Sport touring tires are rapidly becoming popular across a wide range of adventure riders. So, when ADVMoto was invited to the world press launch of the Roadtec 01, I was excited to see what they were bringing to market.

The Roadtec 01 delivers due to its many technological improvements—the most obvious being the tread pattern. The front and rear patterns are different, since each wheel does a very different task. The front is subjected to mostly braking and steering forces while the rear is mainly for transferring the forward driving force at various lean angles. The tire’s tread patterns are also designed to work with innovative new compounds. And for larger bikes with lots of luggage or passengers, there’s a “Heavyweight” version.

Metzeler is the only manufacturer making tires exclusively for motorcycles. They’re also the first to develop a state of the art, fully automatic process of production. This gives them the ability to make adjustments or modifications at any given step in the process, which speeds development and refinement.

At the Boxberg Proving Grounds, Metzeler provided motorcycles of various styles for testing, all shod with Roadtec 01s. First up was a multi-hour road test though very scenic German farm country. Immediately I was impressed with the stability and turn-in feel of the front tire, especially given the far-from-perfect riding surfaces. Paved patches and minor potholes mid-corner at speed were far less intimidating. At both low and high speeds, the front end tracked well and feedback through the handlebars was always excellent.

In order to demonstrate the wet weather braking capability, Metzeler equipped two identical Suzuki Bandit 1200s with the same sophisticated data acquisition system they use in the factory—one bike with the new Roadtec 01 and the other with Metzeler’s previous generation sport touring tire, the Roadtec Z8. Each rider made three back-to-back panic stops, with ABS, on a test strip of completely drenched cobblestone from 60 kph. Results showed the average stopping distance for the group was approximately two meters shorter on the Roadtec 01.

The next test found us lapping two separate handling courses on a variety of different bikes. The high level of grip and precise turn-in ability made every bike feel like a sport bike. I found myself having to resist the urge to put my knee down, wishing I’d worn my leathers with knee pucks.

As impressive and fun as the hot laps were, it was the testing on the second handling course that really displayed what I believe is the most outstanding quality of the Roadtec 01. It featured tight, twisty and off-camber corners, and a sprinkler system, spraying enough water to mimic a heavy rain storm. I was expecting to get at least some amount of slide or wiggle from the front end, but it never happened. Watching the other riders, it was easy to see just how much water the tread pattern pushes out, particularly from the front tire. Transitioning from wet to the dry pavement was equally impressive.

In summary, the Roadtec 01 is well engineered and a great choice for both sport touring and adventure riders who ride primarily on paved roads. Metzeler has produced a tire that performs extremely well on all paved road conditions but is truly phenomenal in wet conditions—it delivers performance, longevity, and above all, confidence. MSRP: Front $197.67–$237.57 | Rear $248.46–$315.67 Metzeler.com

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