Today was my 1st day with the Nankang XR-611. Some info that may be of use to someone.
Size
  • 225/50 R15.

Bike
  • 2017 RT Ltd with Kendas still on the front

Journey
  • 300km with a mixture of highways, freeways, and city roads.
  • No additional Cargo, just an afternoon ride.
  • Rear Suspension set on Minimum (factory shocks)

Occupants
  • Two Up (me 90kg, pillion 55 kg)

Speedometer accuracy
  • Speedo now reads 4% lower than actual speed, down from from 3% with the Arachnid

Pressure
  • 26 PSI down from 28 with the Arachnid

Ride
  • I expected the stiffer construction of the tyre and sidewall to create a harsher ride which in some ways it did, but the heavier un-sprung weight (the tyre itself weighs 9.5 Kg) seems to counteract this. Even my pillion (Wife) noted the ride felt firmer but not harsh.

Handling General
  • The tyre does not track the irregularities in the road like the Kenda or Arachnid
  • Accelerating out of corners with a patchwork surface where the Kenda or Arachnid rear tyre would step out and skittle across the imperfections has gone.
  • No additional over-steer was experienced, nor under-steer for that matter.
  • The tyre feels much more confident on the road at higher speeds up to 130km/hr, and the Spyder itself is more confidence inspiring with the tyre.
  • Sidewall roll - an improvement on the Arachnid gievn the lower pressure. The bike feels quite direct when swerving to miss objects on the road
  • ABS - the back wheel appears to be able to share more of the breaking power when Hard stopping. In the place I like to test my cars and bikes the Kenda and Arachnid would skid, this did not happen with the Nankang
  • Because I still have Kendas on the front I haven't measured any difference in stopping distance. I will get a stopping distance reading before sending them to their rightful home - the waste management facility.

Wet Weather
  • Not tested, will report later


I have tried to communicate the types of things I would report when testing tyres on two wheels to my sponsor. I look forward to seeing and reporting what the tyre is like in the wet with things like grip, aquaplaning, braking and anything else I find. Hope it helps in your choice of tyre
Disclaimer
  1. You might get very different results but, at least these can serve as a guide to your tyre selection.
  2. Coming off Kenda to the Arachnid felt a big improvement, so coming from the Arachnid to the Nankang seems ....... um .....um .... chalk vs cheese, poorly made beer vs masterfully crafted beer...