Pic Posted September 10, 2012 #1 Posted September 10, 2012 I put new Dunlop Elite 3 tires on my 07 RSV recently and went to the 130/90 front instead of the stock 150/80. This is the first good ride I have taken with the thinner front tire. Rode to Hot Springs AR for a Rally. We rode HWY 7 which is a really nice rode and to Mount Magazine State Park which is the highest peak in Arkansa. On the way home took HWY 270 to Mena AR and then rode the Talihina Scenic Byway into Oklahoma and then back home to Texas. lots of good twisties and switchbacks on these rodes. I have ridden both Hwy 7 and the Talihina Scenic Byway before with the stock Elite 3 front tire. I could tell a huge difference in handling all the twisties on both of these roads. Did not feel like I was fighting the front end anymore and at times almost felt like I had added power steering. Could take the turns comfortable at higher speeds. Was very satisfied with the way it handles so far.
Bob Myers Posted September 11, 2012 #2 Posted September 11, 2012 It has to be a weight to tire size relationship. I put fatter tires on both of our Vulcans and the wife ask me first trip out on her tires why didn't I fix her bike long before now? I concur that fatter than stock on the Vulcan is much better. Fatter tire made it shake a little in the front end when riding slow straight with only one hand on mine, her tire is one size smaller and does not do that. I'm about to replace tires on my Venture, 18k on the rear, front has only 5k but it looks like a blister developing on the sidewall. My thought was to go fatter if I could, but your experience makes me want to go skinnier. Maybe that will eliminate the slow wobble it has when going straight
djh3 Posted September 11, 2012 #3 Posted September 11, 2012 I just bought a pair of Michelin Commander II. I went ahead with the 130 for the front after reading a lot of posts. I am hoping it will "lighten up" the steering a little. My concern is it may track some groves and pavement changes. Guess I'll see here in a few weeks when I change them. Bob I know after 3 different fronts on my 900 I liked the Pirelli Rt 66 best I think. Felt the most stable in corners. I hated the Dunlop 404, and the Shinko I would have to say I really didnt get alot of time to evaluate. It was a good tire (shinko) but I only got about 1000 miles to ride it before I traded the bike.
Pegasus1300 Posted September 11, 2012 #4 Posted September 11, 2012 I had a 130 on the front of my RSTD. I had heard that it made the steering much lighter on the RSV.It did make it easier to steer but I thought it made it too sensitive and I went back to the 150. If I hadn't wrecked my RSV so soon after I got it I would have put the 130 on the front of it.The extra weight of the fork mounted fairing does give it much heavier steering.
rickardracing Posted September 11, 2012 #6 Posted September 11, 2012 You will like the 130. I put E3's on my 07 RSV in the spring of 2011. I now have over 20k miles on those tires, occasionally ride two up and pull a trailer. Also, I am not easy on the throttle. I can finish out this year no problem on these tires. If you want to increase your steering even more, drop the front end 3/4". I did that a few weeks ago. Now it even has better low speed steering. Next spring when I replace those tires, you know what I am putting on? E3"s
djh3 Posted September 11, 2012 #7 Posted September 11, 2012 Dropping the front end was one of the first things I tried. I think I went about 3/4-7/8". Didnt ride much with the "stock" set up so no good compairson to it.
hunter 1500 Posted September 11, 2012 #8 Posted September 11, 2012 I just bought a pair of Michelin Commander II. I went ahead with the 130 for the front after reading a lot of posts. I am hoping it will "lighten up" the steering a little. My concern is it may track some groves and pavement changes. Guess I'll see here in a few weeks when I change them. Bob I know after 3 different fronts on my 900 I liked the Pirelli Rt 66 best I think. Felt the most stable in corners. I hated the Dunlop 404, and the Shinko I would have to say I really didnt get alot of time to evaluate. It was a good tire (shinko) but I only got about 1000 miles to ride it before I traded the bike. Just did the same thing. I've had the rear on for about a couple of months and just received the front last Friday. Hard to beat the E3 but this tire is a little cheaper and I had Comanders before and liked them but couldn't get them last time.
