Staff bikes: Honda VFR800X Crossrunner - It's time to retyre

Time for a change. The turning of three-thousand-odd miles has seen both the fading of Crossrunner’s OE Pirelli Scorpions’ ability and my faith in them.

Don’t get me wrong: the Scorps aren’t a bad tyre. They’ve been consistent and predictable enough (in a humdrum sort of way) in all sorts of riding, from routine 30-mile work commutes in all kinds of weather to two-up days out, to even a 200-mile dual carriageway grind to The Broads to catch the last of the summer sun.

It’s just that they’re not exactly inspiring tyres either, particularly in the wet. And it’s that, coinciding with the end of so-called summer, and their age that’s persuaded me to now try a pair of Michelin’s Pilot Road 3s.

The new-this-year Road 3s, complete with their radical-looking, semi ‘race wet’ tread pattern have been gaining pretty much rave reviews, particularly for their wet grip. With wet weather ahead it seemed like the perfect time to find out for myself. I’ll let you know if they live up to the hype next time round.

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