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OEM Bridgestone tires on the 2012. Why does everybody hate them?

Jeff757767

Jeff757767

Big Wheel
I'm brand new to the forum as of tonight and I'm also new with a new 2012 Concours. I'm hearing allot of bad news on the OEM tires that come on the bike. The Bridgestone Battlax. My question is whats the complaints everyone has? Just asking due to ignorance on the topic. Also the Michelin Pilot 3's have been recommended.......

Thanks
J  :beerchug:
 
  The set on my 09 were horrible. The front tire usually lasts up to twice the back. It lasted 4600 and the wear pattern was terrible. The back tire still has a little left but I swapped out both for Pirelli Angel ST's. The Michelins and Pirelli's seem to be the ones that get used the most. Hopefully yours will be better but for several years they were consistentally bad. Good luck.
 
I too bought a new Concours this spring, and having worn out the OEM's, I replaced them with PR3's (the same as you mention).  I found there to be a big difference in both how they performed, and in their wear.  The PR3's always feel steady and reliable in the corners, where the Bridgestone's always felt to me like they were the the edge of their abilities.  That may not have been the case, because I could roll the bike all the way to the edge of the tire tread, and they never let me down, but confidence in the tire is a huge factor, and that just wasn't there with the Brigestone's.  For me, the other big factor was in how they wore.  The back tire on the original tire wore flat in the center, which made cornering even more of an adventure.  When I would roll the bike off the center, and onto the edge, it would just feel like the bike was dropping out from under me, not to the level that would cause me a panic attack or anything like that, but just a feeling I didn't like.  The fronts, on the other hand, wore more evenly from side to side, but cupped enough to cause a wobble in the handle bar as they got old.  Not big, and not a big deal, since it went away with the new new front tire, but it was there.  I can't really compare longevity.  The PR3's are wearing much more evenly, and I'm sure they will last longer, but I can't say how much longer.  The one question I've asked myself is, if I knew then what I know now, would I have changed the tires out before I brought the bike home?  Probably not the the answer for most new buyers, but for me, yeah, I think I would.  If you have checked, you'll see the PR3's are pricey, but it's an area where I'm willing to spend some extra dough.  I really like good tires.  Anyway, just my long winded two cents...

BTW, congratulations on the new bike, and the forum membership. I joined as a full member in July  :sign0144:.  The forum is nice, the group is great.  Hope to see a COG # behind your name sometime.    :beerchug:                   
 
I'm just running mine out since that's what came with the (2012) bike. They seem a little stiff but have been fine for getting used to the bike.  With the KTRC off it's easy to get a feel for their limits in the twistys. I fell in love with the Power 2CT's on my last bike and will opt for those for my next set. Edge to edge confidence right out of the garage on those puppies.
As far as wear for the $...pfft. Get the best you can afford at the time and set a change jar in your closet for the next set to make up for any price point decision.

They worked okay in the rain too. Except for the wet yellow line test coming down a mountain in the rain. Oops. :-\ <buttpucker>
 
angry puppy said:
They worked okay in the rain too. Except for the wet yellow line test coming down a mountain in the rain. Oops
Click to expand...

- ran over a couple of painted lines in the wet recently on the stock OE B'stones.

- maybe nothing the tyre (or any other tyre) could have done then , but the feeling was very bad , the tyre just slid over the lines and re-gripped when it got reacquainted with the asphalt.

- almost as bad as when i overshot a corner into the on-coming lane ...

.
 
the summary

they handle like crap, they wear like crap, they grip like crap... ???


buy some Pirellis or the mich PR2 or PR3s...and you'll see the huge difference.  :great:
 
I imagine they are quite good enough if you ride in a sane manner. I had mine delivered with PR3s installed because I know its a better tire. But the OEM tires won't wreck you, so the frugal will wear them out first before replacing them.
 
Flyboy757767 said:
I'm brand new to the forum as of tonight and I'm also new with a new 2012 Concours. I'm hearing allot of bad news on the OEM tires that come on the bike. The Bridgestone Battlax. My question is whats the complaints everyone has? Just asking due to ignorance on the topic. Also the Michelin Pilot 3's have been recommended.......

Thanks
J  :beerchug:
Click to expand...

I have no problem with the stock tires on my ride. I rode in rain, up to 120 MPH and hard into the corners and have never once lost confidence in my tires.

John
 
Hello,

I picked up a 2012 last December and with 11,000 kms on it the front tire is done and the back might have another 2000 on it? Its wearing badly and I don't trust it.

I'm going with Michelin PR 3's, due to largely positive comments from this site.

I've used the Michelins before and they last a fair bit longer. I drive fast but I'm not abrupt in any operation. I would get at least 17,000 kms to a set, sometimes waiting until the following summer to change out the front tire.

Good luck,
Sean
 
Yeah back in the late 70's I bought  a XS1100 , I thought sliding around corners was  normal.
I guess I'm frugal , I used up my stock tires.
 
Just replaced the "battle sucks" with PR3's and the difference is remarkable. The oem tires had significant uneven tread wear in the center of the tire.  Consequently, I would have to muscle and bump the bike to set up the lean prior to the turn. The PR3s' sweetly initiate the lean and hold true throughout the curve. Frankly, first time out I had to get used to the ease in which I could initiate the turn.
 
mnofpeace said:
the summary

they handle like crap, they wear like crap, they grip like crap... ???


buy some Pirellis or the mich PR2 or PR3s...and you'll see the huge difference.  :great:
Click to expand...


