Last weekend, Johnny and I installed (using my new Harbor Freight tire changer) a new set of Pirelli Angel ST tires onto my SV650s, replacing the Continental Sport Attacks I have run for the past 5000 miles or so. Why the Pirelli Angel's? I mean, don't they look kinda silly with their Angel/Demon tread pattern? Well perhaps they do, but at the same time Pirelli knows how to make a good tire and honestly, I don't care what they look like as long as they do their job.

Now, to back up for a second, I have been reading up on these tires since November and the professional reviews were pretty positive, but they mostly discussed wet weather traction, longevity, and braking performance. Now I agree that all of these are important factors and this being a sport touring tire, they are addressing the info that most riders of that style want to know about.

In my case I was looking for a tire that would stick well in the twisty roads and still offer reasonable service for my daily commute. I wanted to know about how quick they are to turn-in, how stable they are once leaned over, do they heat up quickly, etc. Indeed there was little info available about these aspects. I did find some informative, if brief, reviews at Motorcycle Superstore, but still nothing as detailed as I wanted. So still not certain what to expect, I went ahead and pulled the trigger on a set of Angel ST's. I figured at least I'll have something to write about even if they are terrible, and that's just the kind of dedication I have to my readers and this site, willing to possibly waste my money to keep you informed :).

First off, before I start riding with new tires, I take one of those spongy sanding blocks and spend a couple of minutes on each tire to scrub them in by hand a bit. Just enough to get rid of a bit of the mold release medium as well as the adhesive and remaining bits of stickers & such that are on tires when you get them new. Then I put about 200 easy miles on them between commuting to work and taking a spin out on the Natchez Trace Parkway. This past weekend I gave them a bit more of a workout on a group ride to Center Hill lake.

So how'd they do? Well for starters, they seem to get up to temp pretty quick. They feel good and grippy pretty much right out of the gate. Only once in the 175 miles we rode did they give the slightest hint of breaking loose and I'm pretty certain it was a small rock a ran over at lean. Speaking of debris in the road, we had plenty of sticks and dirt in some places and the Angels didn't seem to care and tracked very well through all of it. Also I have been I440 a few times since running these tires and they all but ignore the grooves in the pavement. You can tell that something is different about the road but they resist the temptation to wander where most other tires I've run always seem to get nervous on those grooves.

The Angel ST's do seem to have very good grip for a sport touring tire, at least as good as the Continental Road Attacks, and very good stability at speed on the interstate. The only complaint I have so far is that though initial tip-in is quick and smooth, making sharper turns at speed requires noticeably more effort to get the bike cranked over. Once leaned over they are very stable but you will need to put a bit more pressure on that inside bar to get there and to make any changes in mid turn. I didn't find it excessive, just not what I was used to in the Road and Sport Attack tires (which share a similar, if not identical profile) I've most recently had on the SV. I think once I get used to them I'll notice it less, but if one is coming from a more aggressive profile like Pilot Powers, be prepared to make more deliberate efforts to make your turn than the mere suggestion that the Pilot Powers require to make a turn.

So after these first 500 miles I'm pleased. Once I get past the different character they possess regarding wanting to lean over, I'll be even happier. I shouldn't be too hard on them as they are Sport TOURING tires and not the "shredded in 2500 miles" sticky buns you find on serious super-sport bikes. That said, I would still appreciate a little less effort required in the twisty bits of the road so I may pull my forks up into the triples a little bit and see if it improves turning quickness without sacrificing too much stability. I'll be back with a long term report on how they a wearing and if adjusting my forks makes a change for the better. Til then, keep the rubber side down.

-ed