Topic: CHENG SHIN Tires

[Terry in Australia]

No worries mate, I'm sure the CS will be fine, but I do like the BT45's, I've got them on four of my bikes now, and I'd never use anything else!

[dpen]

Yeah, I even had BT45s on the FJ1200 & they handled that horsepower & weight well, you never know, the chinese crap may turn out ok

[Aaron J Williams]

Well as much as I've talked up Cheng Shing tyres Dave, I prefer BT45's to anything else I've used, so if I was you, I'd rather spend the extra 60 bucks and know that I'm gonna get 10,000 (plus) klicks out of them. Cheers, Terry.

I love my battleaxes on my V65 Magna. I once rode a wheelie leaning around a corner heading out to the highway and my back tire never even chirped or lost traction. I have also installed Chen Shings on lesser bikes that don't get thrashed and had no problems. I would not run them on the V65 or my Goldwing but I have put them on my CB750s before with no worries.

[Ichiban 4]

Sorry..but I just have to post again on this subject..

Don't know why there's so much "traffic" on this thread about Chang Shin Tires.  Regardless of what's been said here..there basically ST.  And the only reason to use them is price..or cheapo on tires costs.

The only strong arguments in favor of Chang Shin tires on this thread have been those with some sort of personal or proprietary interests.  That should tell you something right there.  The others posting on this subject seem to me to simply not know.

Skip the Chang Shins..let the Taiwanese get their quality control comparable to most other tire manufacturers..and buy something that is safer and more predictable in terms of quality control and materials. 

That's my two-cents worth.

Ichi

P.S. I love the Taiwanese, Chinese and Japanese (my wife's the latter)..but I don't have to recommend sub-standard products..which I feel Chang Shins are.

[Terry in Australia]

The only strong arguments in favor of Chang Shin tires on this thread have been those with some sort of personal or proprietary interests.  That should tell you something right there.  The others posting on this subject seem to me to simply not know.

What crap. "Name names" mate, if you've got the balls, who here has "Personal or proprietary interests"? I don't work for Cheng Shin and don't have any fitted on any of my bikes at the moment, and my cousin sold his shop nearly 20 years ago, so who else here is somehow "benefiting" from talking them up? And everyone else here who doesn't agree with your opinion don't know what they're talking about? How convenient for you.................. 

[jbailey]

I don't make any money from Cheng Shin (which is the correct spelling).  I SAVE money by using them.  Most people who have negative opinions on them have never tried them.  I'm not saying they are the best tire out there, but they will do just fine for the way most people ride.

I remember a few years back, an ignorant friend of mine would not use them cheap Bridgestones.  Looking back, he was wrong.

[Geeto67]

I used cheng shins and I have had a negative expirence. There are others.

This thread needs to die.

I am sure there are good cheng shin tires made, but there are plenty of bad ones too. The over-arching issue seems to be with quality control. It isn't limited to motorcycles, When I worked for vespa we installed a ton of cheap cheng shin tires on those tiny wheels. About 1/2 of those customers would come back complaining of a greasy feel on the tires and replace them with zippys or something not as cheap.

I am not telling people to spend unnecessary money - as long as you know that you probably have about a 50/50 shot of getting a good tire, hey it's your arse at the end of the day anyway.  I really don't recommend them to anybody, but as long as you know what you are getting into - everybody is a big boy (or girl around here) and responsible for their own decisions. 

Any bike I knew I was going to flip and needed tires I have installed Cheng Shins on. I don't buy them for personal bikes and try really hard not to ride on them but I figure they are better than dry rotted whatevers that were on the bike before. I consider it hipster population control.....(ok I am just kidding about that last part). Whenever I look at a bike to buy and notice it has CS tires on it I do grill the owner about it to see if he or she is up to no good. 

I would just like to point out that you really don't have 6-7 page threads complaining about bt45s, lazertechs, venoms, etc.....you know quality tires.

[aptech77]

^ EXACTLY!!!!

