Have had an Angel GT on the rear of my 1200 DVT for about 2000km and on my latest trip (just got back) I got a flattie on a gravel road we vetured up. Prior to that we had done about 100km on gravel roads, nothing particularly gnarly or aggressive. I've done worse! Any way, stopped to fix the leak, which was a small stone, and one of the mates, who owns a bike shop, had bought a proper plugging tool and we put it in and connected a small compressor. After a while it had hardly gone up so we tried putting some CO2 cartridges in to speed things up. Had enough pressure then to ride off so we packed up all the gear and put clobber back on but by the time I got back on the bike it was too soft to ride. So we spun the tire round and found another hole, plugged it and got the compressor going only to find another hole close by. Plugged that then found another right beside it. So, four plugs later we finally got enough air in to ride off but stopped in a nearby puddle for an inspection and found at least another four pinhole leaks spread about on the tire. No signs of any damage, just tiny little holes. In fact the tire looked like it was covered in them. But we had enough air to ride on and after 40 km stopped and pumped up, after replacing the two side byside plugs that fell out, and did another 60km to a gasser where we put a tyre pando in to try and sort out the pinholes. Next time we stopped, the tire was starting to look like it had acne with little eruptions of pando all over the place. (At least six pinholes) 240 km later we had the tire replaced with a second hand one just to get me home. The shop owner has never seen a tire do that and is going to send me a replacement he reckons when he sees the Pirelli rep...
Over 7000 miles on mine and no issues. Need replacing now though as the rear is starting to spin up on the middle of the tyre when hard on the gas. I am about 1mm away from the wear marker on the rear. So far i've found them OK. Plenty of grip, even in the wet but I wouldn't say outstanding feel. Mileage spot on.
Mine was wearing nicely and was handling fine. The front matching tire is mint. When we pulled it off the centre of tread all the way round was soft like a fully worn out tire. The guy that changed it noticed that too.
They use vacuum during the moulding process to remove the air traps I suspect they had an issue with the vacuum being blocked so that it did not correctly evacuate the trapped gas from the rubber curing and from the mould
Not saying this is the case It's always wise to understand tyre lettering and dates, even More so when you by a second hand bike. I have known situations where both a bike shop and a private owner have shoved on a pre plugged part worn tyre on a used bike just to make the sale. If you look up the tyre explanations it will show it's birth month and year/weight capacity/speed etc. Worth looking at this when buying a second hand bike.
Had similar on a push bike fitted with a tubeless racing tyre, issue was the initial puncture was caused by a sharp flint that went straight through the tread into the tyre and then rolled around within the flat tyre carcass. It pin holed from the inside three other holes before I stopped to fix it. I also had a 20mm square wooden wedge go straight through a newish Diablo Rosso at over 100mph on the 748, it was so big you could feel it as the back tyre roled over it (inside the tyre), closest I have had to a blow out induced crash on a bike. Not convinced by the carcase construction on those Pirellis and don't use them any more