+1...  :iagree:
 
I think any time you replace worn out tires with new they will feel great no matter what you put on. I think comparing a new set of PR3's to worn out OEM's is not quite fair.

That being said, I found the OEM's to steer quite heavily and track irregularities in the road early in thier life. I did wear them out and I'm very happy with the PR3's I have on the bike now. Do think they are a better tire all around.

I have purchased four bikes new in the last 12 years (still have two of them) and all of them came with Bridgestones. All replacements were either Michelin, Pirelli, or Dunlops and I have liked them all better than any of Stones I have used.
 
mehush said:
I think any time you replace worn out tires with new they will feel great no matter what you put on. I think comparing a new set of PR3's to worn out OEM's is not quite fair.

That being said, I found the OEM's to steer quite heavily and track irregularities in the road early in thier life. I did wear them out and I'm very happy with the PR3's I have on the bike now. Do think they are a better tire all around.

I have purchased four bikes new in the last 12 years (still have two of them) and all of them came with Bridgestones. All replacements were either Michelin, Pirelli, or Dunlops and I have liked them all better than any of Stones I have used.
Click to expand...

Good point BUMP +1
 
mehush said:
I think any time you replace worn out tires with new they will feel great no matter what you put on. I think comparing a new set of PR3's to worn out OEM's is not quite fair.

That being said, I found the OEM's to steer quite heavily and track irregularities in the road early in thier life. I did wear them out and I'm very happy with the PR3's I have on the bike now. Do think they are a better tire all around.

I have purchased four bikes new in the last 12 years (still have two of them) and all of them came with Bridgestones. All replacements were either Michelin, Pirelli, or Dunlops and I have liked them all better than any of Stones I have used.
Click to expand...


    I had brand new 021's on both my C14 and the newer sport tour. I will say that I didn't notice the C14 going off as fast as I did later. But I did notice something was a miss and required more and more input. I also had to replace the tires with 4,000 miles. I never had a front tire wear out before the rear and as quick as 4K miles. The rear might have gone a little longer, but I replace in sets (just my preference). As expected the Pirelli Diablo Strada's (no Angels yet) were night and day better when new. But stayed that way pretty much through their life cycle. So I was convinced that the 021's were not (IMO) the best choice for me. And I didn't plan on trying a second set on the C14.
    But things changed for me and I went to a new bike. The bad thing is that the 021's also came on the new sport tour. After experiencing them on the C14, I was more in tuned (and paying close attention) to the quick degradation and required increasing input as the 021's wore. What I will say is that I had noticed a drastic differance in the first 500 miles on the second brand new set of OEM 021's. They were pushing more and more, requiring more and more input to keep the bike down and tracking while cornering.
    I had the second set of 021's off the bike by 1,400 miles. IMO, I found that they were already getting soooo bad. (but the tires were by no means worn out). I have also run full cycles of tire life on both Angels and PR3's since then. Both tires were drastically better from new to worn out than the 021's were from new to 500 miles on the second brand new OEM set.
    This of course is just my opinion and opinions vary. But IMO, the Angels and PR3's are night and day better tires for a sport tour. But if the tires feel OK to you, run them until they need replacing or until you don't feel they are OK. Why throw away the money on new tires early, if you don't have see a problem with the stones. But when you do replace them, you will see a marked improvement. (probably a lot more than just running new tires) Again, just my opinion.
 
 
cuda said:
Yeah back in the late 70's I bought  a XS1100 , I thought sliding around corners was  normal.
I guess I'm frugal , I used up my stock tires.
Click to expand...

Plus, those of us who owned xs'11 are damn glad to feel anythign that has a suspension system, a frame, etc.
 
Yeah that reminds me , we were on a quiet country road drag racing one another , after a several runs I'm doing 125mph and I go into a speed wobble , scared the $hit out of me , I was at the dealer the next day to have them install a air shock kit in the front tubes :-\
 
Welcome on both fronts. I also have a new 2012 14 with 4500 miles on her and have noticed the front tire is not wearing well at all, seems to have developed a strange bump pattern on both sides of center, showed my dealer and he said it was odd but the tire looks to be in good shape, and to keep an eye on the correct tire pressure? :-[. I have decided to get what I can out of them and move on to PR3's, call it frugal or what ever ya want but I'm not going to just throw them out. If it were a safety issue, no question but not for the sake of just getting new tires. Learn and move on!!
 
.

- maybe you guys really ride hard , but the stock rubber has been "ok" so far on my 2012 C14 (nothing else to compare it to , in any event).

- imho : even with the vaunted PR3s , people are complaining about carcass deformation on the K1600 and high speed instability when , ironically , compared to the Bridgestones. Some also complain about strange wear patterns on these PR3s and are looking for the next "great" tyre , eg the new Dunlops or Metzs.

- honestly , it seems crazy for a big Motorcycle manufacturer to knowingly put poor quality rubber on their flagship sportstourer (esp with the post 2010 models which had probably the most amount of rider input mods that any mass produced big named bike has had).

