BMW R1200R R1150R/T F800 K1200R R1100R/T R1250R RnineT Message Board

My Diablo Stradas have worn out after 8751 miles. They've been very good and I'd buy them again, but I am considering the ME 880's for their longevity. I do about 75% commuting straight line.

How much "sport handling" type cahracteristics would I lose with the switch? My previous tires were Michelin Pilot Roads and the Stradas were better--more sure footed feeling though slightly shorter lived. Our group takes a couple of trips a year and I wouldn't want to feel hindered in sweepers and twisties--I have not yet scraped the foot pegs and don't plan to, but it could happen.

any advice appreciated; tia

John

I'm own my first set of ME880s and the jury is still out on them. They seem to ride fine now, but I only have about 1500 miles on them. I can't tell a whole lot of difference in them and the Pilot Roads right now.

I just installed a set of Conti Road Attacks. They replaced a set of MEZ 880's.
I put 27k km (yup, 17K miles) on the 880's. Most of this was riding 2-up. I covered many types of terrain (pavement, gravel, mud, stones).

These tires last, and last, and last. I found them sure-footed both on dry and wet roads. Hard compound so you'll feel the road a little more.

They felt a little like knobbies in turns once they begin to square, especially at slow speeds (gas stations, etc).

I'll use 880's again on my next extended trip - no question!

I average 7k mi out of a back tire, and twice that on the front. I don't know how people get 17kmi out of any tire. I ride 1,000 mi per month, mostly straight paved roads. I seldom ride 2-up,and I'm not hard on the throttle. Metz. z6 roadtec currently on the rear and just over 7kmi. and not to the wear strips yet. 880's were very good, over 8k. I do pull a Uni-Go trailer everywhere I go. Over 25kmi on the metz. trailer tire and not much visible wear. Don't let your tires go 17kmi. Your asking for trouble, IMO.

I've used 'em, and will again. I usually get about 6k miles from a rear, about 9-10k mi. for a front (I live in an area where all the roads are covered with chip seal, that real abrasive crap.) My 880's got me around 9k for the rear, and 11 or 12k on the front. Decent mileage, considering. In fact, they were the best wearing tires I've tried in 4 and a half years and 45k miles.

I never noticed any ill effects on handling, either. I was also worried that they might be too hard, and although I'm no knee dragger, nobody ever accused me of being slow, either, and they performed just fine for me.

Hi, Boxer and thanks to all for the positive feedback on the 880's

Boxer wrote:I'm own my first set of ME880s and the jury is still out on them.

meaning that you don't know how long they'll last?


John

I used the ME880 regularly on my R1100RT until I sold it with 170K miles, and it was the only tires I used on my R1150R until the bike burned down in a garage fire, with 70K miles. Rear mileage was between 8 and 12K, front between 12 and 18K. Handling and traction was excellent. On my R1100RT I did Reg Pridmore's CLASS schools, and had no problem wearing to the edge, and getting a nice blue stripe on them from heat. Now I have a R1200GS and I'm sorry I can't use ME880 on it.

"Now I have a R1200GS and I'm sorry I can't use ME880 on it."
What, they do not make them for the GS?

Paul Mihalka wrote:I used the ME880 regularly on my R1100RT until I sold it with 170K miles, and it was the only tires I used on my R1150R until the bike burned down in a garage fire, with 70K miles.

Paul,
You lost your sweet R in a fire??? MAJOR BUMMER!
I was wondering why we hadn't seen you on the board in a while. I've still got a collection of picts of your bike with that nice Parabellum Scout fairing; some day I'm gonna take the plunge and get one of those put on my bike.

Good luck with the GS, and come back and visit us here once in a while.

Ok... thanks to all the positive feedback I am ready to order, but it seems that there are two flavors for the ME 880: a VB (belted? and a little cheaper) and a VR (radial? and insignificantly more expensive--102 vs 108).

My gut tells me the VR since I assume radial is better than belted--if I am reading this properly. I can't find info on this, even on the Metzeler site, and of course it's late Sat afternoon and the shops are closed til Tuesday am.

any help appreciated and thanks for the info/advice.

John

just guessing, but I remember somewhere the the "B" version had stiffer sidewalls for the extra weight of the bike. Am not a 100% sure, but seem to remember that somewhere.

Bill

Dr. Strangelove wrote:Ok... thanks to all the positive feedback I am ready to order, but it seems that there are two flavors for the ME 880: a VB (belted? and a little cheaper) and a VR (radial? and insignificantly more expensive--102 vs 108).

My gut tells me the VR since I assume radial is better than belted--if I am reading this properly. I can't find info on this, even on the Metzeler site, and of course it's late Sat afternoon and the shops are closed til Tuesday am.

any help appreciated and thanks for the info/advice.

John

The VB (yes, belted) is a high load capacity special design for the K1200LT. The rear comes only in a 160/70x17. For the R1150R the VR (radial) is the correct one, in 170/60x17 size for the rear.

What Paul said.

"The jury's still out." Means I not only don't know what kind of mileage I'll get but at the point I wrote that, I really didn't know how they would feel in the fast corners. I do now. I went to Hungry Mother this weekend and even though they feel stiffer a little and make some noise, they held well in the corners through plenty of gravel infested roads up there. I lived to tell.

And Boxer it did not look like you slowed down any.

I got 'em--from SW Moto. They are going on next Sat--thanks to all for the advice

John