Motorcycle Tyres for BMW S1000RR Motorcycle
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When you're looking for tyres for a BMW S1000RR motorcycle, you probably aren't heading over to the bargain bin. The S1000RR is a bike with over 85 major race wins and it makes sense to put top performance tyres on a top performance bike.
However, those who race regularly know that tyre consumption is one of the biggest overheads of their sport. 30% of BMW S1000RR motorcycles are only ridden on the track, so for many riders, it makes sense to watch price too. For those who rely on them for everyday road use, some of the features of the top brands could be an expensive irrelevance.
The first thing you need to establish is your rear wheel size. The front wheel uses a 120, but different variants of the S1000RR have been fitted with rear tyres of 180, 190 and 200mm widths. Early models even had 16.5" front and 16" rear rims instead of the 17" standard now.
In practice, tyre codes are approximations. The actual dimensions of 190s and 200s actually overlap, so it isn't surprising if some riders successfully interchange them. However, BMW strongly advises against fitting anything other than what is designated in your manual or originally fitted. The ECM was factory calibrated for those tyres, so introducing a mismatch could impair dynamic traction and damping controls (DTC and DDC).
Most people want a 120/70 ZR 17 at the front and 190/55 ZR 17 at the back: 70 or 55 denoting the profile (tread height) and 17 the rims. The ZR speed rating is the recommended minimum for unmodified road bikes. This confuses people too, as ZR sets an upper limit of 149mph, and as such is not as high as the W designation. W and above are fine to fit, but more expensive, so if your bike doesn't push past 149mph, you can save a little money with ZRs.
Choosing the Right Tyres for the BMW S1000RR
Here is a selection of top options based on user reviews and expert tests.
Metzeler tyres were rated top by Motorcycle News in race track tests. Metzeler Sportec (M7 RR) dominated track tests and Metzeler Roadtecs won for road touring (01, Z6, Z8). BMW often ship with Metzelers or with tyres from the Bridgestone Battlax range (S20, S21, T30, BT-020).
The Conti SportAttack 2 is often preferred by riders for easier handling and the RoadAttack is also a great tyre choice. Pirelli Diablo Rosso Corsa and Diablo Super Corsa SP and SC are also deservedly popular choices.
At the extremes, Dunlop Sportmax GP Racer D211 and D212 are premium priced, whilst the Michelin Pilot range offer several good compromises between price, handling and durability.