- Kawasaki are not small nor is Bridgestone. And they (both Kawasaki and Bridgestone) would have tested the absolute crap out of that very setup with their factory test riders. If they had even found 1% of some of the internet/forum comments that have been generated about these tyres , it defies belief that they would have okayed the setup.

- Kawasaki's rep for their big rig is worth a whole lot more than Kobe being near to Kawasaki's factory (which to me is the craziest nonsense spouted about why Bridgestone are suppliers to Kawasaki).

- Bridgestone are not only OEM to Kawasaki but a whole lot of other manufacturers , both Japanese and European. Nobody wants to put poor rubber on their new bikes and have riders falling off the road. Its a poor business decision.

- Kawasaki being the manufacturer , would have the pick over a whole bunch of OEM tyre options and at their level , these tyres are cheap. Their prices are not what you pay at the shops.

- it seems everyone has almost nothing nice to say about the stock tyres on their new bikes after going to some other brand. But second the caution above about comparing old worn out rubber to new rubber. New rubber will be absolutely different.

cheers.

.
 
Dog... Gotta disagree with you. The OEM rubber is built (down) to a price point... the OEM 023 is not the same as athe 023 that you would get at a cycle parts store. The same applies to car and truck tires. Remember the Ford/Firestone fiasco? The object is for Kawasaki (or plug in any mfg name) put the least expensive yet acceptable tires on the bike. The tires cost less and help the manufacturers bottom line.

FYI... My OEM tires were on the bike for a total of 1663 miles before I replaced them with some Michelins...
 
I ripped the OEM 021's off at a Low mileage too,  they just plain scared me.  (Slid in some corners, wore like crap)  I had a set of pr2's that were ok for a few k miles..then angels that gripped like glue but wore out early.. now the PR3 that is getting great life and handles well (and is the best wet weather handling tire I've seen so far)


I had the 021's on my old FJR too...they sucked badly on that bike too.... 
 
Flyboy,

I started a thread a while back asking the same thing you did "Whats wrong with the stock tires" and they all laughed at me. I still don't get it myself. The only determination I made is that most of these folks ride much harder then me or read reviews from other people who ride much harder then the average rider and get their minds set to the point that no matter what the stocks suck and everything is better. Maybe I will start to notice when the wear nears 4k but for now i'm over 3k and doing just fine.

John
 
Also remember, you have no idea how old the tires are by the time you get the bike. I neglected to read the date stamp before my dealer comped me PR3s but when I got my ZX14 in 2008, the date stamp on the OEM tires was a year old, and still they provided good service until I wore them out and switched to PR2s, which of course were much better all around anyway.
 
itnetpro said:
Flyboy,

I started a thread a while back asking the same thing you did "Whats wrong with the stock tires" and they all laughed at me. I still don't get it myself. The only determination I made is that most of these folks ride much harder then me or read reviews from other people who ride much harder then the average rider and get their minds set to the point that no matter what the stocks suck and everything is better. Maybe I will start to notice when the wear nears 4k but for now i'm over 3k and doing just fine.

John
Click to expand...
Thanks John and all the guys. I just have heard allot of bad press on the stock tires and it seems to be true but time will tell since I only have 554 miles on mine so far.
Thanks
 
i have run several sets of 023 on my 09 and have been very happy with them(last was B spec). rear in a 55 of course. i am an aggressive twistie guy with some track time also. performance has been very good, no complaints here at all. (have pr3 on now cause i had to check mileage vs the 023)

now the 021 or stock on the 09, front wore like a stop sign, was a mess. no love at all for them, and it hurts people trying the 023 i think.
 
Not all, just some.

That is just the polar mentality showing itself- things cannot be 'OK', they have to be wonderful or terrible with no chance of being anywhere in-between. I think it is an Internet 'thing', or at least sharpened by Internet things like forums.

The stock tires are OK but not the equal, in my opinion, of the 'premium' tires available. The OEM Bridgestones are less expensive than the tires most of us use to replace them, and the manufacturer gets a much better price buying in OEM quantities. That plus the fact that Bridgestone is a Japanese company are the reasons they are on the bike when it is new.

The 021 Battleaxe’s are not awful tires, just faster wearing and a bit more prone to slipping, especially the rear, then some other tires, The slipping part is not dangerous or anything but it does make the tire, and in effect the entire bike, feel less than 'planted' when leaned over a bit, especially when starting to open the throttle at the end of a turn.

I did not care for the tires after trying a PR2 but my only real complaint is the odd way the front tire wore as another poster already mentioned. Rather than wearing down evenly it wore as a series of flats around the tire. I do not mean cupping or any pattern like that, these flats were in the cross- section of the tire. It made the tire unstable going in a straight line and once leaned over, the tire was always trying to cause a greater or lesser lean angle, no doubt because there was a flat just above or below where I happened to be riding on the tire at the moment. Again, nothing dangerous but somewhat annoying and less than good performance as the tire wore down in my experience.

One final thought- when old, worn tire are replaced on a motorcycle, the new tires simply feel great. It is hard to tell how much of that 'greatness' is just because it is a new tire and how much is due to the brand / type of tire. I suspect that brand new OEM tires would also be 'great' but unfortunately as a lot of people change brands I think that fantastic new feeling is attributed to the tire brand / type rather than the fact that it is new. That is too bad because it really is a false association with what is really going on I think.

