Do tires have to match?

[Guest]

I put a new set of Cheng Shin HiMaxx tires on my 850G about 7,000 miles ago; The front still looks new and the back is as bald as a baby. Money's a little tight and I was wondering about replacing just the rear. Do I have to try to find a CS the right size? Dennis Kirk doesn't have one (I haven't looked elsewhere) and I was wondering about putting something else on the rear. Spitfire or Avon Roadrider maybe. Anyone have thoughts on the wisdom of such a move?

[BigLou]

here ya go. Just got a front from these guys last week. Ordered on Tuesday, got the tire on friday. FWIW the rear is 39.00 and 10.00 shipping I believe, front was 33.00

http://www.shadetreepowersports.com

[bwringer]

Eh, I'd throw another Cheng Shin rear on there and ride more.

Assuming you change your own, these folks still have them cheap -- just $42.50. Shipping is around $11 - $12 for a single tire, and AMT is a very reputable vendor:

http://www.americanmototire.com/catalog/product_info.php?cPath=33_96_97&products_id=1080

Or, get the set -- they're inexpensive enough that I always changed both when I used the Cheng Shins.


I am very, very partial to the Avon AM26 RoadRiders these days, but they are quite a bit spendier, and recently prices increased. I just ordered a rear 130/90-17 RoadRider from AMT and it was $102 + shipping.

[TheCafeKid]

I just fitted the 1100ES with an AM26 Roadrider rear and a Avon Venom X (which I was pleased to find they still make, i had been told otherwise and searching the net produced little availability from anywhere) on the front. The Venom X is a personal fav of mine. Not quite the mile eater the AM26 is, but a bit more aggressive. The combo, which id never tried before, has proven to be rather confidence inspiring in the twisties. They are however, as Brian said, a bit on the spendy side. I picked the tires (or tyres, as they spell it) up for 250.00 out the door, mounted and balanced them myself. Actually, STEVE mounted and balanced them heh.. I still suck with those damn tyre eyeruns.

[BassCliff]

Hi,

As long as they're the proper size, fairly new, and you keep it under 80mph, you shouldn't have to worry about mismatched tires. When you're racing you need matched tires so that they both lose traction at exactly the same time.


Thank you for your indulgence,

BassCliff

[Steve]

Do tires have to match?

YES, the tires HAVE to match.

They should both be round and preferably black.

Most riders try not to mix bias-ply and radials.

.

[Zooks]

No, they just need to be good quality. Basscliff's advice was fairly accurate.

[tkent02]

Mostly good advice, a few combinations really don't work well together. No way of knowing until you try. I have ridden a few bikes that rode really poorly even with new tires properly inflated, but mismatched. Rode one beautiful BMW in Scotland that felt fine when vertical, but in turns got worse quickly, was very inaccurate, felt scary at moderate lean angles. Couldn't go fast enough to even enjoy any twisties, and in Scotland there is little else. New tires, good quality, checked the pressure myself. Sorry, I don't remember which tires they were.
The harder you ride, the more apparent any problems will be.
If I had a bike with a mismatched set I'd keep it if it works well, if buying tires I would always match them if possible.
Do what you have to do, hopefully it will work well.

Josh, how did that Avon combo ride compared to Roadriders at both ends?

[TheCafeKid]

Mostly good advice, a few combinations really don't work well together. No way of knowing until you try. I have ridden a few bikes that rode really poorly even with new tires properly inflated, but mismatched. Rode one beautiful BMW in Scotland that felt fine when vertical, but in turns got worse quickly, was very inaccurate, felt scary at moderate lean angles. Couldn't go fast enough to even enjoy any twisties, and in Scotland there is little else. New tires, good quality, checked the pressure myself. Sorry, I don't remember which tires they were.
The harder you ride, the more apparent any problems will be.
If I had a bike with a mismatched set I'd keep it if it works well, if buying tires I would always match them if possible.
Do what you have to do, hopefully it will work well.

Josh, how did that Avon combo ride compared to Roadriders at both ends?

