2006 Kat 750 Rear Tire (to stock size or not)

[pnwkat]

Fellow riders:

I have a 2006 Katana 750 with stock size tires:
Front tire: 120/70-ZR17 currently Michelin Pilot Power 2CT
Rear tire: 150/70-ZR17 currently Michelin Pilot Road 2

I'm about to get a new rear tire.

The problem, Michelin doesn't make rear a Pilot Power 2CT in stock size.
However, there is a rear Pilot Power in the stock size.
Michelin does make a rear Pilot Power 2CT in 160/60ZR17, which is wider than the stock size.

The question: Would you stick to the stock size and get the non 2CT tire or switch to the wider 160/60ZR17 to get the 2CT tire? More danger to having a wider tire, throw off the speedo, impact lean angle, etc?

Regardless of your answer, please include your reasoning.

Keep in mind I tend to ride more aggressive and go to track days.

Thanks for your time and knowledge.

Pilot Power 2CT

http://www.michelinmotorcycle.com/index.cfm?event=pilotpower2ct

Pilot Power

http://www.michelinmotorcycle.com/index.cfm?event=pilotpower

[cintidude04]

You'll be fine with the 160/60 PP 2ct. It is what I was running when I had post wheels on my build.

[rexazz2]

make sure you check their fitment guide
I went with a 170 continental for the look and it was recomended for the stock rim width

http://katriders.com/vb/showthread.php?t=109073&highlight=continental

I am a slab rider so I wear out the center way before the edges but do notice a new tire rolls into a corner much smoother
When I wear out a tire it feels like it falls into a lean

[steves]

The bandit came stock with essentially that same wheel and a 160/60. I don't find much difference in the sizes overall.

In order of "grippy-ness" from most to least
2ct
pp
pilot road 2

[scottynoface]

2ct FTW

[JayBell]

as a note, the 2CT is being discontinued, and is being replaced with the "Power Pure"

drop a 160/60 on no probs, i've been rolling a `160/60 Michelin Pilot Power, or 2Cts since I started riding.

[steves]

Reports of the Power Pure, is that they are crap.

[Wild-Bill]

Michellin's tire fitment guide lists the 150-width tire as recommended for the post Kats but they routinely recommend 160-width tires for other bikes with 4.5" rims.

[scottynoface]

Reports of the Power Pure, is that they are crap.

I'm with this guy, I havent heard many positive reviews of them. Same grip as the PP 2ct with worse feel, plus you cant ride on them in the rain.

[thetable]

Wouldn't waste my money on the pure or the PP 2ct. PPower isn't a bad tire, but for my money I'd go Q2 if you want a proper sport tire, it's just a better tire.

Now that being said, I've passed plenty of people running proper sport tires on a Connie running the PR2 and PR3, course then again, I've passed quite a few with the KLR on DOT knobbies too. As the old saying goes, it's probably not the arrow that makes the biggest difference. I'm not saying I'm all that, but I am saying, the tires probably aren't the thing holding you back.

Yeah, a 160/60 fits just fine on a post Kat.

[hardlydangerous]

The power pure is basically a DOT track tire/hypersport tire.
very light, very soft compound with 80% of the rear tire a softer compound then the 20% down the middle.
my customers run them on the VFR1200 and 2010 VMAX... they last 10k km.
these are great tires but will wear fast on light bikes that spin a lot.

the 2CT tires are the better tire and the power pure is a 2ct tire as well

before I spent any money on another set of Michelin tires I would buy Conti sport attacks or Shinko Apex

[thetable]

The power pure is basically a DOT track tire/hypersport tire.

No, the Power One is the DOT track tire. The Pure was supposed to be the replacement for the Power 2ct, but it doesn't have any more grip, and it gives no and/or bad feedback so you can't tell what it's doing. The only thing the Pure has going for it is weight.

For anyone that can get them to last 6000 miles, tell them the handlebar grip on the right is the throttle.

[hardlydangerous]

Power one is a DOT track tire and Replaced the pilot race
power pure is a track hypersort tire
power 2ct is a supersport tire

Anyone who says they have no feed back or better grip has no idea about what they are talking about.
same tire compound as the power one... lighter then the power 2ct