[brewkett77]

I've been ridding my 15 for a while, and it needs new rubber, been kicking around the idea of going to the dark side. I hear they have cookies.....
One question that came up I haven't found an answer to on the Pirelli P1 is that's its listed as a summer performance tire.

How does the tire perform in the winter time? I'm located south east Texas (Houston area) and I do ride during the nicer days in the winter with temps in the 40's.

Also whats a good front tire to go with the P1?

 

[MountainRider]

The Pirelli P1 Run Flat is awesome! You should be good year round with it. As to the front, a winning combination is the Pirelli P1 RF with a Bridgestone 709 on the front. This is the combo I run and my bike handles about as close to a Sport bike as can be expected, considering how heavy they are. Obviously riding on snow and ice isn't an option, but dry or wet conditions, it will do very well for you. The P1 does not have symmetrical tread, so mount it with the side marked "Outside" toward the kickstand side. There are a number of different tires used for the rear, and several fronts that get recommended quite often as well. There will be others along to give you options. Ride safe and keep the shiny side up.

 

[F6 rider]

I live in Connecticut and ride all year ( meaning temps above 28deg ) I have been through 4 different manufacturers of Summer and all season performance tires. My favorite was a Kumho but that size is no longer available. I am now on a Yokohama High Performance All Season Tire.


I will add that I have not run a Winter or Snow tire so I can not directly compare, but can say in the last 6 yrs of being on car tires there has been no traction issue on cold road with a Summer Tire.

 

[kwthom]

Yokohama AVID ENVIGOR ZPS - SIZE: 195/55RF16 High Performance All-Season

Works well with temps in the 110° range as well as below 30° - no issues for over 50,000 miles for me.

 

[Tex-Ed]

Yokahoma Envigor Run Flat for me. But I still have to buy my own cookies-usually Oreos.>

 

[Corventure]

I havent tried the Pirelli P1 yet. But I am extremely impressed with the Snowcontrol! It has a symmetrical tread and for me performs very much like the stock Bridgestone I have on the other spare wheel. Swapping back and forth is a breeze. I'm running 38 - 40 psi.
Run-Flat feature is nice also.


I run the stock Bridgestone on the front. 38 psi.


Corventure Dave

 

[MABikeman]

I havent tried the Pirelli P1 yet. But I am extremely impressed with the Snowcontrol! It has a symmetrical tread and for me performs very much like the stock Bridgestone I have on the other spare wheel. Swapping back and forth is a breeze. I'm running 38 - 40 psi.
Run-Flat feature is nice also.


I run the stock Bridgestone on the front. 38 psi.


Corventure Dave

I have a Dunlop Winter Sport run flat on the 1500 and looking for a similar tire for my 1800 and this Snowcontol is the closest I've seen. Are you still running it? Any regrets? Is it quiet?

I've seen good things about Yokos, Bridgestones, Pirelli run flats. I don't log as many miles as I used to so I will be married to this for a few years. Good price at $120 delivered.

 

[doug of no fl]

Anyone know what the measured tread depth & weight of a new 195/55R16 Pirelli P1 snowcontrol runflat tire is? Never mind I found it, FYI:: 22lbs & 10/32" tread,

 

[ssncob]

Like those above, I use a Yoko avid envignor runflat. On our bikes, running a winter tire is no big deal. What you will find is reduced tread life and tends to be squirmier in the corners due to softer tread compound and more edge siping. The summer tire is a better tire in warmer weather, and unless you're actually riding on snow and ice, the winter tire provides no advantages.

 

[RonK]

...
The P1 does not have symmetrical tread, so mount it with the side marked "Outside" toward the kickstand side. ....

