Lean angle on Metzeler Z6

[darrell3535]

I have a question regarding aggressive riding on the Metzeler Roadtec Z6. I finally wore out the stock Macadam Tires and ordered the Metzerlers. My motorcycle club is mainly composed of gixxers, ninjas, and R6's. We go hit the back raods pretty hard as much as we possibly can. By no means do I expect my 1999 Kat 600 to perform at the same extremes, but I would like to know if it is possible to do safe "knee-downs" on the Z6...Iam making great progress on my turns but want advice from my fellow kat riders who have pressed the bike harder than I have. In essence, I want to intelligently approach the 99 katana 600 limits on these tires. Any input is great appreciatted.

[embracethehorror]

I have the Z6's and couldn't be happier with them. I got them on the reccomendation of others on here and they were absolutely right. Bike corners much better than with stock tires. Not sure about the post kat, but I am sure it is possible with these tires on a pre if done correctly.

That being said keeping up with the group is a good way to get hurt. Never exceed your ability just to keep up with your budddies.

[diavolo]

Once you have scrubbed in and have adjusted tire pressures for your weight/riding preference, you will find the Z6's to extremely capable in the twisties. You will find you can carve corners deeper without having to drop a knee with them - I can scrape the pegs easily, although I am usually at a fairly high entrance speed going into sweepers - much to the amazement of the SS riders I roll with. I highly recommend adjusting pressures until you find the best combination for your particular style. As a reference, I usually run 39 PSI front and 41 PSI rear. See what works best for ya!

[Kreylyn]

I have a question regarding aggressive riding on the Metzeler Roadtec Z6. I finally wore out the stock Macadam Tires and ordered the Metzerlers. My motorcycle club is mainly composed of gixxers, ninjas, and R6's. We go hit the back raods pretty hard as much as we possibly can. By no means do I expect my 1999 Kat 600 to perform at the same extremes, but I would like to know if it is possible to do safe "knee-downs" on the Z6...Iam making great progress on my turns but want advice from my fellow kat riders who have pressed the bike harder than I have. In essence, I want to intelligently approach the 99 katana 600 limits on these tires. Any input is great appreciatted.

Years ago....

Rode the Macadam tires for 2 years running the same twisty (113 curves in 5.1 miles) with a group who had GSXRs, CBRRs, etc... Never could keep up, so I just rode it to my skill level.

Switched to better tires (then, dunlop sportmax) and... pushed the GSXRs up the hill because I have never learned how to pass safely running hard.. was ussually the one being passed...

You will see a difference...

That said... be careful dude...

Krey

[woobie]

You can lean a Kat all the way over running Z6's or their cousin the Strada. But like the others have said be careful. At that "pace" there not much room for error.

[thetable]

As to the tires, you could put plastic tires coated in Armor-All on there and have more traction than a 10 year old Macadam. Z6's will be fine, I liked them just fine, I just don't like the way they wear out.

Be careful who you ride with if you are riding with some of the DCSportbikes.neters. (I know I am jumping to conclusions here, but you are local so...) Some of them are very cool, but many ride like asses, and being that you are riding the slowest, you are also the most likely to get caught.

[woobie]

Be careful who you ride with if you are riding with some of the DCSportbikes.neters. (I know I am jumping to conclusions here, but you are local so...) Some of them are very cool, but many ride like asses, and being that you are riding the slowest, you are also the most likely to get caught.

LOL up here it's the GTAM group rides you need to watch out for.

[Shifty]

Timely thread. I'm getting my Z6's on as soon as my wheels come back from the powder coater. Couldn't be more excited to lose the Macadams.

[Zepp]

I would recommend the Conti Sport Attacks for any rider that rides aggressively and the Conti Road Attacks for everyone else on their Kats.

The Conti Sport Attacks grip amazingly well, I highly recommend them. They're as sticky as fly paper if you're going to ride aggressive, get them

The Z6 is a real good tire but the Conti is a GREAT tire

[Shifty]

I would recommend the Conti Sport Attacks for any rider that rides aggressively and the Conti Road Attacks for everyone else on their Kats.

The Conti Sport Attacks grip amazingly well, I highly recommend them. They're as sticky as fly paper if you're going to ride aggressive, get them

The Z6 is a real good tire but the Conti is a GREAT tire

Any idea how these two tires (namely the Road Attacks) wear in comparison to the Z6's?

[thetable]

LOL up here it's the GTAM group rides you need to watch out for.

Running from the law is a favorite past time over there, and the people aren't afraid to brag about it, and for many of the group rides, people are told in no uncertain words, not to bring the slowest bike, or they will be the one who gets to talk to Johny Law.

Any idea how these two tires (namely the Road Attacks) wear in comparison to the Z6's?

You had to pick one of the few tires, I haven't run.

My reading is basically that they wear fairly similarly to the Z6, maybe a hair faster, but they are a little more prone to going square because they have a little more of a triangular profile to start out with.

[Zepp]

Any idea how these two tires (namely the Road Attacks) wear in comparison to the Z6's?

They wear really well too, like the Z6's. There are several members on here that have the Road Attacks on their Kats now and they're very pleased with them

[woobie]

Running from the law is a favorite past time over there, and the people aren't afraid to brag about it, and for many of the group rides, people are told in no uncertain words, not to bring the slowest bike, or they will be the one who gets to talk to Johny Law.

It's not running from the law you have to worry about on GTAM rides, it's ending up on a flatbed. They stopped posting the carnage, uhmmm I mean results of group rides last year. But the year before it was normal for 3 or 4 bikes to come back in pieces on a 10 bike group ride.

[squiggy]

The purpose of getting a knee down is so that the bike stays more upright so as to not go to the edges of the tire, and beyond, and not to scrape hard parts.

When I had my Pilot Powers, I took a right hand turn so hard in angle, yet effortlessly, that I scraped the peg, the center stand and the exhaust mid pipe. I did not even realized how much I was leaned over because the tires laughed at what I gave them.

I was very impressed with those tires because of how they handled. They wore out quicker, only because they are a softer compound.

[Dynamic]

I have a bad habit of scraping the pegs, but I am still running stock tires. I might pick up Z6 or Avon Storm ST tires.