Monster Tires

[larrys]

Well, I put a thousand miles on the Monster that I bought last November, and with 4K on the clock, steel is showing through on the back. Not much traffic on Ducati MS, so asking here.
Looking for some tires that will be appropriate for the bike, but I'm never going to use the full potential of this machine so I don't need super stickies that are going to last maybe 4K miles. Won't ever ride it in the rain so that's not a consideration, either.
OEM were Pirelli Diablo Rosso II's. Front is 120/70 ZR 17 58W. Rear is 180/55 ZR 17 78W. I Know what 120/70 and 180/55 mean, what does the ZR mean and 58W, 78W mean?
Suggestions for new skins and where to get them greatly appreciated. I used to buy from Dennis Kirk. They still around?
TIA,
Larry

[Kev m]

We're running another set of the OEM Pirelli Angel ST's on our 696 with absolutely nothing motivating us to change

[oldbike54]

 Shinko Ravens ?

 Dusty

[lucian]

zr is speed rating, means good to 149mph
78w is load rating , I know a 73w is rated for 805 lbs max.
I run pirelli supercorsas on a tuono v4 and am lucky to get 2,300 miles out of the rear.
I would stay with sticky and turn up your TC .
JP cycles is a good tire outlet.

[Ncdan]

+1 on the Shinko. I have ran them for years on heavy bikes and have always got very good mileage and handling responses. Not saying they are better than some of the more popular brands but they are good tires for half the money.

[Two Checks]

Z is the speed rating, R stands for radial.

[poorBob]

The Pirelli Angels that Kev M suggested are great tires that will probably go more than 4k.

An alternative would be Avon Storms which are admittedly sport touring tires but they stick great and I have 6k on the set currently on my Triumph.

I just ordered another set of Avons from Dennis Kirk.

[Brand X]

https://www.americanmototire.com/

Lots of good options for that bike.. Standard Diablo are pretty good all weather tires..I ran Michelin Pilot Power 2CT on my 1100 for quite a few miles. The road 5 might be the longest lasting tire out.. I would have no issues using Shinko stuff. I would run the apex because they are cheap enough to just replace when needed.  My 2009 1100 monster weight was 400lb wet, so not really a heavyweight

[rschrum]

I always run pilot powers or conti sport attacks on my monsters.

[LowRyter]

Some of us on Ducati 939 Supersports are pretty fond of Dunlop Roadsmart 3.  My bike came with Pirellii Diablo Rosso 3 but they last 4k miles (which are considered an improvement over the Diablo Rosso 2 that you are running).  The Angels are sport touting tires and the Rossos are considered touring sport tires.

I'm running the same Dunlops on my V11 Sport.  Another rider on the Ducati board was running the Dunlops on his Superpsort and suggested that I do the same.  I've installed one on the rear and it seems to stick as good as the Pirelli.  I am expecting better mileage. 

BTW- my Supersport has the same frame as the 1200 Monster. 

Whatever you run, I'd be interested how they do.

[Dukedesmo]

Deja vue?


I have a Monster 900 and was using Diablo Rosso 2, mainly because I found them ideal on my 916 but the rear tyre shredded through to the metal in very short order.


I've since been using Pirelli Angel GT and the tyres last much better, can't say I've noticed any less grip either so they definitely get my recommendation.


Strange that the Monster wore out the same tyre in half the mileage that the 916 did, given it's 30hp down on power - I put it down to the way the power comes in with more low-down 'grunt', I've had both bikes on the Dyno and the 'lower powered' Monster makes more power/torque than the 916 up to 6,000 rpm after which the 916 starts to wake up and rapidly pulls away, that and that the 916 is a better 'balanced' bike, spreading tyre wear fairly evenly between front and rear would be my explanation.


Of course, it could just be the inner hooligan that the Monster inspires...   

[Stevex]

Running Michelin PR4s on the wife's 696. Excellent grip and mileage.

[Perazzimx14]

I'm surprised you got 4K out of the Rosso's. They are a very soft tire that wear quickly.

Michelin Power Pilots 4's or 5's will do everything you want and more. Or you can get something not so spendy like the Conti Attack that may not last as long.  Really just about any tire in the right size and tread pattern (for your type of riding) will work. Unless your doing track days street riding is not terribly demanding on tires.

[LowRyter]

I wore out the rear Michelins on my V11 Sport in about 4500 miles.   Oddly enough, I could get nearly double the mileage on my 1200 Bandit.