So all of that said, tires are wear items and if you ride enough miles on the same bike, you will have to replace them. That is really a great opportunity to try something else and check out for yourself how different tires act on the bike. Of course if you opt for OEM, you will get to experience the almost amazing change that comes from replacing a really worn tire with a new, correctly shaped one with no other differences at all.

Brian


itnetpro said:
Flyboy,

I started a thread a while back asking the same thing you did "Whats wrong with the stock tires" and they all laughed at me. I still don't get it myself. The only determination I made is that most of these folks ride much harder then me or read reviews from other people who ride much harder then the average rider and get their minds set to the point that no matter what the stocks suck and everything is better. Maybe I will start to notice when the wear nears 4k but for now i'm over 3k and doing just fine.

John
Click to expand...
 
BDF said:
One final thought- when old, worn tire are replaced on a motorcycle, the new tires simply feel great. It is hard to tell how much of that 'greatness' is just because it is a new tire and how much is due to the brand / type of tire. I suspect that brand new OEM tires would also be 'great' but unfortunately as a lot of people change brands I think that fantastic new feeling is attributed to the tire brand / type rather than the fact that it is new. That is too bad because it really is a false association with what is really going on I think.

So all of that said, tires are wear items and if you ride enough miles on the same bike, you will have to replace them. That is really a great opportunity to try something else and check out for yourself how different tires act on the bike. Of course if you opt for OEM, you will get to experience the almost amazing change that comes from replacing a really worn tire with a new, correctly shaped one with no other differences at all.
Click to expand...

I think most riders who have ridden more than a couple years develop pretty good perspectives of how good a tire make/model is, and don't base their opinion on what the replaced tire was like the last month it was on the bike.

I think you are giving your fellow riders too little credit for being intelligent enough to make valid comparisons.
 
JR said:
BDF said:
I think most riders who have ridden more than a couple years develop pretty good perspectives of how good a tire make/model is, and don't base their opinion on what the replaced tire was like the last month it was on the bike.

I think you are giving your fellow riders too little credit for being intelligent enough to make valid comparisons.
Click to expand...

Based on fact that majority of the population is made up of followers rather then leaders that just go along with what the general attitude is about most things I would venture a guess that this forum is no different then the rest of the population...  >:D

John
Click to expand...
 
itnetpro said:
JR said:
I think most riders who have ridden more than a couple years develop pretty good perspectives of how good a tire make/model is, and don't base their opinion on what the replaced tire was like the last month it was on the bike.

I think you are giving your fellow riders too little credit for being intelligent enough to make valid comparisons.
Click to expand...

Based on fact that majority of the population is made up of followers rather then leaders that just go along with what the general attitude is about most things I would venture a guess that this forum is no different then the rest of the population...  >:D

John
Click to expand...

I didn't fix your quote fail, will respond outside of it.  :beerchug:

I don't think the members of COG are part of that majority. For one thing, motorcycle enthusiasts tend to be an opinionated group, which takes them out of your mythical majority to begin with. And our members tend to ask a lot of questions, and question a lot of answers, also showing they are not just followers.

Also, anytime someone sets the rest of population apart from themself and defines this population as somehow less than themself, its pretty clear whats going on, but I leave that to the reader to discern.
 
JR said:
itnetpro said:
JR said:
I think most riders who have ridden more than a couple years develop pretty good perspectives of how good a tire make/model is, and don't base their opinion on what the replaced tire was like the last month it was on the bike.

I think you are giving your fellow riders too little credit for being intelligent enough to make valid comparisons.
Click to expand...



Based on fact that majority of the population is made up of followers rather then leaders that just go along with what the general attitude is about most things I would venture a guess that this forum is no different then the rest of the population...  >:D

John
Click to expand...

I didn't fix your quote fail, will respond outside of it.  :beerchug:

I don't think the members of COG are part of that majority. For one thing, motorcycle enthusiasts tend to be an opinionated group, which takes them out of your mythical majority to begin with. And our members tend to ask a lot of questions, and question a lot of answers, also showing they are not just followers.

Also, anytime someone sets the rest of population apart from themself and defines this population as somehow less than themself, its pretty clear whats going on, but I leave that to the reader to discern.
Click to expand...

I don't set myself apart from the population in fact I'm just like the rest of you and plan to upgrade to PR3 because you all say my tires suck. Only problem is 3k plus miles later I still don't have a single complaint about my stocks. If they already do everything perfect for me (after I adjusted my suspension) then how can it get any better?  With possibly longer milage it can't. But like everyone else Im going along with the crowd and getting what you all say is the best eventually anyway. Doesn't change my opinion any at all. At least not to date. Who knows, maybe another 1k on these tires will change my mind.

Oh by the way your wrong, when it comes to leaders vs followers this forum is a direct reflection of the population as a whole. Just because we come together sharing the same passion for riding does not change that mix. To suggest your better then the general population because you belong to a Kawasaki riding forum shows your arrogance.

