Featured New Tires For My Bonnie

Good choice and I continue to be puzzled if Triumph are still fitting the substandard Phantoms at the factory.

Enjoy more confident twists and turns

 

Yup those Pirelli's are pretty Naff, first thing I junked when I bought my Bonnie 3 yrs ago

 

I put a set of Avon Road Riders on mine at around 3000 miles.
It was like a different bike straight away.

 

Agreed, I put Avon Road Riders on my 2017 Street Cup after 2000 miles because the handling got twitchy

 

Seems to be a common theme for other models as well?
My tiger 900 was transformed when I replaced the original tires with Michelin anakee adventures

 

Why would a premium Bike manufacturer skimp on the one thing thats crucial to handling and safety?
If ihey were £3K Chinese knock off's fair enough, but Triumph isn't

 

which is why I don't trust road testers who get all expense paid trips to exotic locations to evaluate any motorcycles. Every first ride road test I've read never called out the phantoms for what they are. junk.

 

I think Pirelli must offer the manufacturers an unbeatable price, as the Phantoms seem to be standard equipment for retros like Bonnies, Interceptors and I think the new Gold Star. Cost is everything these days.

I junked the Phantoms for Avon Road Riders on both my T120 and Interceptor and the difference is very marked.

 

I binned mine within 200 miles. Bloody dangerous on the twisty stuff round here, especially when damp. They certainly don't inspire confidence.
Does anybody actually like the Phantoms?

 

Hmmm, could it be related to $$$??? Stock tires, in general, seem to be what I call "place holders". What the bike comes with but that you change at the first opportunity. For me the other things like that (but far less critical!!) are the grips, seat, and exhaust. None of those are nearly as important as a bikes tires. And who really wants to replace one's tires straightaway when you just paid good money for the bike?

 

Couldn't agree with you more Sandi T I would make the bean counters have first ride on the new models on a wet autumn day and ask if they still thought those tyres were a godd idea!!

 

The original tyres are specially made by Pirelli for Triumph and other manufacturers, they have approx half the tread depth of an “off the shelf” tyre and are sold at a bargain basement price to the bike manufacturers which is why they use them, I wouldn’t be surprised if they are also a different compound for cheapness.
The Michelins fitted to my Thruxton 1200 were ok but the profile of the front tyre was too shallow for a bike with semi sporting pretentions, I swapped to Pirelli Diablos within a couple of weeks of getting the bike and immediately got much better “drop in” and feel.

 

Just to be as clear as mud, Avon tyres has been a subsidiary of Cooper tyres since the 90's and it announced UK tyre production would be halted at the end of last year and Cooper tyres has been a subsidiary of Goodyear tyres since 2021 so global domination remains a constant

 

The Phantoms they fit to new bikes have approx half the tread depth of a phantom that you buy off the shelf, they are made at a lower price for the manufacturers, I’m guessing they are a cheaper compound as well, anyway , they aren’t very good!