[cheezyridr]

Hello, I have an 06 900 classic with about 25k on odometer. I put out new shinko 777’s on front and back since my dunlops were worn and making my bike shake on on every turn, the bike wasn’t bouncing the way it is now. The mechanic said he balanced the tires and they’re all set. After about 60 miles on the new tires they still make my bike bouncy as hell. The bike isn’t shaking at all now feels great when turning and I am able to take my hands off the bars at any speed, but when going straight the front end seems to be bouncing up and down. Has anyone experienced this issue or any knowledge about it? I have been planning on replacing the stem bearings, or at least re-greasing them also changing the fork fluid while it’s apart. Personally I don’t think that is the issue though since it felt less bouncy with bald tires. I think maybe the front tire is the issue. Psi is 40 both tires, any input is greatly appreciated. Thank you

40 psi is way too much for the rear tire. drop it down 8-10 lbs.

 

[cheezyridr]

oh, i see now, o/p did say classic, and not custom. my fault.
i'm pretty picky when it comes to tires. i like avons or metzlers.

 

[cheezyridr]

So I was able to check out the bike today the dot numbers for the front are 3121 rear was 5021 so they’re pretty new. The front tire does have the slightest bubble in one spot. The rear looks fine, however the belt was super tight so I adjusted that to spec and we’ll see how it goes. Should I return the tire? Or just deal with it until I need new ones? This is my first bike and I am new to riding. Thanks for being patient with me! 🍻

these other guys would know best, but if it was me, i'd return it if possible. i bet that bubble is the source of your trouble

 

[cheezyridr]

tires aren't that hard to install, especially the front tire. it requires a little elbow grease, a couple spoons, a couple rim protectors, and a large C clamp. when i had a garage, i did my own tires, and make a few bucks doing tires for my buddies.

 

[cheezyridr]

generally, i would tend to favor the tire manufacturer's recommendation. they'll know the performance envelope of their tires better than kawasaki would. they absolutely sell more tires than kawi sells bikes.
that said, i would point out that the tire is your point of contact between the bike and the road. it's not the place to pinch a penny. i like metzler and avon way better than dunlops, bridgestones, or any other tire you'll find on a bike on the show room floor. you can buy "good enough" but why not buy the best?

 

[cheezyridr]

Because "best" is always subjective. Buy because you like or trust it. Not because someone says "it's the best".

ummm...no, actually, it's not subjective. in any horse race, one will cross the finish line before the others. that's objective.

the importance one bestows on the data is what's subjective.

all i can say is, i have tried alot of cruiser tires. i prefer a sticky tire that also has an acceptable level of durability, sheds water well, and conforms to tolerances in manufacturing that allow for the lowest number of defective tires to make it onto people's bikes, and is also well balanced. until the bike i have now, i did my own tires. with avons and metzlers, after properly lining up the dot, i haven't needed to add much (if any) balancing weights.
anyone who believes that the bike manufacturer uses the best available tire on a new bike is naïve.

it's america - you are free to choose whatever tire is available to you. not taking someone's advice just because they said so is a good thing. it's your butt on that seat, and you should ride with confidence after having done the research on what works best for you. in that, i agree with you 100%.

 

[cheezyridr]

What is subjective is different people WILL have different results with the same tire.
I for example hate Dunlop 404 (stock tire that comes on a lot of 900s and many other bikes. Tire it too hard for my riding style and have had it skip on me more than once in a tight curve at higher speeds and don't even get me started on sand or gravel in the road with them.
On the other hand there are riders that love them because they wear for ever before needing to be replaced.
Metslers are fantastic grippy tires but i would wear them out in 1 season the longevity wasn't worth the price for the way I ride
Shinkos are ok but there do occasionally end up bad ones out there and unfortunately a lot are sold on ebay/amazon that I'm not positive are really shinko tires. My personal feeling is that they are knock offs.
Michelins commander series are awesome grip the road well and held up way better than the metzlers did but still didn't get the mileage that was advertised for me atleast
Currently running Dunlop elite series tires, So far grip is very good equal to or maybe better than the Michelins cant say yet because I have not had the opportunity to take them on the more challenging rides i do but for the ones i have done they are at least as good. We will see about the longevity.
Each persons bike is set up differently and carries different weights. Each person rides differently and on different roads
As such different people will get completely different results from the same make and line of tires. So when i throw out a tire recommendation i can only say how that tire did for me and my bike.
Every tire company claims to be the best.
No most bike companies don't put excellent tires on their bikes out the gate. they usually put a mid range tire that's usually a little on the harder side so that for most people it will last long enough to put them out of warranty before they have any issues with it.
I takes a lot of time riding before most people start to pick up on the true differences in tire construction and some never do. they wear out a set and put the exact same kind back on because they never had any real problems with them.
Avons might be very good tires from the perspective of manufacturing but real world riding with different bikes and different riding styles will yield very different results based on what the rider wanted from the tire.
I am glad to hear that Avon has upped their game because at one time they were on the same level as shinko.

There is no one tire that fits all riders, bikes or riding styles. There is no one tire that will give you everything you want from a tire IE Super gippy, sheds water, handles exceptionally and has a long wear life. You will always sacrifice one for another to a point and the best choice is to get a tire that gives you the most of what you need. If you live in a dryer area water shedding might not be as high on your list but if you live in a wetter region it may be at the top. If you live in a city a softer tire may last a long time but if you live in a rural area where the roads are not as nice the softer tire wont last as long as it would on a city bike.

At the end of the day the tire that was awesome for you may be the worst tire ever for someone who rides in a different area or whos riding style is different.

your experience with the dunlops you mentioned in the very beginning of your post match mine exactly. when you're leaned over in a turn and the rear tire skips 6" or so, it will really tighten your pucker string!

and i also agree with the choice of tire depending on several factors too. that's why i mentioned 2 different types of tire.
metzlers are a dual compound tire. i used them on my heavier bikes, like the 1500LC i had back in 99. you got good wear on the highway, and decent grip in the corners without creating a chicken strip. i use the avons on my smaller bikes that mostly do valley cruising on twisty roads. the tall skinny front wheel on my 900c, is nearly the same as what was on my vs800. the avon tires i used on them are softer because the last thing i want is that skinny front wheel scrubbing in a turn or under braking. if the classic didn't come with spoke wheels, i would have bought that instead, entirely because of that skinny front wheel on the custom

i don't think we disagree on very much, when it all comes down to it.

 

[cheezyridr]

I like to change to Bridgestone tyres when the time comes (apart from michelin pilot road 5 that were recommended for the suzuki sv 650 I had recently and found them really good ) Bridgestone give 4 tyres for the vn900 classic,3 for a comfortable ride, and I am not sure which one to go for.

whichever one is the stickiest

 

[cheezyridr]

How would I know that ?

bite the tire. if it pulls out a filling or your dentures, that's the right one.
all kidding aside, i would ask the manufacturer, my local bike shop, scour the web for reviews.

 

[cheezyridr]

I bet there isn't a bike shop I know of that would have a clue on this ! The last time I had new tyres fitted on my last vn900 about 8 years ago, I asked for Bridgestone and they fitted Dunlop anyway !!!

i wouldn't have paid them a dime to install the wrong parts

 

[cheezyridr]

The FRAKING front tire slipped and i almost went down. GOD I HATE THESE TIRES. No reason is should have slipped.

nightmare fuel for sure! i can't think of too many things that will tighten your pucker string quicker than that. one of the things that get alot of people is the painted crosswalks and turn arrows. when wet, those things are slippery af.
i've skipped the rear tire about 8" or so on gravel and sticks in the road, even that isn't as un nerving as plowing the front.