ROADTEC™™ 02

Metzeler's new Roadtec 02 proved the perfect sparring partner in the wet, the dry, and while pinned around the TT course.

- DANGEROUS

I've never come across a hoop branded as a Super-SportTouring, but that's exactly where Metzeler brackets its new Roadtec 02. The thinking is simple: it can do everything you'd expect from a traditional sports-touring tyre, but with the added benefit of genuine, sporting performance, which I learned was no exaggeration first-hand around the Isle of Man TT course. But before I get into what it was like to blast around on, I'll rattle through the tech, innovation, and general talking points of this one-stop rubber.

It's been about eight years since the Roadtec 01 came to life, and while its proven a solid success for the German tyre manufacturer, like anything, it could be bettered... and it has been. How so? Well, as with any tyre of this type, the main focus is on grip, longevity and outright performance, and Metzeler reckons its upped the game in all those areas. Perhaps the most eye-catching of the innovations on the 02 is the tread pattern, which looks more familiar than ever with the brand's sportier M9 RR, but what sets it apart is a saucy thing called Dynatread. Intended to give the tyre the best of both worlds, the tread adapts according to the stress it's put under. At a slower pace, with less load applied, the tread stays nice and wide so maximum amounts of water can pass through its channels. But when you get cracking on, those sipes begin to narrow, adding more stability to the mix and a greater sporting edge. Clever stuff, and it's backed up by some new compounds too, which have seen a 10% gain in performance in the dry and a 5% claim in the wet. The front tyre is now full Silica, and that makes it supersuited to cold conditions and wet weather performance. At the rear, the hoop benefits from a dual compound, with the same Silica on the shoulders of the tyre but a harder centre to ensure you can pop to your mistress and back a trillion times before you start wearing your tyres out.