Just venting - Tire shopping - Page 2

**smokier** · 08-21-2017, 09:30 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mike07nad

I will be interested as to your opinion on the Dunlop American Elite (Radial) Rear - mine have always been Bias. Thus you could say I've been Bias in all my rear tire comments. (I gotta stop reading that Pun Page on Faceplant, I mean Book.)

LOL

mike07nad · 08-21-2017, 10:02 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by smokier

an American Elite (radial) rear.

Ride safe,
Smokier

So what size did that Radial Rear end up being?

mbarr10 · 08-21-2017, 08:03 PM

Quote:

Dunlop American Elite (Radial) Rear - mine have always been Bias. Thus you could say I've been Bias in all my rear tire comments. (I gotta stop reading that Pun Page on Faceplant, I mean Book.)

Yup Me too

mike07nad · 08-22-2017, 10:20 AM

Ok -
Here is the set up: the wife has a 2014 Can-Am Spyder RT Limited - Currently has 21,000 miles.

Last year prior to us taking a 6,500 mile trip I put new Rear tires and front tires on her ride, and had it lined up $700. Saved the 1/2 worn front tires to reinstall later. When we returned from our trip the rear tire was shot! Caput. So I found a Car Tire (Spyder tires are not car tires - they are specific tires made by Kenda specifically for Spyders) to replace the OEM - General Altimax - I'm happy with it it's gonna last a long time. For the Spyder there is (1) option and that's OEM without going to a car tire.

Since I have access to a Professional tire changer and a son that knows how to run it - I picked up 2 Continental tires 165/60/15 at the local tire store. We put them on and tried to spin balance them - low and behold the hub on the small tire was not big enough to allow the spin balance machine to work. So we put the balance beads that came out of the old tires into the new tires. (Balance problem solved). Or so we thought - As mother went down the road - it was like a 50's Do Wop band - it was ugly. We drove directly to the Spyder dealer and said "Hey, We worked on it, We broke it - Fix it" Cause when Momma not happy - well you all know that story.

Told them to remove beads, static balance the fronts and since we've got new tires let's line it up.

Begin Rant.

Remove front tires / remove beads / static balance - Tech said he rode at this point and that solved the Do Wop issues.

Now the alignment - Rear tire needs to be perfectly square with the frame to do an alignment with also includes tensioning the belt. Rear Tire was jacked to the left by 5mm. Off some but not horrible.

Front tire - left tire was in alignment. - This is good.
Right tire was toed in 2 1/2 inches - Yikes - No wonder the right front tire wore out.
Aligned back into spec. (all I can figure is Momma his a big Pot Hole somewhere.)

Tech also reduced the front tire air pressure (get this) 17 pounds - I had 24 in it.

Now the Rant Rant - $400 for alignment and balance the tires. $180 for the tires which I basically provided them. We are at $580 to get the front tires changed on the Spyder. Add that to the near $200 oil change we had done a while back. We changed the rear ourselves for around $120 total. Holy Crap! And every 9,000 miles it needs that $200 oil change which is not doable in my garage.

Bottom line I'm glad I've got a Kawasaki Voyager - I could not afford to keep 2 Spyders on the road for the number of miles we ride.

Whenever you feel like ranting about tire changes - think of how much better life would be with a Spyder.

I hope these CAR TIRES last longer than the OEM tire - But Momma's Happy Now and we all know how important that is.

Oh - and the last thing the tech said to me is - You do know those are Car tires and Not Motorcycle tires and we really don't approve of the use of them. Yea - I know, But I'm gonna try it.

Disclaimer - I will say this about the tech - He is the best one we've found for the Spyder, He has been able to Fix Momma's ride on several occasions where the purchasing dealer tried to fix problems (and never did) but advised us "Oh, I wouldn't ride that very far" - That's when we found this dealer tech who fixed her ride. Expensive but good.

End Rant - Gotta go ride before it rains again.

Demolition Man · 08-22-2017, 02:49 PM

CanAm = Canned Ham

Good, but very, very expensive !

Had an 650 outlander ATV. Sold it after two years - way to expensive at service.

My OEM Bridgestone tires lastet 10.000 Kms on the rear. Switched both(front and rear - cauz in germany, you have to run the same brand front and rear) to the Michelin Commander II. I don't care about wet handling, cauz I only ride dry and sunny. If I get on wet roads, I ride that fat 400 kgs lady as riding on raw eggs, so ...

If the Michelin last 20.000 kms (double of the bridgestone) I will be happy. they are a few euros cheaper than the Bridgestone and last longer - ALL IS GOOD !

