Here's why the Metzeler Sportec M9 RR is one of the best all-purpose sports tyres you can buy
Contents of this review
Metzeler’s Sportec M9 RR has been around a couple of years now and it’s one of the best all-purpose sports motorcycle tyres you can buy.
Replacing the old Sportec M7 RR, it sits between sports-touring and trackday rubber in Metzeler’s range and is designed for all-weather sporty road riding, but the tyre will also breeze a trackday. It can be used on A2 licence machines, superbikes and everything in between with 17in wheels.
Location: Sicily - Mount Etna roads and Racalmuto circuit.
Bikes: BMW R1250GS, KTM 1290 Super Adventure S, Ducati Multistrada V4
Weather: Sunny, 24°C.
Also tested on Michael's 2024 KTM 1390 Super Duke R Evo long-term test bike.
Pros
- Provides high levels of grip on both road and track, even for adventure bikes
- Enhances agility and steering precision, making big adventure bikes feel more like sportier models
- Reaches optimal temperature quickly for immediate performance
- Performs well in both dry and wet conditions (based on 17in version tests)
- Now available in 120/70 x 19 for adventure bikes, offering more options for sporty riders
Cons
- No off-road capability, not designed for muddy or serious off-road conditions
- Sports-touring tyres may last longer for long-distance or high-mileage touring
- While good in wet conditions, sports-touring tyres may provide better all-weather reliability
| Type | Supersport or adventure |
| Structure | Dual compound |
| Sizes | <strong>Front</strong> 1110/70 x 17, 120/70 x 17, 120/70 x 19. <strong>Rear</strong> 140/70 x 17, 150/60 x 17, 160/60 x 17, 170/60 x 17, 180/55 x 17, 180/60 x 17, 190/50 x 17, 190/55 x 17, 200/55 x 17 |
- Slick shoulders and central stripe
- Dual compound for longevity and edge grip
- High silica compound for quick warm-up times
But now there’s a bigger 120/70 x 19 version for 19in front wheels and that opens up a whole new world for adventure riders.
Adventure bikes generally come on dual-purpose tyres, designed mainly for road use, but their deeper tread blocks facilitate light off-roading, too.
But if you don’t get your wheels muddy, they’re a compromise. You could fit sports-touring road rubber instead, which isn’t a bad way to go and it’s what many riders do. They’re durable, excellent in the wet and the newest of the breed have a sporty, lithe steering feel, too.
But many big-cube adventure bikes now are now endowed with the kind of performance superbikes had just a few years ago and you need the grip to match to get the very best out of them. Dunlop had been the only tyre company to produce a sticky 19in front with their SportSmart TT and now Metzeler have followed. It can’t be long before many others do the same.
Metzeler Sportec M9 RR track testing
Our test starts on a dry, sunny racetrack. It isn’t where most big adventure bikes will spend much of their time, granted (although they’re becoming a more regular sight on trackdays), but it’s only here where you can fully explore the Metzelers’ limits.
As well as being hugely grippy they give an adventure bike the agility and light steering character it could only dream of on dual-purpose or sports-touring tyres. The M9 RRs make a BMW R1250GS behave more like a track-inspired S1000XR than a globe-trotting superstar and let you use the power and handling of Ducati’s latest Multistrada V4 to the full. Those put off by the Multi V4’s 19in front wheel and lack of sporty tyre choices need worry no longer.
Metzeler Sportec M9 RR road test
That same reassuring character spills out on the road. The new Metzelers have more grip than you’ll know what do to with in the dry, but crucially they inject a feeling of lightness into the steering that makes the whole bike feel less bulky, while keeping the all the stability a 19in front wheel brings. Like the 17in versions, the M9 RRs warm up fast and, like all Metzelers, they have a neutral feel and offer a plush ride.
We didn’t get to experience them in the rain during our track test, but we’ve tested the 17in versions in the wet before and they’re nothing but reassuring.
You’d still want the durability of sports-touring rubber for a monster trip and the extra wet grip for riding through the depths of winter, but for the rest of the time you’ll have more fun on a dedicated sports tyre like this.
Video: Metzeler M9RR adventure bike sizes tested
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