A question of tires: reccomendation?

[Dark Jedi]

The topic of tires has come up. I need a new set, and I am having the shop replace them when they do a couple of other things. I wanted to know what you folks would reccomend.

Bike: 79 GS550L. Stock, no modifications. (yet)

Conditions: Colorado foothills/plains. Prone to sudden and shocking temperature differences and the occasional sudden torrential rain. It has even been known to snow in the middle of summer, in places. (July 4th, for example..)

I will be riding as a main commuter, and need high wear and good rain traction. Dry traction is a good thing too, of course.

And I'm a poor, penny pinching cheapskate.

Since I have been out of the biking world for a bit, I don't know who's the best for the poor man, and what line or series of tire is best for my needs.

[Billy Ricks]

http://www.tireexpress.com/

Check the link out above. For what a shop is going to want for a lesser tire you can pick up quality rubber there. Continentals are good, reasonably priced tires. It takes 2 or 3 days for shipping depending on where you live. Check out the close-out section too.

[KEITH KRAUSE]

I've had good luck with Bridgestone Spitfires and I hear the Dunlop touring 'Elites' are also lower priced/high mileage/with fair handling, tires. Make sure you run about 36 psi front and 36-38 back. KK.

[Anonymous]

I have been using dunlop elites (ad elites II) for 10 years on my bikes. They are a very good and reliable tire. Torrential rains don't have much affect on them. (Drove through a very large, tornado causing thunderstorm in them for 200 miles and they did not have a bit of problem. -I did not know about the tornados, hence why I did not just stop and wait out the storm.)

[Gary Lich]

I have run nothing but Dunlops on all my bikes for the past 25 years. Many different models (Elites, Qualifier, Cruisemax, K-70, K81, etc...) never had any problems...I am sure there are other brands that are good but I never had a reason to switch.

[Dark Jedi]

Youch!!

I guess it's been a while since I bought tires. I was expecting $30 or so each, not $100.

Another nail in the coffin, park it and start saving pennies for a while.

[Billy Ricks]

Check Ebay, Nick Diaz has found bargains on good tires there.

[SqDancerLynn1]

You can buy cheeper tires but they will not last as long. I have Metzlers on my GS850