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Need A New Rear Tire, Please Help Me Decide

C

caeman

Moped
There are simply too many options, too many brands. I've done the reading there, but I think I may have read too much, so now I cannot decide. My primary goal for a new rear tire is long life. I would like to get 10k miles, at least, out of it while getting acceptable to good handling. I am not looking for high-grip knee-draggin' through the corner tires. The majority of the mile son my '90 C10 is commuting and I am a fairly conservative rider compared to most. : 46k miles
 
Shinko 777, it's bias, not sure of long distance mielage, but grip is good and the price is right, 80 bucks from motorcycle superstore. I have about 2K with no wear signs, I would think I should get at least 10K or more.
 
While I've been very happy with Avons, my previous shoes were ME880's. They're taller, wider, and slower feeling (very heavy feel) but they did everything I wanted to include scraping toes and embarrassing a squid in the corners coming back from Summit Point along Middleway Pike. And, above all, I got just a shade less than 24K on them when I changed them out. I could still be running them, as they were just starting to show the wear strips. Cheap they ain't, but they got great mileage per dollar. But, the lack of a long commute and the increased short hard rides put me back on probably the stickiest and short lived tire on the Connie: Avon Storm/Azaro combo. http://millerized.com/pegs I'll be in the garage
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COG 6425, CDA 111 a through g
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If'n your going to go to Wing Size Tars, I would go with Pilot GT's myself. Otherwise I am experimenting myself of a goal of 12-15K out of stock size, high performance, z-rated, sport touring radials. A tall order for sure, but some have done it. And I seem to get better than average life out of a set. Some have gotten 10K out of an Avon Azaro rear tire. Not exactly the average, but its possible. Avon Storm fronts seem to do 10K or so average. The rear tire life seems to be the down fall. I think something like the Dunlop D205's generally get 10-12k range average. The down side here is reports of cupping on the front. Personally I think they are a bit twitchy and nervious feeling compared to the stability of the Wing Size Tars. Anyways split the different and try the Avon Storm front / D205 rear combination. I am not sure if anyone is trying this combo, but there are a few out there who are trying the D205 rear with differnt combination fronts. Myself I am at 5.5K on a set of D205's will easily make 10K. 15K is the goal. While that is a bit high, I generally have been easy on tires and get better than most mileage out of a set. Yes I know, no help at all. 2003 Concours, 56K COG #6953 IBA 28004 http://home.comcast.net/~slybones/Concours/connieMain.htm
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Dang I think I did this last time. Deja Vu is setting in. Sig says 1990. I think Pig Wing Tars are out. 2003 Concours, 56K COG #6953 IBA 28004 http://home.comcast.net/~slybones/Concours/connieMain.htm
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Chad, If you're looking for reasonable mileage and want to go with the 'Wing size tires, Looka t the Pilot GT's as mentioned. Ranger Jim has them on his Connie and seems to like them. I'm running the Avon Venoms on the advice of Larry Buck. They have good grip wet or dry and Larry routinely gets around 20K out of them. They are a bias tire and are a little slower on the turn-in, but not obnoxiously so. I live in Florida and don't get to ride a lot of twisties, but the center of the tires seems to be holding up well down here. HTH Eddie Sanford, FL 2005 Concours 1969 Triumph Bonneville AMA# 686667 COG# 7073 CDA# 0136 http://picasaweb.google.com/Eddie753
 
Been using Dunlop D205 tires for a long time. Connie consistently getting about 12k life on the front and still riding the rear past 12k. Connie used on middle and south Georgia highways here everyday. Cupping will occur if no fork brace and/or low inflation psi and/or unbalanced. It appears that road environment and conditions will determine your tire selection. There are many premium z-tires to consider but v-performance seems to fit my $$$ budget and my ride. :)
 
New here...currently ride a '2000. I use the Dunlop D205 in the back and get around 12K/year. I commute to work to S.F., CA, about 84 miles per day round trip. It wears pretty even and honest when my ride is strictly commuting. If I decide to do an IBA or take some long rides then I see a more flat/center wear on the back tire. I use the Dunlop D220 in the front and I get 10K/year. I change out this tire when I see cupping, (at about 10K). I think the cupping is there because I only check the tire pressure on the weekends and find the tire pressure is low at times on the front tire. Overall, I really like the feel of these set of tires. Over the years I have found that the performance of these tires, as well as their type of wear (to be expected) has been very consistant. No surprises. They work well in the wet road ways and rain.
 
