SuzukiSavage.com - Sigh... tires

Drey

YaBB Newbies

Offline

Posts: 48
Seattle, WA
Gender: female

Sigh... tires
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?

Back to top

IP Logged

Serowbot

YaBB Moderator
ModSquad

Offline

OK.... so what's the
speed of dark?

Posts: 28375
Tucson Az
Gender: male

Re: Sigh... tires
Reply #1 - 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...
Wink

...

...and, welcome to the site...

...

Back to top

Ludicrous Speed !... ... Huh

...

IP Logged

botticelli Junior Member Offline Custom Savage Build Coming! Posts: 66 Boston	Re: Sigh... tires Reply #2 - 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.
Back to top	Four wheels move the body, two move the soul! IP Logged

Drey YaBB Newbies Offline Posts: 48 Seattle, WA Gender:	Re: Sigh... tires Reply #3 - 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.
Back to top	IP Logged

Paladin. Serious Thumper Offline Hamster Posts: 4929 Sunny Southern California Gender:	Re: Sigh... tires Reply #4 - 04/11/15 at 20:51:05 With the mileage you are putting on the bike, Metzeler. Sticky tires and good mileage.
Back to top	IP Logged

WD

Serious Thumper
2005 No Login

Offline

Professional
"scooter
trash".

Posts: 5207
Rosemark TN
Gender: male

Re: Sigh... tires
Reply #5 - 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... Grin

Back to top

On 2 wheels since 7/87

Black and Chrome 2003 1950s style custom

IP Logged

FDM

YaBB Newbies

Offline

SuzukiSavage.com
Rocks!

Posts: 38
North Shore MA
Gender: male

Re: Sigh... tires
Reply #6 - 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.

Back to top

87 Savage currently receiving a total rebuild
79 XS 650 Special (stock)

IP Logged

Steve H Serious Thumper Offline SuzukiSavage.com Rocks! Posts: 1223 Spartanburg, SC Gender:	Re: Sigh... tires Reply #7 - 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.
Back to top	87 LS650, 2005 Ninja 250, 2009 Yamaha C3, 2001 Honda Reflex. On 2 wheels since 6/80. IP Logged

Drey

YaBB Newbies

Offline

Posts: 48
Seattle, WA
Gender: female

Re: Sigh... tires
Reply #8 - 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.

Back to top

IP Logged

verslagen1

YaBB Moderator
ModSquad

Offline

Where there's a
will, I want to be
in it.

Posts: 28763
L.A. California
Gender: male

Re: Sigh... tires
Reply #9 - 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-warrant...

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.

Back to top

Versey's Place
Tech Section Index

IP Logged

Kenny G Serious Thumper Offline SuzukiSavage.com The Singles Club...LOL Posts: 1754 Robson Ranch, Denton, Texas Gender:	Re: Sigh... tires Reply #10 - 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
Back to top	IP Logged

jcstokes Serious Thumper Offline SuzukiSavage.com is very useful Posts: 2119 Mauku New Zealand Gender:	Re: Sigh... tires Reply #11 - 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.
Back to top	Completely stock 2010 S40, aftermarket rev counter and back pack, Airhawk seat pad IP Logged

Dave

YaBB Moderator
ModSquad

Offline

SuzukiSavage.com
Rocks!

Posts: 17820
Camp Springs, Kentucky
Gender: male

Re: Sigh... tires
Reply #12 - 04/13/15 at 05:55:19

Kenny G wrote 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.

Kenny G

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.

Back to top

Someday I will be old......But not today!

IP Logged

LANCER

Serious Thumper
Alliance Member

Offline

Savage Beast
Performance Parts

Posts: 10604
Oklahoma
Gender: male

Re: Sigh... tires
Reply #13 - 04/13/15 at 07:56:31

Paladin. wrote on 04/11/15 at 20:51:05:

With the mileage you are putting on the bike, Metzeler. Sticky tires and good mileage.

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.

Back to top

IP Logged

greenmonster Senior Member Offline Hellooooo Nurse! Posts: 420 Vancouver BC Gender:	Re: Sigh... tires Reply #14 - 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.
Back to top	IP Logged