It was only one race at Indianapolis and it could have been easily corrected if Max Mosely and Bernie would have agreed to adding a chicane.

Now I'm not defending these tires being discussed here, if the rider doesn't trust the tires in the wet it's time to change them. I prefer the Metzelers for the Sporties. All around good grip and comfort.

 

It is only money to try different tires.

Could be cold tire temp plus wet road = lack of traction.
Are they still slippery after 20 minutes of riding?
Do the tires have a few hundred miles on them so the mold release and/or tire dressing is scuffed off?

I haven't used Metzlers (I think the tire model name line was called Lasers) in decades, but when I did they worked great in the rain and many on this site recommend them. Many like Avon's for stickiness. I am content with my Harley branded Dunlops, yet where I live rain storms are not "daily" deluges.

Look to wear ratings and compound composition between the brands. Lower wear rating = sticker tire. I believe the more silica in the tire = better wet performance...but double check/ search that. Lastly, a tire pyrometer can insure you have the correct tire pressure for the tire to operating in its prescribed heat range.

Good luck...you'll find the right tire.

 

I hated mine...main reason why I wanted new tires...only some 3500 miles on them and I just could not trust them on the wet....

Let's see how the ones I have now work on the wet....when I finish with the front wheel install

 

I know mine are super slick in the rain. I didn't remember them being this slick before although I have 5300 miles on the rear tire. The first one got a nail. I have to ride very light on the throttle or I spin out with the slightest increase of the throttle. I definitely need new tires as well.

 

Good point mentioned. Just about all the commercial tires available to us that are filled with regular air will drop within a close temperature range in the rain. That's why a softer compound tire with good water displacement design is a good choice. Without those two factors your just asking for trouble IMO. It would be nice if we had some independent source do a tire comparison chart for motorcycle tires. Unfortunately I've only seen that for automobile tires and we have to rely on other riders opinions.

 

We get very varied weather conditions here in the UK and the rest of Europe. One of the reasons I use and recommend Avon is that we have successfully crossed Europe, to Hungary, Croatia, Slovenia and all points in between us and them, riding in near zero conditions, sustained heavy rain, East European back roads, the Alps, Vosges, etc. I've tried other brands in my 40+ years of Harley ownership, but always go back to Avons.

 

I've always said i'll never fit Avons again. They were the worse wet weather tyre i've ever used and the only tyre i've actually taken off a bike because I didnt trust them. I had one too many scary moments with them slippng on a corner! I'd like to think thye've improved, but even after all these years i'd still be reluctant to try them lol!

 

I could say that about Metzeler and Pirelli, but if we all did that there would soon come a time when we had no tyres to ride on! And don't get me started on Goodyear, which Harleys used to come on way back. At the recommendation of my local bike shop I recently installed Metzelers on my Buell, which are fine, but then they are sports bike tyres, not designed for the high-mileage-neurotic North American market. Best to go on current experience and products old chap, rather than dwelling too much on the past! Fortunately Goodyear stopped making bike tyres (IIRC they bought UK Dunlop).

 

Kenny, even when after riding for more than an hour, I had the same extremely slippery experience in wet conditions. I've ridden 3500 miles on them so they're broken in too.

Thanks for your input. I'm sure I'll find the right tire. I will try the Pirelli Night Dragon and get less miles per set of tyres - but right now it seems that if I stick with the Michelin Scorcher, I won't live to wear down that one pair ; )

 

Chicane option was offered, Michelin rejected it.
Of course, chicane was for Michelin teams only - because they had the trouble with high speed turn.

Michelin had a choice to let their teams to race and keep up the show or withdraw their teams. They made the selfish choice to shut down the show.

Only one race? How many times you want to be cheated on before you divorce?