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Tire time again

4K views 10 replies 9 participants last post by  Chicago_Cheech 
#1 ·
I really like the look of the wide whitewalls on my bike. It's tire time again and looking for another set. The three I am looking at are Bridgestone Exedra, Metzeler ME888's and I am looking at the Shinko 777. I have Dunlop American Elite's on there now. Those Dunlops have 9,000 miles on them. They don't have a ton of wear but they now ride like stones and I dont' trust them unless the road is dry and straight. I do not want another set of those.

I've had the Metzlers before, on a bike I sold a few years ago. They were great and I assume they still are. I never got enough mileage on the Metzlers to see how long they last.

Any one have any experience with the Exedra's or the Shinko's?
 

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#2 ·
I just put the Shinko 777 WW on my classic, they are a nice looking tire. I can't comment on the as I've only put about 50 miles on them. They do handle well and aren't as noisy as the Bridgestone Exedra I had on before. The price is right as well. It's still winter here in Maine so time will tell.
 
#3 ·
I got 6000 miles from Bridgestone Excedras but should have replaced at 5000. The ride and handling were okay but I ride to much to change tires every 5k.

Replaced those with Dunlop Elite 3's in a 180/70HR16 and had over 9k before getting a large puncture on the rear (unrepairable) it still had usable tread. Handling was a little wishy washy at first but adding a few PSI helped but they didn't handle as nice as the Bridgestones. The extra width may have been a factor.

Replaced those with Dunlop Elite 4's in a 160/80B16 and have over 6k on them so far. The bike has never felt better. Cornering is a breeze and I've never felt more confident leaning into a turn. As they've worn they have more of a tendency to follow cracks in the road. Not a deal breaker but I certainly wouldn't miss that characteristic.

Those will be replaced with Metzler 888's. Unless Michelin starts making the Commander II's in 170/70-16.

All the front tires were 130/90B16.
 
#5 ·
...Those will be replaced with Metzler 888's. Unless Michelin starts making the Commander II's in 170/70-16...
Nothing wrong with the Commander II in a 180 on the rear instead of the 170. I forgot that 170 was the OEM size entirely until you mentioned it just now... I have a Metzeler 888 180/65 on the rear at the moment, after a Michelin CII 180/65 that went before it. No real reason for the change in brands except to try it out, and it was cheaper on the day I went into negotiations with the dealer.

Little difference in the wear of each of them either as well, really. Both brands scalloped badly in the back tire after I let them go a little low pressure accidentally. I've shouted myself a TPMS system in an effort to avoid that obvious weakness of mine in future.

Almost 14k miles on the rear, 18.5k miles on the front Michelin - only 7.5k miles on the rear, 3.7k miles on the front of the Metzeler's so far, plenty of tread left, but scalloped on the rear, front pristine.
 
#4 · (Edited)
I've got ME888's front and back of my Voyager. I am on the second tire on the rear now and still using the first front. I got about 14,000 miles out of the rear but I wore that thing out for sure (see picture right before changing). Still, however, about 8K of the 14K was either one up and fully loaded or two up. The front is still going with 17,000 on it but it is starting to wear and I will likely change it in the next 1-2k miles or so. The handling of the bike is superb and grippy in the corners. In the wet, they shed water and inspire confidence with no concerns on the highway but I still take it easy in the turns. I keep these tires at ~40psi. I use stock tire sizes 130/90 R16 and 170/70 R16.

I really have nothing bad to say about them. They cost a little more but its probably one of the longer lasting tires you can put on a bike short of using a car tire and I am not into that (nothing against those who are, just not for me).

I have heard great things in terms of high mileage about the Dunlop Elite 4's which I believe are comparable in price to the ME888's.

On a VN1700 Classic you'll probably well exceed the mileage numbers I got with the ME888's.
 

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#6 ·
I'm om my second set of shinko whitewall tires for my 1600 nomad and i will get about 7000 on the rear and double on the front. I don't wear them down past the wear bars and usually change them a little before that. I always ride 2 up so add that to the wear factor and as for riding in the rain i have complete confidence in them I've been caught in the rain a few times fully loaded pulling a trailer. One time i hit a turn in the road i was not prepared for pulling the trailer and the rain was coming down so hard it was bouncing on the road, leaned into it and said to myself this is it, were going down, but we didn't. I pulled over under a gas station canopy within the next quarter mile and waited it out and also calmed my nerves. That ride is now in the classified adds with the white walls on it.
 
#7 ·
Hey, I just replaced my original Bridgestone's only got 5500 out of the rear front still had plenty of tread but changed it anyway. I put on a set of Michelin commander II's on read a lot of good things about them mainly they seem to last a long time. I have about 500 miles on them now and so far very pleased with them if they ride like this and I get the mileage everyone talks about anywhere between 14k to 24k miles depending on your ridding style I will put them on again.

Down side
You do have to use a wider tire in the back the 180/65/16 instead of the stock 170/70/16 but it seems to have no effect on the bike and they don't make it in a whitewall (I don't think)

Up side
they ride really well good traction and from what everyone says good longevity

I also tried for the first time the Counteract Balancing beads and I am very pleased with the results
 
#11 ·
Down side
You do have to use a wider tire in the back the 180/65/16 instead of the stock 170/70/16 but it seems to have no effect on the bike and they don't make it in a whitewall (I don't think)
Nope, the Michelin Commanders don't come in wide white. I really like the look of the ww's on my bike.
 
#8 ·
. One time i hit a turn in the road i was not prepared for pulling the trailer and the rain was coming down so hard it was bouncing on the road, leaned into it and said to myself this is it, were going down, but we didn't. I pulled over under a gas station canopy within the next quarter mile and waited it out and also calmed my nerves. That ride is now in the classified adds with the white walls on it.[/QUOTE]
Why sounds like a solid ride.:nerd:
 
#10 ·
I had the Metzeler ME888 on the rear for about 1500 miles and ran over something sharp, that I never found by the way.
Read good reviews on the Avon Cobra and bought that in a 180/65 and it came with a 1 year warranty and a 1 year road hazard warranty free of charge.
A bit cheaper too...
Really like it so far, got about 5k on it.
One thing I noticed with the ME888 was it's a pretty hard compound and it broke loose a few times in aggressive riding.
Mainly when I got on it hard while turning onto a highway from a side road...
A little disconcerting...
The Cobra hasn't done that at all, same roads and same highways...
The liked the ride better on the ME888 though...
More comfortable on harsh bumps...


Ride On !!!
Luckymann77
 
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