John
 
The stock tires were fine up to about 4,000 miles.  Then I noticed a degradation in how the bike felt in corners and braking.  I diligently kept them inflated to 42 psi +/- 1.  By 5,000 miles I did not want to ride the bike any more until I put on new tires.  They wore sort of square,  the front also cupped some, and there was minimal tread left.

I also went with PR3's and like them FAR better than stock. 

Whatever tires one chooses, it does seem that the C14 wears them out quicker than other bikes such as a C10.

Peter

 
I came to the conclusion that the OEM's sucked before ever seeing this or any forum, or hearing any comments to that effect from anyone.  I bought my '11 new, and after previously reading what a great handling sport tourer it was, I was amazed that it didn't seem to "finish" corners.  It actually made me second-guess my bike choice.  When pushing things at a quick but reasonable pace, it wanted to run off the exit into the weeds!  WTF? - very scary.  I'd used Pirellis on my race/track bikes for some time and always like the particular feel they have.  So the Bridgestones went in the dumpster and on went a set of Angels (55 rear).  Immediately noticed a huge improvement.  The Bridgestones were low mileage, so I wasn't comparing shagged OEM tires to new Pirellis either. 
To each his own, but if you've only been on the OEM's and not felt the difference, it's hard to explain.  I'm certain that if anybody did a "blind" test of multiple major brands, the Bridgestones would lose every single time.  I'd suggest trying Pirelli or Michelin at the next tire change.  You can always go back, but I'd be shocked if you wanted to. 
 
Don557 said:
and on went a set of Angels (55 rear)
Click to expand...

- you went to a different size there.

- perhaps that accounts , at least for some , of your perceived differences between tyres ?

.
 
I decided to stay with the OEM size when changing to the PR3s.  My bike handles great now.  I also had second thoughts after first riding my bike with the OEM Bridgestones.  They simply sucked.  The bike was hard to turn in and then it wanted to fall into the turn.  They required steering corrections all the time.  The PR3s are easy to turn in.  Once in the turn they are very neutral and require no corrections to hold a line.  The change was amazing.  I am now very happy with my choice of bike and tires.
 
All this talk about the PR3's being so good and I thought the bike couldn't get any better than it is, now I can't wait to burn thru these stock tires!
 
I just finished off the first Pirelli rear last week: 8100 miles.  Couldn't find a 55 on short notice so ended up with a 50 again.  Not sure there's much of a difference, but my sense after a couple hundred miles this week is I like the 55 better.
As far as the difference between the Pirellis and Bridgestones; ain't no "percieved" about it.  They are different.
 
- ha !

- yeah , am waiting for my OE B'stones to condemn themselves and will go to the next big thing in tyres then !!!

- maybe by then we'll be talkin about how great them new Metzelinsirelli are !!!

.
 
I found the same thing on the stock 021's on my 09.  I got 6000 out of them and that was pushing it.  They handled ok.  I replaced them with the BT 023's and I like them alot.
I am on the 2nd set of 023's getting about 8000 miles out of them before I change them.  I want to try to Conti Attack II next.  They look like a mean grabbing tire that I hear will wear
well.

 
Just got back from putting 2,000 miles on mine through Wyoming, Montana and the Black Hills of South Dakota and the front tire is shot! The back still has about 1/8" of tread left but the sides of the front tire are bald at 5,900 miles. Amazing because I don't ride that hard. Have a new set of Michelin PR2's on order and looking forward to the improvement.
 
- how are you gentlemen doing , tire wise ?

- the front on my stock 2012 tires are wearing funny near the center. Mileage is approx 5000 miles.

- am looking at the Michelin Pilot Road 3 or Dunlop Roadsmart II tires.

- on the other hand, was thinking of going nuts with Pirelli Diablo Supercorsa SC2 rubber , has anyone gone with race rubber on their C14s ? And is it possible to go to 200 rear ?

thanks.

.
 
My OEM Bridgestones on my 2011 lasted 5500 miles. I had no complaint with them, handled fine in the rain . I don't ride at the edge of the envelope like it sounds like alot do here...The rear was wearing flat in the middle like others have said. I replaced them with Bridgestone 023's which have been great so far. I've been told to expect more than 5500 miles out of them as they upgraded the rubber compound. I paid $330 installed for both at the local Kawasaki dealer with my pit pass
 
I am new here and just bought a 2012 so I have never tired other tires on a Concours but I have 42000 miles on my 12 wing and it is my 10th wing which I ride real hard and I have to say I have tried every tire made for them and the Stones are the best by far for performance and rain just dont last long, from what I am reading that is not the case with the Concours size tires. I will be getting the pr3 the way it sounds, is it ok to leave the stone on the front when I change to the 3 in the rear
 
I too hated the stock tires on my '11 Connie. I had the front tire slip 3 times and the rear tire slip once. All on good roads with plenty of traction and riding (for me) semi aggressively. The handling just got worse as the miles started adding up. When it was time to swap out tires, I decided to try a cheaper tire just to see how it did compared to the much pricier but horrid stock tires. I went with Shinko 011's (I loved the shinko on my old 2000 Connie). The Shinkos were $200 for a SET. I have run these tires hard in Canyons and on the track and they are confidence inspiring. I removed the chicken strips on the rear as well as the front tires of the Shinkos. And I have never felt the tires (front or back) slip except in lower traction situations. On my next tire change, I will probably go with PR3 or Angels to compare them to the Shinkos.

