Metzeler Sportec 01 Score
The Metzeler Sportec 01 is a balanced, versatile street tire that delivers strong grip, high stability, and excellent everyday usability, making it ideal for bikes up to around 165 hp. It eliminates the M9 RR’s abrupt slipping issue and offers noticeably better braking behavior and overall composure.
The Good
- Allrounder
- High Mileage
- Stable
The Bad
- Less agile
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Grip Dry
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Grip Wet
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Warm-Up
-
Handling
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Mileage
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Value for Money
Metzeler Sportec 01 Test & Experiences: The Metzeler Sportec 01 has big shoes to fill: as the successor to the extremely popular Sportec M9 RR, it is meant to bridge the gap between a sporty street tire and a versatile all‑rounder. Developed for dynamic country‑road riding, ambitious commuters, and occasional trackday outings, the new Sportec 01 promises a mix of high grip, reliable handling, and solid mileage. In this review, we examine whether the new Metzeler Sportec truly reaches the level of its predecessor – or even surpasses it in some areas.
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Table of Contents
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Features, Sizes & Intended Use of the Metzeler Sportec 01
The Metzeler Sportec 01 comes with a range of modern features that clearly position it as a sporty street and all‑round tire. Its multi‑compound mix combines fast warm‑up behavior with stable grip in wet conditions and high temperatures, while the updated tread pattern is designed for precise handling and even wear. The tire is offered in all common sizes for naked bikes, sportbikes, and sporty tourers — from 17‑inch supersport dimensions to wider rear tires for powerful machines. This gives the Sportec 01 a broad application range: dynamic country‑road rides, daily commuting, longer tours, and occasional sporty outings where a predictable, reliable tire is needed.
Intended Use of the Sportec 01
The Metzeler Sportec 01 was clearly developed for sporty street and all‑round use — for riders who use their motorcycle daily and on tours, but also value dynamic riding. The focus lies on fast country‑road sections, twisty mountain passes, and spirited after‑work rides where predictable steering, high grip, and stability in lean are essential.
At the same time, the tire is meant to perform well in daily commuting and touring: fast highway stretches, city traffic, varying temperatures, and occasional rain are part of its intended profile. Metzeler also positions the Sportec 01 as an option for sporty touring, where mileage and wear pattern matter more without losing the character of a sporty tire.
Occasional trackdays or beginner‑level riding courses are also part of the design brief — the tire is not a pure racing slick, but offers enough reserves to avoid holding back hobby riders on the track.
Overall, the Sportec 01 targets riders who want a single tire setup that confidently covers everything from daily riding to twisty home‑roads and touring.
Available Sizes of the Metzeler Sportec 01
- Front: 110/70‑17 and 120/70‑17
- Rear: 150/60‑17; 160/60‑17; 180/55‑17; 190/50‑17; 190/55‑17; 200/55‑17
Metzeler Sportec 01 Test
We tested how the Metzeler Sportec 01 performs on sporty country roads, highways, daily riding, and sport‑touring over several months on the CFMoto 675 NK.
Dry Grip
The Sportec 01 shows high and stable grip on dry roads, convincing both in lean and under hard braking. Braking grip at the front and rear is particularly impressive. The former weakness of the M9 RR — occasional abrupt slipping in lean — did not occur once during the entire test. Stability remains intact even during sporty riding, making it hard to unsettle the tire.
Warm‑up time is very short, and differences between cold and warm conditions are minimal. On cool days, the tire already offers good grip; on warm days, even slightly more. Even in extreme heat, the tread remains stable and does not smear.
Only one criticism: feedback could be clearer. Grip and stability are excellent, but compared to very direct sport tires like the Battlax RS12, the feedback is slightly muted.
Wet Grip
In the rain, the Metzeler Sportec 01 offers sporty‑usable grip with a clearly defined limit. The tire builds good confidence on wet roads and allows a brisk pace as long as you ride smoothly and don’t overdo it. Flowing country‑road speeds within legal limits +20 km/h are always possible without issues.
Water displacement works well, and feedback remains predictable. However, caution is needed on bitumen strips and patched roads — grip can noticeably drop here, especially in lean, which caused a few scary moments during sporty riding in the test.
Overall, the Sportec 01 delivers good, confidence‑inspiring wet performance that works safely in everyday riding but demands respect on repaired surfaces and during sporty wet riding.
