Good low cost tires Kenda, Chen Shin, IRC, Maxxis?

[grizld1]

Hey Tom, I ran through a couple of pairs of Super Vens on the XS, until Avon stopped making them--worked great on clean pavement, not as great on surfaces where they had to bite through a little grit though. When there was still enough gravel around here to justify them I used to use Avon Gripsters on a second set of wheels. Those things stick to pavement like Velcro, and they're just fantastic on gravel and dirt roads.

[jetmechmarty]

Grizld1,

Since you have ridden with me, you have a good idea about my riding style. I'm running the same tire on my XS1100 and my XS650. It feels great on both bikes even though they are vastly different. That tire is the GT501. I felt it improved both bikes and has pretty good longevity on the XS650.

I put a new Bridgestone Spitfire S11 on the back of the XS1100 before our rallies last fall. I did it because I had one and the Dunlop was on backorder. It seemed to work very well and was half as much money as the Dunlop. I did notice my license plate covered in black tire dust after two weekends in the Appalachians. I took the tire off and put it on my daughter's XS650.

[justin]

my bike came with dunlop 404's, corners well for my limited riding experience. didnt feel real comfortable with them in the rain, put 2200 miles on them and they seemed to have wore significantly in that time. ill get another season out of them and they are a softer/ish compound. white lines and tar snakes in the summer i try to avoid.

[xcbullet]

I am also getting new tires before hitting the streets this year.Have a spitfire on the back & ching shin up front, drove it in a down poor at the end of the season & it was awesome ,thats with not much tread left on the rear.

Was planing on getting the donlap 404,s but almost thinking about sticking with the spitfire if they are a sticker tire.

[grizld1]

Hey Marty,
Yep, I've heard good things about the GT501's but can't use 'em--no 100-18 fronts, no 110-18 rears (could run a 120, prefer not to).

Indeed I know your riding style. At the last Rendezvous we were all trying to get your attention to let you know that cutting all those lock-to-lock powerslides on the asphalt wasn't going to be real good for those tires, but I guess you didn't notice because you were having too much fun, or maybe because Robin was screaming with joy and pounding on your helmet to encourage you. Thought we'd seen the last of you when you nipped into that turnout for some gravel, roostered that Tennessee trooper's cruiser, and lit out south toward Deal's Gap; glad you decided to wait for us in Franklin.

[Fry]

Looks like I just nee to get my tax money and buy the Spitfires before Biker Bandit raises there prices like Dennis Kirk did.

[Fry]

I just finished doing my taxes and logged in here and received a pm from Jetmechmarty telling me to try www.chaparral-racing.com/ and there tire prices seem to be within $2-3 of Biker Bandit and they have free shipping on tire order's over $100 ;D. Looks like I'll make it in under $130 like I was hoping to after all ;D.

[orforester]

I ordered a set of Kenda Kruz, like Woodman, I got too many bikes to put lots of miles on them, but I certainly ride in the rain and I like them, but I don't scap pegs. like Woodman, I am old!

I bought mine from Tires unlimited, I think if you decide what you want order off internet, way cheaper, as long as you know what you want. I used a set of Connies years ago and really loved them, can't remember the number K88's or something like that. They were great! kenda's are pretty good though and cheap, like $55.

[Fry]

Well it looks like I'll be moving so I'll be driving 20miles to work instead of 3 so I'll really start putting some miles on the bike this year. Although I'll probably loose my who cares if it might rain after work it's a short ride home attitude . The plus side is that the new house has a garage so my bike will stop sitting in the rain. Well I guess I'll stop my rambling because this thread is getting really long.

[grepper]

Well, I have limited riding experience myself and am defiantly not an aggressive rider.

For my bobber I put on Chen Shin HiMax tires. I liked the tread pattern, figured I wouldn't be putting a ton of miles on the bike, I've read good thing about them, and I'm a cheap-skate. Anyway, I really like them so far, they are pretty sticky.

For my commuter bike, I've been shopping for new tires. I put a lot of miles on this bike... I'm thinking about Dunlop D404s because of thier longer life and OK price. Currently, it has a set of ageing Dunlop Qualifiers. The thing that really bugs me about the Qualifiers is that the front has a rib down the center. When I've ridden on the freeway where there are groves cut into the concrete, the bike wants to follow the groves. Drives me nuts! I noticed the Spitfires have the same rib down the middle.

[aberfitch82]

I'm currently shopping around for tires as well. I've come across a Shinko 777 Whitewall Rear Tire 130/90H-16 I really like, but I'm unsure as to if it will fit my bike. I read somewhere on here someone was running 130 on the rear and it was fine so unless someone speaks up and says its a bad idea I'll order them at the end of the week. Oh one other thing its a tubeless tire, do I have to run tubeless or can I still stick a tube in there?

www.motorcycle-superstore.com/3/31/402/19719/ITEM/Shinko-777-Whitewall-Rear-Tire.aspx


I'm also trying to find a front tire as well but they only have it in the same measurement. I would like the front to be slightly smaller but well see what happens.

[steelburner]

That's the correct size -- 130/90 - 16 -- for a stock XS-650 rear wheel. It's mandatory to put a tube-and-band arrangement into a tubeless tire to run it on a spoked wheel or on a non-tubeless cast mag wheel. (Tubeless cast wheels have the word "Tubeless" on the side walls of the rim). The gurus on this forum tell me that putting a tube in a tubeless tire reduces your speed rating by one letter -- say, from "H" to "G" -- because of friction between tube and tire.

The stock front tire size is 100/90 (3.50”) x 19.

Hope this helps.

[aberfitch82]

Thank you Steelburner.. Your information was very helpful.

[Fry]

I finally got my bike back together with it's shiny knew Bridgstone Spitfire's (that I mounted and balanced my self, it's not that hard) and it was nice and warm today and I couldn't be happier with how the bike handles. I'll be sure to report back in a couple hundreder miles with an update on how things are once everything is broke in.

[xsbradga]

I would recommend either the Bridgestone S11s or Avon AM26s. I have used both and have been very pleased.