Michelin Pilot Street vs Bridgestone BT46?

[Guest]

Hi,

 

Getting the factory CST removed off of my 125 and had thought the bridgestone BT46 were a good choice. Local dealer advised the michlin pilot street are a better match for a 125?

 

Just wondering if anyone who has lots of experience on 125 tires knows which is the best? I wont be riding like a maniac, just commuting and getting used to riding for a year or two before i get a bigger bike (if i do).

 

Reviews online are good for both.

 

Thanks in advance.

[ChrisBiggsUK]

I had a Pilot Street put on the rear tyre of my 125 not to long ago and am having a pilot street on the front on Tuesday.

I've had no problems with the pilot street so far.  It was reasonably priced, managed to wear it in quickly, and it seems to do its job.  Feels a lot more 'slippery' in wet weather compared to the old, worn tyre that was removed (Pirelli City Demon), but that could be a purely psychological thing on my part as the tyre is very well worn in now so it isn't 'new tyre' related.  Though, that being said, I have heard rumblings that the pilot street isn't great in wet weather.  

All I can say with certainty about the pilot street is that it fit my bike, my budget, and has kept me upright over the winter in the worst of weathers, managed well pootling round town, and kept me firmly stuck to the road while tearing down national speed limit country roads.  I'm happy with it and happy being more cautious in wet weather to counteract the real or perceived slipperiness.  Keeps me on my toes.

[RideWithStyles]

All the big tyre manufacturers make great tyres, the buyer needs to make a good choice for them and their needs.

You can’t go wrong with either but they are for very different people.

 

The Michelins are designed to honestly cope with everything very well in all sorts of weathers and conditions by what I’d call a Goldilocks effect. Bridgestones are a little bit narrower band width to work best in, imho.

Now the reason Chris might say slippy effect will be down to the softer carcass of the tyre compared to Pirelli or what ever he could have had on before like a Bridgestone.
so it’s technically more comfortable with the same pressure in, you could put more pressure in to give it a harder feel, though taking it out of a hard carcass is difficult to get right. 

the only could be viewed as a negative is how or what you prefer they tyre to communicate to you, some prefer the tyre to shout and tell them everything what it’s doing (bridgestone) while others will think it’s too hard, plasticity and uncomfortable, while others will want a quieter ride (mich) but the other side of that is some will not know what it’s doing and can’t trust it as it’s not telling them enough even though the tyre is working well in the conditions.

 

me personally im inbetween, so I stick to Pirelli/Metzelers and Contis, the wife prefered the Pirellis over the contis, but if I had to choose the between the bridge and Mich, I’d go with the mich and cope with the lower talk than have the hard crashy shouty one but that’s just me, I had less issues and never had grip problems with any Michs what so ever but believing the tyre not saying much in terrible conditions I found the hardest aspect with them.

the Bridgestone are not shite, they have there fans and that’s fine for them, but I found them just hard, unforgiving, tiresome, and had a grip issue twice with them, not enough for me to crash with them but I certainly didn’t want to push my luck with them at any time and was glad to have them off the bike…its just not what I want out of a tyre.

 

everyone will have they’re needs and wants, you’ll need to try them and see what works for you.

Edited February 27 by RideWithStyles
Autocorrect

[Guest]

7 hours ago, ChrisBiggsUK said:

I had a Pilot Street put on the rear tyre of my 125 not to long ago and am having a pilot street on the front on Tuesday.

I've had no problems with the pilot street so far.  It was reasonably priced, managed to wear it in quickly, and it seems to do its job.  Feels a lot more 'slippery' in wet weather compared to the old, worn tyre that was removed (Pirelli City Demon), but that could be a purely psychological thing on my part as the tyre is very well worn in now so it isn't 'new tyre' related.  Though, that being said, I have heard rumblings that the pilot street isn't great in wet weather.  

All I can say with certainty about the pilot street is that it fit my bike, my budget, and has kept me upright over the winter in the worst of weathers, managed well pootling round town, and kept me firmly stuck to the road while tearing down national speed limit country roads.  I'm happy with it and happy being more cautious in wet weather to counteract the real or perceived slipperiness.  Keeps me on my toes.

Too late now ordered the bridgestones lol. But to be fair as i am such a new rider i don't think i'll use either to their potential so hopefully i wont crash and explode. Reviews for Bt46 are good, especially in the wet.

[Guest]

6 hours ago, RideWithStyles said:

All the big tyre manufacturers make great tyres, the buyer needs to make a good choice for them and their needs.

You can’t go wrong with either but they are for very different people.

 

The Michelins are designed to honestly cope with everything very well in all sorts of weathers and conditions by what I’d call a Goldilocks effect. Bridgestones are a little bit narrower band width to work best in, imho.

Now the reason Chris might say slippy effect will be down to the softer carcass of the tyre compared to Pirelli or what ever he could have had on before like a Bridgestone.
so it’s technically more comfortable with the same pressure in, you could put more pressure in to give it a harder feel, though taking it out of a hard carcass is difficult to get right. 

the only could be viewed as a negative is how or what you prefer they tyre to communicate to you, some prefer the tyre to shout and tell them everything what it’s doing (bridgestone) while others will think it’s too hard, plasticity and uncomfortable, while others will want a quieter ride (mich) but the other side of that is some will not know what it’s doing and can’t trust it as it’s not telling them enough even though the tyre is working well in the conditions.

 

me personally im inbetween, so I stick to Pirelli/Metzelers and Contis, the wife prefered the Pirellis over the contis, but if I had to choose the between the bridge and Mich, I’d go with the mich and cope with the lower talk than have the hard crashy shouty one but that’s just me, I had less issues and never had grip problems with any Michs what so ever but believing the tyre not saying much in terrible conditions I found the hardest aspect with them.

the Bridgestone are not shite, they have there fans and that’s fine for them, but I found them just hard, unforgiving, tiresome, and had a grip issue twice with them, not enough for me to crash with them but I certainly didn’t want to push my luck with them at any time and was glad to have them off the bike…its just not what I want out of a tyre.

 

everyone will have they’re needs and wants, you’ll need to try them and see what works for you.

THanks, as i am such a new/inexperienced rider and going by reviews i think either would be good as i am not going anywhere near the grip limits of either i dont think. Or atleast i hope not lol

[Guest]

Bridgestones feel amazing. Can't recommend them highly enough.  Not that i'm Captain experience of tyres, but vs the CST tyres i had on they feel just more..."planted" and handle a little bit of cold and wet without a hiccup and not 1 single twitch.

[Simon Davey]

Thanks for the update @laughsatcats