Update: Pirelli Angel GT

We check in with news of life on Pirelli's Angel GT sportstouring rubber

Okay, I admit it – I've been slack. My set of Pirelli Angel ST tyres finally went to the great burnout pit in the sky at the end of last year and their replacement – a set of Pirelli Angel GTs – went on early in the New Year but this is my first update on the Italian manufacturer's latest and greatest.

I managed to squeeze out roughly 18,000km from the STs and that's a bloody impressive figure, even if 90 per cent of those kays were conducted at a relatively gentle commuter pace. My ageing Honda Hornet 900 is my work hack, my weekday around-town bike, as I save the fun stuff for more exotic test bikes come the weekend (I'm spoilt, I know!). Still, while I mightn't have been hanging off the thing around Phillip Island or slicing up the bends in the Yarra Ranges, the tyres were regularly subjected to plenty of spirited sprints from the lights, reasonably hard braking and all manner of climatic conditions – the same use with which the Angel GTs now find themselves faced.

The Angel GT essentially supersedes the Angel ST, although the ST is still available and priced very attractively at $438 a set (120/70-17 front, 180/55-17 rear), versus $538 a set for the GTs. The differences between the two, however, are many, with the GT sporting a re-engineered profile, a new bi-compound formula, a revised tread pattern and a new, more rigid construction. All the tinkering has resulted in a claimed 30 per cent increase in longevity, says Pirelli, plus improved wet-weather performance while retaining a high level of feedback.

If all that sounds too good to be true, my first taste of the Angel GT at the tyre's national press launch in Queensland was more than enough to arouse my interest. Fitted to a variety to machines spanning everything from Husqvarna's Nuda 900 (RIP) to Honda's VFR1200F and Suzuki's Bandit 1250, the tyres impressed the assembled journalistic throng on both the road ride from Yatala to Warwick, and then around the latter's Morgan Park Raceway. The tyres simply hung on like politicians to travel expense claims without displaying any discernible signs of wear – even the tyre-sliding efforts of a former world-class racer weren't able to produce any noticeable signs of abuse.

But a carefully orchestrated press launch and day-to-day use are two different things, which was why I was keen to put Pirelli's claims for the GT to the test. Then life, a Melbourne winter and a steady flow of press vehicles intervened – and the Hornet ended up basically mothballed for the better part of six months.

Now, however, the days are growing longer and the southern riding season is upon us, so it's time to dust off the Hornet and get stuck in. I have in fact covered a good few thousand kays on the Angel GTs thus far and they haven't been any less impressive than they were on that press launch.

They deliver oodles of grip – certainly enough to keep me smiling through the bends – and they are yet to give me any 'moments', while outings in the wet have amply backed up the manufacturer's claims. If anything the pattern of sipes on the GTs is a simpler affair compared to those on the older STs, but there's spades of braking potential even when the road's being lashed by a downpour in the depths of winter.

I love the level of feel provided by these tyres – there's a certain compliance to their performance that translates to a high level of connection with the road's surface, without the harshness I've found in some other makes of tyre. It's a combination of comfort and control that difficult to define, but the sense of satisfaction to be gained from scything through a corner says it all.

The Hornet tips in beautifully on the Angel GTs and Pirelli says that's something that won't change with wear. The Italian company reckons the tyres' profile is maintained throughout their life and that's largely down to the bi-compound formula – the centre of the tyres features a mixture of silica, carbon-black and resins while the grippier shoulders are 100 per cent silica. The Angel STs wore well and I have no reason to think the GTs won't either.

Pirelli's Angel GT is available in a wide range of sizes to fit most modern road bikes, and also comes in special 'A' fitments, with a special two-ply carcass, for heavier bikes such as BMW's K 1300 GT, Kawasaki's 14000GTR and Triumph's Trophy 1200.

I've sampled countless tyres from all the major manufacturers over the last 20-odd years but when I find a good thing, I stick with it. That's how I feel about the Pirelli Angel GT – for my style of riding and for my bike, I just don't see any reason to look elsewhere. I'll check in down the road with future updates on these tyres as the miles mount.

Update: Pirelli Angel GT

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