My GRiSO Handling Experience

When I first purchased my GRiSO, some nine months ago, I was never happy with the handling.  The front end was extremely harsh, and corning was an ordeal, having to "force" the GRiSO into a corner.  All my other Guzzis fell into a corner all by themselves.

The harsh front end was fixed a few months ago by reducing the compression dampening in the forks.  My bike came with the compression dampening at 1 turn from fully closed.  I reduced it to 2 turns initially, but still wasn't happy, so wound it right out at 4.75 turns from fully closed.  The forks now behave like I would expect.

But the GRiSO was still very difficult to guide into a corner.  I suspected the Metzeler Z8 tyres, but couldn't understand why this brand could be so bad, having experienced Metzeler, Continental, Dunlop, Pirelli, and Michelin over the years.  Michelin Pilot Roads has always been my favourite for the CARC Guzzis, and I wondered if they could help the GRiSO too, but I was too mean to throw away perfectly good tyres on a whim.

Well, after 9,500 kM, the Metzeler tyres, both front and rear, were showing some wear and it was time to consider something else.  I was gonna try the Michelin Pilot Road 5 series, but the importer had run out of the front size, and couldn't tell me when the next shipment was due.

So I decided on the Michelin Pilot Road 4, the GT version, with stiffer side walls.  They were fitted today, and the difference is amazing, chalk and cheese to what was originally fitted.  No longer do I have to force the GRiSO into a corner, it falls in naturally, just like my other models.  I'm now a happy camper.

But why the dramatic difference?  Are the Z8s just not suited for the GRiSO or perhaps I had a duff pair?  I would love to hear other rider's experiences at the risk of starting a "tyre war thread".

Dave,

As I posted in another thread (not a tyre thread though) I find the Metzlers total crap. Ever since the original, as fitted, I have gone with successive generations of the PR series. The real revelation was the PR4 GT - as you say, chalk and cheese.

These are designed for the weight of our bikes, and make a really big comforting difference, especially on the turn in.

I am a big fan of the PR4GT (I have used several sets on my Norge), but I ran across an irresistible buy on Dunlop Qualifier 3 Plus tires for my recently acquired GRiSO. My service stand from Steine-Dense should arrive in the next day or so, and I'll have the tires on the day or so after that, so look for a review about this time next week.

I'd put the PR4GTs on, but this is not my long-distance bike - so I'm gonna edge towards performance for these shoes.

kiwi dave wrote:

When I first purchased my GRiSO, some nine months ago, I was never happy with the handling.  The front end was extremely harsh, and corning was an ordeal, having to "force" the GRiSO into a corner.  All my other Guzzis fell into a corner all by themselves.

The harsh front end was fixed a few months ago by reducing the compression dampening in the forks.  My bike came with the compression dampening at 1 turn from fully closed.  I reduced it to 2 turns initially, but still wasn't happy, so wound it right out at 4.75 turns from fully closed.  The forks now behave like I would expect.

But the GRiSO was still very difficult to guide into a corner.  I suspected the Metzeler Z8 tyres, but couldn't understand why this brand could be so bad, having experienced Metzeler, Continental, Dunlop, Pirelli, and Michelin over the years.  Michelin Pilot Roads has always been my favourite for the CARC Guzzis, and I wondered if they could help the GRiSO too, but I was too mean to throw away perfectly good tyres on a whim.

Well, after 9,500 kM, the Metzeler tyres, both front and rear, were showing some wear and it was time to consider something else.  I was gonna try the Michelin Pilot Road 5 series, but the importer had run out of the front size, and couldn't tell me when the next shipment was due.

So I decided on the Michelin Pilot Road 4, the GT version, with stiffer side walls.  They were fitted today, and the difference is amazing, chalk and cheese to what was originally fitted.  No longer do I have to force the GRiSO into a corner, it falls in naturally, just like my other models.  I'm now a happy camper.

But why the dramatic difference?  Are the Z8s just not suited for the GRiSO or perhaps I had a duff pair?  I would love to hear other rider's experiences at the risk of starting a "tyre war thread".

IMO it’s probably a bit of tyre construction but mainly tyre pressure. I had the standard PR4 fitted to my GRiSO SE on the day that I bought it and it fell into corners like a 250 on the long way home. A week later the bike was refusing to turn in without a bit of pushing on bars and I realised that the front tyre pressure was 28psi, I inflated it to 34psi and there was a great difference.

I returned to the tyre dealer that identified the leaky spoke o ring issue and topped up the tyre pressures, once again the bike was a revelation and I realised that he had merely put the pressures to the SE variant which is 36F and 42R. Losing 4psi from the front tyre has a drastic effect on turn in with a softer walled tyre.

I was running the 36F & 41R, so it has to be the stiffer side walls that is making the difference (and perhaps the brand).

The Metzlers were horrible.

I put Angel ST on my 2013, took it to a track day this past Saturday and the teacher told me to put 28 front and 26 rear. I ran 6 20 minute sessions and here is what my front tire looked like afterwards. I might should have run them at 32

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but off the track at 36 f and 38 rear they handle great in wet or dry

Jeez Louise, were you doing a track day at the leper colony? Don't you know that shit's contagious!

There doesn't seem to be any risk in starting a tire war when complaining about the stock Metzlers.
I have yet to see anyone defending them. I couldn't wait to change mine out. I am now running PR4s and I am much happier!

race track ressure is normally 31 front 30 rear, you dont need to go any softer than that unless you are running wets.

I too like the Pirelli Angels, the stiffer walls suit the heavier bike. I have run softer stickers Diablos but the only lasted 1500 miles.

I hate Michelin's, but i feel that i am going to have to give them another try!

I've heard the Michelin Pilot Power 2 are the bees knees. Superior handling, but a bit softer the the PR4. Better for the track?


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I didn't know they came in red!!! ^^^^^^^^^

The red ones look a tad over inflated but probably so for better grip.

Just to be surre that i got it right... The photo shows the recomended sized, stiffer pair?

GHTE wrote:

The red ones look a tad over inflated but probably so for better grip.

Definitely soft compound all around. lol

Tires? What tires?

Persevere Eric ... I had to look many times...only just noticed the lass is headless

looks like silica enhanced compound

That picture shows the Pilot Powers with the same tread pattern as the Pilot Road 2s.  Every time I venture into my local motorcycle tyre shop, I'm amazed at the plethora of tyre patterns.  There's obviously no science in tread pattern design, otherwise those competing in the same arena would share identical designs.

And is it just me, or do others not appreciate the large holes in the pattern of the PR5?  Does water really need these portions of missing rubber to escape the tyre?

Now it is a tyre thread!!  

Pilot Road 4 GT way better than orig Metzlers. No complaints.

Took my thing out for its first bed-in flogette with the new Sport Attacks on. Hard to tell yet how much nicer they are than the PR4's in the dry as any new set of tyre's always feels sublime but they certainly inspire confidence. As I said previously though I don't expect them to last long!

Pete

3000 miles per pair - road riding. Best; Bridgestone Battlax.

The Metzeler Roadtec01 is a very good Tyre and is working well with the GRiSO. The back Tyre must be HWM Verison.

I've been running the Metlzer's with 38 rear and 36 front yeah I'm an extra 50 lbs chubby

For speeding up the turn in I followed Musashi and went to the 5th ring. That was a little quick for me so I went back to the fourth ring.

My next set of tires this spring will be the new Sport Pilots, I've been getting 11,000 miles + out of the Metzlers but I want to favor a local Duc shop so I'm trying his suggestion.