• Can't post after logging to the forum for the first time... Try Again - If you can't post in the forum, sign out of both the membership site and the forum and log in again. Make sure your COG membership is active and your browser allow cookies. If you still can't post, contact the COG IT guy at IT@Concours.org.
  • IF YOU GET 404 ERROR: This may be due to using a link in a post from prior to the web migration. Content was brought over from the old forum as is, but the links may be in error. If the link contains "cog-online.org" it is an old link and will not work.

What tires for the 2021 season?

I can't say that I'm as aggressive rider as you so, hard to compare.
I think I run a pretty good pace, but not Joe racer.
My chicken strip is about 1/8"-1/4"...
I prefer to power thru a curve in 1 gear higher than the more sporty guys.
{I think smooth is faster/safer}
So, If your dropping down to a lowest gear and peaking the revs as you leave the corner, your more aggressive than I.

But, these have never slipped on me.
Supposedly, these are the same compound as the Road Smart 3"s.

Others can hopefully give more input.

Ride safe, Ted

PS: May be a moot point now anyway.
Their getting hard to find in our sizes. {I have 2 sets}
But the RS-3's might be a good one to try.
 
I loved my Michelin road 5 gt's but only netted 4700 miles out of the rear. I could've got a few more miles out of the front but both tpms batteries need to be replaced so they are being sent to Fred for new batteries. . I'm going to try a set of the Avon 3d xm storms on the c14 because I really liked them on the c10. And they are way less money than the Michelins. I would like to try the Dunlop rs3 but I have a hard time when it comes to mounting Dunlops.

Ride safe
Dale
 
I don't use the same brand of oil that your using.
Doesn't work in the South.
I prefer XXX.

Ride safe, Ted

PS: Folks, that was ZG/ZN Kim. {My Yankee Buddy}
He discovered the RS-2 deals, and got many of us started on them.
 
I loved my Michelin road 5 gt's but only netted 4700 miles out of the rear. I could've got a few more miles out of the front but both tpms batteries need to be replaced so they are being sent to Fred for new batteries. . I'm going to try a set of the Avon 3d xm storms on the c14 because I really liked them on the c10. And they are way less money than the Michelins. I would like to try the Dunlop rs3 but I have a hard time when it comes to mounting Dunlops.

Ride safe
Dale
Can you send (PM) me Fred Harmon's contact info
 
I can't say that I'm as aggressive rider as you so, hard to compare.My chicken strip is about 1/8"-1/4"...
Well at those numbers you are getting right in there.

On Road 5 GT 55’s I have a consistent 5/16 hard stripe on the rear and 7/16 in the front. I prefer breaking in a straight line and then driving and eventually accelerating through and out of the corner - I think that is shown with the less tearing of the front tire.

Now to my surprise the last 750-1000 miles the rubber has literally vaporized, I am getting some cracks on the leading edges of the tread blocks and tires are getting that tractor / lumpy feel. Wear bars are threatening to flush on next ride...

Michelin I think did a great service when expanding the edge of solid rubber - but not super excited that I will barely tick 5000 miles thus reducing my consistent tire life now by about 20%. At first the Road 5 tires were holding up nicely - appeared stronger than Pilot 4’s..

I have a hard time jumping out of the Michelin, love the inspiring feel, nervous I will lose this on a different brand or go too soft and destroy a set of tires in 3000 miles.

We shall see, lots of good feedback from everyone here showing there are options.
 
I like to trailer to a ride, do the ride, and trailer home. {Yes, I know I'm a sinner, but living in Houston it's a long/hot ride to anywhere}
So, I get few road miles. Most of my miles are in the twisties (playing), and those miles are often in Arkansas.
That sed; The roads in Arkansas are pretty hard on tires. Normal for me is 3000-4000. (And 5000 only if I do less aggressive rides)

Our group tries to ride the Pace. ie; smooth with little braking, and milder acceleration's.
But, I have nervous finger and reach for a little front brake.
(Knowing I do that) I'm working at front wheel braking into/thru the entry, and transition to throttle as I reach the apex. ie; Trail-braking.

I (almost) never touch the rear brake, but the Linked brakes on my bike (2014) are doing it automatically when I use the front, and I like how their working. On my C-10, I use the same method, but no rear brakes.

In Arkansas the normally posted speed limit in the back roads is 55.
We cruise at about 10 over, play in the turn, and then return to cruise until the next turn.
NOTE: Occasionally (ie; Push Mountain Rd) we exceed things "just a bit" more. <evil grin>

I've tried several brands of tires. Decided to go cheap, as I thought a $100 tire at 3000 would cost me less than a $175 tire at 4000.
Additionally the cheaper/softer tires seem to stick very well.
That seems to work, but I change tires sooner.

My Yankee Buddy; (ZG/ZN Kim) suggested the RS-II's and we've started using them. (also Cheap , but higher grade tires)
(I hate to admit, the Yankee might be right) but, I (and several of the others) are pretty impressed by them.
,,,,,,,,(Don't tell anyone I sed that)
Unfortunately, I didn't make note when I installed this set, and don't know exact mileage on them.
(Think I'm near 4000 now and their to far gone for my planned Arkansas ride in 2 weeks).
NOTE: I have 2 more sets, and will keep better records.
Some of the others "have" kept better records and may report here.

Ride safe, Ted

PS: We sometimes see reports of folks that are getting 10,000+ miles from a set of tires.
We believe them, but think all the riders that report those kind of miles;
,,do lots of road miles,
,,are less aggressive (or smoother) riders
,,are riding up North in cooler climates,
,,"or" the roads in their area don't wear the tires as quickly as the ones down South. (ie; Soft, "Cotton like" Roads)
 
Last edited:
I like to trailer to a ride, do the ride, and trailer home. {Yes, I know I'm a sinner, but living in Houston it's a long/hot ride to anywhere}
So, I get few road miles. Most of my miles are in the twisties (playing), and those miles are often in Arkansas.
That sed; The roads in Arkansas are pretty hard on tires. Normal for me is 3000-4000. (And 5000 only if I do less aggressive rides)

Our group tries to ride the Pace. ie; smooth with little braking, and milder acceleration's.
But, I have nervous finger and reach for a little front brake.
(Knowing I do that) I'm working at front wheel braking into/thru the entry, and transition to throttle as I reach the apex. ie; Trail-braking.

I (almost) never touch the rear brake, but the Linked brakes on my bike (2014) are doing it automatically when I use the front, and I like how their working. On my C-10, I use the same method, but no rear brakes.

In Arkansas the normally posted speed limit in the back roads is 55.
We cruise at about 10 over, play in the turn, and then return to cruise until the next turn.
NOTE: Occasionally (ie; Push Mountain Rd) we exceed things "just a bit" more. <evil grin>

I've tried several brands of tires. Decided to go cheap, as I thought a $100 tire at 3000 would cost me less than a $175 tire at 4000.
Additionally the cheaper/softer tires seem to stick very well.
That seems to work, but I change tires sooner.

My Yankee Buddy; (ZG/ZN Kim) suggested the RS-II's and we've started using them. (also Cheap , but higher grade tires)
(I hate to admit, the Yankee might be right) but, I (and several of the others) are pretty impressed by them.
,,,,,,,,(Don't tell anyone I sed that)
Unfortunately, I didn't make note when I installed this set, and don't know exact mileage on them.
(Think I'm near 4000 now and their to far gone for my planned Arkansas ride in 2 weeks).
NOTE: I have 2 more sets, and will keep better records.
Some of the others "have" kept better records and may report here.

