet test: We complain at a high level! the Dunlop gives a clean performance even in the rain, whereby in a direct comparison the slip starts a little earlier and the front and rear tires give a somewhat too cautious feedback for the grip reserves. So there is a little lack of confidence in the wet.

wear and tear: Like most of the rest of the test field, the Roadsmart III can convince with comparatively little and also very balanced wear at the front and rear.

offers

Sportmax Roadsmart III SP Front 120/70 R17 58W

Delivery time: Delivery between 8 and 10 working days

€ 108.03
including shipping

To the shop

Dunlop Sportmax Roadsmart III SP Front 120/70 R17 58W

Delivery time: 1 – 3 working days

€ 114.09
including shipping

To the shop

Conclusion: Bikes that are somewhat sluggish ex works or in series can be fitted with the Dunlop gain significantly in agility. And pilots who love changing lean angles quickly will also benefit from changing tires to the Roadsmart III.

MOTORRAD verdict: Good

Metzeler Roadtec 01 SE

BMW, Markus Jahn, mps photo studio

With the Roadtec 01, Metzeler has reissued a very everyday touring tire.

Weight: front 4.4 kg, rear 7.1 kg

Country road / everyday life: SE as in Sport Edition – that’s with Metzeler Eye-catching and striking: reduced profile zones (even down to a slick-like shoulder area at the back) and a rubber compound that has been revised compared to the standard Roadtec, which gives the SE an outstanding sportiness. Even when it is cold it scores Metzeler with clean feedback, warmed up, it convinces with solid grip and very good cornering stability. Neutral steering behavior and good handiness round off the everyday picture.

Wet test: Despite the sharpened sportiness, the grip in the rain is phenomenally high and the adhesive reserves can be assessed extremely well. A particular plus is the good balance between the front and rear tires.

wear and tear: Even if it is only about tenths of a millimeter, the Roadtec wins the race with the least amount of wear at the front. Overall, our mileage king!

offers

Metzeler Roadtec 01 SE Rear M / C 190/55 R17 75W

Delivery time: 1 – 3 working days

€ 147.64
including shipping

To the shop

Roadtec 01 SE 190/55 R17 75W

Delivery time: Delivery in 48 hours

€ 160.70
including shipping

To the shop

Conclusion: With the Roadtec 01, Metzeler has reissued a very everyday touring tire. The SE version has now become significantly sportier, but retains its all-round virtues in the rain and as an endurance runner.

MOTORRAD verdict: very good

Michelin Road 5 GT

BMW, Markus Jahn, mps photo studio

If you want to be on the road in the best possible way in bad weather, you definitely cannot avoid Michelin Road 5. But the good news for good weather also fits – the all-rounder is just as appealing in an inclined position in the sunshine!

Weight: front 4.4 kg, rear 6.3 kg

Country road / everyday life: The fifth edition of the now legendary Road series with the two-component rubber compound called “2CT” immediately delivers the best feedback in the test, even at very cold temperatures! Blessed with good self-damping, the Michelin still a good feeling for the existing adhesive reserves, the cornering stability remains very high even at brisk pace. Good handiness and neutrality over the entire lean angle successfully round off the image of the all-rounder.

Wet test: He is and remains the power in the rain, despite increasing competition. Full grip – with Ultragrip at the front – in an inclined position, when accelerating and on the brakes, gives you a good feeling and a high level of confidence at all times.

wear and tear: The high-grip front tire has to leave a little more profile over the 2,000 kilometers, but the rear is within the normal range. Overall, however, acceptable!

offers

Road 5 Rear GT 190/50 R17 73W

Delivery time: 24 to 48 hours

€ 161.11
including shipping

To the shop

Conclusion: If you want to be on the road in the best possible way in bad weather, you definitely cannot avoid Road 5. But the good news for good weather also fits – the all-rounder is just as appealing in an inclined position in the sunshine!

MOTORRAD verdict: very good

Pirelli Angel GT II

BMW, Markus Jahn, mps photo studio

The Pirelli Angel GT II lets you fly, in the sun, in the rain, and for a very long time!

Weight: front 4.3 kg, rear 7.0 kg

Country road / everyday life: The Angel GT was already able to shine in terms of sportiness, to which the successor GT II seamlessly ties in. In everyday life, the potential for our BMW test bike is more than outstanding. He is particularly convincing Pirelli with the feedback for existing detention reserves. Steering precision and cornering stability are flawless, the handiness is not too agile, but very balanced and the neutrality over the entire lean angle range is exemplary.

