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Confused By The Tire Selection!

C

caeman

Moped
I haven't bought a new tire since the end of 2010.  I only rode 9k miles in 2011, so my tires good for the entire year.  Now I find myself looking at the current tires and I feel lost again.  Back in 2010, I had a clue based on the newest info here in this forum...but there doesn't appear to have been a tire topic in a while and all of the tires have changed from I knew/purchased.

What is the new, trendy tire of C10 preference?
 
The sticky tire choice is Avon Storm Ultra 2 in the 110 width for front and Avon Azerro rear not the longest wearing tire but very good rain and twisties tires. I heard something about BattleAx but someone should chime in soon.
Oh no it's a tire thread. :-[
 
Hey, there is nothing wrong with tire threads.  This is an important issues.  We are talking about nearly $300 of cash I almost don't have to insure I can save at least that much in gas by commuting on the motorcycle.  :)

That said, part of my confusion I had forgotten about was the lack of front tires rated as 120/70-VR18.
 
I prefer the Avon Radials.
Murph has the Avons..... (I like dealing with Murph)

Inmy case, it was 2 good reasons for me to get the Avons.. 
          so,,,,, I got mine from him.
Problem solved.

Ride safe, Ted
 
Chad I think the prefered size is 110 width in front because the 120 in any other tire than the OEM is really 120 and is too wide for front rim which pinches the tire width in and the profile of the tire is deformed from intended shape sidewall to sidewall.
 
I agree Chad the Tire threads and stickies do not help us make a choice.  Who has time to read all the replies between the decent info.  Maybe we should have a thread started with nothing but...
This is what I bought last
This is how long they lasted
This is what I thought.
 
Or have a tech page with current / available sizes from the different MFG's with some basic notes.

Given the original post says current tires are 9K in one year and good for one more year, I equate that to 18K tires which probably means wing size tires. But that was not specifically mentioned, and we have reference to not seeing many 120/70-VR18. -- How many of them get 18K for a matched set? Puzzled at that to recommend. I cannot think of any, even 2010 tires, that gave 18K mileage and were V rated or better for a matched set of Radials.
 
There is a web tech page like that but the member Mark Randol who was keeping it up is without a web host right now and so I do not know how to link to it.  I will try to contact him and see if it is back up.
 
I am not very aggressive.  I've made my front tires last two years at a time, roughly 18k miles.  My rear tires seems to last me 10 to 12k miles.

On to the tire sticky I go...
 
Lately (as always) members are finding and trying different tires.
For instance, lately I've seen talk about the Shenko (sp)?. Not sure if its radial or belted.
In addition to the Avon Radials,, Murph now carries Avon Belted Tires that I'm not familiar with.
Sport Demons have been discussed.
Other ??

I think what we would all like to know is what are the choices now,,, and what do people think about them.
So Bobs suggestion is whaat i would like to hear.
This is what I bought last
This is how long they lasted
This is what I thought.


I'll start with;  I prefer the Avon Radials. (Azaro 45/Storm II's) My last rear lasted approx. 5000 miles. Front is still on the bike. I'm a pretty aggressive rider and I don't do much mileage accumulating) highway miles. I have tried Belted Tires (the 491'a and the 880's) and don't like the difference in feel I get from a belted tire. However, the belted last me far longer!

Ride safe,Ted
 
I use the Venoms in the Wing Tire Size. The Azarro/Storm combo would last me only 2 months!! :-\ I have 4500 on the Venoms and they still look VERY good and lots of wear left...good in the wet, can't say for the carving...but if ya slab, great tires!!
 
For the narrow 1990 C-10 front tire try this

http://www.compacc.com/p/Bridgestone-Battlax-BT45-High-Performance-Touring-Tires-V-Rated-Front
110/80-18

For the rear:

http://www.compacc.com/p/Bridgestone-Battlax-BT45-High-Performance-Touring-Tires-V-Rated-Rear/1702004
150/80-16

This is the only matching set (arguably) of tires available in the stock pre-94 sizing.  Bridgestone calls them "high performance touring tires. Several members here have used these with good results. They are Bias ply but V- (149 mph max) rated.

The Dunlop K700 series fits the post 94 bikes and the Avon combo mentioned albove is probably the best overall combo, but again the front is a 120/70-18 and yes it will not be a proper fit for the narrow pre-93 rim.

Best of luck.
 
I'm on the downhill side of a Storm/Azaro combo. I LOVE the tires, but the back is looking thin at 5000. I'm pretty easy on them and try to stay off the slab. Front is good and also has 5,000.  I expect to get maybe another 1,000 on the rear and then I'll decide if I pick up another Azaro and see if the front will make it or switch to the BT45's I've got waiting in the shop. $300 for the Avons, $197 for the BT's. An Azaro alone approaches the cost of the BT's at about $160.
 
This is what I bought last
This is how long they lasted
This is what I thought.

I like a tire chart idea, but lets have a cross matrix with "best oil and why" to kill two birds at once...

:beerchug:
 
Tire threads are fun.  I think forums are conversations, not indexed databases.  That's what wikis and the like are for.  :nananana:

What I bought last:  Michelin Pilot GT's in GL1500 Wing sizes

How long they lasted:  18k front and rear

What I thought:  Best compromise of longevity and handling for me.  I loved them.  May Michelin roast in h*** for all eternity for discontinuing these.  Handled well enough for my needs in the Eastern Sierras and lasted for my commute (Southern Nevada, 65 miles one way, mostly flat and straight, but with one 5 mile curvy section from one valley at 2600 feet up and over the Spring Mountains at 5500 feet, into another valley at 2000 feet.

