Dunlops or Metzlers?
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Road Captain
Joined: Mar 2008
Posts: 724
Likes: 2
From: Cincinnati Ohio
Dunlops or Metzlers?
So I'm showing my buddy my new white walls, and in his typical, you didn't do something right condescending D-bag voice says" You shoulda got Metzlers". Seroiusly? I ride my bike a lot, for long distances and have always ran Dunlops. Are the Metzlers really better? I heard they wear faster. Do they?
Road Warrior
Joined: Jun 2007
Posts: 1,788
Likes: 4
From: Here
Not sure about better or wearing faster either. I only got 8700 out of my stock rear Dunlop. Figured I'd try Metzeler since it probably couldn't be any worse. I will say that the bike feels better on the rain groove cut roads. I'll probably stick with Metzeler just for that better feeling if the rear lasts at least 8700 miles.
Elite HDF Member
Joined: Apr 2007
Posts: 4,984
Likes: 8
A couple of days ago, I put an avon roadrunner on the front of the fatboy. The old tire still had half the thread left, but I got a new wheel and there was some dry-rot on the old tire. The handling is day and night. With the avon it feels like a completely different bike. It responds 10 times better. I would recommend looking at the avons too.
This question really depends on what you are looking ofr in a tire. Mileage or handling characteristics or both. I find the stock Dunlop's to be a sub par tire handling wise, however they usually last longer than other brands due to the harder compound they are made of. 6 or one half dozen of the other, although I run avon's or metzlers. I prefer to have a stickier tire that does not last as long as in my opinion it is night and day as well. The tires are what hold me to the road. Think about that.
Tourer
Joined: Dec 2007
Posts: 374
Likes: 0
From: nampa, idaho
I put my first set of metzlers on ...got about 7,000 miles on them and the rear still looks new.....they handle far better than the stock dunlops......I'm impressed with them and the price was right too
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Joined: Apr 2008
Posts: 83
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From: Lubbock, TX
This is one of those "personnel opinion treads" and i have given plently of mine.... I have always believed you get what you pay for - you want cheaper tires? get the cheaper tires. But, you will usually wind up like I did after only 7000 miles on a set of Metzlers and going back to OEM dunlops. Just my experiance, my riding may be differant than others.
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Road Warrior
Joined: Nov 2006
Posts: 1,442
Likes: 3
From: Bel Air Md
I do notice a difference with the Metzlers, on groved roads, grates and tar snakes the Dunlops move around a little, feels a little scary, with the Metzlers you don't move at all, straight as an arrow. This tells me they corner better too but really not much noticeabe difference. I will be switching on my Bones as soon as the Dunlops wear out. For me milage was the same on both tires.