I firmly believe that tire choice is a very personal thing. You have to try them to see how it compares to your riding style. I take tire reviews with a grain of salt but I do use them to determine which tire to try next. My old 2000 Connie went through a ton of different tire combinations before I found what worked for me (Dunlop RoadSmart front and Shinko 777 rear). Even after finding that Combo, on my last tire change, I decided to try the Commander II rear that people here have been raving about for its handling and long life... I'm going back to the Shinko on my next tire change... but thats just me.

I'm still experimenting with my '11 Connie... figure about three more tire changes before I find what works for me.

Jose Soriano
 
I was satified with the OEM Bridgestones that were just replaced with little over 12K on them with a visible indentation of the the tread still showing. kept them at 42psi, did no wheel spinning, and slow breaking to a stop and had a daily 126 mile roundtrip commute.  :great:
My dealership has a Life time free tire replacement program and I am trying the Michelins out to see how they wear and perform.
 
I got just over 10,000 miles on both sets I had. Stock 2008 and stock 2010. I get around 16,000-17,000 on Michelin PR-2s and PR-3s. Why would I try others.
 
My experience with the stock Bridgestones and PR3s is as follows........I rode 3,000 miles on the stock tires and switched to PR3s...after the switch the bike just seemed to tip into a turn easier and come out smoother.....it felt much more light and nimble......I no longer felt like I was dragging around a sack of corn in turns........I got more confident......this resulted in a positive thing for me when I entered a right turn too hot and a car was at the stop sign in the road I was entering.......it was a pucker moment....I was going too fast for sure.....I glanced at the spot on the side of the car where I was going to put a big dent......then FORCED my head to turn right and look where I wanted to go instead.......then leaned the bike WAYYYYYYYYYYYY over just going for it.......steady throttle....no brake......and made it through although my heart rate was way up there........the added confidence at the point of tip in really helped at that moment. I was skeptical of the claims of the major difference a tire can make but am skeptical no longer.
 
Scaffolder said:
I get around 16,000-17,000 on Michelin PR-2s and PR-3s. Why would I try others.
Click to expand...

Scaffolder,
I am glad to hear about the high mileage wear you received from your Michelins. I've heard more good then bad about the Michelins and would be very satisfied if I get between 12K and 16K out of a tire. BTW, How did the front tire wear? Though my Bridgestiones lasted 12K, the front tire showed more wear than the rear tire.

I have always used michelins on the truck and always replaced at 80K with a good possible 10K of tread life left on it. I am hoping the same long life out of the Michelin Bike tires. :great:
 
The front tires are garbage. I don't think they are really speed rated. They almost look like they were melting slowly. Almost shaped like a half octagon.
 
I have a new '12 w/ the OEM tires on it.  They are nice on dry pavement, but since we are getting our typical rain here in Oregon, they have shown their nasty side.  As far a wear, I have 4k miles on them, and they show very little wear, but I plan on getting something a little grippier in the wet, when these have reached their wear marks.  A lot of you have mentioned the P3's, and I swear by Avons for wet, and good wear.  I'll decide which to get when that time comes.
 
- need some advice on the stock tires : i do alot of highway/slabbing , so the rear has a very pronounced flattening around the center.

- at the center , the wear bars are "almost" flush.

- is it time to replace it ?

.
 
The stock Brickstones had a nice inch wide shiny silver stripe right down the center of the rear at 2500 miles on mine, no kidding...
 
Has anyone considered that improving your fork performance might increase your front tire efficacy?

I would guess: a good set of Traxxion forks will make tires wear longer and grip better.

Connie does not come with too-bad of forks, but I have heard of folks whose handling improved greatly with Traxxion on the C14.

A lot of the uneven wear can be the result of flexing front tubes...in particular, if you have a soft suspension setting in the front forks.

Regarless:

The OEM tires suck big time

Corps. like Kawa, Honda are into saving money on the stock tires...adequate and cheap is their motto

And I call for: OCCUPY TIRE COMPANIES...until they are force to make better touring tires for motorcycles.
If you want to contact me: I 'll be camped in the blue tent in front of a Firestone near you... :motonoises:
 
.

- ok guys.

- Just replaced both the stock B'stone tyres with Pirelli Angel STs (stock sizes).

- now I know why everyone says that the stock tyres are crap. They ARE CRAP !

- the Angel STs (and I still remember how the NEW B'stones were when I got my new bike 14,000 kms ago) is so much better around the bends than the stock rubber that its not even funny.

- The bike is so nimble and so light (just did about 200 miles of backroads on the new rubber) that its like a totally DIFFERENT bike from the one that I rode out of the showroom floor. Point her into a bend and she just dives in !!

- believe everything they say here about how bad the stock tyres are !!!!!

.
 
I have a 2012 Concours 14 which I bought new in April 2012.  My OEM Battlax 021 was showing flat spots on left side of tire after only 4000 miles.  The dealer replaced it with a new OEM and the same thing happened at about the same mileage.  I previously had a 2003 Honda ST1300 which had OEM BT020s and I never had this problem.  Front tires always wore evenly.  It has to be either a bike or tire problem but getting either Kawasaki or Bridgestone to hone up to that is challenging.

