Yet Another Tire Thread..

Gypsy Dragon · 02-06-2014, 05:59 PM

I've been looking around the tire threads, and so far the favorite seems to be the Commander II's. But there is critical info missing on all the reviews.

Riding style.

I come from a long line of sport and muscle bikes. I will and do ride my bikes to the limit and beyond. I have been chasing the Vaquero since i saw my first one in a stealer in 2011...absolutely fell in love with it! Now here I am, got the fastest color...GREEN! Anyways...I am looking ahead for my tire change (they come around pretty often with the miles i ride). I have several friends that ride the 880's and 888's, and they love them. To me, grip and feedback are critical in choosing a tire. So is wet weather traction and feedback. probably the most well rounded tire I have ever ridden is the Pilot Road 3. Simply not anywhere it is lacking, as long as you understand it is a sport-TOURING tire, not a gumball.

So I ask for the opinions on tires once again, but I would really like to hear from the high mileage, hard riders. The guys (and girls) that ride no matter what the weather. Ride hard and fast. Don't like to slow down for turns. Can already see a replacement set of floorboards in the future.

Thank you everyone for your time and feedback.

**ringadingh** · 02-06-2014, 06:40 PM

I ride my Nomad probably as hard and fast as anyone through the corners, and my opinion is that it doesn't really matter what tire brand you choose. Ive tried a few brands of tires over the years and have found that they will all outperform a Vulcans ability. Ive run a car tire the past three seasons and still can ride it through corners faster than most people on bike tires can.
The Vulcans are a heavier lower powered Vtwin, and don't handle or accellerate anything like a higher hp sport bike.
There may be some softer or harder rubber compounds in the different brands of tires, but that will mainly affect the longevity more than the handling of the tire.

Monkeyman · 02-06-2014, 06:45 PM

I don't know if Dunlop makes an E3 for the Nomad/Vaq/Voyager but if you can find one (with the dual compound tread), it's a winner. I put 12k miles on my non-Kawasaki last year. I wore out the stock (single compound) E3 in about 6k miles. The dual compound E3 I replaced it with shows very little wear in the next 6k miles. It handles the curves well, too. The single compound E3 was cupping and got noisy in the curves. The dual compound hasn't shown any of those tendencies yet. I rode with some very "spirited" riders in Ohio last summer and never felt out of control. There were quite a few curves where I felt gravity was going to take over but the bike never wavered. I give props to the tire. (I still have a single compound E3 on the front which will be replaced with the dual compound version sometime in the spring...assuming spring ever gets here). It's not a cheap tire (and I don't know how it compares, price wise, with the C2) at around $280 but I think it's well worth it.

Avon is another good tire but my last Avon (quite a few years ago) wore out pretty quickly and wasn't much (if any) cheaper than the dual compound E3.

**Top Cat** · 02-06-2014, 07:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Monkeyman

I don't know if Dunlop makes an E3 for the Nomad/Vaq/Voyager but if you can find one (with the dual compound tread), it's a winner. I put 12k miles on my VICTORY last year. I wore out the stock (single compound) E3 in about 6k miles. The dual compound E3 I replaced it with shows very little wear in the next 6k miles. It handles the curves well, too. The single compound E3 was cupping and got noisy in the curves. The dual compound hasn't shown any of those tendencies yet. I rode with some very "spirited" riders in Ohio last summer and never felt out of control. There were quite a few curves where I felt gravity was going to take over but the bike never wavered. I give props to the tire. (I still have a single compound E3 on the front which will be replaced with the dual compound version sometime in the spring...assuming spring ever gets here). It's not a cheap tire (and I don't know how it compares, price wise, with the C2) at around $280 but I think it's well worth it.

Avon is another good tire but my last Avon (quite a few years ago) wore out pretty quickly and wasn't much (if any) cheaper than the dual compound E3.

Chris, your letting the naysayers get to you

I fixed it

**Idaho** · 02-06-2014, 07:40 PM

The best MC tires are ones that hold air and still have tread on them. The rest suck.

Gypsy Dragon · 02-07-2014, 02:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Idaho

The best MC tires are ones that hold air and still have tread on them. The rest suck.

I LOVE those!! I ran a set once, man did they hold a corner.

**GIBBY** · 02-07-2014, 04:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Monkeyman

I don't know if Dunlop makes an E3 for the Nomad/Vaq/Voyager but if you can find one (with the dual compound tread), it's a winner. I put 12k miles on my non-Kawasaki last year. I wore out the stock (single compound) E3 in about 6k miles. The dual compound E3 I replaced it with shows very little wear in the next 6k miles. It handles the curves well, too. The single compound E3 was cupping and got noisy in the curves. The dual compound hasn't shown any of those tendencies yet. I rode with some very "spirited" riders in Ohio last summer and never felt out of control. There were quite a few curves where I felt gravity was going to take over but the bike never wavered. I give props to the tire. (I still have a single compound E3 on the front which will be replaced with the dual compound version sometime in the spring...assuming spring ever gets here). It's not a cheap tire (and I don't know how it compares, price wise, with the C2) at around $280 but I think it's well worth it.

Avon is another good tire but my last Avon (quite a few years ago) wore out pretty quickly and wasn't much (if any) cheaper than the dual compound E3.