Cu,
Sven

Cu,
Sven

duffy · 08-22-2017, 07:59 PM

I recently put a new tire on my bike (2015 Versys) to replace the worn out rear (a Dunlop D222 SportTrax). I used a Dunlop RoadSmart III and I've put about 2K miles on it with no evidence of wear so far. It is a dual compound sport touring tire and I have no idea if they are made in Nomad/Voyager sizes. Might be something to consider though.

mbarr10 · 08-22-2017, 09:36 PM

Quote:

He has been able to Fix Momma's ride on several occasions where the purchasing dealer tried to fix problems (and never did) but advised us "Oh, I wouldn't ride that very far" - That's when we found this dealer tech who fixed her ride. Expensive but good.

Ouch, But still Cheaper to keep her. (mamma)

I have looked at the Spyders but now???? Maybe a trike would be cheaper? Umm, When I grow up. And YOUR RANT IS VALID.

Uncle Mike

**smokier** · 08-22-2017, 10:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mike07nad

So what size did that Radial Rear end up being?

MikeO,
The American Elite 4 is an 180/60R.
It is on the bike. No miles, will get first ride tomorrow night.

Smokier

mike07nad · 08-23-2017, 05:39 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by duffy

I recently put a new tire on my bike (2015 Versys) to replace the worn out rear (a Dunlop D222 SportTrax). I used a Dunlop RoadSmart III and I've put about 2K miles on it with no evidence of wear so far. It is a dual compound sport touring tire and I have no idea if they are made in Nomad/Voyager sizes. Might be something to consider though.

I did a quick check on the Dunlop RoadSmart III tire chart and it looks like they do NOT make them in the size for the Voyagers / Vaquero's.

17 inch Rears and 17/18 inch Fronts.

While I'm not a Dunlop tire expert (Shucks, a couple months ago for me Dunlop was something my belly did over my belt) I'm thinking the RoadSmart III is a similar tire offering to the American Elite for a different segment of motorcycles.

http://www.dunlopmotorcycletires.com...roadsmart-iii/
http://www.dunlopmotorcycletires.com...merican-elite/
http://www.dunlopmotorcycletires.com...ine/elite-4-2/

mike07nad · 08-23-2017, 05:45 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by smokier

MikeO,
The American Elite 4 is an 180/60R.
It is on the bike. No miles, will get first ride tomorrow night.

Smokier

Dang - Elite 4 - First I've seen that one. Interesting tread pattern -
Now I'll have another option to try.

Report, Report your findings!!!!!

http://www.dunlopmotorcycletires.com...ine/elite-4-2/

4theloveoftheride · 09-03-2017, 12:45 AM

As far as the Rolling resistance and better MPG of tires. Over my lifetime I have attempted to reduce my fuel consumption by implementing every "Fuel Saving" promise out there and Never Once have I saved enough to warrant the worth of the gadget. Once I thought that I put so many "Fuel Saving" things on my car that I would have to stop every 40 miles and take gas out of my tank. I guess all those percentages of savings don't add up like that.

Good Luck - Happy Shopping[/QUOTE
I once worried about cost versus tread wear, and came to the conclusion that safety is the utmost importance. Consider your riding style and your abilities, remember longer wearing tires are a harder composition of rubber, thus, less traction in hard cornering. Personally I love draggin floorboards. I want my bike to hold the road and corner as we all do. The 170/70//16 is not readily available by all tire manufactures. I had originally ordered a Metzeler also but it was coming out of California and then take too long to arrive so I opted for the Michelin Commander II. 190/65/16. It's only about a quarter inch shorter then the original tire size little bit wider what is supposed to last many many miles longer. So far no complaints.

4theloveoftheride · 09-03-2017, 01:03 AM

Quality is soooooooo much more important than price. Mixing bias binding and radial no biggie. Harley Davidson does that on some of their brand new bikes, or so I have read.