Ride safe, Ted

PS: We sometimes see reports of folks that are getting 10,000+ miles from a set of tires.
We believe them, but think all the riders that report those kind of miles;
,,do lots of road miles,
,,are less aggressive (or smoother) riders
,,are riding up North in cooler climates,
,,"or" the roads in their area don't wear the tires as quickly as the ones down South. (ie; Soft, "Cotton like" Roads)
I am straight north of you. North Dakota. Are roads are like the ones I encountered in Texas. Wide open with few curves. I get a lot of miles out of front tires, 9 -10 k. Rears get wore down fast in the center. Best I have got out of a rear was close to 7k on RS 3. I could save them for you as there is a lot left on the sides😁
 
On-boarded a set of PR-4 GT's today, replacing a set of the same with about 7,000 miles on them. Probably could've squeezed another 1,000-1,500 out of them but summer is almost here and tire prices are going up.
 
Please explain to me how my very simple straightforward reply to your post brought on your 1st reply.

I simply stated mine & one other persons mileage with a lighthearted road comment which the smiley face indicates, nothing more.
Cliff I am tired of this, and I suspect you are as well - and I know the thread readers are sick of it and should be - so I will answer your questions and this will be my last post on the subject.

I have quietly reached out to a few friends here that say you are a great guy and I believe them. And I am told by people that know me well, I am a good guy that will give you the shirt off my back if you need it. I hope that somehow makes me a peer. So in that spirit I am taking this message as it is being offered, an attempt to understand and clear the air. I too feel we need to do that.

I now realize your original post what meant to be light hearted, and I readily admit I ignore the face icons, but I took it as you being sarcastic and not accepting my result by sharing an extreme and contrary result from mine. I responded with sarcasm - the bit about "burnouts and track time" for a Connie which in and of itself is absurd. It's abundantly clear to me you did not take that message in the spirit it was offered, but it was me trying to understand why your results were 1/5 of what I had just gotten and I also shared with you that I do not ride on anything close to cotton balls. And for the record, I showed our discussion to a few people at work and asked them to please be fair, and all but 1 got the same impression as I did. They basically said, it seems like that guy does not believe what you said because there is big difference between what each of you is saying. They asked if it was normal for bike tires to be so different? They were not riders and I told them that normal tire mileage is 5-6k but there are many things that can impact that. To which they said, in that case I'm pretty sure you are being called a liar. And I told them that was what I thought as well.

The downside to communicating with text instead of having a face to face conversation is the lack of body language and other visual clues that give perspective and understanding when it comes to the message. If this conversation had taken place in the same room I would have frankly said, Excuse me, but did you just call me a liar because that quite an extreme justification you just shared. And you would have said, Relax, I am not calling you a liar, I'm just shocked you did that well when I can only get 1900 from them. And I may have then said, yep that really is a dramatic difference, I wonder why it is so big and I have no doubt we would have compared notes from there to see where the differences were and this whole thing would have never happened. If we ever met you would discover that if everyone at the table was served Kool-Aid and said it was great ginger ale, and I tried it and knew it was not ginger ale I am the first person who would say that's Koo-aid. Even if it was unpopular I would not go along just because everyone else said so. To thine own self be true I guess.

I really don't give a damn what you make of it, I know the facts & you don't. Not to mention you know anything about me or my riding. Don't even imply I'm exaggerating either, might as well say I'm lying.

For the record I've never done a burnout on my C14.

Sad fact is, you don't have a clue what you're talking about.

Did we both communicate badly? Sure. Did we misunderstand each other? Absolutely! And I am going to be the bigger man and say I am sorry for my part in this, but I remain quite pissed off about the I know the facts blah, blah, blah trash (quoted above). Why am I so pissed? Because nothing that had been said up to that point came close to earning that reply and the intention of that reply was abundantly clear - no interpretation required. There is no way around it - you did call me an idiot when it comes to this topic which goes directly back to my initial impression of the first message. And no one in the forum has been willing to address that elephant standing in the room and that is why I have been so frustrated by the matter and honestly believe that this and other forums have become an us against them situation and that is not healthy. I am just telling the truth and not trying to piss others off by saying so. The forum is a public square and lobbing hand grenades around like I am the real expert on this subject and no one can question my expertise or they will feel my wrath, followed by those effectively kissing the experts ring is not a good way for any of us to communicate. When "why do you say or think that" becomes too strong a question, maybe it is time to quit having any conversations - which would be a shame.

We are all experts in our own world and that does not give any of us the right to talk down to anyone else. And you are right, I do not know anything about you, nor do you know anything about me. I'm a former MSF instructor and have trained hundreds of experienced and unexperienced riders - but I still do not consider myself an expert and when I do become one in my own mind, I plan to park my bike because I will have become too dangerous to ride it. I believe you are a good guy, and some of the things I have been told lead me to believe you are a VERY GOOD guy. And I also believe that we all say things in anger that we regret. I know I have done many times in my lifetime and I am not saying I was right in my reaction here, only that I don't think the blow back was justified and we can do better.

If you have a reaction to this I am happy to listen, but I think we have said plenty about it here. So lets agree to do it by PM and no longer in this tire thread. I do think I have a better understanding and I do not think badly of you. This event just brought some thoughts and impressions I have had for a long time to a head that I think should be openly discussed and I have done so, some have heard and understood me and others have not and to that I say so be it.

In any case, take care and be safe.
 
Mounted up a set of Pirelli Angel GT2 A-Spec.

See how these stick and last.
~ 400 miles this afternoon - SE PA to Buchannon, WV. Angels good thus far - now for some real ripping tomorrow. Will report back in case anyone else looking at this tire or interested for a 21’ tire swap.

I have been a Michelin man for years but need to to find an alternative as now the Power 5’s were gone m, toasted in just under 5K miles 🤨
 
Cliff I am tired of this, and I suspect you are as well - and I know the thread readers are sick of it and should be - so I will answer your questions and this will be my last post on the subject.

I have quietly reached out to a few friends here that say you are a great guy and I believe them. And I am told by people that know me well, I am a good guy that will give you the shirt off my back if you need it. I hope that somehow makes me a peer. So in that spirit I am taking this message as it is being offered, an attempt to understand and clear the air. I too feel we need to do that.

I now realize your original post what meant to be light hearted, and I readily admit I ignore the face icons, but I took it as you being sarcastic and not accepting my result by sharing an extreme and contrary result from mine. I responded with sarcasm - the bit about "burnouts and track time" for a Connie which in and of itself is absurd. It's abundantly clear to me you did not take that message in the spirit it was offered, but it was me trying to understand why your results were 1/5 of what I had just gotten and I also shared with you that I do not ride on anything close to cotton balls. And for the record, I showed our discussion to a few people at work and asked them to please be fair, and all but 1 got the same impression as I did. They basically said, it seems like that guy does not believe what you said because there is big difference between what each of you is saying. They asked if it was normal for bike tires to be so different? They were not riders and I told them that normal tire mileage is 5-6k but there are many things that can impact that. To which they said, in that case I'm pretty sure you are being called a liar. And I told them that was what I thought as well.

