Metzeler Launches New Roadtec 01 Sport-Touring Tires

Press Release
by Press Release

Our man, Evans Brasfield, is right now rolling Metzeler’s new Roadtecs through the German countryside. Full report on the performance of the new tires to come in a day’s time.

Press Release: Roadtec 01, the new sport-touring radial tire of the Metzeler lineup, was developed to offer motorcyclists a high level of grip in different weather conditions, including dry and wet roads, as well as changeable and low grip surfaces. Roadtec 01 is also capable of offering a mileage of reference in its segment, thanks to more uniform and regular wear, and great stability while riding at high speeds and with the bike fully loaded.

The Roadtec 01 is the latest member of the Roadtec family, the line of Metzeler products dedicated to Sport-Touring Radial tires. The wide-range tire lineup consists of the Roadtec Z6 and the much-appreciated Roadtec Z8 Interact, which the Roadtec 01 has been successfully designed to increase the mileage by about 10%, while improving grip on wet and low friction surfaces. With the Roadtec Z8 Interact, the Metzeler brand was already the class-leader in the Sport Touring segment, as demonstrated in comparative tests carried out by independent bodies such as prestigious motorcycle magazines. The philosophy of the blue elephant brand is to constantly invest in research and development in order to improve, including the products that are already considered the undisputed market leader.

The result is the new Roadtec 01 that,whilst keeping a strong link with the family it belongs to, draws a clear dividing line with the past, using completely different development and design criteria compared with the previous products. This is why, to complete the name, Roadtec is not designated a higher model number in respect to the Z8 but with the number 01 instead. This identifies the tire as a completely new project, from the materials used, its profile design, to the compounds and even the most noticeable element, the tread pattern.

Features and advantages of the new Roadtec 01
Roadtec 01 is the latest evolution of Metzeler sport-touring tires, which with respect to its predecessor, the Roadtec Z8 Interact, has among its strong points an improvement of the grip on wet and low-grip surfaces, an increase in mileage (+10%) and a high degree of adaptability to different bikes, riding styles and weather conditions.

  • Roadtec 01 has a completely new tread pattern. In particular, the front tire has grooves that are more transversal with respect to the rolling direction of the tire. This has made it possible to increase the mechanical grip on slippery surfaces and in different riding situations.
  • The area of contact with the asphalt is now wider and shorter and working together with the 0-degree steel-belt technology of Metzeler-branded products, guarantees higher mileage and lasting performance over time.
  • The innovative compounds are well adapted to the needs of different categories of motorcyclists. The dual-compound rear solutions, with 100% silica on the shoulders and silica and carbon black in the central band of the tread, ensure mileage and grip in the most varied conditions of use. The 100% silica front tires ensure great safety while braking, in particular on wet surfaces and on those with low friction.
  • The 0-degree steel belt together with the INTERACT™ technology improves stability and comfort, and guarantees foreseeable and precise behaviour, the best for enjoying the road.
  • Dedicated sizes for Heavy Weight Motorcycles (HWM) and for enduro street bikes allow fitment for this tire on a large number of motorcycles belonging to different segments.

Versatility is the name of the game
The sport-touring radial tire market is one of the most vital, and fared better than others during the econoic crisis. In comparison to the past, sport-touring tires are becoming widely appreciated by owners of supersport, naked and even enduro bikes thanks to the versatility and mileage of these products.

Volumes in the sport-touring radial tire market are sustained by an increasing number of riders who are now using their bikes as a more economic and dynamic alternative to the car, not only for leisure, but also for business related activities. Especially, the latter requires tires that are able to safely carry the motorcycle regardless of the weather, across the more difficult surfaces of urban commuting. Even when it comes to leisure employment, more often than in the past, motorcycles are used 7 days a week and for a number of different activities: from same-day and fast paced trips riding alone on mountain passes, to longer journeys on the highway carrying a passenger and at full load.

