SPORTEC M7RR [190/50ZR17M/CTL(73W)] Sportec Tire

■What is SPORTEC M7 RR?
SPORTEC is the name for supersport tires in the METZELER product range.
The M7 is the newest tire in the SPORTEC series, which has evolved from the M1, M3 and M5.
The RR stands for Road Racing, meaning that this tire was developed through road racing.
In other words, the SPORTEC M7 RR is the latest supersport tire developed based on feedback from participating in world-class road races such as the historic Isle of Man TT race.

■ METZELER's Development Philosophy
On so-called public roads, the asphalt surface is not as smooth as on a race track.Or, it may be rougher than we expected.Sometimes there are large bumps, repair work, dirt, fallen leaves, puddles, painted lines, and so on, which are often unexpected.Tires must be able to perform reliably under these various conditions.
METZELER believes that tires that can reliably handle these sudden and unexpected situations are what riders need to enjoy riding safely and with total confidence.
Therefore, METZELER has been developing tires that can be used in a wide variety of conditions, not only on closed test tracks, but also on public roads where road conditions are subject to extreme changes.

■Development of the SPORTEC M7 RR - METZELER's entry into road racing -
In March 2013, at the Ace Cafe London in the UK, METZELER announced a project to supply tires to top riders aiming to win the Isle of Man TT race and the North West 200, and to develop supersport tires through their racing activities.From the beginning of the season, they continued to win races.
The SPORTEC M7 RR was developed by incorporating all the feedback from this project.
In 2014, they also participated in the Isle of Man TT Race, the North West 200, and Pikes Peak.They have supported riders such as Guy Martin, James Hiller, James Cowton, Dean Harrison, Gary Johnson, and Alastair Seeley to eight victories and 17 podiums.The team will be participating in the Macau Motorcycle Grand Prix and sponsoring the Ulster Grand Prix and the Southern 100.

■SPORTEC M7 RR on the racetrack
In addition, METZELER supports THE ADAC Junior Cup, a race held in Germany to train young riders.
The SPORTEC M7 RR mid-size tire has been selected as the official tire for this one-make KTM RC390 race.The SPORTEC M7 RR developed based on feedback from road racing, is now playing a role in training young drivers on the racetrack.

■For active riders.
The SPORTEC M7 RR was developed for all riders who enjoy active riding.
Active riders want to enjoy riding in a variety of situations, from daily commuting to winding roads on the weekends, to long distance touring.This requires tires that allow safe sport riding in a variety of road conditions, weather conditions and temperatures.
Active riders are...
・Riders who demand a high level of performance from their tires for sporty riding on winding roads
・Riders who enjoy riding in a variety of situations, sometimes with a small load and sometimes with a partner on the back, and who enjoy taking short trips on the weekends
・Riders who enjoy long distance travel and always seek a banking angle on winding roads
For these riders, METZELER has developed the SPORTEC M7 RR with the latest technology and know-how gained from participating in the toughest road races.
The SPORTEC M7 RR is a new standard for supersport tires, combining the light handling and high dry grip essential for sport riding with a high level of safety, a level of wet performance that is exceptional for a supersport tire, and ease of understanding the road surface conditions. This tire sets a new standard for supersport tires.

■Technical Explanation
The SPORTEC M7 RR has a completely new concept of profile, internal structure, characteristic groove design for rain tire-like drainage, and the latest compounds, which were developed based on feedback from the severe road racing.
Technical features of the SPORTEC M7 RR
1.New profile with larger OD: Excellent handling and road-following performance
2.Internal Structure Optimization: Safety features such as excellent stability during deceleration and cornering, and understanding of road conditions
3.METZELER's unique groove design: Excellent wet performance that can bank safely even in the rain
4.Latest Compounds: Very high dry grip and wet performance

1. Adoption of a new profile with a larger outer diameter
Handling characteristics are determined by the profile (tire shape) used.
The SPORTEC M7 RR offers quick banking from an upright position and flexible handling when changing lines.For this purpose, a new profile with a larger outer diameter (Figure 1) is adopted.
Road racing with rapidly changing road conditions.Top riders demanded this profile in order to control their machines quickly and reliably in extreme conditions.
The shoulder portion contacts the road surface more flatly during cornering and has a 5% larger ground contact area than the SPORTEC M5 INTERACT.Provides better grip.
In addition, the sidewall height has been increased by 3mm (compared to M5) to improve road-following performance, which ensures greater traction on the road surface when the throttle is opened, enabling quicker exits from corners.