Joel
 
I cant wait till these Stone die ... it ll be PR3s for me cause they were superb on the RT...fact is I might not be able to wait....its a struggle...one hand in clutching my wallet hangimg on to my money....the other hand is googling  for a vendor that sells PRs....its schitzophenia for sure....and u people writing post about your new tires are not helping tbe clutching hand one bit....stop it!...its Christmas, I need my money to buy others things I also don't need
 
To be more specific about my earlier Nov. post. The octagon shape I mentioned and the not being speed rated was about the stock tires.
The PR2s and PR3s wear pretty evenly. And keep a normal shape. I am very surprised Kawi is still selling new bikes with the Stones.
 
I too have limited experience with the C14 and depend on you guys for informative answers to tires.
I do however have 40,000 miles on my  Honda ST1300, and a bunch on a Triumph Sprint ST, and a gen6 Honda VFR.
Seems to me like the St1300 and C14 should be close as they don't weigh 50 pounds different.
After getting a bubble the size of a goose egg in the front tire of a Roadsmart I am pretty leary of them.
I loved the Conti's on the 550 pound bikes and the 023's and PR2's on the 700 pound bike.
I will agree that OEM tires are not the same  (read as good) as aftermarket.
I have till late spring early summer to decide.
I hope you guys make up my mine before then or it will probably be 023's.
 
I have had the same problem.  Front tire has a band worn down at 4k.  Now ineed to figure out replacement.  What is the significance of a 55 vs. 50 rear tire?  I also read a thread that PR3 can get wobbles over 100 miles an hour?  Occationally I pass  d because the bike is fast I can be over 100.  Any thoughts on that too?
 
Like a limp D**k. Can't be beat. Murphs has a great price. Like the 55's. A little more snap in the turn in.
 

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Does it still ride well on distance (highway rides)  also, does it effect the speedometer?  I would really like to get more mileage out of my tires.  I live in Georgia and if I wanted to ride to Washington state, I would likely have to buy a set of tires during then trip.  That just makes no sense to me!  A little frustrating trying to figure this out.  Any help is GREATLY appreciated.
 
Brought my speedo in line with the GPS. Put 7k on my old set and were probably good for another k at least. Depends on your right hand IMHO. 1 and 2 up, packed for a week. Henderson NV to Kamiah ID through CO,WY, UT, AZ, CA twice. I love 'em.
 
Old Man on a Connie said:
Like a limp D**k. Can't be beat. Murphs has a great price. Like the 55's. A little more snap in the turn in.
Click to expand...

do they make the bike suspension more comfy?
how much higher did it make your rear end? is your bike lowered or stock height?
do they last longer?
what brand are your 55s?
 
nando said:
Old Man on a Connie said:
Like a limp D**k. Can't be beat. Murphs has a great price. Like the 55's. A little more snap in the turn in.
Click to expand...

do they make the bike suspension more comfy?
how much higher did it make your rear end? is your bike lowered or stock height?
do they last longer?
what brand are your 55s?
Click to expand...
Dang Nando. Feel like I'm on 60 minutes.  :))
Have my stock suspension set up per Freds excellent recomendations. The 55's may give a bit more sidewall flex IMHO but no effect on suspension. (no wiggle at speed and no drift when layed over).
Bike is stock height (I'm 6'3") so didn't really feel the extra 1/4 inch. Have a baldwin seat with a built up area in the golden zone to prevent slide up so already taller than stock.
Some get between 3 and I've seen 10k reported. I think I could have got at least 8k on the rear. The front showed zero wear and no cupping. I've also been told I have a right wrist that is as smooth as buttah.
PR3's baby.
Full disclosure I have not had the opportunity to try many different tires like some here. I found my sweet spot and sticking with it 'till something better looking comes along :beerchug:
 
Old Man on a Connie said:
nando said:
Old Man on a Connie said:
Like a limp D**k. Can't be beat. Murphs has a great price. Like the 55's. A little more snap in the turn in.
Click to expand...

do they make the bike suspension more comfy?
how much higher did it make your rear end? is your bike lowered or stock height?
do they last longer?
what brand are your 55s?
Click to expand...
Dang Nando. Feel like I'm on 60 minutes.  :))
Have my stock suspension set up per Freds excellent recomendations. The 55's may give a bit more sidewall flex IMHO but no effect on suspension. (no wiggle at speed and no drift when layed over).
Bike is stock height (I'm 6'3") so didn't really feel the extra 1/4 inch. Have a baldwin seat with a built up area in the golden zone to prevent slide up so already taller than stock.
Some get between 3 and I've seen 10k reported. I think I could have got at least 8k on the rear. The front showed zero wear and no cupping. I've also been told I have a right wrist that is as smooth as buttah.
PR3's baby.
Full disclosure I have not had the opportunity to try many different tires like some here. I found my sweet spot and sticking with it 'till something better looking comes along :beerchug:
Click to expand...

