Best tires?

[SuzikQu]

Not sure what the best tires for touring would be. What do you guys use/recommend?

[Bluesmudge]

What do you want out of your tires?

Sticky in the corners?
Long wear life?
Cheap?
Good on wet pavement?
Useful off-road?

A little more information could help us recommend tires.
For pavement only use (no off road) I love Pirelli Sport Demons. Confidence inspiring, not too bad in the wet, and not too expensive. The main downside is that for a street tire, they don't last all that long.

[tobyd]

I thought Michelin City Grip tyres were somewhat uninspiring for regular use. Not ditch finders, just not great.

[gregjet]

Michelin pilot road 4. Few tyres grip as well in ALL conditions cold to hot and wet or dry. Best tyres I have ever used on the street. Did a 7000km tour on them and they were wonderful ( wet and 1degC to 44degC and hot dry sun). They are still good.  And the make a 140/70 that will fit the rear very nicely.
The new Michelin Road 5 ( no pilot bit) any more are out and have two different carcass/compound 140/70's. Supposed to be even better than the PR4's.

[J_Walker]

I run Avon AM26 Roadriders, Stock sizes, EXPECT I went with 80s tall instead of 70s. I really like them, going in straight lines, sometimes a shallow curve in down-pour 3am rain. seems to break the water pretty good, and they are pretty hard wearing. got them because I never touch my chicken tendies, purely a long lasting, highwayish, around the town rainy/hot weather tire. I can't remember the last time I scraped pegs on a GS, probably, NEVER. the GS, or at least the ones I've rode, aren't exactly bikes that when you're riding ask to be leaned over. gonna be honest I ride like I own a Harley anyway when on a GS. Slow wide corners.

anyway, cheap enough to not feel bad squaring them off plus they last a good while. if the only motorcycle tire shop around town shafts you in mounting/balancing they are for the pair, $350 with a mount and balance.

[Kookas]

I'm a year-round commuter - the only thing I don't take the GS out in is snow. I've got Pirelli Sport Demons on mine (from a PO) and I've never had trouble with grip. Granted a bit pricy - I don't know if I'd have bought these tyres myself - but on my old GS I used to lock the rear pretty regularly whereas on this one it's quite rare. That could obviously also be to do with a different brake set-up.

[mr72]

I have Pirelli Sport Demon on front and it's been great but I have nothing to compare it to. I have a Michelin Pilot Activ in the rear that's probably 70% worn and once it's gone I'll replace with a Sport Demon. Wonder how they compare with the PS4 or Pilot Road 5s.

[Darkstar]

I have zero complaints with the stock tires

[MichaelM3]

I'm a huge fan of Michelin Pilot Street Radial - they make them in the stock sizes.
These are damn fine in the wet and dry. However, as they are pretty hard, they do not behave particularly well on gravel.

As a year-round commuter and a when-I-can-get-away tourer, I put about 15-18000 kilometers on my bike every year.
The front tyre has over 30000 ks on it and the rear has seen more than 42000 ks.
These tyres look like they'll die of old age before they actually wearing out.
The tread wear indicators are not yet flush with tread, however, there is some cupping on the rear.

I'm soon going to get a new pair. I want to get some before Michelin realise they've created a long life product and take them off the market. 

[TGTwin]

Second on the pilot street radials. I've only reletively recently put them on, but hot damn its a difference compared to whatever was on there when I bought the thing (second hand).
I commute a 90km round trip to work every day, rain hail or shine, so I couldn't really care less about dirt road performance of the tyres (or how good they would be on the track) and so far I am very happy. I've heard they last quite a while too which was a factor in getting them.