Topic: dunlop k81s and k70s

[evinrude7]

anyone have input on these tires?  k81s on both or k81 on back and k70 on the front.  i'm not an aggressive rider.  generally stay out of the rain but it happens. 

[Don R]

 I put them on my K0 several years ago, barely wore the nubs off though. No problems at all K81 on back K70 on front. The pointy tread on one of them tends to change the lean in a little according to experts. I never noticed.

[martin99]

No experience of that particular combination, but putting a K70 on the rear of my old Norton turned it into a death-trap (I know Terry, they were probably all like that ). The compound is hard and unforgiving imo, actually making it a better tyre in the wet than on a dry road where it would slide over any dusty bits. Changed it for an Avon and have got a bike I can be confident on again.

[USMC5811]

No experience of that particular combination, but putting a K70 on the rear of my old Norton turned it into a death-trap (I know Terry, they were probably all like that ). The compound is hard and unforgiving imo, actually making it a better tyre in the wet than on a dry road where it would slide over any dusty bits. Changed it for an Avon and have got a bike I can be confident on again.

Which Avons?


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[PeWe]

Why Dunlop K81 on a CB750? I can understand on an old English bike just for the look and nostalgia.
If you like the old style Metzeler ME77 rear.
This combo too: https://www.continental-tires.com/motorcycle/tires/motorcycle-tires/sport-classic/rb2-k112

Avon Roadrider AM26 is often recommended here. I'll test them next time.
Now using Dunlop Arrowmax Streetsmart
Other recommendations for several years is Bridgestone Battlax BT45.

I have used dimensions 100/90-19, 120/90-18 on original rims. I'll go back to original dimensions 3.25-19 and 4.0-18.

My rear 120/90-18 became flat really quick, before 5000km. Lets see how the 4.0-18 will behave. The latter is H tire and 120 is V. I'll know if the H will be slightly harder and work longer with good enough handling. I have ordered a new rear which will arrive on Monday.

[evinrude7]

Why Dunlop K81 on a CB750? I can understand on an old English bike just for the look and nostalgia.
If you like the old style Metzeler ME77 rear.
This combo too: https://www.continental-tires.com/motorcycle/tires/motorcycle-tires/sport-classic/rb2-k112

my uncle was a big rider of honda 750s since 69 and thru to the 80s.  he always used k81s and swears by them.  that was his recommendation.  it's not necessarily for the look but i see these "modern tires" and think man there is no tread on those.  currently i have dunlop d404 110/90-18 on the rear and kenda challenger 100/90-19 on the front.  i'm fairly happy with the 404.  it has decent tread left.  the kenda is fairly worn.  noticed a bit of front end slipping in corners with washout gravel. 

[TwoTired]

The latter is H tire and 120 is V. I'll know if the H will be slightly harder and work longer with good enough handling. I have ordered a new rear which will arrive on Monday.

I don't see why you'd need a tire with a higher than H rating.  You only lose one rating step by installing a tube.

[martin99]

No experience of that particular combination, but putting a K70 on the rear of my old Norton turned it into a death-trap (I know Terry, they were probably all like that ). The compound is hard and unforgiving imo, actually making it a better tyre in the wet than on a dry road where it would slide over any dusty bits. Changed it for an Avon and have got a bike I can be confident on again.

Which Avons?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Speedmaster Mk 11. 'Period correct' but modern compound. I run BT45s on the CB, but I'll prolly change them for Avons when they need replacing.

Funny, all this debate about tyres, the best ones I ever had were Pirelli Phantoms, stuck like sh1t to a blanket, but that was years ago and I don't think you can get them anymore. 'Latest' is not always 'best' imo. 

[tlbranth]

I wanted to put Bridgestone Spitfires on my 750 but 2tired talked me out of it. I have them on my GL1000 and like them - Randakk gives them a high mileage salute which is what I wanted. One of the problems I had was getting the front tire to seat. It was the first time in over 50 years I couldn't get the bugger to seat. Took it to a bike shop and a snot-nosed teenager seated it in a couple of minutes. "How'dya do it?" "Just put air in 'til it popped". "How much air was that?" "Oh a coupla hundred psi or so maybe....I dunno". Anyhow, the new tire sizes aren't quite a match, I'd guess. So I revert back to K70's. Poor, poor mileage. I'm too old to know if they handle well or not - not sure I ever knew. But the old Brit bikes had K70's on them. I'm a Brit. And even though the old Brit bikes couldn't go 'round the corner without needing a top-end rebuild, they looked like a bike should. And a CB750 with K70's on it looks like a bike should.