I agree with Chris on the Dunlop E3 dual compound tires, the only better sticking tire I have tried is the Avon Cobra, they stick to the road like a gummy bear to a kids face. The only drawback to the Cobra's was they only lasted 6,000 miles. I do not ride the "twisties", I ATTACK them and the Dunlop is a very good tire with about 12,000 miles of life.

Monkeyman · 02-07-2014, 04:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Top Cat

Chris, your letting the naysayers get to you

I fixed it

Thanks. :) Just trying to be politically correct for those who think the ONLY bike in the world is a Kaw.

Boscoe · 02-07-2014, 05:43 PM

Would love to find some radials for my bike.

02-06-2014, 05:59 PM	#1
Gypsy Dragon Member Join Date: Jan 2014 Location: Round Rock, Tx. Posts: 493	Yet Another Tire Thread.. I've been looking around the tire threads, and so far the favorite seems to be the Commander II's. But there is critical info missing on all the reviews. Riding style. I come from a long line of sport and muscle bikes. I will and do ride my bikes to the limit and beyond. I have been chasing the Vaquero since i saw my first one in a stealer in 2011...absolutely fell in love with it! Now here I am, got the fastest color...GREEN! Anyways...I am looking ahead for my tire change (they come around pretty often with the miles i ride). I have several friends that ride the 880's and 888's, and they love them. To me, grip and feedback are critical in choosing a tire. So is wet weather traction and feedback. probably the most well rounded tire I have ever ridden is the Pilot Road 3. Simply not anywhere it is lacking, as long as you understand it is a sport-TOURING tire, not a gumball. So I ask for the opinions on tires once again, but I would really like to hear from the high mileage, hard riders. The guys (and girls) that ride no matter what the weather. Ride hard and fast. Don't like to slow down for turns. Can already see a replacement set of floorboards in the future. Thank you everyone for your time and feedback. Login or Register to Remove Ads
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02-06-2014, 06:40 PM	#2
ringadingh Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Newmarket Ontario Canada Posts: 35,387	I ride my Nomad probably as hard and fast as anyone through the corners, and my opinion is that it doesn't really matter what tire brand you choose. Ive tried a few brands of tires over the years and have found that they will all outperform a Vulcans ability. Ive run a car tire the past three seasons and still can ride it through corners faster than most people on bike tires can. The Vulcans are a heavier lower powered Vtwin, and don't handle or accellerate anything like a higher hp sport bike. There may be some softer or harder rubber compounds in the different brands of tires, but that will mainly affect the longevity more than the handling of the tire. __________________ 2002 Nomad aka Bountyhunter VBA #27 VROC #18951
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02-06-2014, 06:45 PM	#3
Monkeyman Top Contributor Join Date: Aug 2011 Location: North Wilkesboro, NC Posts: 6,289	I don't know if Dunlop makes an E3 for the Nomad/Vaq/Voyager but if you can find one (with the dual compound tread), it's a winner. I put 12k miles on my non-Kawasaki last year. I wore out the stock (single compound) E3 in about 6k miles. The dual compound E3 I replaced it with shows very little wear in the next 6k miles. It handles the curves well, too. The single compound E3 was cupping and got noisy in the curves. The dual compound hasn't shown any of those tendencies yet. I rode with some very "spirited" riders in Ohio last summer and never felt out of control. There were quite a few curves where I felt gravity was going to take over but the bike never wavered. I give props to the tire. (I still have a single compound E3 on the front which will be replaced with the dual compound version sometime in the spring...assuming spring ever gets here). It's not a cheap tire (and I don't know how it compares, price wise, with the C2) at around $280 but I think it's well worth it. Avon is another good tire but my last Avon (quite a few years ago) wore out pretty quickly and wasn't much (if any) cheaper than the dual compound E3. __________________ Christopher "Monkeyman" Gray ---------------------------- Widows Sons "Overseers" Patriot Guard Rider USArmy 1987-1990 2021 Can Am Spyder RT 2018 Can Am Spyder RT Limited - SOLD 2014 Nomad - SOLD 2012 Victory Vision - SOLD 2007 Black Nomad - SOLD VMC #9367 VBA #1860
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02-06-2014, 07:40 PM	#5
Idaho Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Pocatello, Idaho Posts: 5,241	The best MC tires are ones that hold air and still have tread on them. The rest suck. __________________ Idaho (aka Curmudgeon) Blue Knights Idaho III VBA #110 VROC #24864 IBA #49753 2007 Nomad 86,000 miles Bud Smalley Pocatello, Idaho Idaho Jack Adapter Login or Register to Remove Ads
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02-07-2014, 05:43 PM	#9
Boscoe Member Join Date: Apr 2013 Location: Jefferson City, Missouri Posts: 372	Would love to find some radials for my bike. __________________ 2011 Voyager 1700, Ebony/Pearl Meteor Gray Bridgestone Exedra Max tires in stock sizes Heated Avon grips with Throttle Mod Cobra Scalloped Slip-ons Thunder Mfg. Intake Gasket DEI Titanium exhaust header wrap Corbin heated seat. Polk Audio db521 speakers Mobil 1 Racing 4T 10W-40 with Mobil 1 M1-110 filter Kuryakyn Longhorn Offset Dually Highway Pegs Chrome passenger running board covers All new fluids and lube.
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