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New Q3's installed!

2040 Views 23 Replies 15 Participants Last post by  MegaTechPC
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So I went to the Beach Blvd Motorsports today in Jax to check out their selection of tires in stock and inquired about pricing. They had a load of Dunlop Q3's and were doing a deal for $329 installed for the set. I'd priced the Q3, Pilot Power 3, S20R, and Rosso Corsa's and the decided to go ahead with the sale. The shop was closing in an hour but they said it wouldn't be a problem to get them installed. So far, so good on the Dunlops. They feel a little lighter than the stock S20R's to me and they look great! Anybody else have any opinions on the Q3's? The Bridgestones made it 5500 miles which is pretty good so I'm hoping these Dunlops do as well in the longevity department.



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Do you ride fairly hard? Can't believe your stock tires only got to 5K. By most reviews, the Q3s are great tires especially when it comes to gripping but for wet surfaces, it suffers just a bit more than the S20s and PP3s...but most important for commuters, it has the shortest tread life. Hopefully others with more experience can chime in, just going based on shootouts and what I've read
I haven't run the q3's but I did like the q2's until I went with the rosso corsas. I've stuck with the rosso Corsas for the last 3 sets. I do hear good things about the q3's and have been tempted to try them due to the sales you can find on them. There's a $50 rebate through Dunlop on them right now that I'm hoping the dealer let you in on.
If u put armor-all on the tires they will last longer :)
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Mega don't forget to cash in your $50 rebate with dunlop for the new set of Q3s. You can go to dunlops website for more details and the form you have to mail in.

I have run both the S20s and the Q3s on both the street and track on my 13 ZX. As far as grip and tire wear, they are both about the same. I personally felt that the S20s offered a little more "feel" especially in the front tire and that minor difference is enough for me to be sticking with the S20s. Previously, I was religiously a Q2 and Q3 guy with my triumph.

Both tires really start to work excellent after they warm up. And I'm not talking about just riding, I'm talking about when your doing runs up and down a canyon or at the track. After your first run or lap, they really really start to hook up when you get some heat into the sides of the tires. Both tires respond sharply to tire pressure changes so if you are having handling issues or want a little more grip, start managing your tire pressures. A 2 pound change for me in the rear did a lot for me.

As far as tire wear, I started really being more on top of my tire pressures. I run track pressures even on the street because I'm so agresive but my tires were wearing out very quickly in the middle even though I don't commute . I started pumping up the tire pressures during the week for bike nights or 2 up rides and would reduce them for the weekend canyon carver rides. This gave me probably an extra 1000 miles on sets now. Although I'm getting even more now because I'm swapping out to slicks when I go to the track now so I'm no longer running them at the track.
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Due to the rebates, I already ordered a set of Q3's for my 2014. I can't wait to compare mid season. I have only used Q's on the 650 and rears last about 4K and twice that for the fronts track and street. Very grippy on the track and they don't take long to warm up. I change them based on whether they will make another track day so they could last a bit longer than 4K.
Do you ride fairly hard? Can't believe your stock tires only got to 5K. By most reviews, the Q3s are great tires especially when it comes to gripping but for wet surfaces, it suffers just a bit more than the S20s and PP3s...but most important for commuters, it has the shortest tread life. Hopefully others with more experience can chime in, just going based on shootouts and what I've read
I wish I had gotten 5,000 miles out of my S20's. I got less than 2,500 miles out of each of two rear tires and around 4,000 miles out of my front.
+1 on the $50 rebate I think it's good until 4/30/15. Planning to buy some q3's soon
SO I can fill out the form and send in my receipt for the rebate or does the dealer have to do it (and consequently rob me of the rebate)?
I like mine quite a bit. As far as life, I have 1,000 miles and a track day on mine and they hardly show any wear. I am however james may level slow.

Ey3
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My problem with wear is that I do so much high speed highway riding and tires flat spot in the middle on me. I'm sure these Q3's will do the same as the S20R's did but I can't bring myself to put a touring tire on my ZX-6R...
My problem with wear is that I do so much high speed highway riding and tires flat spot in the middle on me. I'm sure these Q3's will do the same as the S20R's did but I can't bring myself to put a touring tire on my ZX-6R...
They have a harder compound in the middle.

I can measure my center and chicken strips and give you the difference. My chicken strips are basically virgin rubber. My 1000 miles were almost exclusively let's call it 55+ mph mostly upright riding.

Ey3
I will never ever in my life buy Q3's again

Pirelli Rosso Corsa's are a superior replacement. Will not last as long but you are going to love em. For reals!!!
Really liked the Q3s when I had my 600RR - probably will swap out the S20s next month for some of these or the Evos.

Think RedAndBlack was talking about the Dunlop rebate site here. Get your $50!
This is a comparison of what mine looks like when finished. The one in the middle is the Q3, the others are Q2's. In the tire farthest to the right, you can see the transition from the harder center to the softer side. These are 650 tires but the wear should be the same.

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Our Tennessee Valley Sportbike group on FB is about to tour the Dunlop testing facility in Madison, Alabama and a friend of mine, Rich Conicelli, was instrumental in developing the Q3 and is a former AMA superbike racer.
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SO I can fill out the form and send in my receipt for the rebate or does the dealer have to do it (and consequently rob me of the rebate)?
You fill it out yourself and send it in with the required receipt.
SO I can fill out the form and send in my receipt for the rebate or does the dealer have to do it (and consequently rob me of the rebate)?
just fill it out and send it off with a copy of the reciept from your dealer. I got mine off motomummy last year and used the invoice. Waited what seemed like forever, but got a nice little visa gift card one sunny day in the mail.
I can't bring myself to put a touring tire on my ZX-6R...
I've got a set of Pirelli Angel GTs on my ZX6R. I had Metzler Sportec M3s (2 sets) and PP 2CTs (2 sets) before them. Honestly? After a few thousand miles, the tires still look new and theres essentially no grip difference between the 2CTs and the GTs on the road.
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I actually really considered the Angel GT's but they were so much more $$$ than the Q3's. Maybe next time...
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