The downside to communicating with text instead of having a face to face conversation is the lack of body language and other visual clues that give perspective and understanding when it comes to the message. If this conversation had taken place in the same room I would have frankly said, Excuse me, but did you just call me a liar because that quite an extreme justification you just shared. And you would have said, Relax, I am not calling you a liar, I'm just shocked you did that well when I can only get 1900 from them. And I may have then said, yep that really is a dramatic difference, I wonder why it is so big and I have no doubt we would have compared notes from there to see where the differences were and this whole thing would have never happened. If we ever met you would discover that if everyone at the table was served Kool-Aid and said it was great ginger ale, and I tried it and knew it was not ginger ale I am the first person who would say that's Koo-aid. Even if it was unpopular I would not go along just because everyone else said so. To thine own self be true I guess.



Did we both communicate badly? Sure. Did we misunderstand each other? Absolutely! And I am going to be the bigger man and say I am sorry for my part in this, but I remain quite pissed off about the I know the facts blah, blah, blah trash (quoted above). Why am I so pissed? Because nothing that had been said up to that point came close to earning that reply and the intention of that reply was abundantly clear - no interpretation required. There is no way around it - you did call me an idiot when it comes to this topic which goes directly back to my initial impression of the first message. And no one in the forum has been willing to address that elephant standing in the room and that is why I have been so frustrated by the matter and honestly believe that this and other forums have become an us against them situation and that is not healthy. I am just telling the truth and not trying to piss others off by saying so. The forum is a public square and lobbing hand grenades around like I am the real expert on this subject and no one can question my expertise or they will feel my wrath, followed by those effectively kissing the experts ring is not a good way for any of us to communicate. When "why do you say or think that" becomes too strong a question, maybe it is time to quit having any conversations - which would be a shame.

We are all experts in our own world and that does not give any of us the right to talk down to anyone else. And you are right, I do not know anything about you, nor do you know anything about me. I'm a former MSF instructor and have trained hundreds of experienced and unexperienced riders - but I still do not consider myself an expert and when I do become one in my own mind, I plan to park my bike because I will have become too dangerous to ride it. I believe you are a good guy, and some of the things I have been told lead me to believe you are a VERY GOOD guy. And I also believe that we all say things in anger that we regret. I know I have done many times in my lifetime and I am not saying I was right in my reaction here, only that I don't think the blow back was justified and we can do better.

If you have a reaction to this I am happy to listen, but I think we have said plenty about it here. So lets agree to do it by PM and no longer in this tire thread. I do think I have a better understanding and I do not think badly of you. This event just brought some thoughts and impressions I have had for a long time to a head that I think should be openly discussed and I have done so, some have heard and understood me and others have not and to that I say so be it.

In any case, take care and be safe.
Call it a misunderstanding & lets be done! ☺️
 
~ 400 miles this afternoon - SE PA to Buchannon, WV. Angels good thus far - now for some real ripping tomorrow. Will report back in case anyone else looking at this tire or interested for a 21’ tire swap.
320 miles WV mountain riding today.

36*F - 60*F; Rain; Sun; Corners with Gravel; Dirt/Tar/Concrete surfaces; high speed sweepers, tight twisties, aggressive braking; corner trail braking; heavy acceleration out of corners / straights.

Except for tracking siping on concrete ALL above very good with the Pirelli Angel GT 2 A-Specs. I actually prefer the firmer feel of the Angels on acceleration over the Road 5’s or Pilot 4’s which I can feel the compound flexing.

Only thing I don’t like thus far regarding the Angels - concrete siping tracking is quite pronounced. It’s not a huge deal but is something some riders who enjoy lots of feedback may not feel comfortable with.
 
~ 400 miles this afternoon - SE PA to Buchannon, WV. Angels good thus far - now for some real ripping tomorrow. Will report back in case anyone else looking at this tire or interested for a 21’ tire swap.

I have been a Michelin man for years but need to to find an alternative as now the Power 5’s were gone m, toasted in just under 5K miles 🤨

I liked the Angels, until they wore a bit, then the transition from upright to lean into a corner got abrupt, and didn't feel good. They handled amazing when new, after worn, not so much. They also gave me fewer miles than other tires, but if you were running Pilot Powers, rather than the Roads, they should do better than the Powers as far as mileage is concerned.
 
320 miles WV mountain riding today.

36*F - 60*F; Rain; Sun; Corners with Gravel; Dirt/Tar/Concrete surfaces; high speed sweepers, tight twisties, aggressive braking; corner trail braking; heavy acceleration out of corners / straights.

Except for tracking siping on concrete ALL above very good with the Pirelli Angel GT 2 A-Specs. I actually prefer the firmer feel of the Angels on acceleration over the Road 5’s or Pilot 4’s which I can feel the compound flexing.

Only thing I don’t like thus far regarding the Angels - concrete siping tracking is quite pronounced. It’s not a huge deal but is something some riders who enjoy lots of feedback may not feel comfortable with.
Yikes - Open grate bridge travel with the Pirelli GT 2 A’s was not a good experience. NEVER have I had a MC tire act so badly in following the grating. Twin following with the grates bot aligned to each other and that’s a hairy experience... Crossed a number of open grate bridges this weekend and for that reason alone I can some people not wanting these tires.

Road performance still awesome, have about 2300 miles on them, developing a solid flat spot. We have done a considerable amount of high speed riding hence 2300 miles in two weekends.

The Quickshifter is also having an impact - enjoy staying in the throttle too much :eek:!

I need to learn how to change my own tires...
 
Several years ago, I installed some Michelin tires that had a longitudinal tire groove. That groove would grab the bridge grating and follow it. The really unnerving part was the front tire grroove wasn't in the same place as the rear tire groove. So the front tire would grab, and then seconds later, the rear tire would grab instead, throwing the front to the side. This would repeat every few seconds. I got the same feeling on the concrete freeway where the DOT had smoothed out the surface by grinding it down. Those grooves caused an effect that felt like I had just had a tire failure. In less than 2000 miles, I swapped them out for a different design.

1619458299283.png

Chris
 
What tires are you guys thinking about for the 2021 season?
I think I'm going to mount a new set for Michelin Pilot 4's myself.
Nick
2014 C-14
Just finished 2900 mile run from St. Louis area to venture around Texas. 30% wear before trip. 70% now. Did ride in a lot of rain and did not notice any slip or slide. NW Arkansas twisties were fun. Just ordered another set of them. Pilot Road 4 GTs through Cyclegear. $345 set.
 
Pilot Road 4 GT’s great just felt they wore too quickly. Stuck like glue and rain - never a worry!

Not certain if I am seeing longer life from the Pirelli GT 2-A’s..
 
Just ordered a set of PR4 GTs. 6,000 miles on my current set, still going strong. I figure I've got at least 3K left, so that gives me a healthy return on my current set. If it ain't broke, I ain't gonna fix it.
 
Yikes - Open grate bridge travel with the Pirelli GT 2 A’s was not a good experience. NEVER have I had a MC tire act so badly in following the grating.
Found another show-stopper for many... 🐍🐍 I found the Pirelli GT 2 A's are very squirrely on tar snakes... 🐍🐍

Surpassed 3K miles over the weekend, squaring off is beginning in the center. I have found biggest benefit from these tires is the 'cornering' rubber compounds have better capability to spread out heat / resist overheating and excessive tearing, especially the softer compound for cornering. The sure footedness in corners is certainly noted.

