Tire Time

[suds]

My kids say I type just like I talk

I hear your voice in my head when I'm reading your posts because I notice you do type like you talk. I think it's great!

 

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[Scifiman]

Well well, it took a bit of searching, lots of phone calls and a bit of luck but came across a powersports shop about 3 hours from me that has a stack of Elite 4s, they are shipping them to me as I type this. A happy camper I am. Glad I hadn’t ordered anything else ahead of time.

 

 

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[GT550]

anyone know if this is possible, I still have a new 240 from my Raider days, would be convenient if I could use it on the 2018 Eluder

[Heimdog]

I also wanted a matched set of tires, was disappointed at the E4 issue. I just ordered a pair of Metzler 888 and getting them installed next week. I wanted Michelin Commander III but both tire sizes was not an option. My son recently put Shinko 777s front & rear on his 05 RSTD. He likes them. These Metzlers will be more money than his Shinkos but I'm picky about tires, on my cars and for sure my cycle.

[saddlebum]

A few things, that I always try to make people aware and take into consideration of regarding tires, regardless of the vehicle are:

 

1) long lasting tires do not always have the best traction. The high millage is often due to harder rubber which often results in poor traction particularly on wet roads.

 

2) Tires with better traction often have softer rubber which often results in faster tire wear.

 

3) When trying to decide which tire gives you the better bang for your buck millage or price alone are not the best indicators. You need to calculate it out to cost per mile or KM. plus take wet road traction into consideration.

 

4) Just because a tire still has lots of tread left on it does not necessarily mean a tire is still good. I had a set of E3's with extremely high mileage almost double the norm with plenty of tread left on them but had to replace them because the rubber had gotten so hard that my back wheel was sliding out in the corners and on one trip coming back from a WNY rally the whole bike slid sideways on a ramp. At first I thought I hit an oil slick but as time went on the issue got worse.

 

5) Be wary of the Avon Venoms on the 1st gens. They seem to work fine for the 2nd gens but a few of us (myself included) with 1st gens have found them to cause the back end of the bike to wag like a dogs tail once you get close to 100KM/Hr or 60MPH. I was fortunate enough that the dealer I got the tires from replaced them with another brand of tire.

Edited July 28, 2020 by saddlebum

[saddlebum]

Knowing what I know now about E-4's and how difficult they are for a varmint who loves being able to spoon on and off his own tires I would DEFINITELY jump right on Ebay and grab a brand new set of Shinko's in the correct size and load rating as spec for my bike.. I have ran a plethora of tires, Dunnies - Michilins - Avon's - Perelli's - Metezlers and all the lower end stuff thru the years and bar none,, cost per mile - best handling and ease of swapping em out in the stranges of places using minimal tools - SHINKO's RULE!! THANK YOU videoarizona for turning your old brother Puc onto Shinks!! They ROCK!!

In A nut shell, What shinko's have you run and which did you prefer and why. Also what was your overall opinion of the E4 performance wise compared to other tires you have run. Edited July 28, 2020 by saddlebum

[cowpuc]

What shinko's have you run and which did you prefer and why. Also what was your overall opinion of the E4 performance wise compared to other tires you have run.

 

ALL TIRES I RAN/RUN ARE OEM STOCK SIZES AND EQUAL TO OR WELL ABOVE OEM LOAD RATING SPEC.. Tour Master 230's on the Shinks Bum.. Excellent mileage for a 70 dollar rear tire = 5 to 6 thousand desert crossing mileage is not uncommon for us and that is not by taking it easy on the tire.. Plenty of triple digits in plus 100 degree tempts,, fully loaded and riding two up.. Shinkos have excellent grip for hammering twisties, solid in the rain,, good tread design for off roading a street tire.. HUGE plus goes to Shinko cause of their excellent side wall construction - stiff but not so much they are difficult to spoon off/on at roadside.. Have bought many thru the years and have yet to get one that didnt want to balance out..

