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/cgi-bin/YaBB.pl General Category >> Rubber Side Down! >> Sigh... tires /cgi-bin/YaBB.pl?num=1428731424 Message started by Drey on 04/10/15 at 22:50:24 |
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Title: Sigh... tires Post by Drey on 04/10/15 at 22:50:24 I've read enough tire related threads to know this is a maybe too popular question. But I'm pretty new to riding (bought my 2009 S40 late last May) and I need new tires and a little help. I commute on my bike everyday rain or shine and it's Seattle so more often than not it's rain. I rode about 2000 miles in 10 months and I plan to take a bunch of longer trips this summer so I imagine I'll put putting more than that on in the next few years. My bank account, recommendations here, and reviews on other sites make me think the Shinko 712 is a pretty good buy. My question is should I be looking at something nicer like a Michelin Commander II instead? It's a good deal more money but is it worth it in the long run? I'm more about safety than speed. Please oh wise ones, bestow your vast knowledge upon me. What would you get if you were me? |
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Title: Re: Sigh... tires Post by Serowbot on 04/11/15 at 08:08:56 I do like my Shinko 712 but,... I ride in rain 2 or 3 times a year, and never on purpose... Dunlop 404's or Kenda cruisers look to have more center tread cuts for water dispersal... If I were a PNW rider I'd look for deep tread patterns down the center of the tires... It'll cost you in tread life, but push more water away... We do have several PNW riders here... let them chime in before making a decision... ;)... ...and, welcome to the site... :)... |
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Title: Re: Sigh... tires Post by botticelli on 04/11/15 at 12:56:14 I will preface that I don't go out of my way to ride the savage in the rain. It happens maybe 5-10 days a season for me when I ride to work and need to get home in the rain. I use the Kenda Cruisers and have been satisfied with the wet performance. I sure someone here might have more to offer. |
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Title: Re: Sigh... tires Post by Drey on 04/11/15 at 13:20:06 Thanks for the advice so far and the welcome! I'll definitely hold off on making a decision for a bit to see if any other PNW riders have any advice. If they mentioned where they get them installed too that'd be rad. I'm called Seattle Cycle Center today to find out about their prices. |
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Title: Re: Sigh... tires Post by Paladin. on 04/11/15 at 20:51:05 With the mileage you are putting on the bike, Metzeler. Sticky tires and good mileage. |
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Title: Re: Sigh... tires Post by WD on 04/12/15 at 00:12:13 PNW (Puyallup) born and raised. I ran exclusively Dunlop D404 out there. 44K (yes, thousand) miles in 18 months on a Kawasaki Vulcan 800A, and the tires still had viable tread when the bottom end of the engine blew up... multiple 140+ mph runs, twisted the speedometer cable apart, twisted the hub drive apart, twisted the gauge apart... Honestly, as much as it pains me to say it, if they are still in business, Bent Bike. Carry your wheel in, buy a tire and tube from them, mounting is included in the tire price (or was when I worked there anyway). As is disposal. Have to admit that the Cheng Shin 140/90-15 installed on my 98 LS650 back in 2000 is still on the bike, and is considered a "good to go" spare for my 2003 daily rider. Thousands of miles on it, and it is a bit dried out, but... Have a new old stock Dunlop Qualifier (cruiser pattern, not sportbike, totally obsolete) on the 2003 right now. Second one in 2 years, and it is hammered. Looks like a square profile no newer than 1984 tire... even with scraping the floorboards (yes, I run boards on a Savage, hate pegs) regularly. Of course, the tire codes out to either 1994 or 2004... ;D |
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Title: Re: Sigh... tires Post by FDM on 04/12/15 at 06:09:49 The first set of new tires that I bought were purchased on sale and shipped free from a major internet supplier. I then discovered that no shop would mount them for what I felt was a reasonable rate because I hadn't purchased my tires through them. In the end I could have purchased a more expensive (and supposedly therefore a better quality) tire and had it mounted through a local shop for about the same price. So if you're looking for a shop to do this job for you try finding them first and then go talk to them BEFORE you go purchasing an on sale smoking deal steal off the internet and paying three times as much for mounting/balancing. |
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Title: Re: Sigh... tires Post by Steve H on 04/12/15 at 09:40:07 The solution to that problem is mount and balance your own tires. They are not hard to deal with like tubeless car tires.When you get tires, get tubes and rim strips too. |
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Title: Re: Sigh... tires Post by Drey on 04/12/15 at 09:51:40 Thanks everyone! I think I'm leaning toward the Dunlop 404s. I want to eventually get to the point of doing this sort of thing myself but for now I live in an apartment with no garage. Doing it on the side of the street sounds like a nightmare! Local shop actually has them on sale right now and with the cheaper installation it's not a bad deal compared to buying online. |
