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How to get to the end of March meaningful results ran for the tire wear test? Simple: They get you in identical motorcycles, phoning half a dozen buddies together – and let’s go to Italy. And because it is such a trip offers virtually, the same still a lot of clothing and accessories are tested.

Flat crouch behind the windscreen on the Triumph Sprint ST, I sneak behind a truck is within reach her on the highway between Rome and Naples. The onboard computer is inexorably down the remaining miles to the draining of the tank: 28, 27, 26, and 25 slowly I start to sweat.

Bad we have to pass the gas station on the Rome to see immediately after the toll station. Trial and Error, that the next rest area is located on our trip to the tip of the boot continues, as it allows the remaining range, according to ad. The rest stops on Italian highways are often more than 50 kilometers apart, now might have fatal consequences. Since only helps to squint Po, slightly on the throttle and pull most effectively utilize the wind shadow of the trucks. Even if we curse the many trucks usually always because they paralyze the flow of traffic, now we can at least use this one very well.

We are lucky. After 30 km a snail’s pace appears the desired station. 21.16 liters flow into the 21 liter fuel tank – great, the manufacturer is generally correct. My sprint was practically dry, and the other six, it looks like. At least they could benefit a little from the slipstream – even if we can maintain sufficient spacing and lateral offset drive.

In order to minimize possible small differences in the tire wear with a different driving style, we change with every fuel stop, the motorcycles – which positions within the group, however we maintain. In this way, the rule for the seven tested combinations of Avon Tires, Bridgestone, Continental, Dunlop, Metzeler, Michelin and Pirelli during the periods completed in seven days, total distance of 5350 kilometers absolutely comparable conditions.

Bella Italia, here we come! Not a chance. At temperatures around zero degrees Celsius, we roll dry, but slightly frozen from Stuttgart to the burner. Then it gets really bad. Cross through the whole Po valley through rain to torrential rains and on the highway between Parma and La Spezia in the Apennines heavy snowfall! The tire’s but no matter whether it rains or snows. They wear more lively. With are aggressive salt on the road even more quickly. Cools the water while driving in rain tires, but occurs simultaneously in the absence of increased slip grip, which leads to a comparable rubber abrasion, in dry asphalt. To sum up conditions, are you can also occur in the first Alpine tour of the year? We would still prefer sun.

Fortunately I know the track inside out and knows that the steep highway through the tunnel just before La Spezia downhill. Thus we may fall below the snow line will hopefully quickly. Moreover, in quick succession are two rest stops along the highway, man and machine can replenish supplies. Freshly refueled – the bikes with fuel, we with an espresso – it works on the last 90 days of kilometers to the north Cinque Terre. In the town Moneglia we walk into the Hotel La Vigna, the energetic chief Lidia where we already expected, and offer a truly deserving of welcome. After a hot shower, a heavy meal and glass of red wine variety, we fall exhausted into bed. A taste is Italy.

Routine testing identified the following days: driving, drive, drive, measuring only short breaks for refueling or tire tread, insert at most times an espresso or a few cookies and stranded somewhere late at night in a hotel or guest house. There, again measure the tire air pressure check and check oil level and chain tension.

Are the “horses” in the barn and fed, the riders get their turn. Hang wet clothes, hot showers, to regain comfort temperature, cover, and then enjoy fresh clothes in the nearest Ristorante tasty Italian specialties – are supposed to eventually lose the rubber in profile and not us.

In this way, we walk around almost the entire Italian boot, in cities such as Pisa, Rome, Naples, Reggio di Calabria rushing past, Bari, Pescara, Ancona, Rimini, Bologna, Genoa, and countless beautiful countryside and take all the interesting impressions just flying by on.

And that the job is sometimes even dangerous, we see south of Salerno. Stands in a sharp curve in the highway median strip suddenly a large park bench street barricade, the truck probably have some from the roadside flung her there must be a careless construction crew or tumbled from the truck bed. As we turn a regular spikes around the corner, I manage to just avoid it and warn the driver’s subsequent triumph with a raised arm. In the mirror I see how they shoot by left and right of the obstacle. Even in the evening while eating us shudder at the memory of this incident. That was pretty tight, my all – except Roberto. He claims to this day adamant that they saw no barrier.

The concentration on the wear seems to drive him to such a bind that it hides everything else. After all, he noticed the new change in the weather with snow on the burner. It is the seventh day of the test week. We take Frau Holle short interlude with humor and above all without falling.