Skip to content
Summer tire Summer Premium Touring tires Updated May 2026

Metzeler ME 888 Marathon Ultra review

The Metzeler ME 888 Marathon Ultra receives highly polarized feedback, with users divided between those praising its exceptional longevity on high-torque cruisers and those reporting severe premature wear and handling defects. While some riders achieve impressive mileage, others experience significant issues with cupping, feathering, and noise, suggesting inconsistent quality control or sensitivity to specific bike setups.

Relative score
51/100
tests + owners
Owner reviews
53/100
4 reviews
Metzeler ME 888 Marathon Ultra
Scores

Two scoring systems, side by side

Owner scores come from reviews on retailer and review sites; road-test scores come from instrumented tests. Where they disagree, it is usually a discipline owners rarely push to the limit.

By owner reviews

53%
Would buy again 55%
Dry
Overall dry
68%
Corner stability
65%
Dry traction
80%
Steering response
55%
Wet
Overall wet
48%
Wet traction
60%
Comfort
Overall comfort
55%
Treadwear
Overall treadwear
40%
Handling
Overall handling
55%
By source
DriverReviews90%419 reviews Tyre Reviews53%4 reviews
From owners

What owners like and dislike

Themes extracted from 4 owner reviews across retailers and review sites.

The Metzeler ME 888 Marathon Ultra receives highly polarized feedback, with users divided between those praising its exceptional longevity on high-torque cruisers and those reporting severe premature wear and handling defects. While some riders achieve impressive mileage, others experience significant issues with cupping, feathering, and noise, suggesting inconsistent quality control or sensitivity to specific bike setups.

Pros

  • High mileage potential for heavy, high-torque cruisers
  • Strong wet weather performance and grip
  • Improved ride comfort compared to stock or alternative cruiser tires

Cons

  • Severe premature tread wear and baldness in some instances
  • Persistent issues with tire cupping and feathering
  • Difficulty in balancing the front tire
  • Excessive road noise from new

Worth knowing

  • High-torque machines like the Triumph Rocket 3R show strong mileage results despite aggressive riding styles.
  • Users on heavy cruiser platforms report mixed results, with some experiencing rapid, uneven wear patterns despite proper suspension maintenance.