When I bought my Connie in Aug, it came with an almost new set of Pilot GT's. Can anyone give me an idea of the kind of tire life I should see in general? Doug Wood DeSoto,IL AMA#1090587
 
When I bought my Connie in Aug, it came with an almost new set of Pilot GT's. Can anyone give me an idea of the kind of tire life I should see in general? My Pilot GT's have 18k on them and look like they are good for quite a few more miles. Since the word is out that they are being discontinued I got another set from Murph to mount when I need them. I should mention that the Pilot GT's do not work on the early models that have the narrower front rim.
 
Replaced OE Dunlop at 6K on my '06 with GL1500 size Bridgestone Exedra 701 front and 702 rear. Going from V rated radial to H rated bias ply has slowed handling (steering feel) but tires show no wear after 4K miles. Don't know if I would do it again but this is a good setup if you plan on touring.
 
If you're looking for high mileage, Metzeler ME880 is the way to go. They're hard and slow and my rear was sliding a little bit downhill on rain and oil toward the end of its life (not dangerous but a little exciting) but for durability it was top dog.
 
What kind of miles are we calling high miles Brett? Just thinking ahead when its time to start looking. Doug Wood DeSoto,IL AMA#1090587
 
That's a subjective question of course, depends on how you ride, what your roads are like etc. but 20k+ is not unheard of on the rear. I inherited mine from the PO so I have to guess at when she swapped out the OEM hoops, but mileage of 15-18k should be right.
 
Okay, I took all of the advice and other information and decided on a Dunlop D205 for my new rear tire. Stock size. What I learned from all this is that there is no one correct tire. I picked the tire up for a reasonable price ($131 from motorcycle superstore) and is being shipped at $0 to me. I am going to have it mounted a local dealer who is also going to use Dyna Beads for the balancing. My front Macadam is wearing just fine and should last me through most of 2010, at which point I will switch the front to a D205, as well...with Dyna Beads if they work as reported here and elsewhere. : 46k miles
 
Okay, I took all of the advice and other information and decided on a Dunlop D205 for my new rear tire.
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You will not be disappointed with the tire. I thought that you were going to say that you learned that the tire manufacturers are selling Radial and Bias-ply tires at ~ the same price. Still can't figure that one out. BEFORE you get your tire mounted get a spray bottle w/ soapy water and spray around the valve stem. If you see bubbles get your valve stem replaced while the tire is off.
 
Doug, Like Brett, I inherited my me88s from the PO. I put almost 20000 on them before I either got a cut or a tread failure in the rear. Great mileage at the cost of handling. I'm now running Bridgestone V45s and have a little over 6,000 miles on them. They are definitely showing wear, but not too bad. It is a dual compound rear. They seem to perform quite well, especially as compared to the metzlers. COG # 8062 AMA # 1084053 ROMA or Scarlet harlot acording to my wife
 
Thanks for the info. Hopefully I won't be replacing my Pilot Gt's too soon.....although that would just mean I am riding alot, so all in all not a bad thing. Doug Wood DeSoto,IL AMA#1090587
 
My last set were Dunlop D205s. 14K rear and 17K front. Cupping seems to be a problem with most front tires. On the D205s a little extra pressure in the front helps. I replaced the rear with another D205 and the front with a Dunlot Roadsmart. Most sport touring bikes come now with 17" wheels, so if you want to stay with radials the selection is somewhat limited.
 
I have over 12000 on my Pilot GT's and they still aren't showing any ware. The way they look now they should go to 20.000 easy. They stick way better than I can ride wed or dry.
 
I have over 12000 on my Pilot GT's and they still aren't showing any ware. The way they look now they should go to 20.000 easy. They stick way better than I can ride wed or dry.
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How do you do it? My rear pilot GT's are bald between 10000 and 11000 miles and at the wear indicators at 8700 miles. This is the same for three GT tires in a row. I'd hate to think how much less I'd get with a sticky radial tire.
 
I've managed to get between 25K and 27K out of D205's. Careful shifting, light braking and reasonable speeds make it possible. I must say the bike sure handled rotton for the last 10K or more on those tires and I don't recommend anybody run their tires to the point I have.
 
How do you do it? My rear pilot GT's are bald between 10000 and 11000 miles and at the wear indicators at 8700 miles. This is the same for three GT tires in a row. I'd hate to think how much less I'd get with a sticky radial tire.
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I had 20K on my Pilot GT's when the front decided it didnt want to go any further. Just barely getting to the wear bars. -- I am now hoping to get 15K on D205's. Currently at 5K on them. 2003 Concours, 56K COG #6953 IBA 28004 http://home.comcast.net/~slybones/Concours/connieMain.htm
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