Ducati 959 Panigale Forum banner

Rear Tire Wear

17K views 34 replies 13 participants last post by  959Desmo 
#1 ·
Not sure if anyone has had their bike long enough to wear out a rear tire, but I was just curious as to what brand / model people are considering as replacement rubber? I agree with the philosophy of tires being the last place you want to cut costs, so the OEM Pirellis are most likely my first choice as a replacement when the time comes. Obviously a lot depends on the type / level of riding done on the bike, traction control, slipper settings, etc.. I would go through a rear (Pilot Road 4) every 3 months or 2000 miles with my 2001 S4. Of course that is flattening out the center of the tire not the edges! I think a lot of the wear came from engine braking so I would expect the 959 with all the electronic aids to yield a lower wear rate. Just something to ponder.
 
#3 ·
I'll probably keep the OEM Pirellis, the rubber is soft and I'm guessing maybe 2000 miles for a rear and it's done but the TC is calibrated for this tire as mentioned.
 
#9 ·
I got this email this morning, not the news I wanted to hear.

Hello

We think the PR is a little bit optimistic because the 180/60-17 Rosso III is not in the production plan for 2016. We feel it is related to Ducati picking the Rosso III in that size as OE for a new bike. As it is very rare for an OE to go backwards and test a new tire on a bike introduced a year or two before. We hope this helps.

Pirelli Moto Consumer Affairs
800 747-3554
 
#10 ·
I got this email this morning, not the news I wanted to hear.

Hello

We think the PR is a little bit optimistic because the 180/60-17 Rosso III is not in the production plan for 2016. We feel it is related to Ducati picking the Rosso III in that size as OE for a new bike. As it is very rare for an OE to go backwards and test a new tire on a bike introduced a year or two before. We hope this helps.

Pirelli Moto Consumer Affairs
800 747-3554
Wow, that sucks. Tbh, i haven't done much research on the tires at all. Do you recommend going with the rossa II or the corsa?
 
#13 ·
I wouldn't think the OEM Pirellis would have a whole lot of grip in the wet given the tread design. I personally only ride in the wet by mistake! lol! So I just dial it back and take it slow.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Lastknight0
#15 ·
I had Rosso II's on my 1098, loved them, went through 2 sets but I don't ride super hard. Rosso III's would be a logical step, especially if you commute a lot.
From what I understand and have been told Rosso II and Corsa's use the same dual compounds on the rear, just the Rosso II uses a larger are of the harder compound in the middle. It stands to good reason when you watch the wear patterns. Obviously water dispersion is better on the Rosso II and probably III.
 
#16 ·
I wouldn't think there would be a whole lot of issues going from a 60 to a 55 rear. Worst case scenario you change the rear ride height? Guess I'll have to test that one. I've run several different brand slicks on my 1199 and have not noticed any issues with the rider aids. Dunlop's are a bit taller than Pirelli's so I did adjust the ride height. Both manufacturers have sizing charts available that list the height differences between the different brand / model tires.
 
#18 ·
I tried a ton of different tires over the past few years on my Monster S4 for the same reason. I found that the Michelin Pilot Road 4 gave me the best wear rates and still had plenty of edge grip for aggressive riding. Also, a very good tire in the wet.
 
#21 ·
So, the 190/55 is supposed to have a dramatic (bad) effect on the traction control? Hmmm. The 180/60's circumference changes as the center wears. Its circumference at one point will equal a new 190/55 on the 5.5" rim yet the TC still works. I doubt the effects are anywhere near as dramatic as people try to claim. I doubt most people saying how bad it is have never had a 190/55 on their 959.
 
#22 ·
It was Jarel J., the GM of Ducati Omaha, that first identified this issue on the 899 site and it wasn't a bad influence on TC that was raised. Simply that the reduction of the circuference would begin to trigger the intervention sooner as grip was gradually reduced.

i know that the BMW ECU will calculate the optimal throttle in addition to the TC as the tire wears to modulate the amount of torque applied to the tire as well and it was assumed that the Panigale system was equally as smart.
 
#24 ·
I am sure they do. With the DTC set to low intervention they likely work fine. However, the theory is that the TC is capable of detecting the tire is worn and will retard the power earlier on higher settings, so you are leaving torque on the table.

Conceptually, I am not sure why this is difficult to accept. The ECU takes readings from the wheel speed and determines if it should intervene. If those tolerances are not within certain parameters, it will act. It is only doing its job sooner.
 
#25 ·
I agree with @Rinzlr and @sinjin. The modern TC systems are not reliant on tire circumferences to operate properly. I would say the main concern with changing a tire profile would be your basic geometry setup. But that can easily be compensated for. You will see some variation in total circumference between tire brands even though they are labeled as the same size.
 
#26 ·
I have 190/55

Never had TC problems. Then again even with TC off, this bike doesnt snap or lose traction as easy as people think.

Currenlty have TC set at 2, ABS at 3 while riding around street.

I had a mate who have 180/50 Angels who did have the factory set TC light a little, simple adjusted it lower.

There are plenty of track riders running 190/60, 200/55 and 200/60 tires without TC problems.

I get more TC problems from wheelies............
 
#30 ·
From page 61 of the 959 manual:
"
DTC
The instrument panel displays DTC status as follows:
-
-
-
-
if DTC is active, DTC indication and the rectangle
with the Traction Control intervention level
number (1 to 8) will be displayed steady on;
if DTC is active, but system is in degraded
operation due to a fault, DTC indication and the
rectangle including the DTC intervention level
number, 1 to 8 (flashing); also the DTC warning
light starts flashing;
if DTC is disabled, DTC indication and the
rectangle with the steady symbol "- -";
if DTC is in fault or the Black Box is in fault, DTC
indication and the rectangle with the flashing "- -"
symbol; the DTC light turns steady on as well and
the corresponding error is displayed.
"
Page 66
"
In the case of minor differences, such as tires of a
different make and/or model than the OE ones, but
with the same size (rear = 180/60ZR17; front =
120/70 ZR17), it may be sufficient to select the
suitable level setting from those available in order to
restore optimal system operation.
If tires of a different size class are used or if the tire
dimensions differ significantly from the original tires,
it may be that the system operation is affected to the
point where none of the 8 available level settings will
give satisfactory results. In this case is it is advisable
to deactivate the traction control system.
"
 
#35 ·
Thought I'd add my 5 cents worth since I own a 959 & changed my stock Pirelli Rosso Corsa 180/60 (which was worn down to the steel threads) to a Pirelli Rosso III 190/55. I now have TC issues taking off, which could not be resolved by reducing the TC to it's lowest setting. I tried every TC setting which had no effect on TC kicking in every time I would take off from a stop, which in turn causes the bike to splutter when TC kicks in. I couldn't work out why this was occurring as the new 190/55 Rosso III circumference was somewhere between the original 180/60 Corsa circumference when it was new to worn.
 
This is an older thread, you may not receive a response, and could be reviving an old thread. Please consider creating a new thread.
Top