Versatility in terms of motorcycles and in terms of riding style, sharing the same needs: grip on different road conditions, weather conditions and temperatures, mileage and performance consistency, high speed stability and heavy load stability. The new Roadtec 01 was designed to meet these needs.

Take the road with Roadtec 01
With Roadtec 01, not only has a new sport-touring product been created, but also a real philosophy dedicated to this segment through the campaign “take the raod with Roadtec 01,” which will accompany the introduction of this new product onto the market for the coming months. “take the road with Roadtec 01” is an initiative dedicated to those who will be the main users of this tire: motorcyclists who love travelling, over both, short and long distances and are not afraid of using their bikes when weather conditions or temperatures are not the best. With the Roadtec 01, the Metzeler brand invites motorcyclists to get onto their bikes and start out on their trip, with the certainty that this tire will manage to transform their journey into a pleasant experience, regardless of the road they will take or the weather conditions they will meet along the way.

Bikes and motorcyclists that Roadtec 01 are designed for
Roadtec 01 was developed with the intention of creating a versatile product, capable of satisfying a large number of motorcyclists with different bikes and riding styles. Excelling in terms of performance on wet roads in different conditions, mileage and stability whilst maintaining the good handling typical of Metzeler products, Roadtec 01 is perfect for all users who need a tire for pure road use. Among these we can identify three macro-groups:

  • Motorcyclists who make short journeys with a sporting riding style: These are people who usually own sport-touring or naked bike models, sometimes in the city but more often to make rapid short or medium-length trips into the country, alone or with a passenger. These motorcyclists need grip, good handling and high mileage.
  • Explorer-Travellers: These are the owners of sport-touring, gran turismo or large road enduro bikes, for whom no place is too far and no journey is too long. The weather doesn’t scare them and they usually travel with luggage and passengers. For these users, travelling is an experience and tires are what enables them to have a safe and pleasant grip, predictable behaviour, mileage, stability and comfort, independently of the weight of their bike.
  • City users: These are motorcyclists who own bikes with medium or large engines used mostly for trips in the city, to commute and occasionally in their free time; short or medium-length journeys. Their ideal tire must be reliable and offer safety on all roads, even those with worn asphalt that have pot holes and damage. These motorcyclists use the bike when it rains and for them, mileage and regular wear are also important performance factors.

Roadtec 01 compared with Sportec M7 RR and Tourance Next
Unlike Sportec M7 RR, a supersport product designed to ensure performance such as grip and good handling in sporty riding situations on everyday roads that often have an imperfect road surface and may also be wet, Roadtec 01 offers decidedly higher mileage, a level of grip that remains high also in more demanding weather and surface conditions, better stability and comfort.

In the sizes developed for large enduro bikes, compared with a product such as Tourance Next,Roadtec 01 offers better performance in pure road use, while Tourance Next remains superior off-road.

The version for heavy motorcycles (HWM)
Since Roadtec 01 has been designed for a broad category of users and for motorcycles belonging to different segments, besides the standard version, the HWM, that is “Heavy Weight Motorcycles”, version is available, which is dedicated to heavier motorcycles.

On these models, the HWM version offers greater stability reducing the intensity and frequency of vibration caused by an uneven road surface or by handlebar movements. Distinguishable thanks to a specific symbol applied alongside the name of the product on the side of the tire, the greater stability is achieved using a two-ply casing on the rear tires, while the standard version uses a single ply.

The front version of the HWM is two-ply like the standard version and the objective in this case is achieved with the use of a more rigid casing and flank material with the use of a different compound which besides silica uses an additional filler. The up-to-date list of the bikes that use the HWM version of Roadtec 01 will be available on the Metzeler website.

The sizes of Roadtec 01
Roadtec 01 is on sale at all Metzeler dealers. All the sizes that make up the range will be available by the end of the first half of 2016, the front 120/60 ZR 17 sizing will be the last to go on sale at the beginning of 2017. Here is the list of the sizes:

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