Radial or Bias ply?

[a1bummer]

Is there any advantage, or disadvantage for that matter, to one over the other? I've been looking a little bit on the net and forums, but they don't go into any specifics. I'm assuming radials would handle better. Am I wrong? Or is it simply a matter of personal preference?

 

Thanks, Bill

[1sttenor]

I think the only rear tire you'll find that will fit is a CT, but I'm sure others will pipe in.

[Bloodbought1]

I'm running a Avon Cobra Radial on front and a D404 170-80-15 Bias ply on the rear. Have 2000 miles and they are both doing great. YMMV

[steve crossley]

radials would an improvment but sizes for 1st gen wheels are hard if not imposible to find . but todays bias plys have close radial feel and handling like dunlop e3s ect, put an set of e3s or the like . im sure you will find a smile on your face in both price and performance .

[dynodon]

Just put a set of the Dunlop E3's this late summer and love them. Bias ply, but really for a two-wheeled vehicle, it doesn't matter that much. The new tread pattern doesn't follow tar snakes or grooves near as bad. I love them so far. Not enough miles to gauge treadlife, but others say they do better than the II's.

[RandyR]

Is there any advantage, or disadvantage for that matter, to one over the other? I've been looking a little bit on the net and forums, but they don't go into any specifics. I'm assuming radials would handle better. Am I wrong? Or is it simply a matter of personal preference?

 

Thanks, Bill

 

I'm attaching a tech article on tire construction that explains some of the differences.

[Pecker]

It is my beleif that the RSV and the RSTD bikes suspensions are not designed for radial tire use, thusly the benefits of using radial tires (better cornering characteristics) won't be fully utelised.

I don't think using radials front and rear together will cause a huge drop off in handling, not sure though.

I do know mixing a radial with a bias ply on the same bike is asking for trouble.

If you are just trolling around and not realy leaning that far, you probably will not feel any difference, but when you need to hit some severe lean angles (such as avoiding that cage that's trying to run over you) the front and rear tires will be trying to do two different things. In short, the bike gets really out of shape.

I'm sure others will chime in with a better explanation.

Dave

[gunboat]

i have used a me880 130 on the front and a bfg 155 ( c/t radial ) for over 31,000 miles with no issuses. i now have a avon corba 150 ( radial ) on the front and a kumho 165 ( c/t radial ) on the rear. i feel the radial combo is real sweet. just my 2-cents.

don c.

[wizard]

I'm running a BFG Radial tire on the back and a Metzler bias on the front and the only issue I have had is dragging the pipes when I do any aggressive riding. The BFG is about a half inch lower than a stock bias tire. I have heard that Kumho has a radial tire that matches the stock tire in height.

[a1bummer]

I'm attaching a tech article on tire construction that explains some of the differences.

Thanks. Even though I knew some of that stuff already, it was some interesting info. I did learn some new stuff though. Being a tech-head helps.

 

I was just thinking of trying radials the next time I have to put a new set of tires on. I know how a car can feel with bias or radials. Or even how hairy it can be if you mix the two on the same vehicle. I did that on my 69 F100. I had radials on the front and great big bias tires on the back. You could REALLY feel the difference in a heavy rain or in the winter. I just wasn't sure if any of the same things applied to a bike.

[Sheradan]

I'm running a Avon Cobra Radial on front and a D404 170-80-15 Bias ply on the rear. Have 2000 miles and they are both doing great. YMMV

 

I know on a car that is bad thing to do. Two different traction levels are dangerous.

[wizard]

Which tire, bias or radial, provides the best traction?

[hig4s]

From motorcycleUSA.com

 

Bias and radial tires have significantly different dynamic properties. Bias. bias belted and radial tires have different construction types and therefore have different abilities to carry side and peripheral forces as well as having varied damping characteristics. The introduction of radial tires required changes to certain characteristics of the motorcycle. The development of the radial tire led to frame modifications, new steering geometries and suspensions. That's why it is recommended that a motorcycle be used with the type of tire construction that it came with originally. Do not mix bias ply and radial tires on the same motorcycle unless it has the approval of the motorcycle or tire manufacturer.

