Metzeler Z8 Interact
A great tyre for road riders and it arguably had its crown pinched by Metzeler's newer Roadtec 01. Despite that, the Z8 is still in production as it's a popular tyre. If you ride a naked or sports tourer, it's a top choice and offers great handling and wet weather prowess.
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Description
The Two Tyres 1-minute guide to the Metzeler Z8 Interact
What is it: A multiple test winner in the Sports Touring tyre category, the Z8 was introduced in 2010 and blends the performance of a sports tyre, with the all-weather ability and wear rates of a touring tyre. Now the Roadtec 01 is in the Metzeler range, the Z8 is no longer Metzeler’s latest tech but now, more than ever, it represents great value for money.
What tyre it replaces: The Z8 replaced the Z6.
Who is it aimed at: If you’re using your bike in all conditions and like a neutral-handling tyre, the Z8 is a great option. It’s a tyre for riders who like to explore fast A-roads and who want a tyre that warms up quickly, works brilliantly in the wet and lasts the distance.
Typically seen on: If you ride a road bike and do the odd trip to Europe (remember those?) a bit of commuting and some Sunday blasts, these are great tyres for you. They work well on all manner of road bikes from a big Yamaha FJR1300 to a nimble BMW RnineT, the do-it-all Honda VFR800 and the wandering adventurer, the Triumph Tiger Sport 1050.
Z8 highlights: One of the best value for money Sports Touring tyres. Great wear characteristics, excellent wet weather ability and a very fast warm-up time.
Z8 Interact sizes: Products in a wide range of 17″ and 18″ fronts and rears, you can fit these to practically any road bike produced in the last 20 years.
A sportier option: The M7 RR is a sportier tyre, geared towards weeknd blasts on sporty bikes.
A cheaper option: The Metzeler Roadtec Z6 is still available but having been launched in 2009, it’s long in the tooth these days. The Z6 is great for commuting but stick with the Z8 if you want to head out and play.
The competition: The Z8 is a great bit of kit but faces stiff competition from the likes of the Dunlop Roadsmart 2, Bridgestone Battlax BT023, the Michelin Road 2 and not forgetting the Pirelli Angel GT.
Metzeler says:
Excellence on wet roads, water won’t catch you unprepared. A long time test winner until the breakthrough of ROADTEC 01, with a sublime blend of precise and effortless handling
The Metzeler Roadtec Z8 Interact is a Sport Touring tyre offering riders:
- New tyre contour and patented profile design improves handling.
- High silica compound with Nano particles ensures high levels of performance in all riding conditions.
- 100% silica compound on the shoulders increases grip in the wet for a real feeling of safety.
- All Z8’s are now the latest ‘M’ fitment apart from the ‘O’ fitment for heavier bikes (please call if in any doubt what one is for you).
Metzeler says
Enjoyment
ROADTEC™ Z8 INTERACT™ ensures peace of mind in the hardest situations, in the cold or wet, providing ideal handling for true riding pleasure.
Riding easiness, comfort, predictability, easy turn in, progressivity in lean, are provided by the interaction of sport touring profiles with the Greek π tread pattern and the patented Interact™ technology.
Interact™ is the multi tension technology allowing Metzeler tyres to offer the best performance in all conditions; the differentiated tensioning of the steel belt underneath the tread compound gives a tailored performance.
High steel belts winding tension in the centre reduces compound movement and increases stability of the footprint area which reduces wear and ensures high speed stability
Low steel belts winding tension creates more flexibility and energy absorption, the compound increases the temperature and becomes softer, offering more grip while leaning
The variable winding process of the 0° steel belt guarantees a progressive behaviour at different lean angles without discontinuity of performance.
Mileage
Best performance till the last mile, adaptability to different conditions and comfort during long ride, agility in manoeuvers even with worn tyre are provided by a unique combination of high silica compound with the Interact™ technology.
High silica compounds are known for their longevity and mechanical resistance to abrasion but our patented mixing process is able to further boost this characteristic by increasing its dispersion inside the polimeric matrix and achieving an incomparable level of homogeneosity.
This sophisticated compound is then coupled with a high tension 0° steel belt in the centere portion of the tyre that provides a firm support, reduces compound movement and prevents overheating, contributing to reduce the wear of the tyre and hence increase the mileage.
Grip on all kind of asphalt
ROADTEC™ Z8 INTERACT™ connects you to the road, especially in the wet.
It always ensures the best stability and allows you to ride with maximum confidence and safety feeling thanks to the groove layout of the tread pattern, inspired by Greek π shape and engineered to enhance water drainage in the hardest conditions.
The grooves modify the stiffness of the tyre and are used to calibrate and optimise the entire contact patch pressure at every lean angle.
Their shape and position have been studied to provide mechanical grip at different lean angles and types of riding. Water drainage, even in deep water, is granted by the presence of large grooves in the footprint area, regardless of the angle.
The central longitudinal grooves are deeper and longer to increase water evacuation. They cover approximately 70% of lean angle typically reached in wet conditions, which delivers a complete feeling of safety. In dry conditions, they work as a pin, which increases the flexibility of the tread and enlarges the footprint area, thus providing stability especially at high speed.
Radial grooves on the shoulders provide optimum drainage at high lean angles, so even those who ride enthusiastically in the wet will discover that the ROADTEC™ Z8 INTERACT™ provides maximum safety in all conditions.
The inclination of the groove wall is designed for a consistent water flow throughout the tyre’s life, even when the wear process is near completion.
Press Reviews
“As original equipment rubber straight from BMW. Proven sport touring rubber with perfect riding behaviour and high levels of grip, dry and wet. Exceptionally stable performance, even for two-up riding and/or with luggage. Rear tyre reached wear limit after 6,200 miles (10,000 km), still 3mm left in the front. Now a little cheaper, as it is the old version.” BMW Motorcycle Magazine
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“Considering the GTR weighs a whopping 305kg and puts a hefty 100ftlb of torque through the rear tyre, to have them last just shy of 10,000 miles is very impressive (although I should really have replaced them earlier). At the recommendation of several people in the office, the Z8s have been replaced with Michelin Pilot Road 4 GTs, which have since proved incredibly impressive in abnormally wet conditions. The amount of grip and confidence they offer on saturated roads is extraordinary, and keeping an eye on the tyre pressure gauge on the dash reveals that they heat up incredibly quickly so long as riding conditions aren’t too cold.” Liam Marsden, MCN Web Producer
Tyre Sizes
Front
110/70 ZR 17 M/C 54W TL (M)
120/60 ZR 17 M/C (55W) TL (M)
120/70 ZR 17 M/C (58W) TL
120/70 ZR 17 M/C (58W) TL (E)
120/70 ZR 17 M/C (58W) TL (M)
110/80 ZR 18 M/C (58W) TL (M)
120/70 ZR 18 M/C (59W) TL (M)
Rear
150/70 ZR 17 M/C (69W) TL (M)
160/60 ZR 17 M/C (69W) TL (M)
170/60 ZR 17 M/C (72W) TL (M)
180/55 ZR 17 M/C (73W) TL (C)
180/55 ZR 17 M/C (73W) TL (K)
180/55 ZR 17 M/C (73W) TL (M)
180/55 ZR 17 M/C (73W) TL (O)
190/50 ZR 17 M/C (73W) TL (M)
190/50 ZR 17 M/C (73W) TL (O)
190/55 ZR 17 M/C (75W) TL (C)
190/55 ZR 17 M/C (75W) TL (M)
190/55 ZR 17 M/C (75W) TL (O)
140/70 ZR 18 M/C (67W) TL (M)
160/60 ZR 18 M/C (70W) TL (M)
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