Metzeler ROADTEC 02 – Two Tyres In One

Metzeler claims to have a new tyre coming that will essentially give us the performance of two tyres in one – mixing Sport-Touring and Supersport qualities in one rubber hoop. Surely, it’s impossible we hear you call! Well, apparently not.

Metzeler claim the new ROADTEC 02 introduces a new technology that allows you to benefit from the behaviour of two different tyres in a single tyre. The Adaptive Tread Design adapts the geometry of the grooves based on the motorcyclist’s riding style, thus varying the surface in contact with the asphalt and consequently the behaviour of the tyre, from Sport-Touring to Supersport. Almost a new category of tyre, the “Super-Sport Touring”, allows a much wider range of performance depending on the riding style.

When the motorcyclist has a touring riding style, or in wet conditions, the long grooves of the tread pattern favor the evacuation of water and the correct mobility of the tread compound, helping to offer quick warm-up, comfort and grip. In other words, the qualities and behaviour typical of a Sport-Touring tyre.

However, when a sportier riding style is preferred – in dry conditions, greater load transfers and lateral thrusts cause part of the grooves to close, thus increasing the compactness and stability of the tread band. This allows you to make the most of the grip qualities of the compound, improving riding precision and modifying its behaviour, to become close to that of a supersport tyre.

The front and rear tyres have been designed with the same tread pattern to ensure the same adaptive behaviour on both axles.

The tread pattern of the new ROADTEC 02 tyre, compared to its predecessor ROADTEC 01 SE, increases the full/empty land/sea ratio, thus increasing the footprint and making it more uniform as the lean angle varies, so as to guarantee a smoother and more precise ride. Furthermore, a smaller presence of grooves leads to fewer interruptions on the tread band, to the benefit of acoustic comfort (less road noise).

The rear tyres are dual-compound to combine stability at high speeds with grip when leaning also on wet surfaces, the latter also achieved thanks to the new generation of 100% silica-based compounds, both for the front and rear, which optimise the chemical grip on wet roads.

ROADTEC 02 will make its official debut at the MBE Motor Bike Expo, scheduled from 19 to 21 January in Verona, where the new tyre will be among the protagonists of the Metzeler exhibition area set up in booth 19 of pavilion 4.

Tyres are expected to land at the end of March for NZ.

Pricing for the Roadtec 02 starts at $339 RRP.