The E-4 did a good job.. DEFINITELY a higher mileage tire (as advertised) than the lesser costing brands/models.. Have you ever ran Dunnies? Ever notice how they got noisy in the turns as the tread wore down? I ran many many Dunnies thru the years,, even tried the 404's (TERRIBLE MILEAGE = 3500 in the desert TOPS!! Had to swap one out on the fly one time cause it went bald 1/2 way across the country,,, terrible experience cause the stealerships ONLY carried the 404 (no other choices in stock) and it ended up costing me almost twice what I paid for the 404 I had bought online and mounted before we left.. Burned that one off in finishing the trip to my daughters in Cali.. LAST 404 I ever bought!

Back to the E-4.. The E-4 developed 0 noise at 1/2 wear like all other dunnies I have ran.. Good quiet runner.. I was exspecting some issues with running in rain or during cooler running with the harder center tread (they are dual compound) but never experienced and difference.. I ride different than most,, when it rains I speed up,,, I discovered years ago that riding faster in the rain = staying dry,, tuck n run I call it.. The e-4 didnt hamper that ability at all.. Also good in the twisties.. This tire ROCKS in desert tempts!! Super high mileage (+15000) but LOVING those temps.. The hotter it got the better it stuck! Actually though,, not that much better than the Shinko's as I always admired the shink's ability in the heat..

Big thing for me is cost per mile when considering opportunity costs.. Gotta remember here that when I say the E-4 WILL require a tire machine for removal,, I mean it.. I have been swapping my own tires,, both dirt bikes and street, my whole life and still hold the opinion that the E-4 aint coming off without a machine.. This is probably a non-issue in our current day and age where most people rely on tow service and dealerships for their tire repair needs,, I totally get that.. Problem is,, that is totally foreign to my way of thinking.. I still reliant on my own skills of survival,, probably totally wrong but thats the way I have always rode and I will till I die. NOTHING concerns me more concerning CTFW than knowing I have an area on my bike that if something happens,, like I pick up a nail (and this has happened many times in my case,, sometimes I think Murphy follows me), I am all of a sudden like most riders in todays touring market - at the mercy of a tow truck driver and a dealership who dont know me from Adam = the bend over plan is what I call this.. Nahhh,, I tried it,, its done,, the E-4 performed great but I will not spend the big money ($300 and up) again unless I absolutely have too..

Hey Bum,, here is a short video of mine that you might enjoy,, take a peek:

[saddlebum]

ALL TIRES I RAN/RUN ARE OEM STOCK SIZES AND EQUAL TO OR WELL ABOVE OEM LOAD RATING SPEC.. Tour Master 230's on the Shinks Bum.. Excellent mileage for a 70 dollar rear tire = 5 to 6 thousand desert crossing mileage is not uncommon for us and that is not by taking it easy on the tire.. Plenty of triple digits in plus 100 degree tempts,, fully loaded and riding two up.. Shinkos have excellent grip for hammering twisties, solid in the rain,, good tread design for off roading a street tire.. HUGE plus goes to Shinko cause of their excellent side wall construction - stiff but not so much they are difficult to spoon off/on at roadside.. Have bought many thru the years and have yet to get one that didnt want to balance out..

The E-4 did a good job.. DEFINITELY a higher mileage tire (as advertised) than the lesser costing brands/models.. tried the 404's (TERRIBLE MILEAGE = 3500 in the desert TOPS!! Had to swap one out on the fly one time cause it went bald 1/2 way across the country,,, terrible experience cause the stealerships ONLY carried the 404 (no other choices in stock) and it ended up costing me almost twice what I paid for the 404 I had bought online and mounted before we left.. Burned that one off in finishing the trip to my daughters in Cali.. LAST 404 I ever bought!

Back to the E-4.. The E-4 developed 0 noise at 1/2 wear like all other dunnies I have ran.. Good quiet runner.. I was exspecting some issues with running in rain or during cooler running with the harder center tread (they are dual compound) but never experienced and difference.. I ride different than most,, when it rains I speed up,,, I discovered years ago that riding faster in the rain = staying dry,, tuck n run I call it.. The e-4 didnt hamper that ability at all.. Also good in the twisties.. This tire ROCKS in desert tempts!! Super high mileage (+15000) but LOVING those temps.. The hotter it got the better it stuck! Actually though,, not that much better than the Shinko's as I always admired the shink's ability in the heat..