I figured that even if the mileage wasn't better with Dunlops at least they are cheaper.   What I found is they Dunlops last longer and grip better as well as cheaper vs Michelins.

Moving on to my Ducati Supersport.  I went through three rear Rosso 3 in 13k miles.  I loved the grip but I rode the bike too much for the limited tire mileage.   So on the Ducati board, the consensus was that the Rosso 3 tires are quite bit better than the Rosso 2 (mileage and grip).  However, the Rosso 2 tires can be purchased for near half price on close out. 

When the Ducati forum discussed substitute tires, the thought was the Angels were not grippy by comparison and expensive.  One member suggested the Dunlop Roadsmart 3, the same tire I was running on my V11 Sport.   He''d run them on his Supersport and thought they were outstanding.  So I put one on the rear, mismatched to the front Rosso 3 and have to say I am quite impressed.  It grips as good as the Rosso 3.  So I am quite high on them. 

Long story.  As I mentioned above, the Supersport has the same frame as the Monster 1200.

[bodine99]

Go with a sport touring tyre??

[larrys]

Thank you very much for all of the good advice. Its been a real long time since I've bought any bike tires, and this purchase will be my first tubeless tires. Going to try the Dunlop Roadsmart III's. Getting them from Dennis Kirk. Some folks here like them and the price point is good. Going to date myself here, I bought tires from them when you called them on the phone to place your order and then snail mailed them a check or a money order.
Slightly off topic but still on the Monster. I have been running it with the Traction Control software off. Is this any different from running with it on, with it on setting 1? The owners manual doesn't say.
Larry

[LowRyter]

Thank you very much for all of the good advice. Its been a real long time since I've bought any bike tires, and this purchase will be my first tubeless tires. Going to try the Dunlop Roadsmart III's. Getting them from Dennis Kirk. Some folks here like them and the price point is good. Going to date myself here, I bought tires from them when you called them on the phone to place your order and then snail mailed them a check or a money order.
Slightly off topic but still on the Monster. I have been running it with the Traction Control software off. Is this any different from running with it on, with it on setting 1? The owners manual doesn't say.
Larry

Good luck with the Roadsmarts.    I am not sure what model of Monster you have but this is an explanation that I can offer from my bike.

When the traction control engages, you should get a yellow light will come on the dash, you'll lose power and the bike will sound like it's coming apart.  I've got my bike in Sport Mode and defaulted to DTC 3 setting.  I've only encountered it coming off a couple of stop signs in first gear on a well traveled secondary road last week.  Frankly, I have no idea why it engaged other than the road might have had excessive dust or oil on it.  In fact, I had to go to the owner's manual to figure out what happened.  I was little concerned that I might have damaged the engine (at least until I revved the crap out of it and it ran fine).  Perhaps I should set it to "1"?

Here's the explanation for my bike from the manual.

DTC RIDING MODE USE DEFAULT
1 SPORT Sport style for very expert riders. System
permits sliding sideways.

2 SPORT Sport style for expert riders. System permits
sliding sideways.

3 SPORT Sport style for medium-expert riders.
System permits sliding sideways.
It is the default level for the
"SPORT" Riding Mode

4 TOURING Fast touring style. It is the default level for the
"TOURING" Riding Mode

5 TOURING Touring style.

6 URBAN "Very safe" style on any kind of path. It is the default level for the
"URBAN" Riding Mode

7 RAIN For riding on slightly wet or moist road.
ENGINE LOW setting recommended.

8 HEAVY RAIN For riding on wet road. ENGINE LOW
setting recommended.

[SmithSwede]

Take a look at the Dunlop Roadsmart 2.   An old school sport touring tire.  I have and like them on a Ducati 900 and a Triumph Street Triple. 

They are really cheap.   

[LowRyter]

Yeah, I was pretty happy with RS2 tires too.  In fact I have a used one for a spare on my V11 Sport.

[larrys]

Good luck with the Roadsmarts.    I am not sure what model of Monster you have but this is an explanation that I can offer from my bike.

When the traction control engages, you should get a yellow light will come on the dash, you'll lose power and the bike will sound like it's coming apart.  I've got my bike in Sport Mode and defaulted to DTC 3 setting.  I've only encountered it coming off a couple of stop signs in first gear on a well traveled secondary road last week.  Frankly, I have no idea why it engaged other than the road might have had excessive dust or oil on it.  In fact, I had to go to the owner's manual to figure out what happened.  I was little concerned that I might have damaged the engine (at least until I revved the crap out of it and it ran fine).  Perhaps I should set it to "1"?

