The dead horse beaten some more.....Tires.

[Pighuntingpuppy]

I have spent the last few hours going through old threads about tires. The general consensus for tires is Shinko. However, I dont want to be doing tires every other oil change. In the past, I have had really good luck with Bridgestone Spitfire tires. Good traction, long(ish) life. Especially on the Virago. I was able to pull 15-20000 miles on the rear. 2 rears to 1 front was usually the norm. I have tried Dunlops in the past and while no doubt they are a fantastic sticky tire....The Virago burned it up in less than an oil change. I can only imagine the Max taking it out even faster.

So...Sticking with the Bridgestones, the Spitfire does not have a rear tire size for the Vmax. The Metzlers on it now, I dont like. The back seems fine, the front wants to kill me at low speeds with a death wobble. I cant even ride the bike with one hand without the front going into a wobble. So....looking for decent mileage tires, I came across the Bridgestone Exedra Max tires. Labeled as a cruiser/touring tire. People seem impressed with it but I also know that these tires arent on a Max.

Does anyone here run these tires on a Max or any other bike? Whats your opinion on them? Recommend? Mileage? Stability?

While I do some quick red light to red light fun...I mainly ride reasonable so the hardness of the tire doesnt really bother me. With my location....miles add up very fast and I dont want to be breaking tires down 3 or 4 times a season. Thats the reason I am looking for a decent mileage tire that I can get a couple oil changes on before replacing.

Thanks.

 

[VMAXXIMUM]

If you have a death wobble at low speed you either have a cupped front tire or something else going on like a steering head bearing that needs adjusting. Prior to radials I ran the Metzler 880's and once I sorted my wobble issues they and the bike rode fine at any speed.

 

[Pighuntingpuppy]

If you have a death wobble at low speed you either have a cupped front tire or something else going on like a steering head bearing that needs adjusting. Prior to radials I ran the Metzler 880's and once I sorted my wobble issues they and the bike rode fine at any speed.

The front tire "appears" fine. No visual look of cupping. Only when leaning left is when the wobble happens. As soon as the lean to left happens, you can feel the steering start to fight you. The steering bearings have no play, no "center feeling" of the steering or anything like that. While I dont mess with motorcycle repair daily, the steering feels like all my other bikes and they have no such wobble. Is it possible something exists....absolutely. But I dont think there is.

While I have no doubt Metzlers are good tires to others....My first impression of the tires are sour. I do agree that the wobble is tire related. Its when I start getting into the tire tread on the leaning edge of the tire. I dont have to get in it deep. I doubt these tires are OE. 19K miles is when I got the bike. So these good looking tires are either 2cd or 3rd replacements. 12 years, 19K miles and low end 2cd set of tires.....I am not sold. Just my opinion. I am sure you and others here have opinions that are just like that. You get burned out of the gate and you dont go back to give that second chance. Thats where I am at. Now, these Exedra Max tires from Bridgestone could be duds as well. I dont know. I never used them. I tell you though that if they make the bike unstable or poor quality ride....You can bet I will you all about it.

Thats why I am looking for others opinions. As for going to radials....I cant justify that cost right now. So I am gonna try these tires and see if anyone has them with some miles. If no one does....I will add to the tires search on them. Cause they will get miles and usage.

There is a good edit with this....Like I said, I do agree with you on it being tire related. Tire manufacture date....2409....A touch past prime, LOL. Dont worry, I am replacing the tires with the Bridgestone tires.

 

[Radioguylogs]

In case it helps....

My '86 Vmax has some wobble issues.

When I first acquired it last fall, it would wobble anytime you let go of the handlebars and coasted down to 40MPH. The steering bearing were too loose. I replaced the original front tire and cleaned and adjusted the steering bearings and that problem went completely away. I am sure it was the bearings because they seemed really loose even though there was no free play.

Later, I had a different wobble happen in the middle of left hand curves - twice. I re-checked my steering bearings using the bounce test, and found they did not pass, so that is a contributing factor.