[HondaMan]

I rode on Brit Dunlop K81 until they were discontinued: my most favorite tire for this bike.
But...
the K81 today is not a true trigonometric: it is a standard metric carcass with the K81 tread pattern on top. The "real" K81 was a roadrace tire, putting a larger footprint on the ground during lean than when straight up. It rode light as a feather and was completely predictable and tunable for the load you were carrying: I finally did discover (after getting married) that I could not put enough air PSI into it to carry 2 riders with all her stuff...then I switched to Avon's Roadriders to preserve some of the lighter feel and PSI tunability, but can carry her and her stuff.

DON'T mix a square-tread Brit bike tire (like the K70) with a V-profile tire like the K81. This will cause shifting caster angles when going down into, and up out of, corners, making the bike seem like it has joined the "other side". The K70 is a very poor choice for a bike with lean angle capability like the CB750. It is for mostly upright riding. Of course, if that is how you ride, it could be a good thing?

[evinrude7]

I rode on Brit Dunlop K81 until they were discontinued: my most favorite tire for this bike.
But...
the K81 today is not a true trigonometric: it is a standard metric carcass with the K81 tread pattern on top. The "real" K81 was a roadrace tire, putting a larger footprint on the ground during lean than when straight up. It rode light as a feather and was completely predictable and tunable for the load you were carrying: I finally did discover (after getting married) that I could not put enough air PSI into it to carry 2 riders with all her stuff...then I switched to Avon's Roadriders to preserve some of the lighter feel and PSI tunability, but can carry her and her stuff.

DON'T mix a square-tread Brit bike tire (like the K70) with a V-profile tire like the K81. This will cause shifting caster angles when going down into, and up out of, corners, making the bike seem like it has joined the "other side". The K70 is a very poor choice for a bike with lean angle capability like the CB750. It is for mostly upright riding. Of course, if that is how you ride, it could be a good thing?

what's your recommendation for a cb750k6?

[Nic]

I have K81s on my K2 and my Z900, have no dramas with them and they are about the cheapest I can get here, I even bought a Shinko  but it turned out to be more expensive than the K81s. The Shinko rear, I ordered 110x18 but it looks easily as wide as a 120 so I haven't put it on either bike. The K81s I have 360x19 on both fronts and 425 85 18 on rear. 120mm on rear is too wide IMO and I reckon it slows the handling a bit as well.

[Bodi]

I rode K81 front and rear tires through the 70s and agree with HM. Sweet tires, very tunable with pressure adjustment, not good for cruising as they would flat-top. But it was mostly back road carving back then for me. A friend went cross continent on them and had me try to fix the horrible handling when he returned, just the squared off tread but it was scary in corners.
Nowadays there are very good cheapish tires available with the period tread. Rarely in stock though... 18" is an uncommon size now.
Probably the best tires I had were the Phantoms... nla in our sizing.
On Dunlop now - D404/D404F - oversize but the OEM size ones are unavailable in almost all "name" brands and the asian ones "out of stock, expected in September" ... could do direct ship from the orient via  Amazon or Aliexpress but I prefer to support my local dealers.
I am much less aggressive in corners now. Old bones heal so slowly.

[motoduck]

Having been around back in the day, I used K81's on all my bikes. For club level roadracing and every day use.
Never had any issues! And was not afraid to go into a corner hard in the rain!
Wouldn't do that on a K70!

[HondaMan]

I rode on Brit Dunlop K81 until they were discontinued: my most favorite tire for this bike.
But...
the K81 today is not a true trigonometric: it is a standard metric carcass with the K81 tread pattern on top. The "real" K81 was a roadrace tire, putting a larger footprint on the ground during lean than when straight up. It rode light as a feather and was completely predictable and tunable for the load you were carrying: I finally did discover (after getting married) that I could not put enough air PSI into it to carry 2 riders with all her stuff...then I switched to Avon's Roadriders to preserve some of the lighter feel and PSI tunability, but can carry her and her stuff.

DON'T mix a square-tread Brit bike tire (like the K70) with a V-profile tire like the K81. This will cause shifting caster angles when going down into, and up out of, corners, making the bike seem like it has joined the "other side". The K70 is a very poor choice for a bike with lean angle capability like the CB750. It is for mostly upright riding. Of course, if that is how you ride, it could be a good thing?

what's your recommendation for a cb750k6?

