Tire time

[bradleymaynar]

Okay, I know this has been covered extensively already, but I'm asking anyway. My 750 is in need of new rubber on both wheels, and I was curious as to general opinions on decent tires. My rear tire lasted about 10K and now has that nice flat spot in the middle of the tread. I would like to get more life if possible from my next set of tires. My riding style is mainly straight aways, but I like be able to turn a corner without that annoying ridge when the tire starts to wear.

Brad

[Anonymous]

One tip is to keep your tire pressure high. The higher you have it the rounder your tire. The newer tires can spec around 40 PSI while our bikes used to call for 29 or so. Most of the guys here have said to toss the stock numbers out the window.

Cheers, Steve

[QuaiChangKane]

But if your pressure's too high, combined with mainly commute driving (straight), then you'll end up with a severely squared tire. Basically, you'll be riding for the bulk of the tire's life on a narrow band of the crown.

Like mine - the side treads are still new. In fact, there are still a couple of nipples left after 10k (mostly freeway) miles - but the center is worn completely smooth, and it's visible squared.


There really is no way around this if your driving is mainly on freeways and mild city streets. It's not a bad thing, or an indicator of poor tire quality, it's just that the tire wears to your particular riding habits.

There are tires that offer harder compounds in the center and softer ones on the edges in order to provide better cornering traction and more even wear - check into tires billed as "touring" or "commuting" tires (no specific models come to mind).

Guys on sportbike forums typically refer to unworn sidewalls as "chicken strips", meaning that you're just not riding to your bike's full potential. This is baloney for the most part, since we're not all canyon carvers. It does hold a grain of truth, though - even on sticky, sport-compound tires, the centers wear dramatically faster than the edges if you're not cornering often, and at hard angles.

You could keep your tire pressure a touch low if you want a more even wear pattern, but I'd just go with a slightly harder compound, which should save you enough money to allow you to change tires more often.


Just my take....



Almost forgot - smaller sidewall profile means rounder tire, too. For instance, a 130 x 90 17" will be more square than a 130 x 70 17" . It's one of the key factors that makes lo-pro sport tires so round. Larger sidewall profiles also lead to greater sidewall flex, which can change your handling characteristics (but it depends on the rider's experience and habits).


-Q!

[Jeff Tate]

I have Metzlers on both my bikes and love'em. Good traction, neutral handling and they last along time... for me anyway. I'd say 10,000 miles is a pretty decent life span for a bike tire. I used to get 2500-3000 on my rear tire when my 1100 was near new, and that was just normal riding. No burnouts or the like... too spendy.

[KGB]

I run Dunlop GT501's and LOVE them.

Great wear and handling. Very good in the rain, yea I run them hard.
And I keep the pressure at 36 front about 40 rear.

I have about 8000 miles on them, the rear is starting to show wear, the front hardly any at all.
Oh yea, I ride 2 up alot of the time at "higher" speeds.
I'll buy another set when it's time

[SqDancerLynn1]

I'm getting ready to change my Metzlers, excellent tires 10K+ My bike is equiped with the vetter package There is no way to completely eliminate the square tire problem. If you are using the edges up you better be on a track for that kind of riding

[bradleymaynar]

By no means am I a hard cornering rider. This'll be the second tire I've put on the rear since I've had it. The front has never been replaced while in my possesion, so it's definitely time for a new front. The rear is Dunlop K627 and the front is Dunlop Gold Seal F11. I've actually been pleased with the rear, it's just starting to lose it's tread definition in the center. So I figure I'll replace it as long as I'm doing the front, which is showing signs of dry rot on the sidewalls.

[Anonymous]

I've switched to the dunlop 491 and have gotten better straightline wear from them over the 627 design. also going up 1 tire width size helped.

[bradleymaynar]

I've switched to the dunlop 491 and have gotten better straightline wear from them over the 627 design. also going up 1 tire width size helped.

Hey Don! Thanks for the reply. What are your demensions on that 491? I plan on ordering them in the next couple of days.

[opiewontaylor]

I've gone through most brands and types on my 850, and Dunlop k491 elites have held up the best. Wear like iron, handle nice, and don't seem to get the sidewall cracks that my Bridgestone and Conti's did.

[terrybird]

Just ordering GT501 rear for my 750, about 100 bucks deivered. Put the front on last year. My 491 is really square.

[chuckycheese]

K501

I'm with KGB and others that run GT501's.....I've tried a bunch of different tires and the GT501's are the best I've ever used.

I run 38 in front and 40 below.

[Anonymous]

Hey Don! Thanks for the reply. What are your demensions on that 491? I plan on ordering them in the next couple of days.

Sorry I havent replied sooner was out of town and the site shut down on me last night.

my tire sizes are as follows:::
rear= 130/80/17
front= 100/90/16

[mdole]

I run Dunlop GT501's and LOVE them.

Great wear and handling. Very good in the rain, yea I run them hard.
And I keep the pressure at 36 front about 40 rear.

I have about 8000 miles on them, the rear is starting to show wear, the front hardly any at all.
Oh yea, I ride 2 up alot of the time at "higher" speeds.
I'll buy another set when it's time

Thanks for the info on the GT501's I have seen them in the right size for my bike but didn't know anyone who had used them. I am running 491 Elite IIs and have been pretty happy with them.

Mike

[mdole]

By no means am I a hard cornering rider. This'll be the second tire I've put on the rear since I've had it. The front has never been replaced while in my possesion, so it's definitely time for a new front. The rear is Dunlop K627 and the front is Dunlop Gold Seal F11. I've actually been pleased with the rear, it's just starting to lose it's tread definition in the center. So I figure I'll replace it as long as I'm doing the front, which is showing signs of dry rot on the sidewalls.

The stock tire on my Honda Sabre was F11 and they were good tires. I usually got about 21k on a front. The stock rear was a K627 Qualifier and it wasn't bad but I liked the Dunlop 491 Elite II and the Metzler ME880 better. Both of these tires wore better and they both offered a little better performance for the conditions that I ride in mud, snow, pumice, gravel, and other things found on two lane mountain roads.

Mike