DUNLOP SPORTMAX D207 F

OVERVIEW

"Winner of the MCN No1 Award for Product of the Year in 1998"  ....... That's quite some time ago now Dunlop!!!

'Adequate' in my opinion would describe this tyre in one word but that doesn't help much at all does it?   The D207F offers enough grip for most riders for road use and tends to be a tyre that you either get on with or you don't.  The fact that there doesn't seem to be as much feedback from them isn't reassuring so allowing them to get upto temperature is one way of being sure that the tyre will offer enough grip once you start to ride harder and lean the bike over further and further.  The tread on the tyre moves about to a little extent which can cause some riders to panic thinking that the tyre is slipping when in fact its a characteristic of the way it grips.  This movement in the tread makes initial wheel spin and signs of slipping harder to detect. 

The summer months and warm roads, ensure the tyres get upto a sufficient temperature fairly quickly.  Knowing the grip is there, you can push impressively hard on the roads but once lean angles begin to become quite 'extreme' the lack of grip and feedback don't inspire you to push any harder.  The D207F isn't the fastest turning but its not too slow either and you have to just work the bike just a little to get it from one angle to the next.

The D207F has a progressive nature which allows riders to play on the limits helping them to communicate with the tyre and enhance their skills in that respect.  Between grip and slip there is plenty of warning so you know how much the tyre has left in reserve so you can comfortably allow the rear to spin up whilst cornering but if you let it spin out of control ........ its gone!

WET WEATHER PERFORMANCE

Again adequate is the word that best describes its wet weather ability.  I have managed to comfortably play around spinning up the rear wheel, getting the front end to slide and generally riding on the limit of the tyres in the wet without any dramas.  The reason is that in the wet, due to the progressive nature you can almost read what its doing like a book considering the feedback isn't brilliant.  To achieve respectful lean angles in the wet, you must be very smooth ensuring that you don't put too much demand on the tyres at any one time and that you do it in a progressive manner.  The likes of Bridgestone BT010, Pirelli Dragons, Michelin Pilot, Metzeler Sportec's will be a more suitable choice for riders wanting more grip and feedback to be able to go that bit faster in the wet.           

TYRE LIFE

This is where the D207F should be quite strong but its only adequate due to the competition and the likes of the Bridgestone BT010.  Although i had my D207F's on for 3,000 miles, I would say that the last 500 miles were done when the tyre was past its sell by date.  The tyre went through winter 2001/2002 through to 11/2002.  I didn't do any track days, but I rode for all I was worth on the roads.  As a result of this, the tyres lasted a good 1,500 miles offering its best performance.  Regular wheelies saw the rear tyre square off somewhat which only resulted in handling problems later on down the tyres life.  If the tyre is used in a general manner (with some fast road work), I would assume that 3,000+ good miles should be manageable without any problems. 

SUMMARY

Riders who are looking for a capable sporty all season tyre for general use that has a reasonable tyre life will find the D207F is a sensible choice.  However, for those looking for lots of feedback and exceptional grip levels in the dry and wet, the D207F should be avoided.  The D207F is a good all round sporty tyre but not brilliant at anything.