 

personally on non sport/race bikes I don't see what difference it makes. Radial motorcycle tires, unlike radial car tires, are not designed to shift to keep the center of the tread on the ground, they roll just like a bias-ply tire. Sure they may feel different, and I can see why they really don't want people to mix, but other than that I would go with which ever gave me good performance with decent longevity for the best price. So far that is Avon Venoms for me.

[wizard]

Thats interesting. I wonder what frame modifications, new steering geometries and suspensions would be needed on the Venture to make them work. I already have a tough time telling the wife why a motorcycle costs the same as a lot of the cars on the market. This engineering issue will help with that. I wonder if this is why the Harleys are so expensive. Switching to radials on the Harleys must have taken a lot of time and work.

[footsie]

I have radials frount and rear, will NEVER put bias ply tires back on my Venture.

1. radials ride much better.

2. to me the bike handles better.

3. Most importantly. with the Cobra on frount and kumho on back, stopping distance has been reduced greatly. I would say a good 25 feet at 60 mph. did not measure with a tape, just tried it on the paved road in frount of my house. With the bridgestones I hit the brakes(60mph) at the dirt road next to my lot and went past my driveway before I could stop. Did this 3 time, results were the same each time. After the change to the radials, repeated under same conditions, time of day, temp, weather, close to the same.

At 60mph I was able to stop short of the drive, did the same three times as before. So guessing I would say about 20 to 25 feet difference.

 

But this is my opinion, there are many different, ones out there.

 

As far as the Harleys go, Bobby has had a hard time finding radials for his 07 electra glide, The harley dealer told him they don"t use radials. But has recently found that www.bikebandit.com has radial michellins for his bike.

 

Gregg

Edited November 18, 2009 by footsie

[jlh3rd]

there's nothing in the manual that says you can't or shouldn't run radials on a venture..it does imply that you should only run the stock tire.......and very few people follow that...

[hig4s]

I have radials frount and rear, will NEVER put bias ply tires back on my Venture.

1. radials ride much better.

2. to me the bike handles better.

3. Most importantly. with the Cobra on frount and kumho on back, stopping distance has been reduced greatly. I would say a good 25 feet at 60 mph. did not measure with a tape, just tried it on the paved road in frount of my house. With the bridgestones I hit the brakes(60mph) at the dirt road next to my lot and went past my driveway before I could stop. Did this 3 time, results were the same each time. After the change to the radials, repeated under same conditions, time of day, temp, weather, close to the same.

At 60mph I was able to stop short of the drive, did the same three times as before. So guessing I would say about 20 to 25 feet difference.

 

But this is my opinion, there are many different, ones out there.

 

As far as the Harleys go, Bobby has had a hard time finding radials for his 07 electra glide, The harley dealer told him they don"t use radials. But has recently found that www.bikebandit.com has radial michellins for his bike.

 

Gregg

 

Almost any tire, radial or not, would have given you a big improvement over the stock Brickstones.

[footsie]

Very true, you could probabally pour some concrete tires and they would be better than the bridge stones. But my 99 RSV had pirelli on frount and dunlop on back and it didn't stop very well either, the 2000 RSV had maxis on back and dunlop on frount, it stoping was inproved after I changed to the cobra on frount, and nexum on back.

 

I just like the radials, it sticks in my mine that honda post a warning in the Valkyries manual NOT to put bias ply tires on it.

 

As I have posted before, A yamaha rep told me the only tire yamaha will recomend is one that they have tested, on that model of bike. Which on the RSV, Dunlop, or a bridgestone. He anything esle he could not say would be safe. and that was the legal lawyer approved answer, and that's a quote.

 

 

Gregg