Never did I break loose the Michelin PR4 GT's or Road 5GT's, however, I can tell a noticeable difference in the amount of 'side slip' and these can be driven much harder, in my experience.

I am not predicting any better center compound life, time and miles will tell, seems the Pirelli GT 2 A's centerlines are wearing about the same as the other Michelins mentioned above.

Wayne
 
The Pirelli GT will also overheat quickly on our big and powerful C14's. They get real squirrely.

On the other hand and quite surprisingly, the Pirelli Diablo Super Corsa V2 tire for track days is the best tire I've ever used. I've not done a huge amount of track days but so far this year I've done 5 for about 600 Miles. All on a KTM 1290. I burned up 2 different Michelins in 2 days each. the SC2 looks great after 1 day. should easily go 3 more. There were 3 good riders pitted next to me, all on s1000rr's and they all ran the Pirelli, probably the V3. One of them had to buy a tire, a Michelin was all that was available and you should have heard the Cussing when that tire just balled up. They were all from Poland and whatever they were saying wasn't good!
 
Just went back to PR4s in a 55 tonight. Hoping to get some miles and rides out of them. Will break them in next weekend in Athens Ohio through the Hocking Hills.

Replaced a set of Dunlops that I just put on in September. Surprised when I saw that I got 11K out of them. Broke those in on the Spider Ride in MO last fall
 
Tire Tread;
I'm using Dunlop Road Smart 2's as their cheap/last a long time/give me decent mileage/even wear/they handle great/"and" Their CHEAP!

Ride safe, Ted

PS: Did I mention that their cheap?? {less than $200 a set}
just retired a set of Road Smart 3 7919 on the rear 8869 on the front . I brought them to competition cycle off the bike so they would put a55 on the rear around 300.00 more than 230.00 less than Micheline 5 which I ran 6000 to the cord
 
The Pirelli GT will also overheat quickly on our big and powerful C14's. They get real squirrely.

On the other hand and quite surprisingly, the Pirelli Diablo Super Corsa V2 tire for track days is the best tire I've ever used. I've not done a huge amount of track days but so far this year I've done 5 for about 600 Miles. All on a KTM 1290. I burned up 2 different Michelins in 2 days each. the SC2 looks great after 1 day. should easily go 3 more. There were 3 good riders pitted next to me, all on s1000rr's and they all ran the Pirelli, probably the V3. One of them had to buy a tire, a Michelin was all that was available and you should have heard the Cussing when that tire just balled up. They were all from Poland and whatever they were saying wasn't good!
What class are you riding in?

Ride safe, Ted
 
My friend in Wisconsin is neighbors with the guy that owns and operates Motovid.com. I went to Florida and Georgia with them back in February and rode in the green class. At Blackhawk in Beloit IL, I rode in orange because it was a true learning day with class for all levels after every round, and orange had more for me to learn. But it was slow, ended up passing every body. So from yellow, orange, green and blue, I'm mid to back green.
 
Faster class than my novice at the Training days.
The reason I asked, is; some of the folks at the Jennings track used Shinko's for practice.
They said that they cost less than race tires. {but stuck well, and lasted about the same}
But your KTM has a lot more torque than a C-14 and your in a faster group.

Ride safe, Ted
 
I've ridden the Concours at Blackhawk twice in prior years, both times in orange class. It burns up rear tires just as fast!
 
I agree that their a tire eater.
Best guess is I would probably be in orange group.
,,, I go pretty good in the twisties, but I'm not a racer...

Define; "that tire just "balled up tire"?

We rode Arkansas a few weeks ago. Rode pretty mellow and tried to be specially smooth/EZ in accels/cruising at about 65 mph between turns.
New Road Smart II on the rear.
After I got home, measured wear on that tire vs another new one.
Turns out that I used about 1/16" of rubber in 500 miles. {approx. 15-20% of new tire}.
So, my tire expectancy is about 2500 miles in Arkansas on twisty roads only. No cross country riding to get there. {I trailer to/from Arkansas}
{If I did not trailer, I suspect I might get as much as 5000 miles out of a rear tire}
This is pretty good mileage for me... {Matches what Cliff gets and he does do cross country}

I mentioned this as we've discussed tire wear in other parts of the country.
Many report 10,000+ miles out of their tires.
Still don't understand how others can get so much, and report that they play a lot in the twisties.

Ride safe, Ted
 
Define; "that tire just "balled up tire"?
This was a Michelin Power GP front after 2 days at Roebling and 2 days at Jennings. The guy pitted beside my had a Michelin 'something' on the rear, that he bought at Jennings the day before and it looked worse. More balls all over. They just overheated and melt. I'm not pushing Pirelli's and have never even been a fan. But apparently they have track tires figured out. The rear Power RS didn't fair much better, it didn't ball up, it just went away After 2 days at Roebling.
 

Attachments

  • 20210223_154818[3272].jpg
    20210223_154818[3272].jpg
    117.4 KB · Views: 150
  • 20210526_151633[3270].jpg
    20210526_151633[3270].jpg
    57.4 KB · Views: 160
Last edited:
4,100 miles on the Pirelli GT 2 A-Specs tread depth measures 07” (mid-radius) to .12” (center). Fairly consistent.

Slapping on some Dunlop RS3’s. Weekend 4 day ride likely run 1200 - 1500 miles and don’t trust remaining tread will be adequate.

Unhappy with the tracking on grooved surfaces and tar snake squirreling. Both behaviors not seen on any Michelins I have run.

RS3’s I gather not incredible mileage but fairly cheap and available on my time schedule... if these are good though will order the RS4’s... it’s a bear sometimes....
 
Right now I'm running a RS3 on the rear and a Michelin Power GP on the front. the GP is wearing out but has lasted a surprising 4k, probably 1 k left. This combo has been very good, like it a lot. I have a RS3 sitting here to put on the front next.
Nick
2014 C-14
 
~1,400 mile long weekend and the RS3’s look good. Worked em’ pretty hard:
  1. Torrential rains on way to riding spot for the weekend - totally surefooted and never a moment of planing
  2. Worked em’ pretty hard in the PA Appalachians and Alleghenies. Hot roads, very warm in the 90’s.
    • Previously without pushing as hard as I did - Michelin PR4 GT’s and Road 5 GT’s would have melted. RS3’s stayed solid
  3. RS3’s had zero tracking issues as the Pirelli GT2 A-Specs.
Rear tire photo attached - front looks even better (always slow in straight line and always accelerating through and out of the corners). The tearing on outer 1-1/2” was worst of the wear otherwise all clean. I am pleased / see what more miles bring.

Then I see Dunlop promises the RS4 is advancing in every area over the RS3.
 

Attachments

  • 3BA5BCD2-2776-4B12-8F37-3B9DD9E73D98.jpeg
    3BA5BCD2-2776-4B12-8F37-3B9DD9E73D98.jpeg
    157.2 KB · Views: 153
Wow! Now I know why people on the Forum say they don't want to be "sucked into a tire thread ."

I read or skimmed the whole thing and have questions.

I bought my '19 C14 in Feb 2000 w/3800 miles on her. Have doubled that and then some and need tires.

I'm guessing the B-stone Battlax BTO 21 is a stock tire? How come no one wants to continue with it? I have had good luck with Contis, specifically the ContiTour. No love for those either?

I am not an aggressive rider by any means. ..I am more about covering miles and enjoying the scenery. I am taking an MSF course next month so maybe I'll get more into leaning.