It's interesting that I just put on a new rear tire and found the LH needle bearing on rear wheel was rusted. I don't know if this was also a contributing factor.

I have it back together with new rear bearings and rode it about 75 miles with no wobbles so far, even though I haven't tightened the steering bearings yet. I will tighten them sometime this week.

 

[[email protected]]

I have no experience with Bridgestone Excedra Max tires. My bike came with Bridgestone Excedra(not max)tires from the factory. They were an OK. It didn't excel or fail at anything.

https://www.bridgestone.com/products/motorcycle_tires/products/detail/pr053/

 

[Montana vmax]

I recently installed a set Michelin commander 2 and am very pleased with their performance.

 

[Bill Seward]

I'm getting very acceptable mileage with Shinko tires. Of course, I don't ride like a maniac to see the oil light. I don't need that to tell me I'm riding it right. I get 5 to 6,000 miles per set. I recently switched the Roadstar to Kenda Cataclysm tires, they are even better than the Shinkos on that bike. I gotta check if that tire is made in a size to fit the Max. If so, I'm gonna try them next tire change..

 

[Pighuntingpuppy]

I have no experience with Bridgestone Excedra Max tires. My bike came with Bridgestone Excedra(not max)tires from the factory. They were an OK. It didn't excel or fail at anything.

https://www.bridgestone.com/products/motorcycle_tires/products/detail/pr053/

What was your mileage like with those tires? Like most, I do not plan on tracking the bike. A couple spirited runs here and there to 100 is about it. For the most part, I ride it like a civilized biker.

 

[rebeltaz83]

If you haven't yet, give this a watch.

 

[[email protected]]

What was your mileage like with those tires? Like most, I do not plan on tracking the bike. A couple spirited runs here and there to 100 is about it. For the most part, I ride it like a civilized biker.

About 3500 miles IIRC.

 

[Pighuntingpuppy]

About 3500 miles IIRC.

3500? Were you rough on those tires at all? Based on the reviews, the Exedra Max tires get pretty good decent mileage. I guess I will find out.

 

[[email protected]]

3500? Were you rough on those tires at all? Based on the reviews, the Exedra Max tires get pretty good decent mileage. I guess I will find out.

The front could have kept going. The rear was bald.
No burnouts but would say aggressive riding.

 

[Pighuntingpuppy]

The front could have kept going. The rear was bald.
No burnouts but would say aggressive riding.

Its real easy to get aggressive on these bikes. Thanks for the info. I will post my findings with the Exedra Max tires and see if they are what people love about them.

 

[frank5079]

I bought a set of Michelin Commander IIs about three years ago and have logged almost 25k miles on them; the front is still good but the rear is starting to show a slick area down the middle...

 

[dafish2]

Just one mans opinion, but I gave up caring about tread life on a bike tire. Perhaps I can encourage you to rethink your desire too. I say that only as I decided one of the few external things I could control was the grip level of my tires. Even if I can only slow down an extra 10 MPH when some idiot cuts me off that 10mph may be the thing that saves my ass.

Shinko? Yea me neither, but then I wanted a taller tire to try to get my gen 2's speedo closer. And you know what? It's (Avon Cobra)wearing great, but its a little colder and a little harder than the stock tire. I've lit it up a few times I didn't want to, once while laid over only mildly, and so I'll be doing something else next season. And of course more grip usually means less wear..

The front (Metzler Z8) is wearing into an aggressive contour on it I really don't like. I want more tire patch down, and again I don't like my choice. If I had to guess I would say it's one of those dual compound things for longer life. Swell, but as the sides wear faster it's affecting contour and tire patch.

Net: For me tire life is less important the grip, and even less important than profile. Heck, as bad as the last dealer I had mount the tires pissed me off the even the dealer is more important to me now.

Hopefully you don't mind me sharing the different perspective. Best of luck no matter what you do,

D

 

[Pighuntingpuppy]

Just one mans opinion, but I gave up caring about treadlife on a bike tire. Perhaps I can encourage you to rethink your desire too. I say that only as I decided one of the few external things I could control was the grip level of my tires. Even if I can only slow down an extra 10 MPH when some idiot cuts me off that 10mph may be the thing that saves my ass.

