Author Topic: Best tires? (Read 7794 times)

vames · « **on:** January 07, 2008, 06:47:08 AM »

Hi. I'm about to press the button on a purchase of some new Spitfires for my 400f. I used to run them on 76 750F and thought they were pretty good, but there were some rough moments riding through the typical New York City street with its goo, oil residue, barf, dead rats, trash truck juice, sand, steel plate street covers, potholes, dog poo, garbage, wavy pavement, cobblestone, autumn leaves, big smooth painted letters, subway grates, bridges, etc. Plus there's the pure gold that they use to pave the streets here for the immigrants!

Anyway, I know that no tire is a cure for all these things, but just want to make sure I'm getting something gummy enough. I don't put tons of miles on each year, but I do ride around almost every day that its dry. Anybody got any suggestions?

Geeto67 · « **Reply #1 on:** January 07, 2008, 07:13:30 AM »

Spitfires are a pretty good NYC tire. I had a friend with a kawasaki h1 with that tire on it and he found it was a very capable tire to ride on when he commuted in from new joisey....

Personally I run Metzler Lazertechs (replacing my ME33s) on my cb750 but I don't know if they make them in a size for the 400F. I also have used avon venoms and super venoms on cb750s and I like them too (although they are a little too sportbike-ish, the metzlers are good all-rounders). I also had a set of continental blitzes (which aren't made anymore - the TK22 is the closest thing I have found but it is a harder compound) which weren't bad and about 1/2 the cost of the metzlers.

New Yawk friggin city is no place for a set of cheng shins, Kendas, or other cheap azz tire. I had a set of CS cheapies on a DOHC I owned and I could dirt track that bike around SOHO street corners if the notion struck.

BTW - steven, is that you?

Geeto67 · « **Reply #2 on:** January 07, 2008, 10:07:27 AM »

Quote from: vames on January 07, 2008, 09:08:30 AM

For clarity - the gold pavement is not in any way a politicized statement. Just the age-old story about people in other parts of the world being told that the land of opportunity has streets paved with gold.

I think I'm going to stick with ordering the Spitfires.

And Geeto - yes, I am Steven....same Steven you're looking for?

Hey Steven (I think this is the steven I am looking for), it's Kerry. Nikki still enjoying the cj360? We gonna see your 400 back on the road soon? missed you at the javits show.

I am pretty sure that bridgestone maeks the bt45 in a size for the cb400F. If they do it is a really good tire but I have no expirence with it other than a lot of people telling me it is a really good tire.

IF you do the spitfires, are you going to do the retro thing and get them with white lettering?

rhino...
I'm from here and even I have heard the "streets are paved with gold" story....I mean why else would they put a giant golden statue (now green) holding a dictionary in the harbor? Seriously, I though it was in every 7th grade social studies textbook - right next to the phrase "melting pot".

edbikerii · « **Reply #3 on:** January 07, 2008, 10:56:38 AM »

I'm pretty sure i had the bt45s on my Seca II when I sold it. IIRC it was a great NYC tire. Biggest problem I had was that there are so few opportunities to lean in city riding that I'd wear out the tires in the center and still have lovely "chicken strips" on either side.

tsflstb · « **Reply #4 on:** January 07, 2008, 01:28:34 PM »

The dual compound BT45's are nice because they're harder in the center and stickier on the edges. They last forever on the lightweight 400's. I can't comment on their VT (vomit traction) rating.

I have a 110/90/18 on the back. Works good, but should work better when I switch it over to a wider WM3 rim I working on. I think you're the guy I sent the orignal exhaust from this bike, right?

ProTeal55 · « **Reply #5 on:** January 07, 2008, 01:41:09 PM »

Avon RoadRiders are nice and sticky...

bozo4onion · « **Reply #6 on:** January 08, 2008, 11:05:44 AM »

I wanted Spitfires. I was told at American Motorcycle Tire that Spitfires were HARD and got great mileage but kinda suck in the rain (goo,barf....etc.). They suggested (I bought) Dunlop D404. I'm looking for a good all weather tire and I hope this is it. Please no flames from Spitfire fans. Flame AMT. Good luck.

super pasty white guy · « **Reply #7 on:** January 08, 2008, 12:27:46 PM »

I've got the dunlop's on mine. Had them for 6,000 miles so far and there doesn't seem to be substantial wear. Rain riding seems to be ok, but the only thing I have to compare to are the old, hard, Kendas that were on there when I bought it.

Since the 404 is marketed more to the cruiser set, I assumed that long wear was a higher priority than stickiness. I know I've broken them loose in the rain a couple of times, and I'm not a terribly agressive rider.

dave

tmac · « **Reply #8 on:** September 05, 2010, 08:50:35 PM »

Can any of you guys suggest thoughts on the best,safest & not real expensive tires for my 78 750 ? Also Please, What the widest rear I can run safely ?? On the bike now are old cheng shins from the PO. The front is 3.25/3.50-19 & the rear is a 4.50/4.75-17. Thank You!!

754 · « **Reply #9 on:** September 05, 2010, 08:57:52 PM »

Do you mostly ride:
paved roads only

Paved & gravel

Spirited cornering

moderate cornering

mostly touring

street racing

running sidecar or pulling trailer

or other......................................