My front tire is developing a groove on the left side (facing forward) as if something inside the fender is rubbing on it. I did drop the bike once (on the right side) while practicing for the SCDOT "skills test" in the DOT parking lot. Ideas??

Tire recommendations appreciated. Will probably take the bike to the Kaw dealer for tires due to the rub issue. Am open to suggestions...I am in Conway, near Myrtle Beach, SC.:);):)
 
Stock Bridgestone did not perform well at all for us and broke loose in corners without much effort. Two or three times of that happening, off they came. Also feathering was pronounced and tires got notchy quick - all around they are a subpar tire in my opinion, for my type of use that is.

The groove on left side is unlikely to be related to the drop is but I think you would hear it and you would want to address that without delay...! At almost 8K miles - More likely a result of the camber to the road (roads have a few degree drain angle 📐 designed in) looking at that angle image picture your tire on there and now you can see how a groove on left side of tire can develop.

Hope this helps. BTW - people don’t want to get sucked into a tire thread as often comes down to my tire is better than yours... (Same with oils) So far this thread has stayed on topic and people sharing good information and experience, the way it should be. ;)
 
Thanks, 2andblue! I had forgotten about the camber/drain issue and I do most of my riding on 2-lanes. I also tend to push tires too far. Your explanation makes sense. What I really should do is get equipped to change my own tires and keep a spare set on hand. Then I won't have issues with a questionable tire when I'm far from home.

I have parked Miss Traveller while I search for tires and an installer that's competent but not too greedy. I came back to this thread to look over the recommendations again before I pull the trigger on a purchase.
 
Last edited:
Thanks, 2andblue! I had forgotten about the camber/drain issue and I do most of my riding on 2-lanes. I also tend to push tires too far. Your explanation makes sense. What I really should do is get equipped to change my own tires and keep a spare set on hand. Then I won't have issues with a questionable tire when I'm far from home.

I have parked Miss Traveller while I search for tires and an installer that's competent but not too greedy. I came back to this thread to look over the recommendations again before I pull the trigger on a purchase.
Cycle Gear (as long as you remove the wheels from the bike and purchase tires through them) will mount tires, with free life of tire balancing, for $25/each.

Removing / Reinstalling the wheels is not difficult, some dealers out there are making out like bandits charging $75 or more per wheel for removal and tire mount.

After about 1,400 miles on the Dunlop Sportmax Roadsmart 3 I am wondering why I hadn’t tried this tire before.. they may be hard to find as they are being sunset for the Dunlop Sportmax Roadsmart 4 which supposedly (from Dunlop) is a performance upgrade in all areas... Michelin Pilot Road 4 GT’s or Michelin Road 5 GT’s are excellent tires - as long as you are not pushing extra hard they should last you a bit and deliver.

I have had 5 different tires on the C-14 and then above 3 you can’t go wrong especially with your given riding style.
 
Be a little careful if you buy off the shelf from Cycle gear. I bought 1 and found it to be over 5 years old. Took it back, ordered thru them and got one that was only about 4 months old. Also found out that they'll do the $25 change, if you buy from Revzilla.

Ride safe, Ted
 
Found an interesting article on the RS4’s - yeah that’s not happening for this guy.

Looking at the tire’s profile pic @ 10,245 miles in this article there are sprues that appear to be 2 inches from edge of tire..

Never turn and riding on cotton-balls?
 
Be a little careful if you buy off the shelf from Cycle gear. I bought 1 and found it to be over 5 years old. Took it back, ordered thru them and got one that was only about 4 months old. Also found out that they'll do the $25 change, if you buy from Revzilla.

Ride safe, Ted

Hey Ted, someone told me that for them to change the tire you have to bring them the wheel off the bike. Something about liability, yada yada yada. Is that accurate? Thx, AB
 
Found an interesting article on the RS4’s - yeah that’s not happening for this guy.

Looking at the tire’s profile pic @ 10,245 miles in this article there are sprues that appear to be 2 inches from edge of tire..

Never turn and riding on cotton-balls?

The comments below the article are interesting too. A dude mentioned rebound and others mentioned tire pressures and suspension setups based on tire wear. I think there's a bit more to making these skins last long than constantly riding the twisties to keep things round. Some of us don't have that many options to do that, with miles of mostly long straight stretches out to the horizon in every direction. Our other option is stop-and-go from traffic light to traffic light.

The tires are sorta like fuel and oil. We ride what we ride wherever we can and replace as needed. Maybe here in Houston we can pull together a kitty to buy a tire changing machine we can all make use of? And anyone COGgers coming through town can stop in to get a quick change? THAT would be a value-added for being a member. Having a place we can bring/ship our tires so we can utilize our COG equipment? Hmm...LOL

1623371540846.png
 
Last edited:
In a perfect world, it's a great idea. Maybe one member buys the equipment and others commit to having that member swap tires like cycle gear at a substantially discounted rate in comparison to average market rates for that service. It could be discounted further after the equipment was paid for if so desired by the owner. In any case if it's cheaper than shops, members would bring their business.
 
Found an interesting article on the RS4’s - yeah that’s not happening for this guy.

Looking at the tire’s profile pic @ 10,245 miles in this article there are sprues that appear to be 2 inches from edge of tire..

Never turn and riding on cotton-balls?
I'm not seeing anything negative in that article you linked to. I'm also not sure what a "sprues" is.

I've used the Dunlop RS3's two or three times. I wouldn't have done so if they were lousy tires. I went to the Dunlop RS4 on the last tire change. The only "issue" I've encountered with them is they seem to be stiffer than the Continental RoadAttack 3s I had on last. That may be just my imagination. I don't see that as a disadvantage, but a plus, for owners of the Concours. My bike is 200 lbs lighter than either of the Concours models, and that will make a difference.

At 5000 miles on the tires, they still look pretty good.
1623689607243.png1623689654139.png

The pic of the rear tire isn't centered, and can give you the impression that the wear is uneven from right to left. It's not. The wear is even across the tire.

I rode back from Eastern Washington last night in what they call here a "Pineapple Express". Pouring drenching rain with standing water on the freeway. No issues at all.

I don't have a problem recommending them to anyone, and it was a hard choice to make between the RS3, RS4 and RA3. They are all good.

Chris
 
I'm not seeing anything negative in that article you linked to. I'm also not sure what a "sprues" is.

I've used the Dunlop RS3's two or three times. I wouldn't have done so if they were lousy tires. I went to the Dunlop RS4 on the last tire change. The only "issue" I've encountered with them is they seem to be stiffer than the Continental RoadAttack 3s I had on last. That may be just my imagination. I don't see that as a disadvantage, but a plus, for owners of the Concours. My bike is 200 lbs lighter than either of the Concours models, and that will make a difference.

At 5000 miles on the tires, they still look pretty good.
View attachment 29577View attachment 29578

The pic of the rear tire isn't centered, and can give you the impression that the wear is uneven from right to left. It's not. The wear is even across the tire.

I rode back from Eastern Washington last night in what they call here a "Pineapple Express". Pouring drenching rain with standing water on the freeway. No issues at all.

I don't have a problem recommending them to anyone, and it was a hard choice to make between the RS3, RS4 and RA3. They are all good.