[nsargeant]

not to keep the thread going but I noticed that bridgestone spitfires are only $5.00 more then the cheng shin high max.  It got nothing but good reviews in bikebandit and I  think the tread would look good on a vintage honda.  Probably be the next tire I buy for my 550.
nathan

[Klark Kent]

I don't agree with the assumption that because a thread goes 6 pages, it denotes a negative.  this thread has turned negative, but it can continue to be a source of IMPARTIAL (really.  who were you talking about Ichi?) discussion.  well, i must admit I had something to gain tonight coming home from a gig in DC in a downpour.  The Cheng front was confident and the equally budget irc durotour in the rear held its (and my) own.  In these six long pages, I have yet to read a personal horror storyt hat isnt a) about the tires you bought the bike with or b) a second hand account of someone else who went down or simply had that dreaded greasy feeling.  I think a lot of that greasy feel is an inexperienced rider (vespa customer) transfering a lack of confidence in general to the tires.  in other words its in their heads.  all the recommendations are from folks who bought them new

I am living proof. 

disclaimer:  those chens on the "good runner" you just bought off craigslist with "plenty of tread," do need replacing, but a new set of chens will likely keep you as safe as the spitfires.  check your tires regularly for dry rot nomatter what you paid for them.

[Terry in Australia]

I agree KK, this thread seems to have a pretty good positive to negative ratio, it's just that the "negatives" have generally reposted more than the "positives". I guess the "positive" posters have realized that they're not gonna convince some people, so they've just walked away.

My experience with CS tires has been brief, but positive. Apart from CB750's, (I have no real interest in other Honda's) I have always owned BMW's. My 1979 R100RS was fitted with Metzler tires when I bought it in 1992 and when they wore out, I replaced them (twice) with the a new ME33/ME55 combo.

I was never happy though with the adhesion of these tires, they seemed to "let go" far too easily, particularly on painted road surfaces, like white lines etc. Even though most of my riding was city commuting involving very poor road surfaces, I was never satisfied that they were much good. The other problem they had is that they would "track" every rain groove or undulation in the road, and on more than one occasion, I felt like the handlebars would be pulled out of my hands.

It was at the same time that I bought my F2. It had a Dunlop "arrow" on the back and a new Cheng Shin on the front. The difference between the two bikes on the same roads was like night and day. These tires stuck and didn't track at all, and I felt 100% more confidant. My local bike shop didn't sell either brand, but he told me that the Bridgestone BT45's were good, so I had the (almost new) Metzlers removed from the BMW, and new BT45's fitted, and it was like a new bike, the difference was incredible!

I kept the F2 for a couple more years and rode each bike to and from work (about a 50 mile return trip) two or three days per week, with no problems. I sold the F2 to a bloke from Sydney when I bought my Suzuki GS1000S, and as the tires on the Suzuki were pretty tired, I fitted BT45's also, and have continued to do so with all my bikes including my BMWK1100LT.

As I said, my experience with CS tires was only brief, but positive, while I could whine about Metzlers all day, but I'd only get "shot down" by the hordes of Metzler fans here. I don't know why two sets of Metzlers were no good for me, once again, they could have been a bad batch, or like my previous mention of "sun dried Michelins", they could have sat in a shop for a couple of years, or they might just not have been suited to my bike, who knows? The difference is that no-one is gonna bag out a well known brand like Metzler, but anything Chinese or Taiwanese is a "soft target".

Someone else here mentioned early Bridgestone tires, I had them as OEM fitment on my shiny new Honda CB750 in 1978 and they were absolute rubbish. The thing we did back then was took them off and fitted Avon's or Continentals, but of course, that was 1978, and we know that Bridgestones have evolved somewhat since then.............. 

[Gordon]

In these six long pages, I have yet to read a personal horror storyt hat isnt a) about the tires you bought the bike with or b) a second hand account of someone else who went down or simply had that dreaded greasy feeling. 

Apparently you didn't read them all.

[Klark Kent]

In these six long pages, I have yet to read a personal horror storyt hat isnt a) about the tires you bought the bike with or b) a second hand account of someone else who went down or simply had that dreaded greasy feeling. 

