New tires again...

[Sal Paradise]

It never ceases to amaze me - you get a bike you really like, ride it regularly and the tires barely make it one riding seaon! I was trying to stretch my second set of stockers to the end of the season but I looked at them today and they are both burnt out baloney skins. 6000 miles like clockwork. After reading the recommendations here and at Trat, and calling my dealer, I ordered the Avon's I understand they are better for back roads, not quite as good for highways.Almost bought the stock lasertecs again, but taking a chance on the Avons. Hope they are good.

Got a good deal at tiresunlimited.com. front and back for $175 no shipping or tax.

Whats a standard price to have them put on? Those who have switched to Avons, do they last any longer?

 

[Easy13]

Search the TRat site for Propforward's tire change thread. It's really not that tough to do and it's unbelieveably empowering. I've got an Avon Roadrider rear tire on the way (purchased through jakewilson.com) and like you, I've got great expectations of performance and longevity.

 

[northcountry]

tires

Honda dealer charged me $35 balanced and installed for Shinko 705. For that price, didn't want to dink around with them.

 

[aleonet100]

Had a set of Avons put on back in the spring to replace the stock tires.

Price for everything from the dealer was:

Front Tire - 100/90-19 - $90.71
Rear Tire - 130/80-17 - $101.96
Front Tube - $15.95
Rear Tube - $11.95
Weights - $5.94
Labor - $117.00

$343.51

Prices aren't bad until you toss in the labor.

It's been a very happy summer with the tires.

 

[Sal Paradise]

Thanks for the comments guys. I just replaced the tubes last July, so I hope to reuse my tubes.

I will look at Props tire changing thread. Would love to just do it myself - especially the empowering part, love doing it myself - but have to buy the tools so will look at the costs.

 

[Florida T-100]

It never ceases to amaze me - you get a bike you really like, ride it regularly and the tires barely make it one riding seaon! I was trying to stretch my second set of stockers to the end of the season but I looked at them today and they are both burnt out baloney skins. 6000 miles like clockwork.

Me, too. Both my Bridgestone rear tires were worn out at 4,000 miles (mostly high speed touring at 80+ mph including interstates). Did much better (7k) with the original Metzlers. I just bought a set of Michelins Pilot Activs and am hoping for better mileage.

2006 T-100, BC Sleepers, Parabellum Scout, BellaCorse Western Bars, GenMar risers, 12.5" Progressives, CrampBuster
1970 Bonnie

 

[bonZa]

18,000 kilometers out of my rear Avon roadrider, front still going strong

 

[Speed3Chris]

Sal,
My view and only my opinion is, don't bother with changing the tires yourself. To conserve cost which we all seek is...call around to a couple of shops and get a quote if you show up with your wheels sans rotors. The heavy labor is for any shop to remove and reinstall the wheels. You remove the wheels and having a shop change tires and tubes is relatively inexpensive and will save you a lot of hassle of fussing with tire irons.
Honda or independent shops are the cheapest.
Biggest reason? Nobody at home can properly balance a motorcycle wheel which is a critical ingredient of the job.
Good Luck and let us know how you like your new dubs.

PS: As to tire selection, come time for me will be a tough decision. Original Metzlers are wearing so well on my bike and the bike tracks so true at high speed, I will be hard pressed to change. I like to experiment but I am very happy with these tires. There maybe a better ride and handling tire out there but probably nothing that wears as well....generally the two are inversely related.

 

[mondokat]

I have a roadrider on the front, and it has lasted around 14k miles. I've replaced the rear twice in that same amount of time, but that was a stock tire. Think I'll get a roadrider for the rear next time, too.

 

[mikenva]

sal thats about how long my rear tire last to.Changeing tires is a pain thats the only thing i pay to get done on my bike.If you change your own and pinch the tube you could of payed someone to change it for near the same money if they screw it up they have to fix it lol.Been there done that not worth it to me lol.

 

[loxpump]

Had a set of Avons put on back in the spring to replace the stock tires.

