Hard and soft tires....

[Softail Slim]

Sorry if I'm in the wrong spot. Anyway, I've always heard that hard tires last longer then soft. Why is then that the hard Dunlop tires never last as long as the softer Metzeler tires do? Even when I run AVON tires I get better mileage then Dunlop tires. Hard or soft, what's the real story? Tread depth differences maybe?
         Slim

[Lakerat]

Dunlop tires are not all created equal.

[FLTRI]

The real story is:
The harder the rubber compound the slower it wears away.
The softer the rubber compound the quicker it wears away.

Conclusion: The Metzlers are a made from a harder rubber compound - OR - The Metzlers have a deeper tread depth - OR - Both
HTH,
Bob
PS - Racers have always looked for softer compound tires that last longer longer than harder compound tires, and prolly always will.
Most common story from race tire mfg's: "This new tire is 1 sec per lap faster and lasts longer" Never happened in the 30+ years I've been involved.

[northbrun]

The real story is:
The harder the rubber compound the slower it wears away.
The softer the rubber compound the quicker it wears away.

Conclusion: The Metzlers are a made from a harder rubber compound - OR - The Metzlers have a deeper tread depth - OR - Both
HTH,
Bob

PS - Racers have always looked for softer compound tires that last longer longer than harder compound tires, and prolly always will.
Most common story from race tire mfg's: "This new tire is 1 sec per lap faster and lasts longer" Never happened in the 30+ years I've been involved.

Also "generally" the softer the rubber compound is, the "sticker" the tire will be. (better traction) tire mfgs try to hit a happy medium between a tire that will last, and a tire that will stick to the road.
Personally, I'd rather have a tire stick real well than get 15000 miles out of it.
jm2c
Paul