New shorts needed

[Getsum]

After reading all that Tire Bashing I'm not sure which tire is good to put on the FJR!
Has anyone tried Dunlop?

I've been running the Dunlop D208 for the last 700 miles and I love the way they feel. I've experienced incredible grip in both wet and dry conditions. My only concern is how much tread life I'm going to get out them. I was able to get over 5k out of the stock Bridgestone’s that came with the bike and I'm hoping I can do the same with these. So far they seem to be holding up ok.

The D208 are more of the sport bike tire while the D220 are their sport-touring tire. Links below:

https://www.dunlopmotorcycle.com/tirecatalog_tire.asp?id=82

https://www.dunlopmotorcycle.com/tirecatalog_tire.asp?id=74

Stat wise they match up nearly identical to all the other makes of tires offered in these sizes as far as max load and weight/ speed index. If I can't get around 5k out of the D208 I'll probably try the D220 next, but I'm hoping they hold up because I'm very happy with them so far.

 

[Bugnatr]

With only 300 miles on any tire don't you think the loss of traction should fall on the road conditions and not the tire. I am happy to get 5000 miles out of any rear tire. It's about how you ride and I am out there to have fun which means Jack rabbit starts and stops along with general mayham and tons of miles whenever possible. My St1100 wasn't much better on tires either. Bad tire wear? Ride a sport or dirt bike where you would be happy with 2500 miles on a rear. Still think the roads are a good tire for the FJR.

 

[Bounce]

One tire a lot of FJR riders swear by for wet riding are Avons. My son says they are an inferior made tire, but what does he know, he rides a Honda. I'm currently on Pilots, but not so happy with the wear. At the current rate, they will be gone in 5K.

With my PR's (2 sets) I got 9k with 10k possible if not for a long trip. After going through this set of Avons, I can't imagine one lasting significantly longer than the other. If you have BT020's, how long did they last? I had mine last 4k on the front before serious cupping while at 6k, the back was done. If you're toasting PR's in 5k, a BT020 was probably a 3k tire (or maybe less).

The FJR truly is a tire muncher if you don't get a handle on the right handle.

 

[madmike2]

+1. Rear tire wear is definitely related to the "right-hand twisty thing", as front tire wear is normally related to how hard you charge corners. However, 020's have been noted for cupping, and that across varied riding styles, tire pressures, etc. It seems to be inherent in the tread and/or carcass design.

 

[daytripper]

I apologize for this up front after all this is a tire thread, but I just had to do a Gomer Pyle Google search and found this.

• Gomer Pyle

https://politicalhumor.about.com/library/im...leseparated.htm

 

[Getsum]

My BT020's were worn past the bars in the rear and just about to the bars in the front with about 5700 on them. I don't like to mix brands and I also like to change both tires at the same time. I didn't experience any cupping or wobble and my only real grip issue was caused by a steel cattle grate while I was leaned into a turn. Overall I was happy with the stock tires but I wanted to try something different and so far, I'm glad I did.

 

[Getsum]

While on the subject of tires. My friend at work told me about these Tire Minders and I thought they were pretty slick. Has anyone used them?

https://www.customwheelweights.com/store/me...PROD/tmmk/TM-42

 

[Dangerous Dave]

While on the subject of tires. My friend at work told me about these Tire Minders and I thought they were pretty slick. Has anyone used them?
https://www.customwheelweights.com/store/me...PROD/tmmk/TM-42

Yeah...they don't work. At least not for long. Stick with a guage.

 

[Rogue]

I apologize for this up front after all this is a tire thread, but I just had to do a Gomer Pyle Google search and found this.

• Gomer Pyle

https://politicalhumor.about.com/library/im...leseparated.htm

Gomer was a much better soldier than Kerry!

And Jim Nabors had a much better voice. That dude could sing!

 

[Getsum]

While on the subject of tires. My friend at work told me about these Tire Minders and I thought they were pretty slick. Has anyone used them?
https://www.customwheelweights.com/store/me...PROD/tmmk/TM-42

Yeah...they don't work. At least not for long. Stick with a guage.

Yeah, I have a compressor and gauge in my garage and I check the pressure before even starting the bike and I carry a digital with me on the bike. But that's not what I had in mind. I was thinking that these would be a quick and easy check while I was out riding and stopping for gas or to eat ever 200 miles or so. So when you say they don't last long, exactly how long do they last? I’m not very concerned about spending $8 every so often to replace them so long as they last a reasonable amount of time.