Chris
Think my comments were misperceived. I often think everyone is in my head... lol

No issues with the tire - they’re great... The article though, OMG, not everyone should expect over 10K mileage, article shows someone with vastly different riding / use than many. The outside 1-1/2 to 2 inches were never touched... how do I know?.. see below explanation:

Sprues, also known as flashing or tits are those little knobs on the tire. Half of any day riding in any twisties should scrub all those off. So when someone is doing an article and has the sprues remaining (after more than 10K miles) for a significant portion of the tire, a flag goes up that the miles ridden do not represent anything near what I would expect the average C-14 rider.

Seeing further above I wrote up a 4 day weekend in the mountains on the RS3’s: ponded roads:!no problem, twisties: stick great, ride: feels good, edge to edge: an overall stronger tire for my needs than anything I’ve had to date.
 
So I'll just put in my 2 cents here.

I've had many different Dunlop tires on various bikes I've owned over the years, and I had so many incidents with them in the rain that I'll never put another Dunlop on any bike I own again. They are great in the dry and give high mileage, but Dunlop simply does not put enough silica in the compounds they use, and this leads to very poor grip in the rain. I've had one friend that totaled a bike on Dunlops in the rain going straight and level on a slick road. I've had every Dunlop I used break the back tire loose and step out on me in the wet. If you are on a smooth road surface in the rain, watch out if you're riding on Dunlops.

For my money, you'd be better off with ANY other brand tire if you ride in the wet.
 
Last edited:
I just shopped for rear tire... CYCLEGEAR has the best price for me around here +$25 m/b. The M/ RP4GT is less expensive than the D/ RS2 and the P/ GT2....go figure....putting on the RP4GT
 
So I'll just put in my 2 cents here.

I've had many different Dunlop tires on various bikes I've owned over the years, and I had so many incidents with them in the rain that I'll never put another Dunlop on any bike I own again. They are great in the dry and give high mileage, but Dunlop simply does not put enough silica in the compounds they use, and this leads to very poor grip in the rain. I've had one friend that totaled a bike on Dunlops in the rain going straight and level on a slick road. I've had every Dunlop I used break the back tire loose and step out on me in the wet. If you are on a smooth road surface in the rain, watch out if you're riding on Dunlops.

For my money, you'd be better off with ANY other brand tire if you ride in the wet.
I spun a cold (less than 2 miles) rear RS3 Friday on a wet surface. No problem on other tires ever, even when cold and suddenly loose tire, caught my extra attention. After heated up (pressure rose couple PSI) no braking loose with same factors.

So with Dunlop RS3 the past ~3,500 miles for me ponded roads no problem (less in way of acceleration factors), braking great on wet or ponded but able to activate traction control on wet roads accelerating heavily on a fairly cold tire - after heated up no issue.
 
Lord, I hate a tire thread and this one is no better. But, ....... I've had my C14 in storage for a few years and need new tires just for age. I LIKE Bridgestone's BT023s. They gave me enough wear mileage and had a smooth roll-in. Now that tires have advanced over the last 10 years, how do T31s of T32s compare?

CG has T30s on a BIG discount right now. How do they wear and handle?
 
First things first - there are plenty of great tires out there for the Connie. And I simply do not believe any company is in business to create crap tires. But that is where the reality ends.........Tire discussions here are like discussing religion. And I simply refuse to offer rubber or a brand name my faith or allegiance. It is the same crap with cult motorcycle brands. I say, use what works and let the worshipers enjoy their view from their pews.

Right now, I'm on my second set of Continental ContiMotion tires. My Connie is used primarily for a daily summertime commute to work and some pleasure riding. I did approximately 10K on those tires last year and they still had a little life left in them when I replaced them for the season this year. Although the sides were well worn. I commute up an down a mountain daily (summer only, too cold in the winter) from 3500 ft in the desert to 8000 ft on the mountain, then back down after work. It is a 96 mile round trip daily and I was able to do 85 of those last year before the weather got too bad. I am 5K into this set and they look like they did when I installed them in April!!

Conti advanatages:
Their price is the best I have seen on a reputable brand that provides an exact fit for the Connie.
They ride well, and clearly corner well, I use them on a mountain road and they are nothing but turns!
There is no arguing Continental is a solid international brand with plenty of competitive experience.
They come with an unbelievable 3 years of roadside service FREE that includes TOWING!! That's amazing. AAA charges extra for bike coverage.

Conti disavantages:
I can find any, but some folks here don't like them. Yet no one here has offered to buy my tires and until they do, I'll do my own thing.
 
Last edited:
Sitting down after just attending church...I'd prefer to leave the "religion" portion out of the comparisons of this. ;)

Tires are very personal, and a lot of people like the Michelin Road 5, or the PR4 before it. I haven't been impressed with either. I was getting excellent mileage from the PR4s on my NT700V, like 19K, but I didn't think there was anything else special about them.

Continental has some excellent tires. I'll probably stick with them in the future. I'm on my third set of Continental RoadAttack 3 tires, and they are noticeably better than the Dunlop RoadSmart 4 tires I took off. A friend of mine has the same bike and just installed the Continental ContiRoad tires. It looks like that's the replacement for the ContiMotion tires ursharkfuel mentioned. I'll be interested in how his tires fare during the upcoming rainy months here in the Pacific Northwet.

Here's a price comparison chart I update when I'm looking for tires. It ranks them by price and shows how much more or less you pay over the average price. Prices were updated last in June when I bought my tires from Dennis Kirk. They were significantly lower than the Revzilla price! The chart also includes the "Owner Rating". You have to take that with a grain of salt though. The Dunlop Roadsmart 4 tires have the top score there...but from only one review at the time.

The "bottom line" when you read the chart is: Is the Metzer Roadtec 01 SE worth an extra $240? Twice the price of the Continental Conti-Motion tires? Is the Michelin Road 5 worth another $200? I doubt it.

1628446218813.png

BTW, I try to buy my tires when there's a rebate, then store them in the garage for a few months till I need them. It might be worthwhile if you're trying to decide which are the "best" tires for you, to simply put the cheapest tire on for now, and then wait for the rebate to come up. FWIW, the tire ursharkfuel recommended is the least expensive on that list.

Chris
 
A month ago acquired a 2009 C14 from a friend of mine who just bought a 2021 C14. Before that I had owned a 2002 C10, which I sold with 116,300 miles on the odometer. On the C10 I used Avon Storm 3D-XMs and later Avon Spirit STs. I just ordered a set of Avon Spirit STs for my "new" C14, given the success I experienced with them on the C10. I'm confident they'll do just fine on the C14, and will be reporting in due time.

I order my tires from my local Yamaha/Triumph dealer, whom I've known since 1975. He treats me well and I buy stuff from him. :) Nick Diaz, Middletown, (Frederick County), Maryland.
 
I've been hunting around for a set of the Conti-Motion Sport Touring or Conti-Road Sport Turing, but the fronts are either out of stock or they're $185/ea on eBay.
BikeBandit lists the front for $73.13, but it's on backorder.
CheapCycleParts has it for $67.99, but again they're out of stock too.
LeatherUp shows the price as $90.72 and they allowed me to add it to my cart.

I'm curious where the prices are coming from so I can order a set for stock. I've reached 7k miles on this original BT021 front and 4.5k miles on my rear. Both look like they have some life left in them but the wear pattern is getting more noticeable and the rear has a couple of the channels at the warning marker.

Any insights would be super helpful. Thanks in advance for everyone's good natured ribbing and tips on where to buy new skins.