2. Optimization of internal structure
The carcass, which is the internal structure of the tire, is made of rayon with high wire density and high tensile strength to suppress deformation caused by centrifugal force (Figure 2).
This allows the tire to maintain its optimum shape even under high forces such as high speeds, braking and cornering, thus increasing riding stability.
The use of rayon with high tensile strength has enabled a 20% reduction in the number of rayon casts while maintaining tire rigidity, and has increased the proportion of rubber coating the rayon in the carcass, thereby increasing elasticity.
This allows various road conditions (information) to be accurately communicated to the rider, enabling precise control of the machine as intended under all conditions.
The belt is made with 0-degree steel belt radial construction.INTERACT technology, which changes the tension of the steel belt by 0 degrees, is applied to control the pressure on the road surface.The optimum ground contact surface shape is maintained at all bank angles to provide maximum grip and freedom of handling.
INTERACT technology is the latest in 0-degree steel belt radial technology and is the backbone of METZELER tire development, the first in the world to use steel belts.

3. METZELER's unique groove design
We pursued a groove design that provides not only grip on dry surfaces, but also a high margin of safety when unexpectedly encountering wet or dirty surfaces while enjoying sport riding, drainage properties comparable to rain tires, and stability when cornering (Figure 3).

The longitudinal grooves that circle the rear tire have a part called the 'compound bridge' to prevent deformation of the tread surface.
This ensures that traction is transmitted to the road surface when the throttle is opened, while at the same time minimizing performance degradation during wear.The groove shape is maintained to improve drainage on wet surfaces.

The lateral grooves become shallower towards the shoulder of the tire, which stabilizes the tread surface and provides high road-following ability at deep banking angles.
The grooves are wider towards the shoulders to improve drainage at deep bank angles, allowing you to enjoy sport riding even on wet surfaces.


Front tires play a large part in wading water from the road surface.The Land Sea ratio is increased from 12.6% to 14.7% compared to M5 to improve wet performance (Figure 4).
The rear tire's Land Sea ratio decreased from 12.6% to 11.1%.In the shoulder area, grooves are reduced to maximize grip while cornering in dry conditions.
In addition, many grooves are placed on the tread surface from the upright position (Figure 5, lean angle 0 degrees) to the initial stage of banking (Figure 5, lean angle around 15 degrees) to maximize the drainage capacity.This allows the rider to accurately assess the road surface conditions in wet conditions and bank as they intend.

4. Latest Compounds
The concept behind the development of the SPORTEC M7 RR was to create a tire that would enable safe sport riding in conditions ranging from mid-summer when the road surface temperature is high to mid-winter when the temperature is low, and even in conditions with puddles and fallen leaves.

METZELER's unique compound mixing technology called DSM (Different Stage Mixing) maximizes the dispersion of molecules in the compound and produces compounds with unparalleled uniformity.
The newest silica compound created with this technology offers stable performance even under conditions (high road temperatures) where conventional silica compounds have a hard time, while at the same time providing grip from low temperatures and quick warm-up.
This has made it possible to use a compound with 100% silica in the SPORTEC M7 RR supersport tire.

The latest 100% silica compound is used (Figure 6).The compound continues to perform stably even under high road surface temperatures, which conventional silica compounds are not good at.

The silica content of the compound is changed between the center and shoulder portions (Figure 7).
The shoulders also feature the latest 100% silica compound, which not only provides excellent grip and quick warm-up in wet conditions, but also maintains stable performance even at high road temperatures.
In addition, a harder 70% silica compound is used for the bottom of the shoulder compound and the center portion (approx. 45mm wide, depending on the size).By suppressing the deformation of the tread surface, it provides excellent mileage and stable cornering.

■Summary
METZELER has developed the SPORTEC M7 RR for riders who enjoy active riding in a variety of situations.
The SPORTEC M7 RR is the new standard for supersport tires, combining the know-how and latest technology gained through participation in extreme road racing, with the light handling and high dry grip essential for sports riding, as well as the exceptional wet performance and safety features of a supersport tire, such as easy understanding of road surface conditions. The SPORTEC M7 RR is a tire that sets a new standard for supersport tires.
1. New profile with larger OD: Excellent handling and road-following performance
2. Internal Structure Optimization: Safety features such as excellent stability during deceleration and cornering, and understanding of road conditions
3. METZELER's unique groove design: Excellent wet performance that can bank safely even in the rain
4. Latest Compounds: Very high dry grip and wet performance