Well its been quite a few years since ive had a set of RoadRiders on both ends. Havent had a GS with them both on yet, but they always felt great on my Honduhs. Having said that, ive had a couple of different makes on my various GSs and nothing compared to them. The closest i suppose would have been the Battlaxes, but i personaly thought those were poo. Ive been running CS HiMaxx or the Marquis cos they're cheap, but for the ES this year i decided i wanted something a little more fitting for the bike and the way i like to ride it. Originally, I thought of going with the Sport Demons, but the local dealer (Tires Unlimited) would have had to order the front. So i was going to go with RoadRiders instead. He said he'd have to order the rear. I didnt want to wait around 4 days for tires when my bike was otherwise ready to go, so i went up there to see what they had in stock.Picked up the AM26 and the VenomX, and about 400ish miles on em since about a week and a half ago later, i love the combo. I have felt no instability or anything peculiar that would make you second guess the pairing. As a matter of fact, the bike seems more solid in the turns.I was having some problems at first, because the tires i was coming off of i would almost have to fight to get off center track, and once I did, it almost felt as if the bike was falling off center instead of rolling into the turn. So for the first couple of days i found myself either setting up to soon, expecting to have to fight the bike, or over compensating for the new tires and setting up too late. Of course i was taking it pretty easy since they were brand new, so it wasnt hard to correct..lol. Now its almost as if the bike is riding on a rail thru the turns. I find that i CAN set up a lot later than before for the turns, which in turn means less on the brakes, saves on the pads, and isnt heating the rotors as much. Thats fantastic in the twisties when you DO need the brakes, they're not faded off into the sunset from the heat. Im a pretty big guy, and as such i think i tend to induce these GSs into plowing a lil bit when I push em. They're just not really designed to have a 6'4 260 rider wailing the crap out of em. But the slightly grippier (is that even a word) VenomX seems to quell some of that plow. Next up for the ES is RaceTech fork springs and cartridge emulators, and Ive a set of Ohlins coming soon that i will use on her till my project bike is ready for them. Cant wait to see how she handles with the combination of the three...

[lurch12_2000]

....I was having some problems at first, because the tires i was coming off of i would almost have to fight to get off center track, and once I did, it almost felt as if the bike was falling off center instead of rolling into the turn. So for the first couple of days i found myself either setting up to soon, expecting to have to fight the bike, or over compensating for the new tires and setting up too late. Of course i was taking it pretty easy since they were brand new, so it wasnt hard to correct..lol. ...

Remember, I said that Marquis tire up front on the ES should be the first thing to go!
In fairness to the Cheng Shin tires, the Hi-Maxx model is a better tread design for up front. Much more consistent in the lean overs. I had a Marquis on the front of the 1100G when I first got it too and got rid of it after 1k miles. I would have done the same thing with the ES for this season if you didn't steal....I mean buy it from me....sounds like you're still in love with that baby

[TheCafeKid]

Remember, I said that Marquis tire up front on the ES should be the first thing to go!
In fairness to the Cheng Shin tires, the Hi-Maxx model is a better tread design for up front. Much more consistent in the lean overs. I had a Marquis on the front of the 1100G when I first got it too and got rid of it after 1k miles. I would have done the same thing with the ES for this season if you didn't steal....I mean buy it from me....sounds like you're still in love with that baby

Oh you dont know the half of it Steve This one is NEVER leaving my stable. You'll have to pry it from my cold dead hands, or someone will have to offer me a recockulous amount of money to part with it.

Steve i will have to send you some updated pics when i have a more reliable interweb connection. She's been purtied up a bit, with a fresh coat of paint on the motor, wheels and parts of the frame. new badges, thanks to MRiddle i even got her a nice set of the little knee fairings she came with from the factory. Soon as my Gixxer/GS11 project is underway, the SuperTrapp (which shines like the top of the Chrysler building now) will give way to the stock exhaust i got from you, and an otherwise stock set up. Taking her back to '83 baby. Over the winter, I plan to break her down and send the frame off for a powdercoat, and restore her from the ground up good as new. The bodywork will probably be going to a guy down in Texas i have been told about that will repaint, but he strips everything down to the bare metal/plastic first, no paint over paint. I was even told he sends his bolts and stuff out to get re-zinked! Gonna cost me a couple grand i bet, but I think it will be worth it. So to say that i love this machine is a bit of an understatement i think...lol