P130
FEATURE I METZELER SPORTEC 01 AND 01 RS TEST
tard tarmac snakes that gov-
ernments across the globe use
to patch up cracks in the road
instead of doing a real job and
resurfacing it didn't cause too
many front-end wiggles that
could get really out of hand if
you weren't paying attention.
Like the RS on track, the
front 01 delivers great brak
-
ing stability and quick turn-in,
while the rear has more than
enough edge and drive grip for
almost any type of street rid
-
ing this side of the Isle of Man.
This is where many riders
do themselves an injustice, at
least in my opinion. It's all
well and good having the lat-
est cut-slick sports tires, but
they don't hold up as well if
you are riding on the road 95
percent of the time.
Although we didn't hit any
wet roads on our test, I'd be
plenty happy to take a set of
01s out for a spin, but if I were
riding in an area that has lots
of rain, I'd still probably stick
with a set of M9s.
Mileage is still up for
debate, and whenever a tire
company quotes you numbers,
you may as well not listen.
Mileage is completely up to
you—you could make a set
of Racetec RRs last 10,000
miles if you're careful enough,
and the same is true for a set
of 01s. The 01 and 01 RS are
new tires anyway, so Metzeler
made no claim of increased
mileage at the launch. If you're
after pure longevity over sport
performance, there are other
tires in Metzeler's range that
would suit you better.
CN
A cruisy road
ride didn't get
even remotely
close to stressing
the 01. Even so,
transition speed
from left to right
was impressive,
as was braking
stability over
rough surfaces.