Wet test: The Italian angel scores with great grip from the first meter. It also gives you an excellent grip, even when it comes to wet corners a little more diagonally. The delivers with little slip, a lot of traction and excellent braking values Pirelli a confident performance in the rain.

wear and tear: Front wheel and rear wheel lose a lot or little profile on our tour. Also a tip from an economic point of view!

offers

Angel GT II Rear 160/60 R17 69W

Delivery time: 24 to 48 hours

€ 131.36
including shipping

To the shop

Pirelli Angel GT 2 Rear M / C 160/60 R17 69W

Delivery time: 1 – 3 working days

€ 134.99
including shipping

To the shop

Conclusion: This angel lets you fly, in the sun, in the rain, and for a very long time too! The Angel GT II is the recommendation for sporty tourers who don’t have to worry about the bad weather. Because he can also rain!

MOTORRAD verdict: very good

Touring motorcycle tires on the country road

BMW, Markus Jahn, mps photo studio

Under ideal conditions, none of the tires tested here come even close to their limits.

How do we define highway? It is best to start with the principle of exclusion: everything that is not a motorway. But even then we still have an immense spread under this collective term. Are we excluding federal highways? Then we hear them protest, the readers from the Rhon, the Eifel, the Black Forest, the Saar or Bergisches Land, where many federal roads are carved into the landscape as narrow roller coaster. So even on federal highways you can drive it quite colorful. The bottom line is for almost every normal Otto driver: whether it’s a federal, country, district or D or village road – the more curvy, the better. And the sunnier, the weird. Question to the tire category: Will you go with it??

In order to sound out this flawlessly, we set out for the south of France, where we mainly wandered around on streets of the D-sorting with mostly three-digit serial numbers. What that means can be seen very clearly in the photo below. Or very impressive on one “yellow” Michelin map, scale 1: 150,000. One curve chases the next, and once you’ve grooved yourself in, you can quickly get into a state of intoxication. The good news already now: neither bikes nor tires really set limits!

Now the critic could interject that with the 900 XR you don’t move a horsepower hammer from the 200-horsepower league or even a 350-kilo full-size tourer across the streets. We would counter this with the wealth of experience from previous tire test orgies and state: Even then, the picture would not look any different, the impression would remain – with one or the other minimal smear perhaps – the same. Why is that?

First and foremost, you really have to pay respect to the tire industry at this point. The level of development is now so high that, especially in this test field, you wouldn’t even look stupid if you blindly touched the tire shelf. The model names suggest it: Roadsmart III, Road Attack 3, Angel GT II, ​​Roadtec 01 SE … every touring tire in this test has now had its second or even third model update. And, as can be seen from our many years of testing practice, with each update it has brought noticeable progress, even measurable progress in terms of points.

Let’s get to the point: under ideal conditions – non-slip asphalt, dry roads, temperatures suitable for motorcycles – none of the tires tested here come even close to their limits. Which has a lot to do with the fact that there is a high level of development transfer between the individual tire categories and that the boundaries between touring and sports tires are now rather floating. Bi- or multicompound has now also established itself here, which creates many design options. In this way, a comparatively hard and wear-resistant central strip in the rubber compound can be surrounded by soft, grip-strong shoulder zones. And they adhere that it is a bliss. Even on the days when the hoarfrost still has to evaporate on the heated grips in the morning before departure. Driven lukewarm, every XR, no matter how tired, can be angled up to the end of the day and driven with relish through Provence. Chapeau!

Touring motorcycle tires in the wet test

BMW, Markus Jahn, mps photo studio

Can we choose a rain king? Yes, the Michelin Road 5 GT!

In the critical chapter of every tire test, we come to the point where the elephant lets the water down – in the truest sense of the word. So get out of the sun and into the rain. With what performance will the six test candidates convince us? Will the extremely high level from chapter one continue – with test results at eye level? The questions are justified, because in the past the wheat was separated from the chaff on wet roads. In order to get reliable information, the driving impression naturally and in real time plays a certain role. After all, nothing is harder than reality. Slippery asphalt surfaces, slippery road markings, possibly even paired with wild bitumen brushing, preferably on the ideal line – everyone knows these situations when not only the film of water on the track, but also plenty of pee in their eyes. But since rain is not available to order and the basic conditions in everyday life do not remain stable in order to achieve solid comparative values, the wet performance of our test sextet is again separately tested under constant and above all reproducible ideal conditions.

We not only have a seventh bike (this is where the white F 900 XR comes into play), but also a suitable test area. This year we can use the wet test track from the manufacturer Goodyear-Dunlop near Montpellier (France). On the permanently watered circuit, which can be seen on the right in the route profile, all tires can be explored more or less safely in the border area – an impossibility on the country road, of course. Practically inclined critics could now interject: What is the point of this realization, when no one with their brains chases their personal lap record in the rainy everyday life on the home track? That’s right, but this test in particular provides merciless information about how the individual tire constructions work in the rain: How high (or low) is the grip level in wet conditions? How is the border area designed? Do riders announce themselves abruptly and spontaneously or the pilot is prepared more or less softly for the end of the flagpole – i.e. the grip limit?

