Shinko Verge 11 Front – Ride Report:

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dafish2

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Joined
Jun 21, 2018
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Location
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Background:

I’d put a Metzler Z8 on the front and the taller Avon Cobra on the back. The Cobra has done well, but you do notice it’s geared a bit taller. The Cobra doesn't like cold days though, so rider beware, even cool changes it’s grip noticeably.

The Z8 sucked. I mean it was fine for a while, and it stuck nicely, but the dual compound nature of the thing does not suit Max. I wore the sides down to the cords and the hard center section was flat and unworn. Basically it wouldn’t roll over and you had to fight it. Just ugly to ride for the last 1k miles.

In fairness, I’ve been on dirbikes as a kid and nothing but sport bikes as an adult. This is the first bike I’ve owned that wasn’t built to toss around, so I’m perhaps more inclined to be on the brakes as I’m rolling over and transitioning into a corner than other cruiser guys. No idea, but maybe. Still, I'm sure anybody on a Vmax isn't riding the thing like a cruiser.

Dealer Comments:
Parts guys didn’t want to order the Shinko. They are convinced it’s a low end tire. I insisted. Service guys claim they have to test riding anything they work on. Whatever. Guy was pretty animated on his return. Called the whole shop over. You should have heard them talk (they didn’t know I could hear them) when he returned. Resident hot-shoe maybe, but not used to something with that power and can still be tossed around (with planning). They were a bit floored to see no chicken strips on the back too. I guess being an old guy on a cruiser looking bike meant slow to them. Another group introduced to Max.

My thoughts:
Hell, at first I thought it was unmanageable. It rolls over happily and easily, and I wasn’t used to it anymore. Within a few days I was back being comfortable on it. Now, I suppose a week in, I’m pushing it harder. It has earlier limits than I’d expected. It’s profile allows it to be fairly nimble for a 700lb bike, but it’s not super sticky. OK, but it will twitch and slip/shudder when provoked (decreasing braking as I was rolling in/over). I’m not sure I’d call this a super-bike level of grip. Mind you it’s not a dual compound, so thank god, and in fairness it warned me, but it does seem to have earlier limits than I had expected. The Z8 wore for shit, but it would not have twitched.

Now maybe, just maybe, there was a faint bit of grit down and I didn’t see it, but the back didn’t twitch.

It’s also true our choice for the fronts are mighty slim pickings, even thinner if high mileage isn’t your interest.

Wear?
Don’t care. Whatever. I want my ass to stay shiny side up. I’ll take whatever that means short of a 1000 mile tire.

Conclusions:
Too early to say. I do think I'll need to be less aggressive in corner entry braking with it.
 

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