The Pirelli Night Dragon tire is a high-performance, heavy-duty tire designed for bigger, torquier, and more customized heavy cruiser bikes, particularly the Harley Davidson high-performance and big custom cruisers.
This tire is built with a heavy-duty carcass that can support a larger load while also providing longevity, reliability, and excellent handling.
In this Pirelli Night Dragon review, I’ll be taking a close look at the technical features, including their design, construction, and performance.
But the main question I will answer in this review is: Are these the best cruiser tires for you? Let’s find out!
Pirelli Night Dragon
Features
- 10% larger contact patch
- Increases wet and dry grip
- Supports the bike at every lean angle
EPT Technology
One of the key features of the Pirelli Night Dragon tire is the EPT technology used by Pirelli’s technicians to optimize the profile structure and tread pattern of the contact patch area.
This technology increases the contact patch by 10% compared to Pirelli’s less technical cruiser tire, the MT66, resulting in better shape of the tire in the cornering and improved turning ability. This, in turn, leads to increased handling and better performance on the road.
Tread Pattern
The Pirelli Night Dragon tire has a complementary front and rear tread pattern. The front tire is designed to break the standing film of the water, while the rear tire is meant to evacuate or channel away the residual standing water after the front tire has already disrupted it.
This all-season tire has a great wet grip on both the front and rear, providing excellent ride comfort and support. The Pirelli Night Dragon tire has a good balance of mileage and is suitable for cruiser applications.
Comparison with Other Tires
Compared to Pirelli’s MT66, which is still high mileage but less suited for the more monster bikes, the Night Dragon is better suited for the V-twin and cruiser side of things.
This tire can also be compared to similar families, such as the Metzler ME880 or Michelin Commander II, which are also suitable for heavy cruiser bikes.
Pirelli Night Dragon Mileage
The Pirelli Night Dragon Mileage depends on various factors, such as the type of motorcycle, riding style, and road conditions. Here is a summary of the mileage reported by different sources:
- Pirelli staff claims that the mileage of the Night Dragon should be in the 6,000- to 8,000-mile range[1].
- The new Night Dragon GT offers up to 20 percent more mileage than the original Night Dragon[2].
- One rider reported getting 12.5k miles for a set of Night Dragon tires[3].
- Another rider reported getting 10-11k miles on a 2013 FXDB[4].
- A third rider reported getting about 8k miles on the Night Dragon[5].
It is important to note that the tire’s mileage can vary depending on the factors mentioned above. However, the Night Dragon is generally considered to be a tire with good mileage and traction capabilities[6].
Sizes and Prices
The Pirelli Night Dragon comes in sizes of up to 240 on the rear and up to 150 on the fronts, with prices starting just over the 100 mark for the fronts and just over the mark for the rear.
If you have any questions about this tire or need a walkthrough of the Pirelli tire line or other cruiser tires, feel free to contact the gear geeks line.
Enhancements
The Pirelli Night Dragon tire has a new structural design that provides great stability and comfort, while the modern and aggressive tread pattern combines high-performance attributes with great style.
The compact tread design maximizes the contact patch, providing more rubber on the ground to ensure traction and grip in every situation.
The tread groove layout optimizes uniform and quick warm-up, delivering stability and traction.
Drainage
The Pirelli Night Dragon has been designed to provide excellent grip and drainage, especially in wet situations.
The tread grooves are concentrated where needed, providing an ideal balance between style and performance, while the calibrated grooves between the rear center section and edges of the rear effectively disperse the residual water.
Suitable for Custom Motorcycle Enthusiasts
The Pirelli Night Dragon tire is designed for custom motorcycle enthusiasts who want a high-performance tire on the straightaways while also providing excellent grip in the corners.
Availability
The Pirelli Night Dragon tire is not available in all popular sizes for metric Cruiser and Harley bikes, particularly in the rear sizes of 180, 200, and 240 millimeters.
However, it is still a great choice for those looking for a high-performance, heavy-duty tire for their customized heavy cruiser bike.
The tire’s front tread is designed to cut a path through the water layer, clearing the way for the rear tread to evacuate or channel away the residual standing water.