Tonigh on 60 Minutes with Nando:
On this segment, we interview an Old Man on a Connie who interestingly enough, has decided to run a 190/55 rear tire on a uniquely modern transport known as Connie. We asked him a few questions regarding his maverick-like profile and in this next segment, we wanted to confront him on important issues:

"Old Man on a Connie" you have spoken freely of the many attributes of the 55 rear tire, but with all due respect sir, you have not admitted as to what brand of tire you use. I think the american COGer public has a right to know. What brand of motorcycle 190/55 do you use?
 
My 09 came with BStone BT 21's. OK tire but hard as brick bats and wore goofy. My new 2012 comes with BStones BT 16's and are much improved. That said, go with almost any Purely next time you change tires and you'll notice a new bike under you!

Up
 
Flyboy757767 said:
I'm brand new to the forum as of tonight and I'm also new with a new 2012 Concours. I'm hearing allot of bad news on the OEM tires that come on the bike. The Bridgestone Battlax. My question is whats the complaints everyone has? Just asking due to ignorance on the topic. Also the Michelin Pilot 3's have been recommended.......

Thanks
J  :beerchug:
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They're trash, handling and performance. And if you love your wife, don't allow her on the back while those crap tires are still on
bigthumb.gif
 
Steve said:
Flyboy757767 said:
I'm brand new to the forum as of tonight and I'm also new with a new 2012 Concours. I'm hearing allot of bad news on the OEM tires that come on the bike. The Bridgestone Battlax. My question is whats the complaints everyone has? Just asking due to ignorance on the topic. Also the Michelin Pilot 3's have been recommended.......

Thanks
J  :beerchug:
Click to expand...

They're trash, handling and performance. And if you love your wife, don't allow her on the back while those crap tires are still on
bigthumb.gif
Click to expand...

DITTO
 
As someone else pointed out it's not that the Stones are bad, it's the front one which just don't quit make it. TimR
 
It would almost seem to me that they put these so-so tyres on the bike to intentionally keep one from pushing it too hard when it's still very new. Just a guess, but that's how I'm going to look at it with mine. Will give me a chance to get accustomed to the way it handles and brakes, and allow for a nice gradual break-in of both the bike and my ability to react to it.

That being said, I totally plan on swapping them out for something better once the 1k break-in period is over (and I have some money again!)
 
Chris, Just be aware when you put PR 2's, 3's or the Angels on you will find a brand new bike at your finger tips. The difference between the OEM and good tires is huge in every aspect. I like the PR3 front tire.

I put a set of PR2's on to replace the Stones. The PR2's made the ride so much better and built confidence. Confidence at least until the last 2000 miles or so. I got 15K miles out of the PR2's and maybe should have changed them at 13K. The PR3's are better yet but the rear doesn't last as long as a PR2.
 
Glenn said:
I too bought a new Concours this spring, and having worn out the OEM's, I replaced them with PR3's (the same as you mention).  I found there to be a big difference in both how they performed, and in their wear.  The PR3's always feel steady and reliable in the corners, where the Bridgestone's always felt to me like they were the the edge of their abilities.  That may not have been the case, because I could roll the bike all the way to the edge of the tire tread, and they never let me down, but confidence in the tire is a huge factor, and that just wasn't there with the Brigestone's.  For me, the other big factor was in how they wore.  The back tire on the original tire wore flat in the center, which made cornering even more of an adventure.  When I would roll the bike off the center, and onto the edge, it would just feel like the bike was dropping out from under me, not to the level that would cause me a panic attack or anything like that, but just a feeling I didn't like.  The fronts, on the other hand, wore more evenly from side to side, but cupped enough to cause a wobble in the handle bar as they got old.  Not big, and not a big deal, since it went away with the new new front tire, but it was there.  I can't really compare longevity.  The PR3's are wearing much more evenly, and I'm sure they will last longer, but I can't say how much longer.  The one question I've asked myself is, if I knew then what I know now, would I have changed the tires out before I brought the bike home?  Probably not the the answer for most new buyers, but for me, yeah, I think I would.  If you have checked, you'll see the PR3's are pricey, but it's an area where I'm willing to spend some extra dough.  I really like good tires.  Anyway, just my long winded two cents...                 
Click to expand...

+1 I agree with all the above.
 
Took 'im home tonight! Stock tyres feel decent, but hell, the whole bike is so much better than the C10 I was riding, going to be a little while before I really scrub these in, but so far, so good.

I'm waiting on those new Angel GTs to become widely available.
 
Has anyone here tried any of the Continentals on their C14's?  Their prices are a whole lot lower than any of the other brands out there, and the ads I see in Dennis Kirk describe them as being good in all conditions including rain.
 
dog said:
.

- ok guys.

- Just replaced both the stock B'stone tyres with Pirelli Angel STs (stock sizes).

- now I know why everyone says that the stock tyres are crap. They ARE CRAP !

- the Angel STs (and I still remember how the NEW B'stones were when I got my new bike 14,000 kms ago) is so much better around the bends than the stock rubber that its not even funny.

- The bike is so nimble and so light (just did about 200 miles of backroads on the new rubber) that its like a totally DIFFERENT bike from the one that I rode out of the showroom floor. Point her into a bend and she just dives in !!

- believe everything they say here about how bad the stock tyres are !!!!!

.
Click to expand...

That's what I'm talking about -  I cant wait to wear-out the Stones...
 
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