--
That's silly. Who ever told you that? You mean to tell me those tires are manufactured with left side and right side versions? Outside on the left side is running the opposite way when on the right side of a car. Obviously the tire works just as well going either way.
--

 

[MountainRider]

--
That's silly. Who ever told you that? You mean to tell me those tires are manufactured with left side and right side versions? Outside on the left side is running the opposite way when on the right side of a car. Obviously the tire works just as well going either way.
--

Not silly at all. Ever work in the tire industry? They're not made as a right/left version, they're made as an Inside /outside tire, and are actually cone shaped to a small degree. Placing the Outside toward the kickstand places the side with the smaller circumference to the left which makes it deal with road crown better. On a car, these are considered a performance tire, and this design improves handling through the corners by laying more of the tread over on the pavement in the turns. The size difference is not significant, but it is there and may change the way the tire handles. If you're in England, switch it. Or don't, run it any way you want. You are correct though, they run equally well either direction, as does any other tire....... on a car. Tires with symmetrical tread are the same across the entire tire so they handle the same no matter which way they're mounted. Mount one up the other way, if you're happy with it, great. Someone may have done that already and can tell you their experience. I'm just trying to make you aware, not dictate.

 

[RonK]

Not silly at all. Ever work in the tire industry? They're not made as a right/left version, they're made as an Inside /outside tire, and are actually cone shaped to a small degree. Placing the Outside toward the kickstand places the side with the smaller circumference to the left which makes it deal with road crown better. On a car, these are considered a performance tire, and this design improves handling through the corners by laying more of the tread over on the pavement in the turns. The size difference is not significant, but it is there and may change the way the tire handles. If you're in England, switch it. Or don't, run it any way you want. You are correct though, they run equally well either direction, as does any other tire....... on a car. Tires with symmetrical tread are the same across the entire tire so they handle the same no matter which way they're mounted. Mount one up the other way, if you're happy with it, great. Someone may have done that already and can tell you their experience. I'm just trying to make you aware, not dictate.

--

Good point you are trying to make. I would just say to continue your logic, that if the cone was utilized to make the road less crowned with the outside, or right (in the USA) tire, then on the left side the cone would be working AGAINST the handling. So what would be the point? Not saying you're wrong, but it isn't logical to me.

--

 

[tamathumper]

I've not heard that explanation before - in my experience directional tires have a tread pattern intended to travel in one direction only, to improve handling and water removal.

https://blog.firestonecompleteautocare.com/tires/directional-tires-and-their-benefits/

 

[MountainRider]

I've not heard that explanation before - in my experience directional tires have a tread pattern intended to travel in one direction only, to improve handling and water removal.

https://blog.firestonecompleteautocare.com/tires/directional-tires-and-their-benefits/

True, but the P1 isn't directional. It will run on right or left, front or rear. By design it's made to enhance handling by working with the cars steering and suspension. When you order one on line, most sites want to know what vehicle your putting it on because they don't work as well on a "61" Ford Falcon with a straight rear axle as they do on a 2018 Beemer with 4 wheel independent suspension. That they work as well as they do on a Goldwing is one of life's great mysteries.

Just to explain why I recommend mounting the way I do, we had a lady come into our shop who had purchased a set of inside/outside tires from another shop in our chain. She complained her car felt squirrelly, so we took it for a test drive. When cornering it felt like you were riding on a ridge. When we checked the tires, they were mounted with the inside out. We pulled all four and remounted them correctly, then took it for another test drive. Now with the shape of the tire and the suspension/steering working together, she drove as if she were on rails, very smooth and precise. The lady also drove it and confirmed it felt the way it should, then called the shop that mounted the tires originally. Not a pleasant conversation from our end. To give a visual, get a couple Solo cups and place them with the small ends pointing out. On a car, when they turn, the front tires tend to lay over at an angle, so imagine when the cups turn to the left, with the lay over, you're putting more tread on the road surface with the left tire, pulling the car around, while the right tire rides up on the edge reducing drag on that side and following. Having the tire mounted the same on the rear enhances the cars ability to turn, just like the way a tapered bearing rides on its' race. Of course the Solo cup example is an extreme exaggeration of the tires shape, but you get the drift.

As I said above the difference in circumference from side to side is very small, but enough to affect handling if the road conditions are right. One possible reason they work on our bikes is there isn't a second tire along side, so they don't work against one another. That's my story and I'm sticken' to it.

 

[tamathumper]

Very interesting! Thanks for the explanation.