Your motorcycle tyres are incredibly important to your handling ability, comfort and safety on the road. But with so many different tyre brands on the market, how do you know which is the one for you?
To help make the decision process a little easier, Canstar Blue surveyed hundreds of motorcycle riders across the country and asked them to rate their tyres across a range of research criteria, forming our customer satisfaction ratings.
Here is a guide to the brands included in the findings and details on what they offer Aussie riders.
Bridgestone tyres
One of the world’s oldest and most recognisable tyre brands, Bridgestone has a significant presence in Australia and its motorcycle tyres are available from outlets across New South Wales, Victoria, Queensland, South Australia and Western Australia.
Bridgestone provides motorcycle tyres for road, circuit, Motocross, off-road and cruisers. In fact Bridgestone says its success in both motorcycle and kart racing means “you get the best when it comes to your passion”.
Bridgestone says its high-performance road tyres are born of technologies developed and refined around race circuits, so they’re equally at home cruising, touring or pushing your motorbike’s limits on the track.
Survey respondents who own Bridgestone tyres scored the brand favourably across the board, particularly in regards to offering good value for money.
Dunlop tyres
Owned by the Goodyear Tire and Rubber Company, Dunlop is a popular tyre brand on every continent from North America to Asia and right here in Australia. It produces one of the most extensive ranges of two-wheeler and ATV tyres “because we believe you should use a tyre that matches your bike, your preferences and riding ability perfectly”.
Dunlop encourages customers to ride with confidence, no matter what surface that happens to be on, and promises to have the right high-performance tyres to suit your needs.
Survey respondents who own Dunlop tyres scored the brand three-star ratings across the board.
When to change your motorcycle tyres
Metzeler tyres
This German company has been manufacturing motorcycle tyres for more than 100 years, including 50 years in Australia, and aims to “meet motorcyclists’ toughest tyre demands with unflagging innovation”, while setting trends for others to follow.
Metzeler promises longevity and uncompromising performances with its classic design tyres and its mission is to constantly develop “state-of-the-art technological products aimed to answer riders’ needs and expectations”. It says its riders are competent, choose only the best performing tyres for their motorcycles and do not compromise on safety and reliability.
Survey respondents who own Metzeler tyres scored the brand well across most criteria, particularly in regards to stopping ability.
Michelin tyres
One of the biggest tyre manufactures in the world, Michelin says its motorcycle tyres provide “maximum safety in all circumstances” and will “keep you in control of your machine whatever happens”. Michelin is particularly proud of its products’ grip and ability to cope well in wet conditions.
The brand encourages customers to “live their passion with Michelin” and says its competition-developed tyres give you even more sensations. Michelin tyres can be tested for up to two years in competition before a mass market version is made available. Therefore it promises “the best aspects of racing tyres in your everyday tyres”.
Survey respondents who own Michelin tyres gave the brand five-star ratings in almost every category, including value for money, stopping ability and wet weather handling. It was also the only one to earn top marks for tyre life.
As well as impressing for its motorcycle tyres, Michelin also picked up Canstar Blue’s customer satisfaction award for car tyres.
Pirelli tyres
Synonymous with motor racing across the world, Pirelli is a global brand and has a significant presence in Australia, providing motorcycle tyres for every occasion. It promises the best grip for any driving style and says its engineers and technicians are committed to providing the best in terms of quality, performance and reliability.
Survey respondents who own Pirelli tyres scored the brand favourably across the board, including a five-star rating for wet weather handling. It was also the only brand to earn top marks for dry weather conditions.
In addition, Pirelli is also the winner of a Canstar Blue award for car tyres.
Click here to read our customer satisfaction ratings for motorcycle tyres.
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