Cheers, AB
 
Saw this earlier today. Thought maybe others are also kindling the idea of DIY tire changes at home or on the road.

1628652901782.png
 
Last edited:
Just picked up a set of the Conti-Motion tires. Amazingly affordable. On Amazon. I'm willing to give these a chance. Who knows, maybe they'll last longer than the BT021's that came stock with my then-recently assembled '21 from the dealership.

At this price I may have to get a couple more sets for the shelf. From the comments on this listing, these are 2021's not some old leftovers from several years ago. Fingers crossed.

1628652226846.png
 
Just picked up a set of the Conti-Motion tires. Amazingly affordable. On Amazon. I'm willing to give these a chance. Who knows, maybe they'll last longer than the BT021's that came stock with my then-recently assembled '21 from the dealership.

At this price I may have to get a couple more sets for the shelf. From the comments on this listing, these are 2021's not some old leftovers from several years ago. Fingers crossed.

View attachment 30132
Heck of a deal! Let us know how they stick, wear, etc.

Noticed the tire change apparatus above - seems like it’d be tippy? I am all for trying this out (changing own). My local dealer is finally giving great pricing (20% below retail) so I’ve actually been buying tires direct from them and then mounting is $30/wheel. That price makes it difficult to justify want to do it myself as I can’t buy the tires and mount myself cheaper…?!

To clarify those prices are me bringing in wheels. After a handful of times taking the wheels off I can dress down the Connie in 35 minutes now. Assembly due to my wanting everything cleaned and lubed perfectly still takes me 2 hours, it’ll speed up.
 
Heck of a deal! Let us know how they stick, wear, etc.

Noticed the tire change apparatus above - seems like it’d be tippy? I am all for trying this out (changing own). My local dealer is finally giving great pricing (20% below retail) so I’ve actually been buying tires direct from them and then mounting is $30/wheel. That price makes it difficult to justify want to do it myself as I can’t buy the tires and mount myself cheaper…?!

To clarify those prices are me bringing in wheels. After a handful of times taking the wheels off I can dress down the Connie in 35 minutes now. Assembly due to my wanting everything cleaned and lubed perfectly still takes me 2 hours, it’ll speed up.
My local dealership gets $60 if I carry the wheel in. So I started doing my own with a No Mar machine that I got for around $600 with all the spoons, lube, etc. My son races a Ninja 400 and will waste a rear in about 3 track days, so doing it ourselves has already paid for itself and then some.
If it was just me, I'd probably pay the $60 and grumble about it...
 
Just picked up a set of the Conti-Motion tires. Amazingly affordable. On Amazon. I'm willing to give these a chance. Who knows, maybe they'll last longer than the BT021's that came stock with my then-recently assembled '21 from the dealership.

At this price I may have to get a couple more sets for the shelf. From the comments on this listing, these are 2021's not some old leftovers from several years ago. Fingers crossed.

View attachment 30132

I have used these for two years commuting up and down a mountain to work. The sides got worn down quicker than the centers on the first set which gave me 10K of reliable use. The second set is at 5K and show no signs of wear. But I will admit, it's a commute and my priority is fuel mileage and tire wear, and not burning up the canyons. Not to mention my bike has no scars because I do not go flaming into blind corners all hell bent for leather. I have seen far too many make that mistake in front of me over the past 6 years of commuting to make that epic mistake myself. There are frequent late afternoon and evening thunderstorms in those mountains and run off dirt on the road is very common. Cornering on dirty patches gets very exciting and I don't really like "drifting" nearly 1000 lbs (including me) around corners.
 
My local dealership gets $60 if I carry the wheel in. So I started doing my own with a No Mar machine that I got for around $600 with all the spoons, lube, etc. My son races a Ninja 400 and will waste a rear in about 3 track days, so doing it ourselves has already paid for itself and then some.
If it was just me, I'd probably pay the $60 and grumble about it...

If you just don't feel like another change or want to take a break, Cycle Gear will M&B the tires you buy from them for $25 each. You remove and reinstall. That's the best deal I have seen in my area and they claim its their national rate!
 
If you just don't feel like another change or want to take a break, Cycle Gear will M&B the tires you buy from them for $25 each. You remove and reinstall. That's the best deal I have seen in my area and they claim its their national rate!
That is a good price. I haven't dealt with them before, but I see they have a store in Omaha which is only 45 miles down the road.
 
If you just don't feel like another change or want to take a break, Cycle Gear will M&B the tires you buy from them for $25 each. You remove and reinstall. That's the best deal I have seen in my area and they claim its their national rate!
Yeah that’s what I’m saying though my dealer is 20% under Cycle Gear / Revzilla. So at the end of the day it actually costs less to go to the dealer.

Maybe I’m getting frequent flyer / family rates…

So if I can get them purchased and mounted for less than price for just buying them from CG/RZ why not.
 
I think we’re all looking for the same thing: best overall value (eg. lowest price per mile).

Only thing that differs maybe is where we are geographically and what each of our riding styles tend toward, as that influences the stresses on the skins each riding season. Some lean more toward the sporting end, while others are more on the touring part of the continuum. Some of us spend equal time on long hauls as much as ripping it up around town.

Down south our riding season is perhaps longer, upwards of 10-12 months, than up north where there are 4 distinct “climate changes” (tongue in cheek) in a calendar year. For example, here in Houston the summer months are smoking’ hot (the ‘feels like’ index well over 100F for weeks at a time) and therefore melt the tread quickly so the sets age faster - even on long, straight stretches of tarmac. Softer compounds go quickly here, like they do in FL, AZ and SoCal I’m betting. And while that may be true, spending a day in the hills carving up twisties can and have the same impact.

I enjoy this discussion and don’t see disagreements about brand or model as real arguments. I see them as ppl sharing their local realities with remote amigos on the forum we all look to for insights and info (and the occasional flash war). LOL 🤣😂
 
I think we’re all looking for the same thing: best overall value (eg. lowest price per mile).

Only thing that differs maybe is where we are geographically and what each of our riding styles tend toward, as that influences the stresses on the skins each riding season. Some lean more toward the sporting end, while others are more on the touring part of the continuum. Some of us spend equal time on long hauls as much as ripping it up around town.

Down south our riding season is perhaps longer, upwards of 10-12 months, than up north where there are 4 distinct “climate changes” (tongue in cheek) in a calendar year. For example, here in Houston the summer months are smoking’ hot (the ‘feels like’ index well over 100F for weeks at a time) and therefore melt the tread quickly so the sets age faster - even on long, straight stretches of tarmac. Softer compounds go quickly here, like they do in FL, AZ and SoCal I’m betting. And while that may be true, spending a day in the hills carving up twisties can and have the same impact.

I enjoy this discussion and don’t see disagreements about brand or model as real arguments. I see them as ppl sharing their local realities with remote amigos on the forum we all look to for insights and info (and the occasional flash war). LOL 🤣😂

Oh I have seen it get pretty ugly when it comes to tires. Some folks refuse to be wrong or accept that others can have a different experience from theirs. I only know what I have done and I have been on road bikes since 78. But what works for me, does not work for the next guy, and so on. That why there are so many models from each manufacturer - none of us are the same and we all have different needs, conditions, and experiences.

