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accurately test tire and vehicle dynam- ics in simulated rain events. With over 20 turns, dependent on configuration, the circuit took full advantage of over 25 feet in elevation changes with a design of uphill and downhill turns featuring decreasing radius and off- camber as well as flat corners. After guiding us on the first two
laps, an instructor soon pulled in and left us to our own devices. The first, dry half of the circuit proved challeng- ing, but the saturated sections proved the story of the trip to me. My group increased speeds lap after lap until it was obvious the front bite of the Road- tec 01s was phenomenal. I found myself braking later every lap, all the while increasing cornering speed far beyond my expectations. Periodic stops every six laps or so allowed us to swap bikes and start the dance over, heading out on a different bike and increasing the speeds lap after lap. I wish I could say it was natural talent or great instruction, but the instructor
stayed out of the way and the talent, much like your cell phone, has a data cap on it. Whether I tried one of the Yamaha MT 09s or 07s, the BMW S1000XR or the Honda CB1000R, I pushed harder each lap and the tires just stuck. I wish Metzeler had taken photos of the smiles on our faces when pulled our helmets off as that would describe the tires better than any prose could. If anyone would have told me the 3,000
meter high-speed oval that closed the day would have been anti-climactic at the start of the day, I would have laughed. So Met- zeler provides a BMW S1000RR, Kawasaki ZX-14R and Z1000SX as well as a Suzuki GSX-S 1000 and it proved dull? Humorously enough in liability driven
America, the session started with a very specific set of instructions from our Italian instructor “Go have fun.” As my group looked at each other and a couple of us attempted to ask for specific details, we were given a wave of his hand and a slightly more emphatic admonishment to have fun and were sent on our way.
Ostensibly we were limited to 160 kilo-
meters in the first turn and three laps per bike. In the scientific interests of fun the speeds hovered over 250 kilometers per hour, and four-lap sprints ruled the session. Consistent and steady with predictable turn-in and zero fade, the Roadtec 01s solidified their impressions as the day closed. Whether on the freight train of torque in the ZX-14 or the rocketship of speed with the BMW, the Roadtecs never wavered. No wiggle or squirm under high- speed braking and no fade regardless of speed. The true underlying story here may be a
non-story in many ways. The Roadtec 01s flat worked in every condition tested. They proved to be tires that didn’t waver under conditions that would have exceeded the limits of grip for most sport bike tires from five years ago. The passion on display from Piero Misani to every factory employee to every instructor is no doubt baked into every Metzeler tire. It doesn’t take passion to take advantage of that formula—just good common sense.
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BMW OWNERS NEWS August 2016
member tested
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