Please give me your advice (tire related)

[Barrycuda]

Hello everyone,

 

I have read previous posts, and re read, and heard every opinion from the earlier posts. Here is my situation and I hope to hear from any and all... ( I apologize in advance for the regurgitated questions, however I am just as confused as before)

 

I have been a RSV owner about 8 months. The tires from PO are Avon venom X. After some trips and dealing with extreme heat here and T storms on my Tennessee run, it's time for tires.

I am not an expert or even think I know about tires. Here's the question...

 

The STOCK size say the front is 150/80 16

 

My front AVON tire is MT90/B16. 74H. Which I believe is also the same as 130/90. So it seems I have been running a narrower tire. This MAY explain some squirrely around curves and turns. I don't know better so, I think it's just the TYPE of tire.

 

Since its time for new rubber, what are the pros and cons going back to stock sizes, or should I stay with the narrow size? I have ridden about 6100 miles with this current setup. I want to know if I can get better handling, safety, reliability, slow speed turns and parking etc with stock vs. narrow.

 

Just for knowledge, the bike has a barons lowering kit, I have not dropped the bike and handles well in turns and curves. Even made a few on road U-turns, 2 up few weeks back heading to Solomon's castle.

I am not sure which is the best way to go, and I simply don't have the capacity to just swap tires at the drop of a hat. Any and all information would be very appreciated and helpful.

Thanks

Barry

[IronMike]

Well I have stock 08 now, but I also have a 07 Roadstar on the Dark side. (Car tire on the rear actually is an Austone Taxi tire).

So how that relates to the question is that Darksiders run a rear tire on the front for the slightly wider profile to compliment the wider rear when running the Dark side tire.

 

So when you mention you have a smaller front tire that crossed my mind. Running a dark side tire with a stock front tire on my Roadstar seriously affects the handling. So your on to something.

 

And I shall note it was Avon's that made me go dark side 2 sets dry rotted on the bike in less than 3 months and they had no explanation. I mean the tires cracked in the tread and sidewalls around the rims. They were great in the rain though. But I would never buy another after the run around they gave me, and no the tires were not old. I went through three sets that summer.

 

Go to the dark side forum on the internet even if your not dark side in the information folder there is a gigantic wealth of tire information for all in there.

 

And I will always run a rear on the front . same size as I'm calls for just use a rear. And it can be rotated to run either direction experience tells us. I have about 45k miles doing that. On my second tire still, they last longer than a front for obvious reasons.

 

But before you do that, a lot of understanding the dark side is advised and reading the dark side forum. They call it the dark side for a reason. Its just as freebird says in the sticky. Many Ventures do it.

 

But anyways. Get that front tire the right size and I think you will find that was the problem. A tire less wide will cause that from what my experience has been. I put the dark side tire on with a stock front tire and was like. OK. And when the rear which was wider came and I put that on it was like WOW. Great handling!

[Barrycuda]

Thank you Iron Mike, for starting this off. I have read some posts on the darkside. Interesting reading. I appreciate your ideas on the tire plugs, so I will keep on reading your posts. Thanks

[kevin-vic-b.c.]

I have had just a short time on a second gen, the original tires, I am not sure even what there were they were old hard and crappy. After listening to others chatting about tires... my first gen had Metzlers on it and they were fantastic tires .... for me...... but the majority said Venom's for second gen. That is the way I went, knowing now what I do, I am glad I did not go with Metzlers, I think they would have been too soft for the second gen. As for size of tire, I have a couple opinions that may P some off but my first feeling is that Yamaha spent a lot of time and money with engineers figuring out tire sizes for bikes, if you change tire size you may gain a bit on slow speed but at high speed you may loose some.....

 

Others likely have different ideas, and that is what makes this a great place. I am personally very happy with my Avon tires.... ooh and when they get heated up.... you can smoke them real nice off the line too!

[Guest]

I have run the Avons for years now, with a brief stint with Metzler 880's. My preference is the Avons. Now back to your question. I run 150's front and back. I tried the 130 deal for about 2k and did not like the way the bike felt at higher speeds. On the Interstate the bike never felt planted. I sold the 130 and bought another 150. Much more stable in my opinion. If you already have the lowering links then the 150 should be fine.

[BradT]

I like stock sizes and I also like the Dunlop 404's wide white wall. I like the looks and suuits my driving habits fine. Decent mileage at a decent price. No issues after 80,000 miles

 

I have a set of home made levelling links I think I made the centers 1/8" shorter than stock.

 

Brad

[eusa1]

Barry,

you know that anyone that gives an opinion of tires is opening themselve up to a bashing of different opinions.........

my $.02 comes with a disclaimer!! "it's my Opinion" and i don't car what others "feel" about that.

