German tyre manufacturer Metzeler chose the recent Bol d’Or Classic to launch a trio of 18″ tyre sizes that are about to be included in their popular Racetec RR range.
Working with the Bollinger Classic Endurance Team, Metzeler’s new 18 inch classic race tyres were fitted to a Kawasaki GPZ1100 piloted by Marcel Kellenberger and Stefan Mertens for the famous event.
In most countries, a motorcycle must be at least 25 years old to be considered vintage, while the category for classic motorcycles is usually intended for machines produced before 1972 and for post-classic, built between 1973 and 1985.
The range will now include three 18 inch sizes, all using Metzeler’s softer K1 compound:
- 110/80ZR18 M/C TL (58W) – Front
- 150/65ZR18 M/C TL (69W) – Rear
- 160/60ZR18 M/C TL (70W) – Rear
The Racetec RR is born from the tyre maker’s many years of road racing experience, and they are sure to push them ahead of next year’s Classic TT on the Isle of Man. Years of research and development at events like the Isle of Man TT, North West 200 and Ulster GP have helped Metzeler to develop these tyres to offer optimum performance even when pushed to the very limits by some top riders.
These latest additions to the Racetec RR range will help to tame the aggressiveness of classic superbikes by using the dampening features of the carcass and the tread band configuration. The rear is dual-compound, with softer shoulders for cornering grip together with a harder centre for greater stability at high speeds.
The three additional sizes are expected to be available in the very near future, so follow us on Facebook to find out when they’ve arrived!
Check out the current Racetec RR range here.
