Hi,
New Member with a Cali Vintage 2008.
I am looking for recommendations for front and rear tyres please, preferably something reasonable sure footed on changing tarmac conditions!
Thanks
welcome @MoRoTo - we’ve moved your question into the ‘technical’ section for your Guzzi - that should help it to come to the attention of riders with similar machines (now and in the future).
Tyre questions can sometimes result in a list of different ‘recommendations’ leaving you still with a choice to make, but similar discussions suggest that your choice might be limited in reality; limited by availability (in your locale and in your required wheel size), limited by pricing considerations, limited by one’s expectations in terms of wear and characteristic, limited in availability of tubed vs tubeless (not sure what spec/size your Vintage calls for), and limited too by the what the tyre fitter prefers to work with (unless you are the tyre fitter!).
FWIW, in similar discussions (albeit for a range of models) the BT46 crops up quite commonly: available (usually), reasonably priced, good general behaviour and wear rate (reportedly), etc. I hope this helps somewhat.
I can’t remember the web address for this site, if I find it l will edit the message to add it. Had these saved screenshots in my phone - just noticed it’s shown in a screenshot 
Can vouch for the bt46, been no problems on the 1000s, just put a front bt46 on the newly acquired ev (bt 45 on the back) handles fine👍
Just read this post. I had stuck with the original Metzlers on my Cali special. I have now fitted sportier Metzlers. I have complete confidence in these tyres in all weathers. I have never tried the BT’s and will never fit an Avon tyre to any vehicle I own ever again.
Hope this helps?
What turned you off Avons? I am thinking of getting metzeler roadtec 01 se for my v85tt in the next month or two. I do occasionally do light off roading but for the winter months I want something better in the wet than the current Dunlop meridians which can be a bit twitchy in heavy rain (previous Dunlop trailsmart max were fine, no longer available).
It’s very disconcerting when you go to overtake a vehicle, the revs rise, your speed doesn’t increase and suddenly the rear wheel leaves the damp white line, when the usual Guzzi grunt launches the rear end towards the front end!!!
They’re not good on damp white lines and never felt comfortable with them after that experience. Luckily, I realised what was happening and closed the throttle, helped a great deal, methinks.
The original Metzler’s were great, now fitted Roadtec 01 front and back and loving the whindiest roads I can find. The confidence they give, wet or dry is glorious.
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I had a May 2000 California 1100 Special and tried Bridgestone and found them twitchy and wandering on tar snakes and white lines. I was recommended to fit Metzeler Lasertec as Guzzi were fitting them on new bikes, and found them to run straight and true and capable of holding the road, wet or dry. I ran about 6 sets of rears and 4 fronts and then switched to Avon Roadriders with the promise of them lasting much longer. They felt the same as the Lasertec. I sold the bike before getting to wear a set out so I can’t comment on the mileage you could expect. The Metzeler Lasertec was good for 11,000 on the Front and between 6,000 and 7,500 on the Rear… My friend, on a BMW K100RS was seeing more than double those mileages.
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Thanks for all of the advice, I went with BT46’s front and rear and they feel pretty good.
The move much less than before on the tarmac ridges and surface changes.
Just need to sort the broken ignition key! (delivery of new blanks awaited)
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