 

stock brickstones were junk and dangerous at 4k on both new rsv"s i have had

metzler stock sizes were great and didn't last more than 9k

avon venom stock sizes, sucked from day 1 and came apart at 2600 miles and 5 days after install

michelin comanders in stock size were fantastic to about 14k however they were discontinued

dunlop 404 stock sized were junk at 5500 miles

dunlop e3 in stock size wear great to 17k but not very sticky in the turns

michelin comander 2 in stock rear size and 1 size smaller in front are on the bike now with about 7k+ and they stick in the turns great and seam to be wearing great, however the smaller front tire makes the front end much lighter and quicker to reactions and road conditions and a bit too quick at times.

there is my thoughts.

mike

[Barrycuda]

Mike, always good to hear from you. A bit surprised on your take on avons. I know about the side walls but mine haven't had that on heavy and frequent inspection.

 

Haven't forgotten about pics, but the on/off again T storms are dampening my ability for kick a$$ pics. Try this weekend once and for all. No call back from your guy...

[dacheedah]

The thing to remember is your riding style and conditions very. I know fair weather riders who never experienced their bike on a windy day, in a good storm, won't ride in the cold or only put on a few K a year, have never loaded up for a road trip or pulled a trailer.

 

I have never been a peg scraper so my opinion may differ tire to tire from a more aggressive driver. If their was one perfect tire everyone else would be out of business.

 

I'm just saying you should also consider someone with a riding style similar to yours when considering the opinion on tires.

 

ride on

[Barrycuda]

The thing to remember is your riding style and conditions very. I know fair weather riders who never experienced their bike on a windy day, in a good storm, won't ride in the cold or only put on a few K a year, have never loaded up for a road trip or pulled a trailer.

 

I have never been a peg scraper so my opinion may differ tire to tire from a more aggressive driver. If their was one perfect tire everyone else would be out of business.

I'm just saying you should also consider someone with a riding style similar to yours when considering the opinion on tires.

 

ride on

 

Well written and agree. I consider myself an all weather rider, all terrains pretty much. No trailer, but don't shy away from adverse weather. My riding style is assertive, and borderline aggressive if it calls for it. when needed and I can push highways speeds loaded as well as laid back and taking in the scenic route. So if anyone has a similar style, I am all ears...

[eusa1]

I drive aggresive, scrape the pegs and pull a trailer, and all at the same time at times.

Rain and snow are fine, but i do draw the line at ice.

[djh3]

Barry I was in a simular fix last year. My OEM (I guess) Dunlap E-3 were getting worn out. If it got wet the rear was locking when trying to stop. They were very good tires and I think they did well. I think I had about 10k on the bike when I changed them. I dont know what the previous owner did on tire pressures so the first 7400 miles are a mystery. I studied tread paterns as I didnt think I wanted one that had all rubber in the center 1-1.5" like the E-3. They sort of look like a sport bike tire and to me in the rain no place for rain to go. I read some HD fourms about the Michelin Commander II. I found them on sale at Jake Wilson for $258 to the door. I put the 130 on the front thinking it might help me on some slow speed stuff, but I dont really notice any difference at all. I had it on a 2200 mile highway trip last summer, combo of interstate, back highways etc and no pulling or wandering of any sort. In Oct the wife and I loaded up and went to NC for a week. Something like 1100+ miles 2 up in mountians of NC everything A OK. Rain they seem better than the E-3 ever was, but I have to take into accout mine had 7k on them when I got it.

[barrelcactus]

I'm trying to find the right tires for my Venture. Currently it has Avon Venom's, but I don't like these, as they follow groves and ridges in the road badly. I think I would like to get MICHELIN Commander II's. But the largest front tire they have is 130/90-16. They have a 150/80-16, but it is a rear tire. Don't really want to put that on the front.

[dacheedah]

I just want to say I enjoy this site. I enjoy meeting everyone in person more and going for a ride, can't wait for the international.

 

The passion for our bikes and love of riding is a beautiful thing. Awesomeness

[YamahaWoodsey]

Barry,

you know that anyone that gives an opinion of tires is opening themselve up to a bashing of different opinions.........

my $.02 comes with a disclaimer!! "it's my Opinion" and i don't car what others "feel" about that.

 

stock brickstones were junk and dangerous at 4k on both new rsv"s i have had

metzler stock sizes were great and didn't last more than 9k

avon venom stock sizes, sucked from day 1 and came apart at 2600 miles and 5 days after install

michelin comanders in stock size were fantastic to about 14k however they were discontinued

dunlop 404 stock sized were junk at 5500 miles

dunlop e3 in stock size wear great to 17k but not very sticky in the turns

michelin comander 2 in stock rear size and 1 size smaller in front are on the bike now with about 7k+ and they stick in the turns great and seam to be wearing great, however the smaller front tire makes the front end much lighter and quicker to reactions and road conditions and a bit too quick at times.

there is my thoughts.

mike

 

 

Hey Mike : what size would the front tire be when ordering one .

