Handles almost like the 550 now.
Hey TT - is it true that the 550 handles better than the 750?
All the 750's I rode had oversize tires on them. They never felt like natural riders, meaning you had steer or counter-steer them when leaned over, in order to hold your turn line and make it predictable. I compared it to my 72 Ford truck.
The 550's can get like this too, if the oversize tires have any sort of square off, of the tires. Otherwise, you can steer them around corners with hands off bars just by leaning. I could never do that with the 750's. Always had to steer or counter-steer in the corners. And the steering seemed "sluggish". I thought that was just the 750's way, until I put the inch size Metzelers on the bike recently. It changed the handling way toward the better. I would expect new tires, whatever the brand, to be better than the old ones, as they now have a nice new crown on them. But, I was quite surprised how the handling changed to a far more neutral bike that pretty much anticipates your turns with a subtle weight shift. There is still more weight with the 750, so it takes a little more "will" in the turns compared to the 550. But, there is now no fight. If the 750 with stock tire follows the same pattern as the 550's with stock tires, they will wear more evenly and not make the tire crown flatten near a quickly as oversize tires. ...unless if maybe all your driving is straight up freeway. But, even then you don't have to over-inflate stock size tires like you do with oversize to keep the sidewalls stiff. So, wear should be much better with the stock sizes. It has been so far on the 550. I think it is a good bet the 750 will behave similarly.
I don't think I've put 100 miles on the 750's Metzelers, yet. So far, I'm really happier with the bike than I though I would be. I'll be pushing it a bit harder after I get the new fork seals in.
Cheers,
Poll