 

[Getsum]

Gah, I just read a couple of reviews about these on Amazon where in one case they actually caused a flat and in the other they were 10 psi off when compared with a gauge. One guy said Car & Driver did a review and said they were crap. Oh well.

 

[throttlejockeyTJ]

When I would leave in the wet on my XS1100 Special, as easy as I could roll on the throttle in the first three gears the rear tire would break loose at 2800 rpm. In fourth I could open the throttle. Sometimes I would spin up on purpose when accelerating to the on ramp to the freeway. The FJR has more torque than the XS1100. The right wrist controls the traction control.

WRONG REFLEX! Chopping the throttle off in that situation would spit you off in the dry. It almost did in the wet. Hold the throttle steady or slightly less till the bike catches up with the engine. Your lucky it's not only your shorts that needs changing.

 

[st ryder]

I picked up a set of Avon Azzaro st45/46 tires to replace the stock Pilot Roads that came as OEM on my ST3 Ducati, which has waaayyy less torque than any FJR, but guess what, they slip on dry, warm pavement, during low-med speeds, sharp/quick turns. Just a matter of time before I'd wad the bike if I keep riding on them, and I've heard from other riders of the same bike who have actualy binned them due to the Pilot Roads letting go. Mine have approx 3K on them and I can't get them off fast enough as far as I'm concerned and I will never have another set of Michelins on any bike hence forth. :angry:

I think the Pilot Roads profile is too square/wide in the mid section, and too much of the harder compound rubber makes contact with the road when leaned over, and they slip when applying throttle.

Most who own Pilot Roads rave about them, but tires are a very personal preference, even at the highest levels of competitive riding, some riders just can't get hooked up with certain brand of tires.

I replaced the OEM B020's on my previous FJR with D220's and found them much better in all performace aspects, except mileage, but the exchange of a 1k miles in tread was more than worth the better handling.

 

[tstaff]

I would not lump all Michelins into one catagoy & claim you will never own another set. IMO the Pilot Powers are the best sport tires i have ever riden on.

 

[Bounce]

So when you say they don't last long, exactly how long do they last? I’m not very concerned about spending $8 every so often to replace them so long as they last a reasonable amount of time.

The various reports over the years isn't so much that they don't work or don't last, but that, when they fail they allow air to escape past them. flat tires because they were installed that wouldn't have been flat otherwise.

 

[Getsum]

So when you say they don't last long, exactly how long do they last? I’m not very concerned about spending $8 every so often to replace them so long as they last a reasonable amount of time.

The various reports over the years isn't so much that they don't work or don't last, but that, when they fail they allow air to escape past them. flat tires because they were installed that wouldn't have been flat otherwise.

Yeah, that's what I read as well. Sounded like a good idea but I'm not will to take the chance myself.

 

[yamaholic]

Just a thought. Winter tends to leave a lot of road dust, pebbles, mud, etc on the road. Is it possible the rain made dirt into mud or that you did not see a patch of pebbles?

Avon's are awesome rain tires. I've been caught out in some huge downpours (with a passenger, too) and never lost traction once...except one time when I intentionally tried to make it spin. And it came out very quickly.

A man's gotta know his limitations...

 

[Feejer/Weejer man]

Avons!!! the best wet weather tire I have ever ridden. Not to start a tire war but a lot of the LD riders use these tires and get the best milage and handling of all the sport touring tires. Check all the old threads and you'll see. Ask the hard cores and they will tell you.

 

[Dangerous Dave]

Avons!!! the best wet weather tire I have ever ridden. Not to start a tire war but a lot of the LD riders use these tires and get the best milage and handling of all the sport touring tires. Check all the old threads and you'll see. Ask the hard cores and they will tell you.

Well, in all fairness, LD riders and sport riders have VERY different ideas about what constitutes a "good" tire. To an LD rider, a tire that grips well when straight up and down and wears long, is probably a good thing, since I believe that's how they spend the biggest percentage of their time. I, on the other hand, want a tire that grips hard at full lean, gives good feedback (so I always know what's going on at the contact patch), and doesn't totally wear flat down the middle while I'm getting to the good stuff. Aaaaand, I want all this to happen under "aggressive" riding conditions. The Avon that's currently on the back of my FJR doesn't even grip acceptably while straight up and down for my liking. It breaks traction much too easily when cold. I can't truly enjoy the ride if I don't have faith in my equipment. I'm sure I'll try to get some use out of this tire before chucking it, but I won't replace it with another Avon. I want high mileage like everybody else here, but not at the expense of what I consider to be adequate grip.

My $.02

YMMV,