I swapped them out with probably 1-2k miles left on them, between seasons, putting on a set of Maxxis tires I got on a second Connie I use for emergency parts and for an occaisonal guest rider.  This was due to sheer lack of money.  When these wear out I'll probably go with another set of Wing size tires.  Ride it like you Gold it.  ;D
 
Twas tongue and cheek suggestion for a database..most threads I have seen though about tires and oil just go on and on... but I do agree, they can be entertaining!

 
Face it guys, while these bikes handle ok, they are never going to corner with a Ducati, but then again that's not what they were designed for.  So to get the most out of the bike, I figure there has to be a happy median between long lasting and great handling or maybe a way to get both?

I usually get two rear tires out of every front tire on my 2003 C10.  The original stock Dunlops handled ok, cupped terribly and didn't last too long.  My next set were a set of Michelin Pilot GT's.  Long lasting but that wide front tire made the front end handle real heavy and slow.  Not near as fun to ride as with the Dunlops.  So I got to wondering, is there a compromise?

Look at the new BMW 1600, which is one of the sportiest Sport Tourers on the market. 
Front tire:  120/70-ZR17
Rear tire:  180/55-ZR17

The C14 runs:
Front Tire: 120/70 ZR-17
Rear Tire:  190/50 ZR-17

They run big REAR tires, But NONE of them run big front tires.  While they get good mileage, big front tires have too much inertia to overcome to handle decently.  I learned this first hand when I went from the 110 Dunlop to the 130 Pilot GT.  Quite honestly, my bike suddenly started handling like a truck.

So I got to wondering, since there's not many choices for radials, can I run a great handling radial front tire and a meaty bias ply rear and how would that affect the handling?  I got my answer last summer during our trip to the Black Hills.  My brother and I both have V65 Honda Sabres.  We run radials, Michelin Pilot Road 110/18 on the front and 140/17 Avon Azaro on the rear.  Handle phenomenally.  In Cody, Wyoming we discovered my brother's rear Avon was almost a maypop slick (that last quarter of tread goes really fast), and we were only on day 2 of a 6 day trip.  Ever try to find a 140/17 Avon in Cody, Wyoming?  Not going to happen.  Best we could do was a 140/17 Chen Shin bias ply at a Harley shop in Sheridan.  So we put it on and headed out, hoping for the best.  Long story short, we couldn't tell any difference in handling between that rear bias ply Chen Shin and the rear radial Avon.  I still had a hard time keeping up with him running down the north side of Bear Tooth pass into Red Lodge.  What made it handle decent was that 110 Michelin Road on the front and he's even getting decent mileage out of that rear Chen Shin.

I've run both Avon Azaro and Michelin Pilot Road's on the front end of my V65 Sabre and the Michelin is a superior tire especially on rain gooved roads.  I'm not a fan of the front Avon Azaro.

I prefer Michelins, but since they don't build the rear Pilot GT any more, this is what I'm going to run this year (and hopefully for the next couple or so).
Front: Michelin Pilot Road 3 110/70ZR17  http://www.michelinmotorcycle.com/index.cfm?event=pilotroad3
Rear: Avon Venom 160/80B16  http://www.bikebandit.com/avon-am42-venom-reinforced-motorcycle-tire

My goal is to get a rear tire to last at least as long as the front and get great handling.  I'll let you know how it works.





 
Any particular reason for the 160/80-16 rear Avon Venom? They also make the Venom rear in the stock 150/80-16. And its about $30 cheaper in the stock size. Wondering the benefit of the getting the wing size when there is a stock size too. Other than 100 or so less RPM on the freeway.
 
Dukedinner said:
Twas tongue and cheek suggestion for a database..most threads I have seen though about tires and oil just go on and on... but I do agree, they can be entertaining!
Click to expand...

Yeah, dig it.  I'm not being wicked serious either.  But I am definitely of the opinion that it's OK if conversations repeat...

As to the Pilot GT fronts, I had no problem trading quick turn initiation for stability and mileage by running the 130 front tires.  I'm also not entirely convinced that quick turn initiation is the primary component of good handling for this bike.  It's certainly one component.  But then, even if I lose as much weight as I want to lose, I'll still be at least 200 lbs, so for me getting the Connie to corner just means moving my weight around.
 
Slybones said:
Any particular reason for the 160/80-16 rear Avon Venom? They also make the Venom rear in the stock 150/80-16. And its about $30 cheaper in the stock size. Wondering the benefit of the getting the wing size when there is a stock size too. Other than 100 or so less RPM on the freeway.
Click to expand...
Goes up on the centerstand easier with Wing size tires.
 
Slybones said:
Any particular reason for the 160/80-16 rear Avon Venom? They also make the Venom rear in the stock 150/80-16. And its about $30 cheaper in the stock size. Wondering the benefit of the getting the wing size when there is a stock size too. Other than 100 or so less RPM on the freeway.
Click to expand...

Well, the 160 rear holds more weight, taller, little better on bump absorption in my opinion. HTH
 
2linby said:
For the narrow 1990 C-10 front tire try this

http://www.compacc.com/p/Bridgestone-Battlax-BT45-High-Performance-Touring-Tires-V-Rated-Front
110/80-18

For the rear:

http://www.compacc.com/p/Bridgestone-Battlax-BT45-High-Performance-Touring-Tires-V-Rated-Rear/1702004
150/80-16

This is the only matching set (arguably) of tires available in the stock pre-94 sizing.  Bridgestone calls them "high performance touring tires. Several members here have used these with good results. They are Bias ply but V- (149 mph max) rated.

The Dunlop K700 series fits the post 94 bikes and the Avon combo mentioned albove is probably the best overall combo, but again the front is a 120/70-18 and yes it will not be a proper fit for the narrow pre-93 rim.

Best of luck.
Click to expand...


I sold my Connie in Nov 11, after 60k miles, my last set of tires were the Bridgestones wish I would have found them earlier great tires.
 
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