 

Thanks

Jeff

[bongobobny]

OK tire sizes, what do the numbers mean. The first number is the distance from bead to bead. The second number is the ratio of sidewall height to the first number. A 70 series is a skinny but tall tire. An 40 series is wider and shorter. Keep in mind there are 2 sides so for an 40 series each side is 20% of the total distance of the first number for a total of 40%. Now with motorcycle tires their structure is different from a car tire so you still have a curved surface rather than a flat surface for the road contact area. For those that don't know, the third number is the diameter of the rim.

 

OK the previous owner probably went to the smaller 90 series tire to substitute for a lowering kit to help out with the low speed handling. The downside is with a wider tire you have more contact area which will offer more rolling resistance which is going to compromise your turning speed but on the other hand a narrow tire won't grip as well at the same time.

 

Bottom line. As previously mentioned no two riders are the same just as no two motorcycles are identical so the final choice will be yours to decide. What one rider thinks is an excellent tire another will think is a piece of crap! My choice was Dunlop E-3's which wear like iron but I was looking for a tire to last the longest. I'm not the performance type rider I was in my younger days (but still drive somewhat aggressive) so the choice was good for me. Others feel the Michelin is a great tire. We all agree the Brickstones are terrible, and the Dunlop D404 doesn't last long but is a good tire. So, whatever your choice I just hope they work out for you...

Edited July 11, 2013 by bongobobny

[djh3]

Anyone have experience with the Pierreli RT 66 on these or simular sized bikes? I ran them on my 900 Vulcan and got very goor performance and wear out of them. Without checking the archives I think 10k or better. but that bike was 300# or so lees that these are. Any Shinko guys?

[Barrycuda]

Obviously this is a loaded question with opinions that vary. Knew that going in. Wanted to see about pros and cons of wider vs. narrow. As of now I will strongly consider the stock size this time to see where I stand. Perhaps Bobby is right about the handling, I simply won't know just yet. Michelin really screwed up by not having a front tire for us. I believe many of us would have tried them....

[djh3]

I talked with probably 5 people this last week, a couple in Daytona and some @ Plant City bike night. The scuddlebut they heard was Michelin was in the works to make the OEM size front tire. I guess you could drop them a note and see if its true.

Can someone refresh my memory on the load rating on the tires? I found a chart but generaly speaking bigger (higher) is better say a 74 vs 71. But do you figure it bu bike weight plus the passengers plus gear and divide by 2 for the axles?

[Barrycuda]

I talked with probably 5 people this last week, a couple in Daytona and some @ Plant City bike night. The scuddlebut they heard was Michelin was in the works to make the OEM size front tire. I guess you could drop them a note and see if its true.

Can someone refresh my memory on the load rating on the tires? I found a chart but generaly speaking bigger (higher) is better say a 74 vs 71. But do you figure it bu bike weight plus the passengers plus gear and divide by 2 for the axles?

 

Dion, I actually had this in my game plan to reach out to them to see what's the latest. When I hear something of value I will post it...

[Big Lou]

 

 

I just finished buying tires front and back ended up with dunlops 401 front and 404 back

 

 

I talked a lot to other people , other mechanics and for the money that is what I decided on

 

SHINKO is a cheaper tire,, price wise , and quality.. I have done the cheap route a lot on my bike I WILL NOT ON THE TIRES,, all the mechanics said shinko's last 7 to 8 months,, or one season , I am cheap just not that cheap ,,, michelin's in the rain slide under hard braking , me and 3 friends quit using michelin's cause we go anywhere it will fit..,

 

TIRES ARE YOUR LIFE. U PICK

[Bones]

Anyone have experience with the Pierreli RT 66 on these or simular sized bikes? I ran them on my 900 Vulcan and got very goor performance and wear out of them. Without checking the archives I think 10k or better. but that bike was 300# or so lees that these are. Any Shinko guys?

 

I ran Pirelli RT66 tires on an 06 TD. They are probably the best rain tire I have used. They are a soft compound and I believe they wore out at 11,000 miles for the rear and 16,000 for the front. The carcass is softer also and has a cushy ride which means they wallow a bit in the corners on such a big bike. Generally an ok tire overall by my estimate and I rate them very good if rain is an issue for you.

 

My son now has the the TD and he is running Shinko on it. They seem to do very well so far and from what we have researched they are likely made with more natural rubber then more expensive tires. They will wear faster and will be cheaper, but they stick to the road like glue, and a recent ride in the rain proved it for us. We are changing our own tires so mounting costs are not an issue for us as we can change them often.

 

I now have an 06 Venture and am running a Kenda on the front and Pirelli on the rear. Not a good combination... The Kenda seems to be a good tire as they are very stiff and seem built for heavy bikes. They are very precise in handling and transmit a lot of surface chatter from the road up the handlebars. I have removed the air pressure from the front forks to compensate and with 36 pounds pressure they feel pretty good. With the Pirelli being softer and a little more "squishy," the bike does not feel planted well in the turns as the two tires handle differently. I am going to go with the Kenda for the rear when this wears out as I think the handling and price point work well for me...