Here's the explanation for my bike from the manual.

DTC RIDING MODE USE DEFAULT
1 SPORT Sport style for very expert riders. System
permits sliding sideways.

2 SPORT Sport style for expert riders. System permits
sliding sideways.

3 SPORT Sport style for medium-expert riders.
System permits sliding sideways.
It is the default level for the
"SPORT" Riding Mode

4 TOURING Fast touring style. It is the default level for the
"TOURING" Riding Mode

5 TOURING Touring style.

6 URBAN "Very safe" style on any kind of path. It is the default level for the
"URBAN" Riding Mode

7 RAIN For riding on slightly wet or moist road.
ENGINE LOW setting recommended.

8 HEAVY RAIN For riding on wet road. ENGINE LOW
setting recommended.

2013 1100 EVO. Its in my sig line. Your TC is very different from mine. Mine only has four settings and I have the option of turning it off completely and running without it, hence my question. I get it that the TC gets input from the ABS for tire spinning, but have no idea how the TC senses sliding sideways. When it activates, it closes the throttle, retards the ignition timing? My real question is does the engine tuning change in the different modes with respect to timing advance curves, fuel metering, and maybe rev limiter settings? From reading the owner's manual, setting #4 is,"I just bought the bike and am pretty intimidated by it." Setting #3 is,"I'm not so scared of it now." Setting #2 is,"I wanna run it harder." Setting #1 is,"Track Day, don't hold me back!"
Larry

[LowRyter]

2013 1100 EVO. Its in my sig line. Your TC is very different from mine. Mine only has four settings and I have the option of turning it off completely and running without it, hence my question. I get it that the TC gets input from the ABS for tire spinning, but have no idea how the TC senses sliding sideways. When it activates, it closes the throttle, retards the ignition timing? My real question is does the engine tuning change in the different modes with respect to timing advance curves, fuel metering, and maybe rev limiter settings? From reading the owner's manual, setting #4 is,"I just bought the bike and am pretty intimidated by it." Setting #3 is,"I'm not so scared of it now." Setting #2 is,"I wanna run it harder." Setting #1 is,"Track Day, don't hold me back!"
Larry

I would doubt that your bike has TC for lean angles and going sideways.  My bike doesn't.  Some of the newer pure sportbikes have that gyroscopic feature.  I doubt if your 2013 bike had that.  I'd go to the Ducati forum and get the skinny.  The owner's manual should spell it out.  I am thinking that your bike is generation older than mine and likely has fewer electronic nannies.  Just a guess on my part.

For my bike, all of these rider modes are somewhat useless.  My 939 "only" has 113 HP, probably a 100 at the rear wheel.  Having these Sport, Touring and Rain modes aren't necessary.  I leave it on full power and am thinking I'll get more aggressive on the TC.  If I had 150 HP maybe a different story.  Heck, I had to change the front sprocket just to feel more torque on mine, I see no need to go to a slower map.  My bike would be dang near perfect if I had 15-30 more horses on the top end. 

But I can live with that.   

[DesmoDog]

I had Angel GTs on my 1200S Monster, even did a track day on them (granted I ride in the novice group) and never had an issue with them.

I wore out the original tires on it in under 3000 miles, the Angel GTs were still looking great at 5000 miles when I got rid of it.

[larrys]

New skins installed! Been a long time since I changed some bike tires. I made a bead breaker from a couple pieces of 2X4 and a door hinge. Screwed the hinge to the wall of the garage and popped the beads like nothing. My old spoons and rim protectors still work as advertised. I didn't realize how shot the old tires were until I went for a ride on the new ones. It's a different bike! Since this is the first new to me bike in nineteen years I am definitely feeling like a kid with a new cool toy. Woke up my inner hooligan, too... Gotta be careful with that.
Larry

[LowRyter]

Larry, are you running the Dunlops?  Give us a ride report.

[larrys]

I did get the Dunlop Sportmax Roadsmart III's. I see that they are already superseded by the Q3's. Dennis Kirk had the best price but the front tire went backorder before I placed my order. So I got the rear from Dennis Kirk and the front from Revzilla. I also had to buy a 46MM socket to get the back wheel off.
I've put 100 miles on them so far. The bike tracks through the turns nice, and feels balanced at all speeds. I ran it up to 100+ on the highway and it felt solid and surefooted. I haven't pushed it real hard in the twisties yet as I am still getting used to how this bike runs and handles. It's unlike anything I've ever owned. Chicken strips are pretty wide... Will post again when I get some more miles on them.
Larry