Motorcycle touring tires are getting longer lasting and more aggressive tread with more silica in the base rubber compounds.
Metzeler figures they’ve got the solution with the new “O” version of their new Roadtec Z8 Interact tire in 190/55 ZR 17 size, for heavy sport-touring bikes like BMW’s K1600s, Honda’s VFR1200 and the Triumph Trophy.
It’s supposed to have 30 per cent longer life than their previous “C” version of the tire. It’s a dual-compound tire, with 100 per cent silica content on the shoulders, and high silica content in the middle stripe. That’s supposed to reduce slip in general, but especially on wet surfaces – something you can’t avoid during serious touring.