www.zxrworld.co.uk

SplaTZXR400 wrote:good explanation tho. ye research on some websites has come up with some contradictions. like confusions over speed ratings and construction type. but o well. this seems to be the only configuration tyre available (continetial conti force) as far as i no.

is there any truth or plausiblity behind wot this mech guy was telling me. i dont trust him anyway. but wots really the difference between a VR and a ZR he seems to think somethign boutweight of the bike related to how warm they get. somethng like that. haha good luck with all that work

If websites are stating anything other than wht I wrote in my previous post re tyre designation, they are wrong.
You are correct that W stands for the load rating.

If you fit an H rated tyre to your bike, you run the risk of invalidating your insurance if you have an accident

difference between a VR and a ZR rated tyre is that a Zrated tyre is good for 150mph +, and IIRC a V rated tyre is good for upto 150mph. So technically you could fit either. However good luck with finding a V rated sportsbike tyre.

haha well i wont fit a H rated if it may invalidate my insurance, anyway i cant find 1, i got my tyre fitted couple days ago now, my ZR thingy-ma-jig, wearin in nice. and no worries of cracks anymore, i looked at it after it was off, was only a few mil thick but o wel all good now

bloody 'ell, this all very complicated. i need tyres myself and i'm looking for somethin very, very, very sticky. i don't care what it costs (brother works for place that offers 20% discount for staff ) i need sticky tyres for handling cos everyone else got bigger bikes. (greengoblin seen your pic, throw the bike down more, the adrelin when you pick it up after the corner is unbelievable i,ve been scared a few times . almost came a cropper once but, f*** it, die happy!!!! big question, what is the best sticky tyre for the zxr400? anyone ride to the limit like me who has anythin to recommend would be greatly appreciated

im no use then coz i jus use road tyres, dont race or do trackdays, commutin and pleasure my tyre i jus took off was really good, bridgestone battlax something or other (see im crap) but most others no wots sticky.

battleaxe are a good tyre thats what i've got on, i don't do track days either but generally ride flat out when road conditions allow, which is harder to get over here. i hate surface dressing. thats when they spray hot tar on the road and smother it in gravel, usually starting on a corner and a feckin nightmare when you don't see the warning SIGN and come onto it hot and heavy, the toad just runs down your leg, into your boots and spills out over the top and drips off onto the road!!! i've been on the edge of them but not with much confidence so i'm lookin for somethin stickier if thats possible. i'd post a photo but i don't understand how. i'm not good with computers, bit of an idiot with them in fact

I do believe they call that 'shell grip'.

Well i ride like a Camel (when i say that i mean im always leanin round corners everwhere an like to weave alot) and run bridgestone battleaxe bt020's they aint let me down yet i find i can practically get the pegs down. only problem is they aint the most amaizin in the rain as i found the other day on an island but they got a little better when they warmed up however great tyres for hard riding. i think some pirels are good to.

i think i'll just go with them again. they are a good tyre just thought there might be somethin better. as they say, if its not broke, don't fix it! on another note, thank f*** its stopped rainin, maybe i can get the bike out for a run. as you've guessed i'm a fair weather biker, don't do rain, unless i get caught out.

Some of your coments made me run to the loo to wet myself

i ran into a bit of a funny situation coz i no a dodgey mech, thought id just ring 4 a quote, told him wot tyre i need, goin by wot i read on here, service manual, and continentals own fitting guide which is 'approved by the manufacturer' and he then turned round and said thats the wrong tyre for the bike i said y, he goes coz of the speed rating, so i was like right wot do u mean, he goes, u need a slower speed tyre coz they dont get warm n grippy bla bla bla, tryna confuse me with bullocks i think incorrect, what a nob!

the zr, vr etc. is related to construction type apparently slightly correct, see below

H Rated on a 400 warms up far quicker than a Z rated. incorrect

Rite the facts:-

160/60 ZR 17 TL

160 - tyre width in mm yes correct
60 - aspect ratio; ratio of the height of the tyre yes correct (60% of the width)
Z - speed rating yes correct
R - radial construction yes correct
TL - tubeless yes correct

a Z rated tyre is for greateer than 240km/h or 150mph yes correct
an H rated tyre is rated up to 210km/h or 130mph yes correct

Z rated tyre will have a much stiffer carcass than an H rated tyre, to cope with the higher speeds and increased power that will be going through it. yes correct
How soft the rubber is does not affect the speed rating. yes correct

There will be a number on the tyre near the size that will be the load rating this is the weight that they can carry. None of this above affects the speed that the tyre warms up that is the wear rating. Any further questions please feel free to ask.

oh goody so basically i like to emphasise more, that the so called mechanic who always cheats ppl and talks down to me like i no FA bout mechanics, is in fact a B***SH***ER

I'VE CURRENTLY GOT MICHELIN MACADAMS WHICH CAME ON MY ZXR. THESE ARE HARD AS HELL. RODE ON THEM FOR 4 MONTHS DIDNT LEAVE A MARK. THEY ALSO DID NOT ENSPIRE ANY CONFIDENCE AT ALL. IV GOT MY EYE ON SOME CONTI SPORT ATTACKS WHICH SEAM TO BE A GOOD TYRE AT A REASONABLE PRICE. HAS ANY ONE TRIED THEM? ARE THEY ANY GOOD FOR MY ZXR?

gt54.jam wrote: IV GOT MY EYE ON SOME CONTI SPORT ATTACKS WHICH SEAM TO BE A GOOD TYRE AT A REASONABLE PRICE. HAS ANY ONE TRIED THEM? ARE THEY ANY GOOD FOR MY ZXR?

I had a set of sport attacks on my gixxer, they were OK but I wont fit another set for these reasons:
1) they only lasted 3000 miles on the gixxer :smt013
2) the front end was not very confidence inspiring

cheap tyres, nice n grippy, never had a moment on them.... but.. you get what you pay for IMO
Have sportec M3s on the gixxer now

wish my tyers lasted 3,000 miles

3000 miles sounds quite good on gixxer?! should last loads longer on my zxr. gota think about the front end thing coz i realy need a lot of confidence in my front end to get the bike right the way over. thanks.

gt54.jam wrote:3000 miles sounds quite good on gixxer?! should last loads longer on my zxr. gota think about the front end thing coz i realy need a lot of confidence in my front end to get the bike right the way over. thanks.

Ive done 3500 out of my sportec M3s including 3 Nurburgring trips and about 100 laps. Theres tonnes of miles left in them - nice n grippy and much more feedback than the sport attacks. Well worth the extra £50 IMO.
I'm expecting about 6000 outa them at this rate.