Ducati Monster 900 (M900)

(updated September 99)

Rim Stock Size Possible Alternate
Front 3.50 x 17 120/70ZR17
Rear 5.50 x 17 170/60ZR17 180/55-17

Manufacturers' Recommendations

Manufacturer Front size Rear size
Avon AV35 Azaro 120/70ZR17 AV36 Azaro 170/60ZR17
AV27 120/70ZR17 AV36 Azaro 170/60ZR17
AV27 120/70ZR17 AV36 Azaro 180/55ZR17
AV35 Azaro 120/70ZR17 AV36 Azaro 180/55ZR17
AV39 Azaro Sport 120/70ZR17 AV40 Azaro Sport 180/55ZR17
Bridgestone BT54 120/70ZR17 BT54 180/55ZR17
BT56 120/70ZR17 BT56 170/60ZR17
BT56 120/70ZR17 BT56 180/55ZR17
BT56SS 120/70ZR17 BT56SS 180/55ZR17
BT57 120/70ZR17 BT57 170/60ZR17
BT57 120/70ZR17 BT57 180/55ZR17
Dunlop
(no data)
Metzeler ME-Z1 120/70ZR17 ME-Z1 180/55ZR17
ME-Z1 120/70ZR17 ME-Z2 170/60ZR17
ME-Z1 120/70ZR17 ME-Z2 180/55ZR17
ME-Z1 Racing 120/70ZR17 ME-Z1 Racing 190/50ZR17
Michelin Macadam XA 120/70ZR17 Macadam 90X 170/60ZR17
Pirelli MTR 01 120/70ZR17 MTR 02 180/55ZR17
MTR 03 120/70ZR17 MTR 04 170/60ZR17
MTR 03 120/70ZR17 MTR 04 180/55ZR17
MTR 01 Corsa 120/70ZR17 MTR 02 Corsa 190/50ZR17
MTR 01 Corsa 120/70ZR17 MTR 02 Corsa 180/55ZR17

Martyn's Opinion

General Comments

There's an astonishing array of tyres available for this bike.  Adding to the complexity is the choice of two sizes for the rear, a wide 180/55 or the stock 170/60.  There are so many good tyres in this range that you're pretty much certain to find a matched set that's exactly what you're looking for.  The question, of course, is what are you looking for?

The Safe Bet

Brand Model Size MAW
Front Metzeler ME-Z1 120/70ZR17 $101
Rear Metzeler ME-Z2 170/60ZR17 $123

The conservative choice is the proven ME-Z1/Z2 combination from Metzeler, in stock sizes.  It performs well on wet and dry roads, has reasonably tread life, and just plain works very well.  You can't go wrong with it.

A Tight Budget

Brand Model Size MAW
Front Dunlop D205 Sport/Touring 120/70ZR17 $93
Rear Dunlop D205 Sport/Touring 170/60ZR17 $107

Nothing is inexpensive for this bike.  Whatever you do, you'll be paying over $200 for a set (unless you fit bias-plies, which I would definitely not do on this bike).  The recent downward trend in Dunlop's prices makes the D205 sport-touring tyres an obvious choice.  They're just a little cheaper than the Michelin Macadam 90X's, and while I'm not particularly fond of Dunlop's sport-touring profiles, they're certainly good tyres.  They'll last well, too, making them very good value for (relatively) not much money.

General Purpose, Sport-Touring, Touring

Brand Model Size MAW
Front Metzeler ME-Z4 120/70ZR17 $115
Rear Metzeler ME-Z4 170/60ZR17 $135

Metzeler's new ME-Z4, while not yet as widespread as the Z1/Z2, should be a superb tyre for this bike.  Improvements in compound, construction, and tread depth all result in a tyre that can bring noticeable benefits to the Monster.  For general riding it's even better than the proven Z1/Z2 combination, and for sport-touring it's definitely superior to those older Metzelers.  For most riders, this should be the tyre of choice.

For riding which tends to square off the rear, such as commuting and those long straight roads on the way to the mountains, the narrower 170/60 will provide more even wear characteristics than the wider 180/55.  With these tyres, the difference in traction characteristics is certainly not enough to make it worth fitting a tyre which would square off more readily.

Sport-Riding

Brand Model Size MAW
Front Avon Azaro AV35 120/70ZR17 $107
Rear Avon Azaro AV36 180/55ZR17 $143

The radical Avon Azaro tyres work superbly well on Ducatis, and the Monster is no exception.  They provide excellent grip and handling, superb conformation to pavement irregularities, and for sport-riding in the real world of uneven street surfaces they can be better even than the Michelin Hi-Sports.  Thanks to the unusual construction they last surprisingly well for a sport tyre.  None of the other manufacturers have a tyre that performs like these -- the Michelin Hi-Sport may stick a little better, but is more prone to squaring off the rear.  Be certain you get the correct tyre for the rim -- the Azaro rear is designed specifically for one rim width only, and is offered in several models in the same nominal size to accomodate different rims widths.

