Tires

[Whistler]

It,s About time for new tires I got 14,000 on the set that came with the bike new .. Is there any good sugestion out there? Need a set that will go the distance. Any one out there willing to suggest a good brand Ron:cool10:

[Guest scarylarry]

Dunlop and Avons are the top 2 after that you have to pick...

[Squidley]

Avon Venom X....type tires into the search box and grab some popcorn, you'll have several hours of Tire threads to read.

[BoomerCPO]

.............

[lshafer]

It,s About time for new tires I got 14,000 on the set that came with the bike new .. Is there any good sugestion out there? Need a set that will go the distance. Any one out there willing to suggest a good brand Ron:cool10:

 

Dunlop Elite 3's. That's my suggestion. They're absolutely fantastic. Especially when compared to the factory Bridgestones you probably had. Big difference in road noise and bike handling. And you don't have to worry about sidewall cracking issues like many running the Avons have had. IMHO.

[Chinto]

Dunlop and Avons are the top 2 after that you have to pick...

 

 

 

I have not used Avons but I can definitely recommend the Dunlop E3s

 

If your OEM tires are Bridgestones then I think you will be amazed at the difference.

[remmertb]

Shinko 230 tourmaster. Great traction and you can get them for under $100 from jakewilson.com with free shipping. I had one on my vmax, it got great traction even launching at the drag strip. I'm putting another one on my '01 VR this weekend. Dunlop has got to be the absolute worst tires ever made, worst traction, worst ride, wear out fast. You also can't go wrong with Metzlers - excellent grip and ride, they don't last a long time if you ride aggressively due to the soft compound, but I'd rather have great grip and change tires more often, than the opposite. Never ran Avon's but I hear their good, but expensive. Shinkos rule though - best bang for the buck by far.

[tufftom4]

Shinko's are the worst made tires and should be outlawed by the DOT.

[Sylvester]

Now you have been given all opinions, so I am sure you are just as confused as when you posted.

 

[elmicko]

When it comes to tires really all we can agree on is they should be somewhat round and made of rubber.

[Old Texan]

If Dunlop's are suppose to be so great then why would every GW 1800 rider do everything they can to remove them, after all they ride about the same as we do and they hate them. Metzler or Avon's are my choices, and you have to watch the Avon's as they've been known to delaminate.

[Rick Haywood]

Shinko 230 tourmaster. Great traction and you can get them for under $100 from jakewilson.com with free shipping. I had one on my vmax, it got great traction even launching at the drag strip. I'm putting another one on my '01 VR this weekend. Dunlop has got to be the absolute worst tires ever made, worst traction, worst ride, wear out fast. You also can't go wrong with Metzlers - excellent grip and ride, they don't last a long time if you ride aggressively due to the soft compound, but I'd rather have great grip and change tires more often, than the opposite. Never ran Avon's but I hear their good, but expensive. Shinkos rule though - best bang for the buck by far.

 

 

 

What Dunlops did you run? I run E'3s and I replaced the rear because of a nail at 17,500 miles and because i was riding up to scooter bob's for the weekend and didn't want any trouble if I plugged it. I am replacing the front thursday with 20,700 miles on it. I run 39 lbs in the front and 42 in the rear riding two up. I also run around 35 lbs in the rear shocks and 3-4 in the front. I run dyna beads for ablancing. Not sure if I could get anything more from another tire. The dunlops can be a little noisey but I crank the stereo anyway and they are noisiest in curves and I live in Illinois so don't have to worry much about that. If I put on a cheaper tire and only get 8,00 miles out of them I would be changing tires every 2 months.

Most tire issues are not checking the air on a regular basis and balancing. Also starting and stopping to fast. You will get what you pay for in a tire. People love the Avons also but I had a handling problem when I bought my bike with the Avons so I switched to the dunlops and the problem went away. May just be because of the new tires but you know how that goes.

 

just my 2 cents worth

Edited July 27, 2011 by Rick Haywood

[Rick Haywood]

If Dunlop's are suppose to be so great then why would every GW 1800 rider do everything they can to remove them, after all they ride about the same as we do and they hate them. Metzler or Avon's are my choices, and you have to watch the Avon's as they've been known to delaminate.