rickardracing Posted September 11, 2012 #9 Posted September 11, 2012 Just did the same thing. I've had the rear on for about a couple of months and just received the front last Friday. Hard to beat the E3 but this tire is a little cheaper and I had Comanders before and liked them but couldn't get them last time. I noticed the E3's have gone up in price a bit. I was thinking about Metzlers, but I am having great luck with the E3's, so I probably will just get another set of those.
jburrell Posted September 11, 2012 #10 Posted September 11, 2012 I switched to the 130 front 2 years ago and what a world of difference on handling. Slower handling is vastly improved and even on a 2700 mile trip 2 years ago I never had an issue with my bike tracking bad on any type of road. Conering and working the twisties is greatly enhansed like you were on a new ride. Effortless steering though th twisties. I will never go back to a 150 for any reason. Just my Have a good week everyone.
rickardracing Posted September 11, 2012 #11 Posted September 11, 2012 I switched to the 130 front 2 years ago and what a world of difference on handling. Slower handling is vastly improved and even on a 2700 mile trip 2 years ago I never had an issue with my bike tracking bad on any type of road. Conering and working the twisties is greatly enhansed like you were on a new ride. Effortless steering though th twisties. I will never go back to a 150 for any reason. Just my Have a good week everyone. Agreed. I had Dunlop 404's on the bike before. What pieces of junk.
SilvrT Posted September 11, 2012 #12 Posted September 11, 2012 I tried a 130 and at first liked it much the same as you; however, I found that the bike didn't track as well on grouved roads, such as you'd find where there's been a lot of heavy truck traffic ... they tend to distort the road surface leaving high/low areas. I changed back to the 150 and installed the levelling links. Got the same improvement without a tracking issue so all around a better solution IMO.
GeorgeS Posted September 11, 2012 #13 Posted September 11, 2012 Agreed. I had Dunlop 404's on the bike before. What pieces of junk. Agreed, they are made for Harley's , pretty much junk tires, ( I use them on the CX-500 though, OK for that size bike ) :whistling:
djh3 Posted September 12, 2012 #14 Posted September 12, 2012 I cant complain about the E3's on my bike now. After reading some reviews and some folks thoughts here I thought I would give them a try. (Commander II) I think if I wasnt going to run the E3's or the Commander II my next choice would be the Pirelli RT66. I ran a couple sets of those on my 900 Kawi and they were very good in rain and tracked well. Not a fan of the 404 at all.
hunter 1500 Posted October 3, 2012 #15 Posted October 3, 2012 Mounted the new Comander II 130 front tire last weekend but the weather was bad, cold and rainy so I have not had a good test ride but I rode about 10 miles and it was like a different bike. Felt very different at first but feels fine now. Because it is new and has not been broken in I'm taking it easy but as soon as I get some miles I will post back here to give my thoughts on it.
twigg Posted October 3, 2012 #16 Posted October 3, 2012 Rode to Hot Springs AR for a Rally. We rode HWY 7 which is a really nice rode and to Mount Magazine State Park which is the highest peak in Arkansa. On the way home took HWY 270 to Mena AR and then rode the Talihina Scenic Byway into Oklahoma and then back home to Texas. lots of good twisties and switchbacks on these rodes. I have ridden both Hwy 7 and the Talihina Scenic Byway before with the stock Elite 3 front tire. Your experience of Mount Magazine is a little different to mine. The red "Signal Hill" sign was a bonus location on a recent LD Rally. I got there at about 11 pm having already covered maybe 800 miles that day. Those switchbacks are fun, in the dark I didn't find the sign which, I understand, is pretty easy in daylight, not so much at night. I finished second in that rally. The 2000 points lost there and one other error cost me the win. I have also ridden the Talimena Scenic Byway both as a leisure ride (great fun), and on the clock. At 30 mph it's a glorious ride ... at 60 mph it is challenging! The trip through Mount Magazine was like riding the Talimena on the clock, in the dark!
djh3 Posted October 3, 2012 #17 Posted October 3, 2012 Initial thoughts on the Commadrr 2 in the 130 size. I like it. Dont know as it makes the bike feel any lighter but I feel like the "turn in" is more crisp and definiate. So far the roads I have traveled havent noticed any pronounced wondering or following of pavement.
hunter 1500 Posted October 3, 2012 #18 Posted October 3, 2012 I went down a back road with no traffic and no houses and took it up to 100 and it was fine so that part of the test is done.
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