Price for everything from the dealer was:

Front Tire - 100/90-19 - $90.71
Rear Tire - 130/80-17 - $101.96
Front Tube - $15.95
Rear Tube - $11.95
Weights - $5.94
Labor - $117.00

$343.51

Prices aren't bad until you toss in the labor.

It's been a very happy summer with the tires.

$117.00 dollars to change 2 tires? I think I paid $10.00 or $15.00 at my dealer. But I took the tires off. Maybe that saved me.

 

[aleonet100]

Dealer did all labor. Pulling wheels is not my thing. I had a bunch of things taken care of at the same time so there may be some labor cost associated with other minor items.

 

[Speed3Chris]

sal thats about how long my rear tire last to.Changeing tires is a pain thats the only thing i pay to get done on my bike.If you change your own and pinch the tube you could of payed someone to change it for near the same money if they screw it up they have to fix it lol.Been there done that not worth it to me lol.

Mike when you show up at the dealer do you take the rotors off before you go? Also, does your motorcycle dealer have an automated tire machine like a tire dealer? Lastly, what kind of balancer does your dealer use?...static or spin balancer?
Thanks.

 

[Sal Paradise]

Chris,

Just so you know the tradeoff with the roadriders is supposed to be this - quicker steering, feels lighter and good adhesion, more of a twisty back road tire. Less high speed stability and tracking so less of a superslab tire.

 

[Speed3Chris]

Chris,

Just so you know the tradeoff with the roadriders is supposed to be this - quicker steering, feels lighter and good adhesion, more of a twisty back road tire. Less high speed stability and tracking so less of a superslab tire.

All what you want. High adhesion normally translates to less durable. Each has to decide which works best. For me, there is so much gravel on connecting roads where I ride, I don't get too aggressive with lean angle...only rarely so a lower stick tire works fine.
Good to have choices.

 

[GeoDiablo]

Really like those Avon Roadriders. Find an independent shop you like. Probably get a better deal on price than the big boys charge.

 

[tooblekain]

I dont know if Im coming too late for this, but I got 14,000 miles on the rear with my Avon Roadriders. The front had to be changed because someone took a knife to it. The only drawback as others have mentioned is high speed stability. Once you get around 75mph the handlebars dance a little. Compared to the headshake I feel on the track and the speeds its done at on certain turns (when the front end gets light and comes back down when at a turn or transitioning between some), it doesn't bother me at all.

 

[Sal Paradise]

Hmmm, maybe time to go ahead and get those m bars I've been thinking of. Get a little moore weight forward. Sadly, tiresunllimitedcom had to back order my tires so I wont get them til tomorrow.

tiresunlimited.com is cheap but their customer service is so so . I just called and asked for a tracking number and they told me " you'll probably have them by Friday" . Gee thanks, but can I have a tracking number? Click.

 

[mikenva]

Mike when you show up at the dealer do you take the rotors off before you go? Also, does your motorcycle dealer have an automated tire machine like a tire dealer? Lastly, what kind of balancer does your dealer use?...static or spin balancer?
Thanks.

I use a small bike shop just up the road he has a tire machine .No one here in town Ihave found can spin bal these wheels I leave the rotor on .I wouldnt let the dealer here touch another tire of mine they did one for me put it on backwards then changed it around pinched the tube I put it on the bike 30min later was flat was i pissed lol.The guy i use now only gets $25.00 to mount and bal.he gets them done quick to.

 

[Speed3Chris]

I use a small bike shop just up the road he has a tire machine .No one here in town Ihave found can spin bal these wheels I leave the rotor on .I wouldnt let the dealer here touch another tire of mine they did one for me put it on backwards then changed it around pinched the tube I put it on the bike 30min later was flat was i pissed lol.The guy i use now only gets $25.00 to mount and bal.he gets them done quick to.

Bad workmanship sucks doesn't it? Why we go to the extremes we do. Tire change guys make me nervous. ....a fricking lottery as to who works on your wheels...or who will scratch them in other words...and why I wondered if you left your rotors on. Pinching tubes with levers when putting a tire back on is pretty easy to do as well. Nobody has a spin balancer? Do they bubble balance then?