By the way, I'm in the Mojave Desert in Southern California. We get four seasons due to elevation and about 6 months of reasonable riding without the extremes. My home is at 3500 ft, but where I work in the mountains is 8000 ft and I commute daily until it is too cold up there (it does hit zero at times), and I skip the 110+hard summer days as well. So I hear what you are saying about the molten lava road conditions, but I think you'll still be surprised with the Conti tires. They are a hard to beat value! Not the best by any means, just a good performer for the price.
 
Oh I have seen it get pretty ugly when it comes to tires. Some folks refuse to be wrong or accept that others can have a different experience from theirs. I only know what I have done and I have been on road bikes since 78. But what works for me, does not work for the next guy, and so on. That why there are so many models from each manufacturer - none of us are the same and we all have different needs, conditions, and experiences.

By the way, I'm in the Mojave Desert in Southern California. We get four seasons due to elevation and about 6 months of reasonable riding without the extremes. My home is at 3500 ft, but where I work in the mountains is 8000 ft and I commute daily until it is too cold up there (it does hit zero at times), and I skip the 110+hard summer days as well. So I hear what you are saying about the molten lava road conditions, but I think you'll still be surprised with the Conti tires. They are a hard to beat value! Not the best by any means, just a good performer for the price.

Appreciate the info Jon, and couldn’t agree more. I will share my learnings about their characteristics after I’ve got them mounted and grounded. I’m hoping they stand up well and don’t get too squirrelly in the rain.

😎🤙 AB
 
Appreciate the info Jon, and couldn’t agree more. I will share my learnings about their characteristics after I’ve got them mounted and grounded. I’m hoping they stand up well and don’t get too squirrelly in the rain.

😎🤙 AB

You're very welcome - happy to help.

I suggest 42 PSI to start with. That gives them the best feel IMHO. But your loading and style could be different. I'm a big boy, so I am riding as a virtual two up all the time. My Connie behaves very well for me at 42.

As far as rain is concerned. I live in southern Cal, and you how the song goes. To make matters worse it is mostly desert riding when I'm not going up the mountain for work. So my Connie is not much of a rain machine and I am not a good resource at all for that feedback. But I have been caught in a few sudden thundershowers and they stick, although tend to slow dramatically when that happens and do EVERYTHING gently like I am riding on ice. So don't ask me about wet weather performance, as I am a sissy then it come to that. I admit I don't have stones enough to really "test" the grip when it is wet and that is why I have never owned a scarred up bike. I just don't see the sense in testing the limits all that much, so I don't.
 
You're very welcome - happy to help.

I suggest 42 PSI to start with. That gives them the best feel IMHO. But your loading and style could be different. I'm a big boy, so I am riding as a virtual two up all the time. My Connie behaves very well for me at 42.

As far as rain is concerned. I live in southern Cal, and you how the song goes. To make matters worse it is mostly desert riding when I'm not going up the mountain for work. So my Connie is not much of a rain machine and I am not a good resource at all for that feedback. But I have been caught in a few sudden thundershowers and they stick, although tend to slow dramatically when that happens and do EVERYTHING gently like I am riding on ice. So don't ask me about wet weather performance, as I am a sissy then it come to that. I admit I don't have stones enough to really "test" the grip when it is wet and that is why I have never owned a scarred up bike. I just don't see the sense in testing the limits all that much, so I don't.

Fully agree, 42 (or sometimes 41 when they leak a little) is my normal cold pressure.

And in the rain, I'm not hammering it either. Too old to be pushing the limit. Here in the Houston area we get torrential downpours that puddle up pretty quick, so like you I feather the throttle more than under dry conditions. Again, will let y'all know what I discover along the way.
 
Long thread here boys.
So I've cycled [ so to speak ] back to a set of Dunlop RS3's.
I know Fred says their no good in the wet but I rarely ride in the rain.
The RS 2's were good and cheap but at a 4400 average life were just too short for me.
The RS 3's are, for me. a good balance between cost, rideability and cost.
I rode my Concours this past week on those tires and real happy.
Happy Holidays
Nick 2014 C-14
 
Long thread here boys.
So I've cycled [ so to speak ] back to a set of Dunlop RS3's.
I know Fred says their no good in the wet but I rarely ride in the rain.
The RS 2's were good and cheap but at a 4400 average life were just too short for me.
The RS 3's are, for me. a good balance between cost, rideability and cost.
I rode my Concours this past week on those tires and real happy.
Happy Holidays
Nick 2014 C-14
I have tried 7 different sets of tires thus far. The only one I have bought more than once are the 3's. I feel they are the best bang for the buck.
 
Nick; Supposedly, when the RS-2's were available on sale, Dunlop was producing them {using the same rubber Compound as the RS'4's}.
So, the range of both should be comparable.

NOTE: I like to trailer to events, and do few road miles. Most of my riding is at COG events and almost all playing in the twisties.
Lots of those miles are in Arkansas.
As a result, I never get 4000 miles out of a tire. Generally gone in 2000-3000 miles. (Regardless of the brand)

Wondering if your 4400 mile RS-2's were in similar circumstances?

Ride safe, Ted
 
Last edited:
Ted
Those RS2's I was getting about 4400 out of were general riding use. Out of my house its twistys but most miles were straight roads.
Those RS2's were also wearing out on the sides first, even thou most of the miles were on straights. They wore in a inverted V shape
Very nice tires thou!
I never tried the RS4's
FWIW
Nick 2014 C-14
 
If anyone's needing inexpensive tires.
I just ordered tires from Chaparral.
Rear; 190/50-17 Roadsmart II $96 + tax
Front; Roadsmart III 120/70-17 $108 + tax.



Ride safe, Ted
 
Last edited:
I don't know how prices from Dennis Kirk compare with Chaparral, but Dennis Kirk is worth looking at also.

I was doing a price and availability check last night on tires and then compared the Dennis Kirk price with Revzilla's price. Wow! The general gist of what I found is when you're looking at the less expensive tires like Dunlop RS3s, the prices are similar. But when you look at the more expensive tires like the Continental RA3 or the Metzeler Roadtec 01 SE...the difference is at least $40 per wheel.

My assumption for years has been that all tires and distributors sell for the same price. And when I bought my Conti RA3s last summer from Dennis Kirk at a cheaper price than Revzilla, I thought that was a one-time fluke. But not so. It's worth letting your fingers do the walking.

Chris
 
I don't know how prices from Dennis Kirk compare with Chaparral, but Dennis Kirk is worth looking at also.

I was doing a price and availability check last night on tires and then compared the Dennis Kirk price with Revzilla's price. Wow! The general gist of what I found is when you're looking at the less expensive tires like Dunlop RS3s, the prices are similar. But when you look at the more expensive tires like the Continental RA3 or the Metzeler Roadtec 01 SE...the difference is at least $40 per wheel.

My assumption for years has been that all tires and distributors sell for the same price. And when I bought my Conti RA3s last summer from Dennis Kirk at a cheaper price than Revzilla, I thought that was a one-time fluke. But not so. It's worth letting your fingers do the walking.

Chris
It pays to shop around for sure. DK is closer to me than most and I often get stuff next day. I think they still charge an extra $5 handling per tire.
 
It pays to shop around for sure. DK is closer to me than most and I often get stuff next day. I think they still charge an extra $5 handling per tire.
It seems to depend on the tire. I saw that the Dunlop RS3 had the $5 charge, but the more expensive Conti RA3 did not.

Chris
 

Michelin has a Road 6 out now I see
Not cheap at 443 /set, but I bet they roll nice.

Nick
2014 C-14
 
Top