OEM / stock size tires - Bridgestone or Dunlop?

[halpeters]

I have just acquired a 1989 V-max. It is stock, has 17,000 miles, and has been sitting for 4 or 5 years. I'm working on getting it running, and among other things, it need new tires.

I want to stay with stock size tires, and am considering either:

Bridgestone G525 / G526

or

Dunlop F20 / K525 Qualifier

Both are listed as the current "OEM tire" for the V-max.

Please let me know any differences I might see between the 2 brands.

I am a casual rider, and rode a Honda V45 Sabre for a few years.

Thanks,

Hal

 

[Traumahawk]

My personal preference between those 2 tires is dunlop......BUT...bot of those are relatively hard tires, and dont corner that well due to being mushroom shaped instead of being more rounded. Have you thought about something that is more rounded, and perhaps softer? My personal preference is the Shinko 170/80-15. It fits my bike with no modifications, but if you want to stay 100% stock dunlops IMHO.

 

[davesax36]

Shinko.... stock size. the 170 has to wrap down harder on itself to fit in the rear rim and doesn't really look as fat as you want it to. Plus they're cheap, sticky, and cheap.

 

[DMAN999]

Those OEM Bridgestone and Dunlop Tires Are horrible, they are like riding on soap and easily slip out while cornering at any speed.
Try cornering at speed and you'll quickly find out that if you lean too far that Edge on the tire will have your back end skipping across the highway.
Unless all you want to do is Burnouts, I would NOT put them on your Vmax.

Look at some of these (they are available in stock sizes):
Metzeler ME880 (they are expensive but very good for Cruising)
Shinko Tour Master 230 (Inexpensive but grip like glue, great for more spirited riding)
Bridgestone Exedra Max (Good all around tire, I paired this rear tire with the Battlax BT45V front)
Michelin Commander II (Supposed to be a Good Long Lasting Rear Tire, Pair with Lasertec Front)
Metzeler Lasertec Front tire (Good Sport Touring front tire)
Bridgestone Battlax BT45V (Very good Sport Touring front tire)

You can also look at this Excel Spreadsheet that shows all the currently available BIAS tires for a Gen 1 Vmax:
https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/55030067/V-Max%20Tires.xlsx

 

[woodsman30]

Shinko is a nice tire wet or dry they stick to the road even in hard fast corners. Make sure you get a high speed rating no matter what you choice is for tires.

 

[DJ89MAX]

I've had nothing but Dunlop Qualifiers on my '89 and love them. Mileage is good and they handle decent. 44k miles of nothing but Qualifiers! No complaints.

 

[DMAN999]

I've had nothing but Dunlop Qualifiers on my '89 and love them. Mileage is good and they handle decent. 44k miles of nothing but Qualifiers! No complaints.

You need to try a set of more rounded, Sticky tires (like the Shinko TM230) and you'd quickly realize just how bad those Dunlop Qualifiers really are for anything but straight line riding or Burnouts (they are definitely good for some Monster burnouts).

 

[Fire-medic]

I switched to a 17' rear Kosman wheel & got a matching tire for the front stock 18", though the width isn't optimal for the radial tire. I run Bridgestone BT023's and am very happy w/them. Check the tire pressures frequently and they will provide you w/dependable service and good handling.

http://www.motorcycle-superstore.co...e-Battlax-BT-023-Sport-Touring-Rear-Tire.aspx

http://www.motorcycle-superstore.co...-Battlax-BT-023-Sport-Touring-Front-Tire.aspx

 

[jfeagins]

I've had GREAT luck with the OEM Dunlops since I first bought my 1985 back in 1985. I did have a set of the Bridgestones way back in the day too. All I can remember about the Stones is that their raised white lettering wasn't as eye appealing (to me) as was the Dunlops'. Also, on the brick streets of my home town, it seemed to me the Dunlops hooked a tad better than the Stones, and also, the Dunlops had more of a lower pitched growl while spinning vs a much higher pitches sqealing sort of sound out of the Stones.

