From Metzeler Australia: Metzeler have releaaed four brand new tyres to broaden their range. The SPORTEC M9 RR, ROADTEC 01 SE, RACETEC TD Slick and ROADTEC Scooter are the new products strengthening the brand’s range in their relative segments. We are off to Spain shortly to test the M9 RR on the track and on the road, so stay tuned for a full review…
The four brand new tyres that Metzeler will release in 2020 are:
- The SPORTEC M9 RR, the successor of the multi-award-winning SPORTEC M7 RR.
- The ROADTEC 01 SE, an evolution of ROADTEC 01, available in radial sizes for owners of naked, supersport and sport-touring bikes who are looking for improved handling and sportier performance.
- The RACETEC TD Slick, a new slick tyre for track-day lovers and club racers.
- The ROADTEC Scooter, a tyre designed for urban mobility, commuting and the sport-touring use.
SPORTEC M9 RR
Metzeler states that the SPORTEC M9 RR promises various improvements over the SPORTTEC M7 RR. The SPORTEC M9 RR, as you may guess from the name, has a strong connection to its predecessor and its roots.
Metzeler says the SPORTEC M9 RR combines the typical versatility of day-to-day use with the brand’s competitive experience in road racing, building on the important legacy of the SPORTEC M7 RR, a tyre that boasts an impressive list of awards and recognitions. This is completed with the most recent technological advances from the German brand’s research and development activity.
The SPORTEC M9 RR has been designed for supersport and nakedbikes, with a sporty riding style and who use their bikes almost every day and in all conditions, from the urban jungle to the winding weekend roads, and are looking for improved performance: riders who want a great experience and sporty performance even in wet conditions, primarily on the road but with the option to take their bike on the track as well. The full SPORTEC M9 RR range includes three front tyres sizes and nine rears.
ROADTEC 01 SE
Following the success of the multi-award-winning ROADTEC 01 since 2015 in the sport-touring tyre segment, Metzeler has decided to introduce the new ROADTEC 01 SE.
The ROADTEC 01 SE radial range completes Metzeler’s catalogue, consolidating the strengths of the ROADTEC 01—its exceptional performance in wet conditions and high mileage—enhancing sports characteristics in terms of the grip and agility needed by supersport, naked and sport-touring riders.
To meet sports requirements that imply high performance at sharp leaning angles, the tread design for the ROADTEC 01 SE builds on that of the ROADTEC 01, with evolution towards a tyre with a slicker shoulder, optimising drive with a greater surface area in contact with the asphalt.
The front models of the ROADTEC 01 SE inherit the latest version of the full-silica compound used for the ROADTEC 01 and feature the same tread pattern in the middle section, Metzeler states is a key aspect of its exceptional grip on low-friction surfaces. The shoulders are slicker, and the relative structural refinement optimises performance through half and full lean, improving agility and stability.
The rear models of the ROADTEC 01 SE use a bi-compound and, as for the front, feature a sportier evolution of the ROADTEC 01 tread pattern, aimed at offering greater grip at steeper lean angles together with comfort on long routes and winding roads.
RACETEC TD Slick
RACETEC TD Slick joins the range of Metzeler racing slick tyres, dedicated to riders and club racers for competition and training use.
The RACETEC TD Slick is a slick tyre for the track that is quick and easy to use. It can also be used without tyre warmers and does not require any special bike set-up to offer optimal performance.
Metzeler says the key features of the RACETEC TD Slick include optimal performance, uniformity of yield even after several sessions, versatility for different track surfaces and operating temperatures, high resistance to abrasion and the option to reverse the direction of rotation of the rear tyres between sessions if the circuit configuration generates more wear on one side.
Metzeler also says that the RACETEC TD Slick has been designed for riders that want the advantages of a slick product but without the need for additional racing equipment (stands, tyre warmers, generators, etc.) or a highly tuned bike set-up and suspension, as are normally needed with slick racing tyres.
The RACETEC TD Slick is aimed at all riders who do not want to go without slick tyres on the track, at expert riders who want a plug-and-play product for long free sessions, and at club riders who need a tyre with endurance mileage and an excellent quality/price ratio that allows them to focus on improving lap times for the whole race weekend. The new tyre will be available in four sizes at 17 inches: 120/70 front and 180/55, 190/55 and 200/55 rear.
ROADTEC Scooter
The ROADTEC Scooter is the new tyre developed by Metzeler for all types of scooters with wheels from 10 to 16 inches. The ROADTEC Scooter boasts extreme flexibility and versatility, meets the broadest range of weather, temperature and road-surface conditions, in urban areas and beyond.
Metzeler say that the ROADTEC Scooter guarantees greater grip on wet and low-friction surfaces, over a greater range of temperatures and improved handling compared to it’s predecessors
The tread design of this new tyre is directly based on the ROADTEC 01, specifically developed to allow use of a system partially based on siping. The primary benefits of this regard warm-up and comfort, as the siping contributes to the deformability of the tread, and first-class grip on low-friction surfaces, guaranteed by the recognisable ROADTEC 01 groove pattern.
Compared to its predecessors, the ROADTEC Scooter features a rounder profile to increase the tread contact area, and a more rigid structure to support the profile and improve handling.
Finally, the ROADTEC Scooter compounds feature a high percentage of silica for greater control in wet conditions and use at a greater range of temperatures. All ROADTEC Scooter rear radial tyres use a bi-compound.
For more information about Metzeler’s new range of tyres, visit the Metzeler website or visit the Casson’s website.