Braking Performance
Under braking, the Sportec 01 provides stable, clearly controllable deceleration with high braking grip at both wheels. Both axles sit firmly on the road, and grip remains consistently available even during strong braking. Notably, the ABS intervenes very rarely – both front and rear. This is remarkable because the 675 NK is known for a rather conservative ABS setup. Overall, the tire inspires confidence, offers high reserves, and behaves very balanced under braking.
Ride Comfort
The new Metzeler Sportec 01 offers high ride comfort without feeling soft or vague. It feels slightly more isolated from the road than many other sport tires — bumps are filtered out well, while the structure remains stable enough for precise riding. This slightly damped, less direct feedback results in pleasant everyday behavior, though very sporty riders might occasionally wish for more feedback.
Tire Wear
The Sportec 01 is extremely resistant to abrasion and can be ridden sportily on the street for long periods without visible wear. Even with frequent dynamic riding, wear remains surprisingly low and even. No tearing or excessive abrasion was observed. This makes it a tire that stays fresh for a long time and maintains its performance over many kilometers.
Mileage
Due to the very low abrasion, mileage is expected to be high. The tire shows a similarly long‑lasting character as the M9 RR and should provide long‑term enjoyment even on powerful bikes without degrading early. Final mileage assessment will be added to our ranking once the endurance test is complete.
Stability / Cornering Stability
The Sportec 01 feels very planted and stable, providing high confidence in any lean angle. Its inherent calmness is pronounced — it holds the line cleanly and feels very composed. At the same time, it requires some effort to initiate direction changes, which fits its stable character but can be noticeable in tight corners.
Slightly bothersome is the high effort required for mid‑corner corrections: you need to work the tire more, and sometimes it reacts a bit abruptly, causing brief chassis disturbance. Overall, however, the Sportec 01 remains a very stable, planted tire that inspires confidence.
Agility / Steering Behavior
Agility is generally low — the tire is clearly designed for stability and guides the motorcycle cleanly rather than steering lightly. It does not fall into corners by itself and requires more input when steering and in fast direction changes, though only moderately. Steering behavior is precise and controllable but less playful than very agile sport tires.
Air pressure adjustments can noticeably influence this: reducing front pressure slightly makes the tire more agile, more willing to turn, and easier to flick through corners. This allows riders to tune the tire’s character from stable to balanced‑agile.
Uprighting Moment
The Sportec 01 shows no noticeable stand‑up tendency when braking in lean. The tire remains neutral, steers cleanly, and behaves predictably without pushing the rider out of the line. This neutral behavior contributes significantly to relaxed, controlled riding — especially on twisty roads.
Air Pressure
With 2.3 bar front and 2.3 bar rear (cold) on the 675 NK, the tire behaves very balanced. When warm, the slightly higher front pressure results in noticeably more agility (around 2.5–2.6 bar warm) without compromising stability. The rear builds temperature reliably and offers excellent grip even during sporty riding.
Metzeler Sportec 01 Rider Experiences
The new Metzeler Sportec 01 rides very similarly to the Dunlop Sportsmart MK4: a balanced, versatile all‑rounder that convinces both in everyday riding and on sporty home‑road sessions. We clearly see it in everyday use, touring, and sporty street riding — on motorcycles of any type up to around 165 hp. In this segment, it delivers an excellent overall package of grip, stability, comfort, and wear resistance.
For superbikes and hypernakeds beyond 175 hp, we would recommend the Sportec 01 RS or Bridgestone Battlax RS12, as these tires offer significantly more feedback and handle extreme power more confidently.
A major positive: Metzeler has eliminated the biggest weakness of the M9 RR — the unexplained, abrupt slipping during hard braking or in lean did not occur once with the Sportec 01.
Overall, the Sportec 01 is a highly recommended all‑rounder and a worthy successor to the M9 RR — with noticeably more stability, better braking behavior, and excellent everyday usability.
Alternatives to the Metzeler Sportec 01
The Metzeler Sportec 01 is a true sporty street tire. The following models are suitable alternatives:
- Metzeler Sportec M9 RR (predecessor and current budget version)
- Metzeler Sportec 01 RS (sharper hypersport‑focused variant)
- Bridgestone Battlax S23
- Pirelli Diablo Rosso IV
- Dunlop Sportsmart MK4
- Michelin Power 6