I avg around 2K miles out of each OEM Dunlop I've run since 1985, but I can't remember, off hand, how many miles I got out of that set of OEM Bridgestones.

 

[halpeters]

I was hoping to stay with stock size, non Chinese tires, but there isn't much of a selection. On my V45 Sabre I ran Metzelers, and they worked great, but Metzeler doesn't make V-max stock sizes.

Why are the Dunlops or Bridgestones so bad?

Hal

 

[thepretender]

Your good to go then with Shinko tires. They are made in South Korea not China.

 

[Dr.n2o]

I've always run the white lettered dunlops. I'm positive there are better handling tires for the max such as any radial that would fit but I just can't give up the oem white letter look. They've hooked fine at the track for me too surprisingly with 17 psi in the rear and a decent smoker. I'm positive that I'm probably missing out on some comfort with these ancient byas plys but I've been running em for years with no probs.

 

[DMAN999]

I was hoping to stay with stock size, non Chinese tires, but there isn't much of a selection. On my V45 Sabre I ran Metzelers, and they worked great, but Metzeler doesn't make V-max stock sizes.

Why are the Dunlops or Bridgestones so bad?

Hal

Read This post:
http://www.vmaxforum.net/showpost.php?p=337274&postcount=4

PS
Shinko is a Japanese Tire Company (NOT Chinese):
http://www.shinkotireusa.com/about.php
PSS
Metzeler ME880's are definitely available in Stock Sizes:
110/90-18 Front:
http://www.amazon.com/Metzeler-ME880-Marathon-Tire-Application/dp/B000GV9FH2
150/90-15 Rear:
http://www.amazon.com/Metzeler-ME880-Marathon-Tire-Construction/dp/B000GVF3QO


Check the attached pictures to see what I mean about the Lip on the OEM Tires.
They are fairly flat tires, they were definitely designed for Straight Line Riding.
And the Shinko is round (and much stickier) so it is MUCH better for cornering.

 

[Fire-medic]

I was hoping to stay with stock size, non Chinese tires, but there isn't much of a selection. On my V45 Sabre I ran Metzelers, and they worked great, but Metzeler doesn't make V-max stock sizes.

Why are the Dunlops or Bridgestones so bad?

Hal

#1 reason: 'cause they ain't RADIALS!!!![/I]

If you intend to keep your bike, just go radials now. There is no-reason not-to because once you do, it fixes all-sorts of VMax issues involving handling and cornering, and it makes the bike that much more fun and versatile. I wish I had done it when I bought my bike 20 years ago. Pobably will cost you ~ $800. The best $ you can spend, I would do it before a full exhaust or a Dynojet Stage 7 jet kit or a Morley's Muscle jet kit & install/tune.

 

[thunder]

I have just acquired a 1989 V-max. It is stock, has 17,000 miles, and has been sitting for 4 or 5 years. I'm working on getting it running, and among other things, it need new tires.

I want to stay with stock size tires, and am considering either:

Bridgestone G525 / G526

or

Dunlop F20 / K525 Qualifier

Both are listed as the current "OEM tire" for the V-max.

Please let me know any differences I might see between the 2 brands.

I am a casual rider, and rode a Honda V45 Sabre for a few years.

Thanks,

Hal

The Dunlops are not very grippy, I just purchased Bridgestone Exedra Max bias tires. They have good wear technology and grip.

 

[thunder]

#1 reason: 'cause they ain't RADIALS!!!![/I]

If you intend to keep your bike, just go radials now. There is no-reason not-to because once you do, it fixes all-sorts of VMax issues involving handling and cornering, and it makes the bike that much more fun and versatile. I wish I had done it when I bought my bike 20 years ago. Pobably will cost you ~ $800. The best $ you can spend, I would do it before a full exhaust or a Dynojet Stage 7 jet kit or a Morley's Muscle jet kit & install/tune.

The radials are the best option for sure. I ended up getting progressive shocks; front and rear. This made a world of difference to the handling, making the bike more stable and planted.
Where did you get your rear wheel for the radial tires?