Big thing for me is cost per mile when considering opportunity costs.. Gotta remember here that when I say the E-4 WILL require a tire machine for removal,, I mean it.. I have been swapping my own tires,, both dirt bikes and street, my whole life and still hold the opinion that the E-4 aint coming off without a machine.. This is probably a non-issue in our current day and age where most people rely on tow service and dealerships for their tire repair needs,, I totally get that.. Problem is,, that is totally foreign to my way of thinking.. I still reliant on my own skills of survival,, probably totally wrong but thats the way I have always rode and I will till I die. NOTHING concerns me more concerning CTFW than knowing I have an area on my bike that if something happens,, like I pick up a nail (and this has happened many times in my case,, sometimes I think Murphy follows me), I am all of a sudden like most riders in todays touring market - at the mercy of a tow truck driver and a dealership who dont know me from Adam = the bend over plan is what I call this.. Nahhh,, I tried it,, its done,, the E-4 performed great but I will not spend the big money ($300 and up) again unles I absolutely have too..

Hey Bum,, here is a short video of mine that you might enjoy,, take a peek:

I have run through two sets of E3's and they got dangerously hard before They wore out probably why they got unrealistically high millage, I think the rubber got so hard they just quit wearing down. I have been Running E4's for the past two years and I do like them but they are not cheap to buy. Have you ever run the Shinko SR777? I have been looking at them and the Shinko tour master 230.

[cowpuc]

I have run through two sets of E3's and they got dangerously hard before They wore out probably why they got unrealistically high millage, I think the rubber got so hard they just quit wearing down. I have been Running E4's for the past two years and I do like them but they are not cheap to buy. Have you ever run the Shinko SR777? I have been looking at them and the Shinko tour master 230.

 

No Bum,, I can honestly say I have yet to run a 777.. I am sure they would be right there with a 230 though in quality and reliability though.. I would not hesitate for one second to toss one on and give it a shot... Come to think of it,, I think that lop eared desert rat varmint @videoarizona has ran the 777,, lets see what he has to say about em.. I know he is actually the one that turned me onto the shinks for my desert journeying tire needs cause I was smoking thru tires like a kid eatin ice cream at one time (1/2 dozen per season was common for us) and he thought the shink may trim a tire or two out of that (it did).. I'd be interested to hear his take too.. Another varmint we could check with is my brother @VentureFar as I know he has tested several brands too.. Cant remember if he did the shink 777 or not but I would not be surprised if he hasn't that he could maybe come up with one to wear out for us.. He's a good brother,, little sassy some times but really good hearted and he does write some phenominal reviews - even if I am a little biased in my opinion cause he is my brother...

[videoarizona]

The Shinko 777HD tires are quite good. I like the ride quality, low noise, and great in rain. The HD version lasts longer. My 05 RSV had them when I rode East and visited @cowpuc. Got a nail on rear. Darn tire still looked like new!!

[slowrollwv]

Well I will find out if I like the Shinko 777's. I will be mounting them tomorrow along with a new headlight. The Silver star that is in now just isn't cutting it for me.

[BratmanXj]

I've ran the standard Shinko 777 and the Tourmaster 230 with good results, just shy of 10k miles on each and the both stuck like glue till the end. To me the 230s felt a little smoother-plusher in the ride but got around 1k miles less. Both tires could be had for $100 or less and I install myself so I could justify the short mileage.

 

This go round I'm on an E4 that rang up a bit over $200. Its a stiff sidewalk and I ended up taking it to a shop to install so add another $40. I have probably 3-4k miles on it with no major wear showing. Its not a bad tire and has been fine rain or shine, but as Saddlebum listed above the higher mileage tires tend to compromise other things. To me the Shinko's felt more "planted" around fast sweepers, but people always tell me I throw this big ol' bike around more than they do with a bike 1/2 the size.

[slowrollwv]

I've ran the standard Shinko 777 and the Tourmaster 230 with good results, just shy of 10k miles on each and the both stuck like glue till the end. To me the 230s felt a little smoother-plusher in the ride but got around 1k miles less. Both tires could be had for $100 or less and I install myself so I could justify the short mileage.

