Metzeler Roadtec 02 Tires First Look [Super-Sport Touring Rubber]

The new Metzeler Roadtec 02 tire is designed for sport touring, with two 19-inch front tire choices to accommodate riders on many adventure motorcycles. Metzeler calls the Roadtec 2 a “Super-Sport Touring” tire, so the focus is clearly on performance while retaining capability in the changing weather conditions encountered on long trips.

Here is how Metzeler Marketing Director Francesco Pietrangelo positions the new rubber:

“Roadtec 02 will be a great representative of the Metzeler brand values. For us, travel is the quintessence of motorcycling to be understood as a lifestyle. We are talking to the motorcyclist who always rides, even if it’s raining and cold, but also to the romantic one, hungry for adventure and experiences to tell, all without ignoring another value of primary importance for us—the quality. Those who travel trust and rely on high-quality tires, safe even in rain and cold, which make riding easier and are not very tiring. Roadtec 02 embodies all these values perfectly and does so with an eye towards the environment because it significantly reduces materials of fossil and mineral origin, focusing instead on those of natural origin or recycled.”

According to Metzeler insiders, the Roadtec 02 facilitates cornering while reducing warmup times and enhancing performance on cold and wet asphalt thanks to 100 percent silica-based compounds, as well as a larger footprint than the Roadtec 01 SE. The grooves are designed to contract during hard riding to increase the amount of rubber on the road.

The rear tire is a dual-compound design for cornering prowess and long life on the open highway. Also, the 02’s front and rear tires have a matched tread pattern to encourage buying them in pairs.

Given the mix of performance and wear characteristics, Metzeler sees the 02 being used by weekend riders on naked sportbikes, sport-tourers, and everyone in between. The front tires come in three sizes (two 19s and a 17) and seven rears (all 17s).

Metzeler Roadtec 2 Tire Sizes, Speed Ratings, Weight Ratings