I currently have just one personal favorite (although this has something to do with living in the Rockies -   ), which is the Avon AM26 Roadriders. Their lean angle matches the CB750 chassis and they grip almost as well as their (now gone) RoadRunner. If you're not a hotshoe, the European Continental Twins are also very good (avoid the Chinese-made "Conti" twins, a cheap knockoff that isn't even round...). On these, they have "drift bars" at the edge of the lean angle that warn you when approaching those limits, by letting the whole bike drift off toward the outside of the turn. Somehow this makes sense to flatland Euro riders, but here that action might be lethal? Aside from that quirk, they are terrific touring tires, even with heavy loads.

The old-style RoadRunner was replaced with something else of the same name: I was sorely disappointed when I bought THAT tire a few years ago when my old one was done.

[Stev-o]

I rode on Brit Dunlop K81 until they were discontinued: my most favorite tire for this bike.
But...
the K81 today is not a true trigonometric: it is a standard metric carcass with the K81 tread pattern on top. The "real" K81 was a roadrace tire, putting a larger footprint on the ground during lean than when straight up. It rode light as a feather and was completely predictable and tunable for the load you were carrying: I finally did discover (after getting married) that I could not put enough air PSI into it to carry 2 riders with all her stuff...then I switched to Avon's Roadriders to preserve some of the lighter feel and PSI tunability, but can carry her and her stuff.

DON'T mix a square-tread Brit bike tire (like the K70) with a V-profile tire like the K81. This will cause shifting caster angles when going down into, and up out of, corners, making the bike seem like it has joined the "other side". The K70 is a very poor choice for a bike with lean angle capability like the CB750. It is for mostly upright riding. Of course, if that is how you ride, it could be a good thing?

If you're not a hotshoe, the European Continental Twins are also very good (avoid the Chinese-made "Conti" twins, a cheap knockoff that isn't even round...).

Good info on the Conti's, HM.  Unfortunately, I found out the hard way on my Kawasaki H2. The front tire is made in Britain and the rear is Korean. Was so disappointed when I received that rear...

[evinrude7]

I rode on Brit Dunlop K81 until they were discontinued: my most favorite tire for this bike.
But...
the K81 today is not a true trigonometric: it is a standard metric carcass with the K81 tread pattern on top. The "real" K81 was a roadrace tire, putting a larger footprint on the ground during lean than when straight up. It rode light as a feather and was completely predictable and tunable for the load you were carrying: I finally did discover (after getting married) that I could not put enough air PSI into it to carry 2 riders with all her stuff...then I switched to Avon's Roadriders to preserve some of the lighter feel and PSI tunability, but can carry her and her stuff.

DON'T mix a square-tread Brit bike tire (like the K70) with a V-profile tire like the K81. This will cause shifting caster angles when going down into, and up out of, corners, making the bike seem like it has joined the "other side". The K70 is a very poor choice for a bike with lean angle capability like the CB750. It is for mostly upright riding. Of course, if that is how you ride, it could be a good thing?

what's your recommendation for a cb750k6?

I currently have just one personal favorite (although this has something to do with living in the Rockies -   ), which is the Avon AM26 Roadriders. Their lean angle matches the CB750 chassis and they grip almost as well as their (now gone) Roadmaster. If you're not a hotshoe, the European Continental Twins are also very good (avoid the Chinese-made "Conti" twins, a cheap knockoff that isn't even round...). On these, they have "drift bars" at the edge of the lean angle that warn you when approaching those limits, by letting the whole bike drift off toward the outside of the turn. Somehow this makes sense to flatland Euro riders, but here that action might be lethal? Aside from that quirk, they are terrific touring tires, even with heavy loads.

The old-style Roadmaster was replaced with something else of the same name: I was sorely disappointed when I bought THAT tire a few years ago when my old one was done.

the conti twins look decent.  the ribbed center on the front tire sorta turns me off from it.  anyone have any problems with that such as on grooved pavement? 

[TwoTired]

the conti twins look decent.  the ribbed center on the front tire sorta turns me off from it.  anyone have any problems with that such as on grooved pavement?

The ribbed front Conti tires will make the bike "wiggle" on grooved roads.  It is "worrying" when first encountered.  But, it never develops beyond a wiggle, in my experience.  Bike still goes where you point it.  It's has never been dangerous, unless you panic.  If you are alert for road surface issues, you simply ride it out.
I wouldn't want to road race with that tire pattern, mind you.   But, continentals were the longest wearing tire I ever had on the CB550.  Very good in the rain/wet pavement, too.

It does give the same feeling as when a tire just starts to go down, and you go "what the..."  Some of the metal bridges are the worst.

Are you avoiding Metzeler tires for a reason.  They've been my first choice since I tried them.

Cheers,

[ofreen]

x

Are you avoiding Metzeler tires for a reason.  They've been my first choice since I tried them.