08-22-2017, 10:20 AM	#19
mike07nad Member Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Palmyra, Pa - Near Hershey Posts: 426	My Turn to Vent on Tires Ok - Here is the set up: the wife has a 2014 Can-Am Spyder RT Limited - Currently has 21,000 miles. Last year prior to us taking a 6,500 mile trip I put new Rear tires and front tires on her ride, and had it lined up $700. Saved the 1/2 worn front tires to reinstall later. When we returned from our trip the rear tire was shot! Caput. So I found a Car Tire (Spyder tires are not car tires - they are specific tires made by Kenda specifically for Spyders) to replace the OEM - General Altimax - I'm happy with it it's gonna last a long time. For the Spyder there is (1) option and that's OEM without going to a car tire. Since I have access to a Professional tire changer and a son that knows how to run it - I picked up 2 Continental tires 165/60/15 at the local tire store. We put them on and tried to spin balance them - low and behold the hub on the small tire was not big enough to allow the spin balance machine to work. So we put the balance beads that came out of the old tires into the new tires. (Balance problem solved). Or so we thought - As mother went down the road - it was like a 50's Do Wop band - it was ugly. We drove directly to the Spyder dealer and said "Hey, We worked on it, We broke it - Fix it" Cause when Momma not happy - well you all know that story. Told them to remove beads, static balance the fronts and since we've got new tires let's line it up. Begin Rant. Remove front tires / remove beads / static balance - Tech said he rode at this point and that solved the Do Wop issues. Now the alignment - Rear tire needs to be perfectly square with the frame to do an alignment with also includes tensioning the belt. Rear Tire was jacked to the left by 5mm. Off some but not horrible. Front tire - left tire was in alignment. - This is good. Right tire was toed in 2 1/2 inches - Yikes - No wonder the right front tire wore out. Aligned back into spec. (all I can figure is Momma his a big Pot Hole somewhere.) Tech also reduced the front tire air pressure (get this) 17 pounds - I had 24 in it. Now the Rant Rant - $400 for alignment and balance the tires. $180 for the tires which I basically provided them. We are at $580 to get the front tires changed on the Spyder. Add that to the near $200 oil change we had done a while back. We changed the rear ourselves for around $120 total. Holy Crap! And every 9,000 miles it needs that $200 oil change which is not doable in my garage. Bottom line I'm glad I've got a Kawasaki Voyager - I could not afford to keep 2 Spyders on the road for the number of miles we ride. Whenever you feel like ranting about tire changes - think of how much better life would be with a Spyder. I hope these CAR TIRES last longer than the OEM tire - But Momma's Happy Now and we all know how important that is. Oh - and the last thing the tech said to me is - You do know those are Car tires and Not Motorcycle tires and we really don't approve of the use of them. Yea - I know, But I'm gonna try it. Disclaimer - I will say this about the tech - He is the best one we've found for the Spyder, He has been able to Fix Momma's ride on several occasions where the purchasing dealer tried to fix problems (and never did) but advised us "Oh, I wouldn't ride that very far" - That's when we found this dealer tech who fixed her ride. Expensive but good. End Rant - Gotta go ride before it rains again.
	0

08-22-2017, 02:49 PM	#20
Demolition Man Member Join Date: Mar 2016 Location: Hannover, Germany Posts: 380	CanAm = Canned Ham Good, but very, very expensive ! Had an 650 outlander ATV. Sold it after two years - way to expensive at service. My OEM Bridgestone tires lastet 10.000 Kms on the rear. Switched both(front and rear - cauz in germany, you have to run the same brand front and rear) to the Michelin Commander II. I don't care about wet handling, cauz I only ride dry and sunny. If I get on wet roads, I ride that fat 400 kgs lady as riding on raw eggs, so ... If the Michelin last 20.000 kms (double of the bridgestone) I will be happy. they are a few euros cheaper than the Bridgestone and last longer - ALL IS GOOD ! Cu, Sven Cu, Sven __________________ "Democracy is two wolves and a lamb deciding what to have for dinner. Liberty is a well-armed lamb." - Benjamin Franklin MY LIFE - MY RULES ! 2018 Indian Roadmaster Login or Register to Remove Ads
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09-03-2017, 12:45 AM	#26
4theloveoftheride Jr. Member Join Date: Sep 2017 Location: Joplin Posts: 9	Wore out a bridgestone in 5000 miles, 8 weeks to the day. As far as the Rolling resistance and better MPG of tires. Over my lifetime I have attempted to reduce my fuel consumption by implementing every "Fuel Saving" promise out there and Never Once have I saved enough to warrant the worth of the gadget. Once I thought that I put so many "Fuel Saving" things on my car that I would have to stop every 40 miles and take gas out of my tank. I guess all those percentages of savings don't add up like that. Good Luck - Happy Shopping[/QUOTE I once worried about cost versus tread wear, and came to the conclusion that safety is the utmost importance. Consider your riding style and your abilities, remember longer wearing tires are a harder composition of rubber, thus, less traction in hard cornering. Personally I love draggin floorboards. I want my bike to hold the road and corner as we all do. The 170/70//16 is not readily available by all tire manufactures. I had originally ordered a Metzeler also but it was coming out of California and then take too long to arrive so I opted for the Michelin Commander II. 190/65/16. It's only about a quarter inch shorter then the original tire size little bit wider what is supposed to last many many miles longer. So far no complaints.
	0

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08-22-2017, 07:59 PM	#21
duffy Sr. Member Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: Hot Springs, SD and other warm and dry places Posts: 1,043	I recently put a new tire on my bike (2015 Versys) to replace the worn out rear (a Dunlop D222 SportTrax). I used a Dunlop RoadSmart III and I've put about 2K miles on it with no evidence of wear so far. It is a dual compound sport touring tire and I have no idea if they are made in Nomad/Voyager sizes. Might be something to consider though.
	0

09-03-2017, 01:03 AM	#27
4theloveoftheride Jr. Member Join Date: Sep 2017 Location: Joplin Posts: 9	Quality is soooooooo much more important than price. Mixing bias binding and radial no biggie. Harley Davidson does that on some of their brand new bikes, or so I have read.
	0