No Tire Like a New Tire

[Guest jakenator6]

This week I replaced the original Dunlop D404's that came on the 06 RSV. I got 10,500 miles from the originals with no problems...and they still had some useful tread at both ends. The front tire had worn as evenly as any front tire I've ever had on a bike. The rear was mostly worn in the center, but that reflects the unfortunate manner of most of my rides; much more straight up than heeled over.

 

Having read all the tire posts I could find on this great site, I was really leaning toward some of the Avons or Michelins that many here have raved about, but the 404's have performed well for me and the difference in price was enough to send me back to them.

 

This morning I took the bike out for a ride to scuff in the new rubber and was just amazed at how well the bike was handling and how light the low speed steering was. I thought to myself, "This is exactly what the guys have been saying about their new (insert brand) tires when they make the change." Had I made the change to one of the other brands, and they felt just like these new 404's, I would have been thrilled with how good they felt. Since I didn't make a change, I'm merely comparing a new set of tires to a set nearing the end of their road.

 

New tires feel great and I will not spend much time in the future wondering how many more miles I might squeeze out of an existing set.

[pegscraper]

That's the funny thing. The difference between old tires and new is so great that I'm not sure I feel any real difference in the one brand change that I've done. I ran one new set of Dunlop 404s, and for the next set I went with Avons. Having new tires felt so much better that I just can't say it was due to the brand. I'd have to compare new tires of each brand on the same bike. I actually didn't mind the D404s at all. I thought I'd try the Avons at least once kind of just for the sake of it.

 

My local dealer told me the D404s are junk and wanted to sell me a Metz, which they have in stock. I told him that I've seen too many pictures around here of Metzes coming apart, and that I didn't really have any complaints with the D404s. He did tell me that he'd order anything I wanted.

[trandeod]

Just changed my rear tire from the OEM Bridgestone to the Dunlop 404's and it feels great...again...any new tire will make a worn tire out to be bad. I've always run Dunnies on my Goldwings, Road Star, VTX's and always got good handling and mileage so I'm sticking with'em. I put Avon's on my VTX and got the front wheel wobble right off. The tire dealer changed out the tire to another Avon and it was ok. just my 2 cents worth.

[Ol Erns]

I also switched out the OEM Bridgestone for a dunlop. So far so good. Did just a hair under 4000 miles going out west and stopped Sturgis on the way back. It still looks like I just put it on. A riding buddy runs Elite III's on his Valk but I couldn't find the size to fit the venture, and they only listed radials. But at the factory display in Sturgis, it listed a bias replacement for the venture. Anyone running the Elite III's and how are they doing for them so far?