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Title: Re: Sigh... tires Post by verslagen1 on 04/12/15 at 10:08:44 there are a couple of portable tools you should look at... http://www.ebay.com/itm/Motorcycle-Bead-Breaker-Tire-Changer-Lifetime-warranty-/290937708413?pt=Motorcycles_Parts_Accessories&hash=item43bd3d1f7d&vxp=mtr http://www.angelridevideos.com/reviews/Mojo.html you'll need to make a base for the changer, but that can be a couple of 2x4's to make a big X. I stumbled across the mojo lever looking for the rim protector blocks for the HF tire changer. Looks like it might be a good tool. The D404 is a light tire and a good one to choose to learn on. |
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Title: Re: Sigh... tires Post by KennyG on 04/12/15 at 12:58:55 I am sure that I will be proven wrong, but so far the IRC tires that came with my 2013 S40 appear to hold pretty well on dry concrete or black top roads. I am have been low enough to rub on "The Chicken Strips" and haven't felt any signs of the tires slipping. I will find out more when I get caught in the rain. Kenny G |
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Title: Re: Sigh... tires Post by jcstokes on 04/13/15 at 01:39:44 Kenny G, I ride in the rain if it catches me, I don't seek it out, while I never had slip issues with the rear IRC, I'm much happier with my Michelin Commander in spite of probably more unsprung weight. |
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Title: Re: Sigh... tires Post by Dave on 04/13/15 at 05:55:19 0628230E3F2C3E254D0 wrote:
The stock tires aren't really "bad" - but when you do wear them down and get new tires....you will be able to feel the difference and most likely the new tires will make a noticeable improvement. When I bought my bike the stock tires were 5 years old but only had 262 mile on them.....and like you say they seemed to be fine....I didn't find anything to complain about. |
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Title: Re: Sigh... tires Post by LANCER on 04/13/15 at 07:56:31 12232E23262B2C420 wrote:
Yep sir'ee ! I've got the Metzeler 880's on mine and they are sticky enough for me. I did get a good deal on them from ebay and had a local Harley type shop mount them for me ... he wasn't all cranked up about buying from him, he was just a good dude and did work for me when I needed. If anyone is ever broke down in the Columbia, SC area, this shop is: 76 Cycle Shop 803-932-9000 285-H Chapin Rd. Chapin, SC Chapin is 18 miles N. of Columbia, just off I-35. |
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Title: Re: Sigh... tires Post by greenmonster on 04/14/15 at 15:50:43 I'm in Vancouver, BC. I ride in the rain all the time and I find my Kenda's are pretty darn good for that. Just thought I'd through my 2 cents in. |
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Title: Re: Sigh... tires Post by Dave on 04/15/15 at 03:33:40 Most likely any new tire you buy will work just fine....you have some good recommendations for tires that work well on the Savage...I am surprised that only one member mentioned the Michelin Commander II....they have very high ratings and work well for folks who put on a lot of miles. The only tires I have ever hated are the ones that are 12 years old and have 9,000 miles on them....they just don't work well when they are that old and worn. The bike rode so much nicer with new tires installed. If you are riding 2,000 - 3,000 miles a year.......you will wear your tires out before they get too old and ride poorly. |
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Title: Re: Sigh... tires Post by wakosama on 04/15/15 at 18:13:29 I have the Cdr IIs, recommended hereon and by two bike stores over Metzler for cruisers in hot Houston. But only about enough miles to wear off the wax, so I didn't have experience to comment. They weren't the cheapest either, but I got a deal on the bike and knew I was gonna get good rubber. They feel good so far; no rain yet; no serious hot roads either. Trusting advice. Be well... |
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Title: Re: Sigh... tires Post by Drey on 04/25/15 at 08:46:44 Hey guys, thanks again for the advice. I got the D404s installed and I've put a bit over 100 miles on them. They seem pretty good. I do have a quick question about tire pressure though. I assume the front tire will be the same as stock but I put a different size on the rear, 140/90-15. Do any of you know off hand what pressures I need? Or a good place to find it? I've found maxs but that doesn't seem overly useful. |
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Title: Re: Sigh... tires Post by Serowbot on 04/25/15 at 08:56:29 Around 30psi front and rear... I over-inflate to 32lbs in,... and by the time I check it again (infrequently)... it's usually in the low 20's... It ain't that critical... (a couple lbs lower is nice for potholed roads,... it might hurt your mpg's a tiny bit)... (it can also affect tire wear,.. but bikes only wear out the center patch anyway, so tire deformation don't matter that much)... JMHO... :-/... Anywhere from 28psi to 34psi, ballpark.... whatever feels good to you... |
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Title: Re: Sigh... tires Post by verslagen1 on 04/25/15 at 09:08:40 I used the recommended pressures for the bike as noted on the belt guard. |
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