Tyre options I have tried on my Tiger 1050
Michelin Pilot Roads
My Tiger 1050 was delivered new with a pair of Michelin Pilot Roads. The profile is rounder than the BT 020's which I
preferred on my 955i. The Pilots suit the 1050 Tiger well and with the wider profile I have much more grip on the new Tiger.
They even coped with the Scottish monsoon season. The pictures below show the tyres at 6,400 miles after I had ridden
back from my first Trackday. The wear rate is excellent considering how much stick I had given them. The centre of the
rear was very flat but the front tyre had none of the cupping I experienced from Metzeler Tourance's at the same mileage on
my 955i.



In 2008 a group test in Bike Magazine rated the Dunlop
Roadsmart 3TC tyres the best sport/tourer tyre. They were
MCN's product of the year. So I bought a pair. These Dunlops
were lapping the Bike test track 1.5 seconds faster than Pilot
Road 2's. In the UK the Dunlops are £30 cheaper.
TIP: The Dunlop Roadsmart's were covered in release agent
and very slippery at first. I nearly high sided pulling out of my
road. After a few gentle corners they settled in OK.
I was expecting a real difference going from a squared-off tyre
to a new one but the Tiger 1050 felt exactly the same. On my
955i the difference with new tyres was like night and day.
Strange the 1050 does not respond the same way!
Update: These Dunlop Roadsmart's are simply brilliant, I
have had a second set fitted to my Tiger. I covered 6,000
miles on my first set including 4 track days at Rockingham,
Brands Hatch, Donnington and Snetterton, I toured the Alps &
the Pyrenees and commuted 150 miles a day. Give them a try,
you will not be disappointed.


I am convinced that my Dunlop Roadsmart 3TC are the best tyres for the Tiger 1050. Being dual compound the wear rate
on motorways is good and the edges can be made extra grippy. Compare the edges of my Dunlops right after a track day
with the Pilot roads left. Both sets of tyres give me 6,000 road miles.