I recently bought my first motorcycle. I am planning on replacing the tires in about a month and a half and was seriously considering road slicks. Has anyone used them or can anyone make any recommendations on a brand? Also, is it a bad idea to use slicks and why?

To start, slicks are illegal for use on the street. Second, unless your roads are perfectly clean and dry, like a race track, you can expect to have your first wreck on your way home. Slicks do not allow your bike to displace or channel water. Instead, they will just hydroplane on top of the water.

Bottom Line:

Slicks are for the RaceTrack!

on my hornet i have race replica dunlop tyres. i havent ACTUALLY used them yet but they look pretty!!!

as above but very importantly slicks are heated to around 90 degrees for use on the race track. at cold temperatures you would have more traction using road tyres which are specially designed to keep you safe on the road at normal operating temperatures

slicks are illegal for a reason- if they had more traction they would be legal as it would be safer and believe it or not that is what most laws are there for- but they don't have more traction at low temperatures and therefor it is not safer. especially in the wet where you would wrap yourself around a pole in no time.

by all means get a set of slicks but if you value your skin (and pride and joy) use them only where they belong- on the track.

YOU ARE OBVIOUSLY NOT EXPERIENCED WITH ROAD BIKES AND TYRES IF YOU THINK SLICKS ARE A CHOICE FOR ROAD USE!!! YOU WILL LOOSE YOUR LICENCE AS QUICK AS YOU LOOSE YOUR BIKE!

LISTEN DUDE IF YOU WANT A GOOD SET OF TYRES FOR USE ON ROAD AND TRACK FOR THAT MATTER...

THESE 5 ARE THE MAIN TO CONSIDER IN ORDER OF GRIP AND QUALITY MY OPINION!

1 MICHELIN PILOT POWER 2CT'S

2 PIRELLI DRAGON CORSA'S

3 METZELER M3'S

4 DUNLOP QUALIFIERS

5 BRIDGESTONE BT002'S