 

This go round I'm on an E4 that rang up a bit over $200. Its a stiff sidewalk and I ended up taking it to a shop to install so add another $40. I have probably 3-4k miles on it with no major wear showing. Its not a bad tire and has been fine rain or shine, but as Saddlebum listed above the higher mileage tires tend to compromise other things. To me the Shinko's felt more "planted" around fast sweepers, but people always tell me I throw this big ol' bike around more than they do with a bike 1/2 the size.

 

I have a set of E3's on the bike now that I put on in 2015 before my trip to Branson they have at least 10,000 miles on them and still look great but they are 7 years old. I have my own tire changer so that is not a problem.

[saddlebum]

Came across this

[Scifiman]

 

Had the Elite 4s installed a month ago, have run up about 3500 kms on then so far and I must say I am impressed, nice smooth quiet ride, just as good if not better than my old E3s.

 

The Elite 4s excel on wet pavement, heavy rain, only con I have noticed so far is that center tread on the front tire, which I believe gives it the edge in wet conditions, has a nasty tendency to grab tar snakes, I knew this going in so not too much of a bother, I generally try to avoid them to begin with.

 

Here is to hopefully another 35,000 kms.

 

 

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[saddlebum]

I found the elite 2 i had on my bike was bad for tracking road snakes but I have not had the issue with the E3's. On the other hand the E4's have on a rare occasion grabbed a road snake but the asphalt was extremely hot on those few odd occasions.

[suds]

I ordered a set of E4 to replace mine on the bike now and I got a call Thursday that they have the front but can't find any stock of the rear. I really like the E4's and the bike had a new set of E3's when I bought it.

 

What are people using to replace the E4's?

 

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[Scifiman]

I ordered a set of E4 to replace mine on the bike now and I got a call Thursday that they have the front but can't find any stock of the rear. I really like the E4's and the bike had a new set of E3's when I bought it.

 

What are people using to replace the E4's?

 

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E4 rear has been discontinued, contact Platinum Powersports in Clinton Ontario, they still had a stack on hand last month, they will ship to you fairly quicky, that is where I got mine from, you can contact them thru their Facebook page as well.

 

https://www.facebook.com/donald.broadfoot

 

You can message Donald direct thru messenger and he can set you up, if he still has some left that is.

 

 

 

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[suds]

E4 rear has been discontinued, contact Platinum Powersports in Clinton Ontario, they still had a stack on hand last month, they will ship to you fairly quicky, that is where I got mine from, you can contact them thru their Facebook page as well.

 

https://www.facebook.com/donald.broadfoot

 

You can message Donald direct thru messenger and he can set you up, if he still has some left that is.

 

 

 

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He can get me the front tire but not the rear. It seems that the inventory of rear tires for MK1 are all gone.

 

I may give Shinko's a try. Anyone know a reason why I shouldn't?

 

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[cowpuc]

He can get me the front tire but not the rear. It seems that the inventory of rear tires for MK1 are all gone.

 

I may give Shinko's a try. Anyone know a reason why I shouldn't?

 

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:lightbulb:I got a great idea,, lets turn this into a club role call

 

1. Not me,, @videoarizona ,, how bout you?

[videoarizona]

:lightbulb:I got a great idea,, lets turn this into a club role call

 

1. Not me,, videoarizona ,, how bout you?

2: Shinko 777HD or Shinko 230. 777 wears better, 230 has softer ride and really sticks.

3: ?

[cowpuc]

2: Shinko 777HD or Shinko 230. 777 wears better, 230 has softer ride and really sticks.

3: ?

 

No ya lop eared messing up a perfectly good game of tag varmint,,, your suppose to summons someone like I did you.. You know,, put an @ in front of a VR screen name of your choice to get their attention,, this will keep the game going!!

We should have used your typing finger to plug that hole in your tire back at that Honda shop :crackup::crackup:

 

:bighug:to the wife,, to her troublemakin drag racing hubby!!

[videoarizona]

No ya lop eared messing up a perfectly good game of tag varmint,,, your suppose to summons someone like I did you.. You know,, put an @ in front of a VR screen name of your choice to get their attention,, this will keep the game going!!

We should have used your typing finger to plug that hole in your tire back at that Honda shop :crackup::crackup:

 

:bighug:to the wife,, to her troublemakin drag racing hubby!!

 

Ah man...oopsies!

Guess I wasnt paying attention...

Lol!

Edited August 19, 2020 by videoarizona