ya i rode and wrenched on bikes my whole life but i lost my hearing in one ear so i lose it on certain right hand turns so that was the end of it. i can ride around town or stop and go on PCH but who wants to do that. ya good tires are a must on a motorcycle. i always laugh at guys that say i had to lay it down, B.S. you lost it bro, man up.
I wear ear plugs. Never had Michelin for cars either but love the Pilot Road 4 on the m'cycle. While I want *max* grip on two wheels, my priorities are a little different on four. Getting around in the Winter is a must. Once I wear out the Summer and Winter rubbers, I'll be looking to return to a set of all-seasons. Regarding all-season tires, tread pattern is king. The uglier the pattern, the more effective it is for Winter. All these pretty tread patterns with the curvy wavy lines and long center-line grooves perform terribly in snow. Great in water, but the "ugly" patterns do well enough there too.
By the way, while I've never cared to use the "lay it down" phrase either, I think the whole matter is a fake controversy. When other riders have used that phrase with me, I've never interpreted it in a way as to "blame" something or someone else. It's simply a way of communicating that a wreck occurred without serious injury or impact for the rider. I agree that as riders,
whatever happens, we cannot afford to be preoccupied with blame. Regardless of "who's right" or "who's wrong" we are always the looser. With a good pair of eyes, ears, forethought and a brain, just about all crash situations can be avoided. We have to ride with the mentality that all wrecks are "always" our fault.