Shinko? Yea me neither, but then I wanted a taller tire to try to get my gen 2's speedo closer. And you know what? It's wearing great, but its a little colder and a little harder than the stock tire. I've lit it up a few times I didn't want to, and so I'll be doing something else next season.

And the front is showing an aggressive contour on it I don't like. I want more tire patch down, and again I don't like my choice.

Net:

When I started riding, I was told there are two types of riders. Those who have been riding for years and those who have been riding for miles. I am the "have been riding for miles" guy. Granted I also have been riding for years as well, but I had an 8 year hiatus in there where 0 miles per year was logged. Respectably, I have over 200,000 miles on motorcycles with 100K documented on the Virago alone.

So not worrying about treadlife.....that isnt gonna happen. If I am doing tires more than oil changes, there is a severe problem. I got my Vmax in late April. May I sent it to the dealer to get the carbs done and the valves adjusted. I know how to do those things. It comes down to being motivated to doing them. I had no motivation to do 10 hours worth of work on the bike especially after getting home from working on other peoples vehicles.

So for the month of May, (was actually 3 weeks) the bike was at the dealer. Get the bike back, was down an additional week due to the dealer hooking up the Vboost controller back up with the Vboost switch still connected and causing some driveability issues. I started riding the bike in June. Take a look at the day I got pic and the pic showing my red dash lights.....

19460 The day I brought it home....



22583 a few days ago.

Over 3000 in just over 1 month. I get a tire that at best gives me 5000.....Come on now, you cannot expect a NON TRACKED VMax to have a new rear tire every month and a half do you? Couple the fact that I have no tire removal or balance equipment for the tires. Thats completely insane.

Now, when I ran the Virago, I would get 15000-18000 on a rear(with aggressive riding) I would push them to 20K before replacement. Those were Bridgestone Spitfires. I liked them and they did what I needed them to do. I ran a Dunlop once on the Virago in a pinch. That tire was amazing for the Virago. Amazing hookup, traction and I was able to get that bike into the turns. However, I burned that tire up in less than 3000 miles. That was the wrong tire for me.

These Bridgestone Exedra Max tires....I never used before. Based on reviews and peoples comments on them....they "seem" to have the mileage rating for heavier bikes. Bikes with the Vmax power....I dont know. I will be the guinea pig for you all on that. My goal is pulling at least 10K on the rear. That would be 3 months and about half of what I was doing with the Virago. Vmax is twice the bike, I expect half the life expectancy. Thats my personal bar I am setting and what I would expect for overall operation of the tire.

And if I seem snappy, please, dont take it that way. I mean no disrespect. The black and white of messages take away the tone I am trying to imply. I give it spirited straight line goes. Not too many twisties here in NM to worry about and the ones out here are switchbacks up the sides of mountains....everyone goes 10-15mph around those otherwise you take a fast trip to the ground floor. So, in a couple weeks, I will start a mileage log for the Bridgestones. I will give my opinion on how they hold up, traction and what not.

And final note, the fella who mentioned Michelins....Nothing against those tires, they are great tires. But Michelins dont last in our climate. The tires I have seen usually develop what seems to be dry rot cracks and they get those only a couple years in. Car tires....sure you can use them. Cracks in a motorcycle tire....not interested in personally.

 

[user 16790]

here is my £1.37p worth, when I need a tyre I buy whatever I can afford and then adjust my riding to suit the tyre

 

[sdt354]

The Lasertech used to be very popular in front, with a Metzler 880 out back. The Dunlop's that came with the bikes were like riding on grease. Going around rotoreys I'd break traction even on dry roads. Shinko is a good tire for the money, but some of my friends and myself have experienced some bad bias type tires from them.Got to check them. And, weights around half the wheel doesn't do it for me.

 

[Phil Walker]

I've run Avon Venoms on mine for a few years now. Very happy with them.