Stev-o · « **Reply #10 on:** September 05, 2010, 09:04:50 PM »

I recently bought Bridgestone Spitfires for my 550, they have received good reviews from other forum members.
Buy from Motorcycle Superstore, on sale, very reasonable and free shipping:

http://www.motorcycle-superstore.com/1/28/396/6018/ITEM/Bridgestone-S11-Spitfire-Sport-Touring-Blackwall-Rear-Tire.aspx

PS. Don't forget to replace the tube and rim strip.

tmac · « **Reply #11 on:** September 05, 2010, 09:37:56 PM »

Thanks guys I appreciate the input. I ride alone mostly. Kinda fast, Highways,city streets,long country backroads, not much gravel here. The current tires seem skinny if I may say so.

Skunk Stripe · « **Reply #12 on:** September 06, 2010, 06:05:08 AM »

A friend had a set of shinko tires that seemed really good quality so I bought some.
Series 712 I think they were. Now I dont do much high speed cornering but they have worked really well on dry and wet pavement.

Apparently, from net info, they were the molds used by yokohama before their cycle tire plant burned down.

KB02 · « **Reply #13 on:** September 06, 2010, 06:37:03 AM »

For best performance, buy a set of quality tires that are the factory recommended size for your bike. Chen Shin tires are great for getting past inspection and replacing flat with whatever the bike shop has in stock. (Not to pick - I've bought and run more than one set of Chen Shin tires on several bikes). Stock tire size should be listed on the chain guard.

Try continental TKV 11/12.
100/90-19 front
130/90-17 Rear
(according to their fitment guide)
http://www.conti-fitmentguide.com/

Stev-o · « **Reply #14 on:** September 06, 2010, 04:48:13 PM »

I'd stick with what size you have, 4.75" for the rear is not "skinny" for these bikes.

BobbyR · « **Reply #15 on:** September 06, 2010, 05:00:08 PM »

I went to the max on my K8 since it looked cool and the 78 has clearance for a wider tire. The problem is the rim was not meant for very large tires and they will develop a step on the edges which really does effect handling since you have to transition over this step to get to the side treads. You can find a thread on this topic. I went down a size which is still larger than stock, and I can throw the bike around easier. I use Battleaxes and I like them.

swellguy · « **Reply #16 on:** September 06, 2010, 08:58:07 PM »

Dunlop K70s:

Still made today.

AnthonyMichael · « **Reply #17 on:** December 13, 2010, 10:44:38 PM »

Was about to get the same tires I previously had on my bike but figured I'd ask here to see if there's something out there I might be missing or will be a better addition to my project. Doing a complete cafe overhaul on my CB750K8 (thread HERE), using stock rim sizes front and rear (1.85) x 19" and (2.50) x 17"

Retro Rocket · « **Reply #18 on:** December 13, 2010, 10:49:04 PM »

I went on google last night and looked up all the tyre manufacturers, found what interested me and then went back to google and searched reviews for the tyres i was interested in...worked for me and i found the tyres i will be buying. Simple as that..

Mick

fatmatt650 · « **Reply #19 on:** December 13, 2010, 10:57:02 PM »

http://www.bikebandit.com/bridgestone-battlax-bt45-motorcycle-tire

Continental BT45's. Nuff said.

AnthonyMichael · « **Reply #20 on:** December 13, 2010, 11:01:34 PM »

Sounds good.

Hey Mick, my buddy who helped start this cafe project with me is actually from Brisbane. He had to go back, he's a VW nut named Brent, small town, I'm sure you've crossed paths at some point.

AnthonyMichael · « **Reply #21 on:** December 13, 2010, 11:10:25 PM »

I actually don't know what the numbers stand for. Instead of just ordering, I'd finally like to understand what I'm ordering and what the numbers mean. Can someone help me out?

For instance, my last tire read: 100/90 H 19

I'm guessing that the 19 is the rim size. But I notice on the site it lists the letters H or V and if I go to buy the 100/90 they only have "V" listed.

Thanks for the help so far.

Retro Rocket · « **Reply #22 on:** December 13, 2010, 11:21:08 PM »

Quote from: AnthonyMichael on December 13, 2010, 11:01:34 PM

Sounds good.

Hey Mick, my buddy who helped start this cafe project with me is actually from Brisbane. He had to go back, he's a VW nut named Brent, small town, I'm sure you've crossed paths at some point.

if you call a couple of million people a "small town" ...

I am in a bayside suburb just outside of Brisbane called Wellington Point...

Mick

AnthonyMichael · « **Reply #23 on:** December 13, 2010, 11:56:33 PM »

sorry sorry. I went to Brisbane two years ago direct from NYC, I guess anything seems like a small town if you're from NY. I had a good time there though.

dave500 · « **Reply #24 on:** December 14, 2010, 02:22:30 AM »

so what tyres have you chosen retro?i like battlax and spitfires,ill probably put them on the new build aswell,if you liked the previous tyres you used anthonymicheal you might like them again,riding style and distance is a consideration though.

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Author Topic: Best tires? (Read 7794 times)