Compared to Pirelli’s MT66 tire, the Night Dragon is better suited for heavy cruiser bikes, particularly those with V-twin engines.
The Night Dragon tire has a higher load rating and better handling capabilities.
Features and Benefits
| Features | Benefits |
|---|---|
| EPT technology | Optimizes the profile structure and tread pattern of the contact patch area, resulting in better handling and performance on the road |
| Tread pattern | Complementary front and rear tread pattern for great wet grip on both tires, providing excellent ride comfort and support; good balance of mileage and suitable for cruiser applications |
| Enhancements | New structural design for great stability and comfort; modern and aggressive tread pattern for high performance and style; compact tread design maximizes contact patch for more rubber on the ground, ensuring traction and grip in every situation; tread groove layout optimizes uniform and quick warm-up, delivering stability and traction |
| Drainage | New structural design for great stability and comfort; modern and aggressive tread pattern for high performance and style; compact tread design maximizes the contact patch for more rubber on the ground, ensuring traction and grip in every situation; tread groove layout optimizes uniform and quick warm-up, delivering stability and traction |
| Suitability | Designed for bigger, torqueier, and more customized heavy cruiser bikes, particularly Harley Davidson high-performance and big custom cruisers; suitable for V-twin engines that deliver high horsepower and high torque; allows riders to reach their full potential without sacrificing mileage |
| Availability | Not available in all popular sizes for metric cruiser and Harley bikes, particularly in the rear sizes of 180, 200, and 240 millimeters |
FAQ
What Mileage Can I Get From A Pirelli Night Dragon?
Pirelli staff suggests that the mileage should be in the range of 6,000 to 8,000 miles. However, some riders have reported getting around 4,500 to 5,500 miles from the tire.
Pirelli engineers have revamped the tire to offer up to 20% more mileage with the new Night Dragon GT. One rider reported getting 12,500 miles from a set of Pirelli Night Dragon tires.
What is the Pirelli Night Dragon tire pressure?
The recommended tire pressure for the Pirelli Night Dragon tire may vary depending on the motorcycle model and other factors.
However, some sources suggest that running the tire pressure at 38/40 psi rides well. It is important to note that the psi listed on the sidewall of the tire is the maximum recommended inflation pressure and not necessarily the correct pressure based on the specific motorcycle model.
What I Like and Don’t Like
I found that the Night Dragon gave me an excellent grip on both wet and dry roads. I also liked their sporty handling and the noticeable improvement in their bike’s performance.
The only negative thing I could find was that I had issues with rapid wear and cupping. I would have liked the tires to last more than a few thousand miles, but that may be due to my aggressive riding.
Conclusion
Overall, the Pirelli Night Dragon tire is an exceptional choice for those who want a reliable and durable tire that can handle the demands of heavy cruiser bikes.
With its excellent handling, wet grip, and all-season capabilities, this tire is sure to provide riders with the confidence they need to take on any road condition.
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I ride a 2018 CVO Street Glide and at 41,000km my tires needed changing, due to Covid (2021) and the world wide shortage of Harley tires, Night dragons were put on, brilliant tires and after 2 1/2 years and 40,000kms the front tire had slight unevenness, but still had plenty of wear left on it so the garage ticked it off as okay on the 80,000 km service. Unfortunately on closer inspection there is a 10 cm gash in the rubber and other signs of wear on the surface. Bike is parked up until the new tire has arrived and words will be had with my local Harley dealership about the quality of their inspection process.
I’m sorry to hear you’ve had an issue with premature tire wear on your Street Glide. It’s frustrating when parts wear out earlier than expected. The tire shortage during COVID definitely complicated things by limiting replacement options.
While the Night Dragons may have still had tread life left, it sounds like the gash and uneven wear you noticed means it was indeed time for a new tire, despite being approved at your last service. I would politely discuss these wear signs with the dealership and ask them to take extra care inspecting tires at future services. Tires are critical for safe riding. Most dealers aim to do right by their customers, so hopefully they will address this oversight and make it up to you when the new tire comes in. Worn tires can sneak up on anyone, but clear communication with your servicing dealer can help avoid surprises going forward. Ride safe and enjoy the open road on that new rubber!