+1.  My choice for the last couple of decades on the 750 has been the ME33 (now Lazertec) and the now defunct ME88.
The ME88 was in a class by itself for a bias ply rear for mileage with great stick. It worked great in rain and wasn't bad in snow. The ME88 was good for 15,000+ running tubes. Metzeler now offers the Sportec Klassics in the correct sizes, but I haven't been able to find reviews on real world mileage for the rear.  The Lazertec rear (formerly ME55) is good for maybe 5000.

[evinrude7]

the conti twins look decent.  the ribbed center on the front tire sorta turns me off from it.  anyone have any problems with that such as on grooved pavement?

The ribbed front Conti tires will make the bike "wiggle" on grooved roads.  It is "worrying" when first encountered.  But, it never develops beyond a wiggle, in my experience.  Bike still goes where you point it.  It's has never been dangerous, unless you panic.  If you are alert for road surface issues, you simply ride it out.
I wouldn't want to road race with that tire pattern, mind you.   But, continentals were the longest wearing tire I ever had on the CB550.  Very good in the rain/wet pavement, too.

It does give the same feeling as when a tire just starts to go down, and you go "what the..."  Some of the metal bridges are the worst.

Are you avoiding Metzeler tires for a reason.  They've been my first choice since I tried them.

Cheers,

no reason.  can you run these with tubes?  http://www.metzeler.com/site/us/products/tyres-catalogue/Lasertec.html?version=1159135

[Stev-o]

the conti twins look decent.  the ribbed center on the front tire sorta turns me off from it.  anyone have any problems with that such as on grooved pavement?

The ribbed front Conti tires will make the bike "wiggle" on grooved roads.  It is "worrying" when first encountered.  But, it never develops beyond a wiggle, in my experience.  Bike still goes where you point it.  It's has never been dangerous, unless you panic.  If you are alert for road surface issues, you simply ride it out.
I wouldn't want to road race with that tire pattern, mind you.   But, continentals were the longest wearing tire I ever had on the CB550.  Very good in the rain/wet pavement, too.

It does give the same feeling as when a tire just starts to go down, and you go "what the..."  Some of the metal bridges are the worst.

Are you avoiding Metzeler tires for a reason.  They've been my first choice since I tried them.

Cheers,

no reason.  can you run these with tubes?  http://www.metzeler.com/site/us/products/tyres-catalogue/Lasertec.html?version=1159135

Is that tire available in the U.S.?  Is yes, where??

https://japan.webike.net/products/20371925.html

[evinrude7]

good point. 

[evinrude7]

the conti twins look decent.  the ribbed center on the front tire sorta turns me off from it.  anyone have any problems with that such as on grooved pavement?

The ribbed front Conti tires will make the bike "wiggle" on grooved roads.  It is "worrying" when first encountered.  But, it never develops beyond a wiggle, in my experience.  Bike still goes where you point it.  It's has never been dangerous, unless you panic.  If you are alert for road surface issues, you simply ride it out.
I wouldn't want to road race with that tire pattern, mind you.   But, continentals were the longest wearing tire I ever had on the CB550.  Very good in the rain/wet pavement, too.

It does give the same feeling as when a tire just starts to go down, and you go "what the..."  Some of the metal bridges are the worst.

Are you avoiding Metzeler tires for a reason.  They've been my first choice since I tried them.

Cheers,

no reason.  can you run these with tubes?  http://www.metzeler.com/site/us/products/tyres-catalogue/Lasertec.html?version=1159135

Is that tire available in the U.S.?  Is yes, where??

https://japan.webike.net/products/20371925.html

http://www.jpcycles.com/search/search?Ntt=lasertec+front

[grcamna2]

subscribed

[TwoTired]

Metzeler tires are available in the US.
Yes, they can be run with tubes.

I see that Bike Bandit lists both the Lazertec, Front and rear ( I think the rear is the same tire they called the ME55 earlier).  Also, have the ME77 rear, which will likely to last longer.  I really like the Latertec front and ME77 rear I have set up on my 550s and 750s.

They are available in the correct inches sizes  3.25 x 19 front.  And 4.00 x 18 Rear.
Your local Motorcycle tire dealer, can order these for you if you specify, and ignore their steerage to a different tire or metric size that happen to have in stock.

If they refuse.  Count your blessings and go to another dealer.  But, my dealer has always gotten the proper tire in at most two days.  Worth the wait, imo.

http://www.bikebandit.com/tires-tubes/motorcycle-tires/metzeler-lasertec-motorcycle-tire
http://www.bikebandit.com/tires-tubes/motorcycle-tires/metzeler-me-77-motorcycle-tire