Martyn's Choice

Brand Model Size MAW
Front Avon AV27 120/70ZR17 $128
Rear Avon Azaro AV36 170/60ZR17 $135

I'll go with the Azaro rear, but on the front I prefer the AV27.  It has none of the uneven wear tendencies of the Azaro front, and provides excellent stability with good traction and handling.  Also, I'll stick with the narrower stock size rear -- it'll provide plenty of traction, but should give a little more even wear for general riding.


The Full List

(from MAW and manufacturer web pages)

Well-sized matched pairs

This table shows exact-sized fronts with the two alternate rear sizes.
 
Brand Front size MAW Rear size MAW match
Avon AV27 120/70ZR17 $128 Azaro AV36
Azaro AV36
170/60ZR17B
180/55ZR17
$135
$143
exact
excel
Azaro AV35 120/70ZR17 $107 Azaro AV36
Azaro AV36
170/60ZR17B
180/55ZR17
$135
$143
exact
excel
Bridgestone BT50 Sports Perform. 120/70ZR17 $89 BT50 Sports Perform. 170/60ZR17 
180/55ZR17
 - 
$144
exact 
excel
BT54 Sports Touring 120/70ZR17 $102 BT54 Sports Touring 170/60ZR17 
180/55ZR17
$114 
$137
exact 
excel
BT56 Ultra Sports Perf 120/70ZR17 BT56 Ultra Sports Perf 170/60ZR17 
180/55ZR17
 - 
 - 
exact 
excel
BT56SS Extreme Sp/Perf 120/70ZR17 $94 BT56SS Extreme Sp/Perf 180/55ZR17 $124 excel
BT57 Sports Perform. 120/70ZR17 $113 BT57 Sports Perform. 170/60ZR17 
180/55ZR17
$140 
$137
exact 
excel
Continental Sport 2000 120/70V-17 $76 Sport 2000 170/60V-17 
180/55V-17
 - 
$122
exact 
excel
Sport 2000 Radial 120/70ZR17 Sport 2000 Radial 170/60ZR17 
180/55ZR17
$142 
 - 
exact 
excel
Dunlop D204 Sportmax II ZR 120/70ZR17 D204 Sportmax II ZR 170/60ZR17 
180/55ZR17
$120
 - 
exact 
excel
D205 Sport/Touring 120/70ZR17 $93 D205 Sport/Touring 170/60ZR17 
180/55ZR17
$107 
$112
exact 
excel
D207 Sportmax 120/70ZR17 $111 D207 Sportmax 170/60ZR17 
180/55ZR17
$136
$142
exact 
excel
K510 120/70VR17 $98 K510 170/60VR17 $118 exact
Metzeler ME-Z1 120/70ZR17 $101 ME-Z1 170/60ZR17 
180/55ZR17
 - 
$140
exact 
excel
ME-Z1 120/70ZR17 $101 ME-Z2 170/60ZR17 
180/55ZR17
$123 
$132
exact 
excel
ME-Z2 120/70ZR17 $115 ME-Z2 170/60ZR17 
180/55ZR17
$123
$132
exact 
excel
ME-Z3 120/70ZR17 $118 ME-Z3 170/60ZR17
180/55ZR17
$139
$154
exact
excel
ME-Z4 120/70ZR17 $115 ME-Z4 170/60ZR17 
180/55ZR17
$135 
$137
exact 
excel
Michelin Hi-Sport TX15 120/70ZR17 $150 Hi-Sport TX25 170/60ZR17 
180/55ZR17
$185 
$197
exact 
excel
Macadam 90X 120/70ZR17 $88 Macadam 90X 170/60ZR17 
180/55ZR17
$118 
$122
exact 
excel
Pirelli Dragon GT MTR03 120/70ZR17 $101 Dragon GT MTR04 170/60ZR17 
180/55ZR17
$134 
$138
exact 
excel
Dragon GTS MTR23 120/70ZR17 $106 Dragon GTS MTR24 170/60ZR17 
180/55ZR17
$137
$136
exact 
excel
Dragon MTR01 120/70ZR17 $112 Dragon MTR02 170/60ZR17 
180/55ZR17
$155 
$153
exact 
excel

Listing by Manufacturer

Avon

Front size MAW match Rear size MAW match
AV27 120/70ZR17 $128 exact
Azaro AV35 120/70ZR17 $107 exact Azaro AV36 170/60ZR17B $135 exact
Azaro AV36 180/55ZR17 $143 excel

