New Rubber

[DarkLeftArm]

Well, the old skins still had quite a bit of tread left on them, but at 11000 miles the rear had sort of a flat spot down the center, and they both were starting to get age cracks.

They were 6 year old Dunlop 404s, and the original tires. I haven't heard too much trash talk about 404s, but let me tell you... They felt heavy in turns, and the bike felt top heavy. Several times I felt them start to slip sideways in a heavy curve at speed. Especially in tar snakes.

Maybe mine were worse than most because they were old. For me, I didn't know any better. Never had anything else on there. AND I've only been riding for 2 1/2 years!

 

Needless to say, the new Dunlop E3s are spectacular. I noticed the difference before I left my driveway. The ride is more smooth. No more following the seams in pavement. No more skittering sideways in a turn. I'm no longer tempted to lower the front or raise the rear suspension. The difference was THAT big.

 

A friend on today's ride was telling me he has heard that E3s wear out faster because of a softer rubber compound. That may be true, but because of sticky tires, I can have WAY more fun in the twisties. I think THAT's why mine will wear out sooner.

[buddy]

As for the 404's they are junk in my books wear out too fast and they get lousy traction

 

The E3 tires last longer get great traction but they get real noisy (chopping )after putting on a few thousand miles which I do not like! but so far I have 18,000mi on this set of E3 tires rear tire has 4/32 left but the front has 2/32

figure I'll get 25,000mi out of the rear tire if I'm lucky but the front has to replaced

 

Avon is another tire that I like the Avon tread pattern is like that of the E3 and they get noisy as well

 

the Tire I miss is the Dunlop ''491'' which was replaced by the E3's. They gave me the best performance and best wear.

[Jactana]

I've had two sets of E-3's, and both have lasted 15000-20000 KMS, in quite extreme conditions. By extreme I mean they were ridden in hot weather (85F to 100F) on twisty roads at pretty high speeds. They only time they ever got a little louder was when riding prolonged stretches of superslab as they flattened out. As soon as I got back in the mountains the tire edges burned off, and they quieted down.. They do handle predictably well, hold their pressures well, and are decent in the rain. The tires I have on presenltly are a mixture of an E-3 on the front, with a Michelin Commander on the back. I was lured into trying the Commander by the manufacturer's promise of high mileage durability, but have found I don't like the handling of the mixture of tires in the wet. It doesn't feel as sure footed as with straight E-3's, I suspect it has something to do with the Commander being a dual compound tire. Regards, ron

[djh3]

No experience with the D-404 on the RSV. But my 900 Vulcan had them from the factory. IMOP junk! I think I got maybe 5k out of them. And the wet performace after about 2k was scary at best. On that bike I changed to Perrlii Route 66 I think is what they were called. Good tire. On the RSV it had the E-3 on it. Good tire I would say. But I did a lot of reading and decided to go with the Michlen Commander II for replacments. I did go with the 130 front to try it out. For me if it goes 12k thats only a little over a year more than likely so if I dont like it, I live with it for a year. I have had glasses I couldt stand to wear longer than that. I do like the Commander II in the wet compaired to the E-3 as I think the tread pattern is a little better suited for it as the grooves go past the center of the tire and give the water some place to go. The Dunlaps have about an inch to 2" in the center of the tire there is no groove thus no outlet for water to get out.