The lap times from the scoring table are to be interpreted accordingly. The tires, which slip away very early and a bit too suddenly in critical zones like the red marked Omega, lose a few seconds compared to the smoothly adhering rubber that also acts very good-naturedly in the border area. If you are already very defensive in the rain, you will not have to fear any losses in any of the six pairings. Especially since all candidates in the endurance test come to a standstill more or less at eye level with an emergency stop from 100 km / h.

Touring motorcycle tires in the wear test

BMW, Markus Jahn, mps photo studio

On our elaborate lap of the country road, we take a look at the loss of profile and quality after 2,000 kilometers.

No tire test without wear! No coronavirus can dissuade us from this iron principle. Although the nasty Mopp didn’t make it easy for us this or last year. As described at the beginning, everything was ready in spring 2020: bikes, tires, test drivers, road book for the tank bag. The problem with evaluating mileage: You cannot simulate it on a test bench. Or stretch it in bit by bit over a period of weeks. Too many factors ultimately influence abrasion – with the result that model A would then not be comparable to B or C. But that is exactly the highlight of our process, which – to the best of our knowledge – does not exist a second time in the world. Even the tire manufacturers shy away from this effort.

The procedure is actually quite simple: a fleet of vehicles with the same dots is fitted with different tires, after which the test team starts moving synchronously. The vehicles are constantly and regularly exchanged according to a fixed scheme, so that there are still minimal differences between the individual “Driving habits” be balanced. The bottom line is that this ensures that every test candidate is equally stressed and that at some point relevant measurement results will be on paper that can be compared with one another.

Now – the procedure described above makes this clear – tire wear is actually a matter that is more or less dependent on many factors. In other words: It is rather unlikely that the abrasion documented here can be observed in exactly the same way after 2,000 km with one of our readers. How and where have you been: on expressways or country lanes, on German or French asphalt? In what weather? How do you brake in bends and accelerate out of bends – and so on and so forth.

In extreme cases, one pilot has already reached the wear limit of 1.6 mm after 2,000 km, while another still enjoys over 80 percent remaining profile with the same mileage. Due to time, we had to take the usual approach to the curvy test area this year “on axis” drop it – it was simply too late for that in December. So instead of the 4000 km usual in previous years, only half was on the trip counter. Nevertheless – a look at the diagram shows it clearly – significant differences can be seen.

BMW F 900 XR: The motorcycle in the tire test

After the first test, we had mixed memories of the crossover BMW. Above all, a diffuse chassis setup clouded the impression on the brisk lap of the country road. In contrast, the six test bikes could be ridden in a total of 12,000 tire test kilometers. Functional, reliable, comfortable even after ten or more hours in the saddle. Some bikes were equipped with and some without a gearshift. A feature that was quickly appreciated – or missed!

What a drama it was last year. As always, everything for the MOTORRAD tire test was actually on dry cloths: test motorcycles fixed, route map for the wear lap worked out, test site booked for functional trips, staff recruited – motto: young men wanted to travel with us. Then came Corona.

But as always, hope dies last and when a silver lining appeared on the horizon towards the middle of the year, we set the whole machine going again. So in December 2020 – almost with the last light of the year – we were able to run the tire test in Provence, which was still sunny but already quite cold. With the huge advantage that we can now lift the No. 1 equipment topic right on time for the start of the 2021 season: tires! Which are the best for touring, traveling and racing, when cornering on wet or dry roads? Anyone who is now rolling his motorcycle out of the garage and frowning at a smoothly sanded profile or rubber that is already graying can really get into the desire to buy. Because new tires are still the No. 1 tuning measure to get an older bike going again.

In the first part we focus on the all-rounder suitable touring tires in the very common dimensions 120/70 ZR 17 at the front and 180/55 ZR 17 at the rear. So tires for everyone and everyone – motorcycle and opportunity. What we call unpretentious “trip” in the manufacturer’s brochures often means touring sports or sports tours. Which is actually good. Because this class has gained a hell of a lot of pepper and spiciness for some time. Even a power-naked bike in the over 150 hp class can have enough tires for everyday use with a rubber from this test field. Especially if it is planned for a classic season from Easter to October.

Conclusion

The current touring sport tires once again prove their claim to be able to survive in all disciplines. The test winners are characterized by high grip and performance in the wet and convince with low wear.

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