Metzler Z6 Interacts - sizing availability?

[mezalaja]

After doing some research and reading all the posts here on KR regarding different tires that people used and why, I finally settled on the Metzler Z6 Interacts. I was going to go with the 120/70 front and the 150/70 rear (again as per suggestions out here on the forums) but when I went to the bike shop yesterday to order a set they looked in the catalogue and apparently the rear 150/70 was not available. They did have a 160/60 and from what I read out here that size would also fit my 2003 Katana 750 with stock rims and swing arm so I went with that.

My question(s)

1. I am not that aggressive a rider (although I have been trying to lean more and more as of late) and most of my riding will be on hwy's over 100km/h and hopefully not in the rain! lol. I am pretty sure that, with the type of riding that I do, I wouldn't really be able to tell the difference between a 150/70 and a 160/60 rear. Would this be a correct assumption?

2. When do the different tire widths start to be a factor when riding? Only when carving and/or at extreme lean angles?

3. I found it odd that Metzler didn't have the 150/70 rear size available,... Anyone else encounter this? I am from Canada and I'm not sure if this would be a factor. I do know that this would be a tire that the shop is ordering and not one that he had in stock. (I actually saw the catalogue from his supplyer and it didn't have the 150/70 listed).

More curious than anything else,... I was pretty much on the fence between the different sizes and I guess that my mind was made up for me.

[Kreylyn]

After doing some research and reading all the posts here on KR regarding different tires that people used and why, I finally settled on the Metzler Z6 Interacts. I was going to go with the 120/70 front and the 150/70 rear (again as per suggestions out here on the forums) but when I went to the bike shop yesterday to order a set they looked in the catalogue and apparently the rear 150/70 was not available. They did have a 160/60 and from what I read out here that size would also fit my 2003 Katana 750 with stock rims and swing arm so I went with that.

My question(s)

1. I am not that aggressive a rider (although I have been trying to lean more and more as of late) and most of my riding will be on hwy's over 100km/h and hopefully not in the rain! lol. I am pretty sure that, with the type of riding that I do, I wouldn't really be able to tell the difference between a 150/70 and a 160/60 rear. Would this be a correct assumption?

2. When do the different tire widths start to be a factor when riding? Only when carving and/or at extreme lean angles?

3. I found it odd that Metzler didn't have the 150/70 rear size available,... Anyone else encounter this? I am from Canada and I'm not sure if this would be a factor. I do know that this would be a tire that the shop is ordering and not one that he had in stock. (I actually saw the catalogue from his supplyer and it didn't have the 150/70 listed).

More curious than anything else,... I was pretty much on the fence between the different sizes and I guess that my mind was made up for me.

Different tire types will have different profiles even among the same makers.

An example... the Continental "Conti-force" tires have a very low profile for a touring use. This gives a wider contact surface for tour styled riding, not the most responsive for tight twisties (they still hold the road, just not a real quick responce or *flickability* with them)

The Conti "Road Attacks" have a much higher profile comparatively... so they are much more "flicky" into and out of the curves.

That being said... the difference between a 150/70 and a 160/60 is minimal on the 4.5 rims, and does not really change the profile that much due to the decrease in profile size.

Most people here prefer the 160 on the post kats like yours.

Krey

[steves]

They do make a 150/70... it's what I have on both Suzuki's at the moment. Your dealer must be confused, or ordering from an strange catalog. Look it up online...

[diavolo]

The 150's aren't yet available in the INTERACT model, although you can get them in the standard Z6 model, unless they have started adding more sizes to the Interact line.

[JIB]

The 150's are not a real popular size and many makers do not have that size, but as said previously you can get the regular Z6. I have found the 150's are usually more expensive than the 160's due to availability.

[thetable]

160 tire typically has more lean angle, but that is pretty much thrown out the window with the Interacts, as they have much more lean angle available than any other sport touring tire on the market. On my Buell (all the same size tires) I was running to the edge of the tire, without problem, but with the Interacts, even dragging pegs, I still had almost a quarter inch of chicken strip.

[BigFish]

I ran into the same thing. If you have a post you can get the wider 160 tire. If it's the pre 150 is as wide as you want to go (without changing your rim) according to many others on this board.

I just ordered some Pilot Road 2CT's from Amazon.com for $294 shipped...and I got $30 off because I opened a store credit card with them, so the final price will be $264 shipped.

[HexKrak]

If I remember CP's original post correctly they were starting with the 160 being the smallest but were planing on releasing the 150 before too long. The 150 should already be available to EU markets, and will be coming to the US before too long unless their plans have changed.

[steves]

My bad. I saw Z6, and didn't realize you were referring to the interact... which is a different tire. On a 98+ you can run a 160/60 rear with no issue.

[mezalaja]

My bad. I saw Z6, and didn't realize you were referring to the interact... which is a different tire. On a 98+ you can run a 160/60 rear with no issue.

Thanks for everyone's help. After reading all the posts, I was debating between the Conti Road Attacks and the Metzler Z6 or Z6 Interacts. I figured I'd try the Metzler's this time and see how they were and how long they last and then try the Conti next time. One more question:

Is there much of a difference between the Z6 and the interacts? I know that the construction of the tire is a little different,... but has anyone ridden both sets?

The reason why I am asking is because I can still choose between the two,... I know that the Interacts are newer and therefore have newer technology behind the design but newer doesn't always equal better.

[HexKrak]

From what I read, the interacts should get quite a few more miles and grip better at the same time. If you can, I'd recommend them. Metzler has yet to disappoint me.

[thetable]

There is a fair difference between the two. As far as I'm concerned, the only real similarity is the tread design.

The Interact has a more aggressive side profile, and the Z6 is more of a round tire.

The Z6 communicates well when it is at the limits of adhesion (they start to hop), where the Interact just lets go. (Of course there could have been debris involved.)

They both wore fairly well for me. I never finished the Interacts, but they looked like they would outlast the Z6 by a little bit. All that said, I would run the Interacts again.