Every 1800 Goldwinger is a pretty broad statement:

Don't know of any GoldwING rider who wants to get rid of his e'3s. I am a gwrra member and ride mostly with goldwing people and they all love them. What it boils down to is what works for you. I also am a firm believer in taking what you hear with a grain of salt. I was on a gentlemans bike that told me he had 30,000 plus on his Avons and would never run a dunlap but when I rode his bike it onkly had 17,000 miles on it

[RedRider]

If Dunlop's are suppose to be so great then why would every GW 1800 rider do everything they can to remove them, after all they ride about the same as we do and they hate them. Metzler or Avon's are my choices, and you have to watch the Avon's as they've been known to delaminate.

 

Never heard of an Avon delaminating on a Venture, but there are several reports on here of the Metzler's chunking out.

 

I've had good luck with both the Avon Venom and Dunlop E3. Whatever you do, do not use the Dunlop D404. They don't last over 5000 miles (although you will get input from folks on here that have gotten 10k+ miles on the 404s).

 

Next, ask about the best oil to use.

 

RR

[Skid]

I had Metzler 880 on my Second Gen when I purchased it. My first choice was the Avon until I read all the cracking issues here a while back. My Metzler were noisy in the curves. I ordered a set of E's from Jake Wilson. Total cost was $201.00 and took three days to get here....

[Yammer Dan]

When it comes to tires really all we can agree on is they should be somewhat round and made of rubber.

 

 

Usually black but I been looking for some Pink Ones!! Or something I could get over 5k out of on the rear.

[darthandy]

Oh for Pete's sake, don't even suggest that! It was bad enough when my wife went for the rain suit with hot pink panels front and back! The last thing I need is for her to even think there are pink tires available. I'd have to give up riding!

 

On another note, when I got my RSV at the beginning of the month, it needed a new tire to pass our required safety check and since the rear was already a Dunlop and I don't like to mix brands, I ordered up an E3. I've put about 1,300 km on it so far, including a 16 km ride in a really nasty thunderstorm in the Pennsylvania mountains. As well, I've managed to take a couple of turns at a speed fast enough that I scraped my floorboards and the tires have, so far, stuck to the road quite well, with no ugly noises - other than the floorboard scrapes. I'm quite happy with it so far, but I guess time will tell.

[elmicko]

Usually black but I been looking for some Pink Ones!! Or something I could get over 5k out of on the rear.

 

Well I thought about adding black to the description, but a bunch of us have whitewalls.

[latchkey]

E3 and nothing else on front. untill it shows me different.

[CalhounWV]

It,s About time for new tires I got 14,000 on the set that came with the bike new .. Is there any good sugestion out there? Need a set that will go the distance. Any one out there willing to suggest a good brand Ron:cool10:

 

 

There is ALOT of information about tires on this site, even some who use a car tire on the rear of their bike.

 

Personally, I hate the factory Bridgestones they were completely worn out at 5,500 miles. I am now running Dunlop E-3's and happy, I have 4,200 miles on them, they still look very good.

 

Things that may influence tire wear are: Interstate v. twisties | temp of the pavement when you ride | what type of surface you ride on | where you live (different states use different asphalt mix, or even concreate | how you ride | how you load your bike

 

My opinion, if you got 14,000 miles on your current brand of tires.. I would stick with them. My tire goal is 10,000 to 12,000 miles

 

My 2 cents worth,

[dunsonaventure]

I have a 99 and have abour 6000 on my tires. Two years in a row went to Smoky mts and pushed this bike to the limit,[ so the sport bike boys told] when we would get to the top of the hill and they would take off their helmets and say, what are you doing here.

Ive heard guys say they dont like these tires,but then again you will always have someone who has had a problem with every tire. I think these tires have excellent grip although I have not had Avons or Dunlop3. I can only tell you my experience, im guessing about 10,000 yhey will be gone. bUT WITH HARD RIDING ON MYN ROADS, THATS PROBABLY GOOD

[dunsonaventure]

OH YEH, they are metzlers

[TOP_ADA]

Just bought a set and had them put on. I pick the bike up tomorrow to see how it rides. I was told by the dealership I go to that if I lay the bike down low it will probably drop do to hard tires. Anyone know if this is true? I put them on my Venture S

 

Thanks

 

Top

 

HOOAH!

[MiCarl]

I haven't noticed any difference in traction between the Kruz and the ME880s they replaced. The Kruz is quieter though.

[ragtop69gs]

I've had Venom X on my ride for a year and 8000 miles and they still look almost as good as the day I got it, no flat spot yet. (No cracking) I ran E 3's on my Honda 1100 and found them to be nosier than the Venom X hard for me to compare the handling since they were on different bikes.