Bridgestone

Front size MAW match Rear size MAW match
BT35 Sports Mileage 120/70H-17 exact
BT45 Sports Mileage 120/70H-17 $84 exact
BT50 Sports Perform. 120/70ZR17 $89 exact BT50 Sports Perform. 170/60ZR17 exact
BT50 Sports Perform. 180/55ZR17 $144 excel
BT54 Sports Touring 120/70ZR17 $102 exact BT54 Sports Touring 170/60ZR17 $114 exact
BT54 Sports Touring 180/55ZR17 $137 excel
BT56 Ultra Sports Perf 120/70ZR17 exact BT56 Ultra Sports Perf 170/60ZR17 exact
BT56 Ultra Sports Perf 180/55ZR17 excel
BT56SS Extreme Sp/Perf 120/70ZR17 $94 exact BT56SS Extreme Sp/Perf 180/55ZR17 $124 excel
BT57 Sports Perform. 120/70ZR17 $113 exact BT57 Sports Perform. 170/60ZR17 $140 exact
BT57 Sports Perform. 180/55ZR17 $137 excel
BT92 Sports Mileage 120/70HR17 $65 exact

Continental

Front size MAW match Rear size MAW match
Sport 2000 120/70V-17 $76 exact Sport 2000 170/60V-17 exact
Sport 2000 180/55V-17 $122 excel
Sport 2000 Radial 120/70ZR17 exact Sport 2000 Radial 170/60ZR17 $167 exact
Sport 2000 Radial 180/55ZR17 excel

Dunlop

Front size MAW match Rear size MAW match
D204 Sportmax II ZR 120/70ZR17 exact D204 Sportmax II ZR 170/60ZR17 $120 exact
D204 Sportmax II ZR 180/55ZR17 excel
D205 Sport/Touring 120/70ZR17 $93 exact D205 Sport/Touring 170/60ZR17 $107 exact
D205 Sport/Touring 180/55ZR17 $112 excel
D207 Sportmax 120/70ZR17 $111 exact D207 Sportmax 170/60ZR17 $136 exact
D207 Sportmax 180/55ZR17 $142 excel
K455 Radial 120/70VR17 exact
K510 120/70VR17 $98 exact K510 170/60VR17 $118 exact

Metzeler

Front size MAW match Rear size MAW match
ME-33 Laser 120/70V-17 $90 exact
ME-880 Marathon 120/70VR17 $103 exact
ME-Z1 120/70ZR17 $101 exact ME-Z1 170/60ZR17 exact
ME-Z1 180/55ZR17 $140 excel
ME-Z2 120/70ZR17 $115 exact ME-Z2 170/60ZR17 $123 exact
ME-Z2 180/55ZR17 $132 excel
ME-Z3 120/70ZR17 $118 exact ME-Z3 170/60ZR17 $139 exact
ME-Z3 180/55ZR17 $154 excel
ME-Z4 120/70ZR17 $115 exact ME-Z4 170/60ZR17 $135 exact
ME-Z4 180/55ZR17 $137 excel

Michelin

Front size MAW match Rear size MAW match
Hi-Sport TX15 120/70ZR17 $150 exact Hi-Sport TX25 170/60ZR17 $185 exact
Hi-Sport TX25 180/55ZR17 $197 excel
Macadam 50 120/70V-17 $106 exact
Macadam 90X 120/70ZR17 $88 exact Macadam 90X 170/60ZR17 $118 exact
Macadam 90X 180/55ZR17 $122 excel

Pirelli

Front size MAW match Rear size MAW match
Dragon GT MTR03 120/70ZR17 $101 exact Dragon GT MTR04 170/60ZR17 $134 exact
Dragon GT MTR04 180/55ZR17 $138 excel
Dragon GTS MTR23 120/70ZR17 $106 exact Dragon GTS MTR24 170/60ZR17 $137 exact
Dragon GTS MTR24 180/55ZR17 $136 excel
Dragon MTR01 120/70ZR17 $112 exact Dragon MTR02 170/60ZR17 $155 exact
Dragon MTR02 180/55ZR17 $153 excel
Match MT09 120/70VB17 $96 exact

Key:

Exact Precisely matches original spec
Excellent Precisely matches a recommended alternate
Good An exact or alternate in a different sizing system
Short Exact or excellent width, lower profile.  Consider these both ends to lower the bike
Soft Similar diameter by using a taller profile and narrower width; used on the rear only
Tall Taller profile, stock width; similar in effect to "soft", but for the front only
Wide Same profile, wider tyre.  This MAY NOT FIT your rim.  BE CAREFUL!!!