Apparently you didn't read them all.

you're right.  that was a short list.  but I think Geeto is the only one that seems to have purchased new chengs and had a bad time with them.  then again, I do a lot of city riding too, and rely on mine to do what he says his won't- is this a quality control issue?  i don't know, too few participants for a conclusive study.  but i suppose i left out some other types of posts.  there are also c) those who speculate that they are cheap #$%* based on nothing at all.  d) peg scraping canyon junkies who blame them for a slip up.  my point was that the portion of anti-CS posts that come from primary sources that purchased them new is rather small.  most of those kind of posts are positive and offer the sound (i think) advice that they are good commuter tires, and will ned replacing more often than a more pricey tire.  the majority of THAT type of post was my point, so no need for the vitriol.  just take it for what it's worth. 

I guess my other point was that I for one am too shameless to blame the length of this thread on the tires.  Have you seen the simple green thread?  i think its 500 pages long with 6 trillion views.  that's not simple greens fault.  The tires just happen to be the subject of the latest (and hopefully final for a lot of us) cabin fever punching bag thread.

Thank you for playing.

[mark]

peg scraping canyon junkies who blame them for a slip up.

good one. 

[Gordon]

you're right.  that was a short list.  but I think Geeto is the only one that seems to have purchased new chengs and had a bad time with them. 

Then there was also the post on pg.4 about my experience with them.

Why are the opinions based on personal experience being completely discounted while the opinions based on here-say and 2nd or 3rd-hand accounts getting all the focus?   

[Klark Kent]

right again! i must have lost it in the legal discussion of a tube explosion.  i still thinkk your story has a little bit of riding on PO tires and a resulting lack of confidence in the brand.  I wouldn't dispute Avons are better tires, but i think you also bought some confidence for your money.  a wise investment also. 
I am sorry to gloss over it- thank you fordrawing my attention to the specific example instead of accusing me of not having committed the entire thread to memory. that post is not focused on any less than any other individual posts, when taken as a whole it is just a minority point of view It also does not sufficiently counterweigh the evidence that these are good commuting tires- not specific enough to warn against particular applications where the CS tires have failed and should be avoided. 

if you can't put a name on what you use/used them for, it is just spouting off.

Tire: CS Barracuda front
Use: spirited touring
Performance: Great

but where's the fun in that?

[Gordon]

i still thinkk your story has a little bit of riding on PO tires and a resulting lack of confidence in the brand.  I wouldn't dispute Avons are better tires, but i think you also bought some confidence for your money. 

Well, okay, but why the need to discredit someone's opinion to help bolster yours?

I could just as easily say that your idea of "Sprited Touring" is in fact very tame and wouldn't test the limits of even the cheapest of tires, but that would mean nothing because I don't know you and know nothing about your particular situation or riding style, so why would I bother saying it? 

[Klark Kent]

no discrediting expressed or implied- you prompted me to fit your post into my categories, and i merely suggested what ways it did, only after expressly giving your opinion credit, as the minority statement it is.  th other kinds, albeit more numerous, should not be confused for focused on.  If anything i was focusing on the first hand accounts of original owners of ne CS tires, the majority of which are the opposite of yours. 

my idea of spirited touring can be deciphered by the fact that I ride in any weather (from my testimony about last night) and year round- keep refering to my use of the tire as a commuting tire, but I have also used this tire combination in the twisties and used enough of the available traction to scare the crap out of lois, so I imagine my description of my use of my 33 year old motorcycle as "sprited touring" was just meant to suggest a pretty average one amongst folks on these boards, as opposed to "peg grinding canyon junky."  i could measure my chicken strips for you but i think most people get the idea.  more clues to the particualr application than your vague warning, anyhow, but i am glad to clear up any vagueries in my own posts.

enough about me, or interpretation of the thread itself, I dont think people need us to tell them how to interpret the opinions of others in the first place.  we are all free to think for ourselves-

for now.

[aptech77]

[ofreen]

Interestingly enough, this thread has more miles on it than your typical set of Cheng Shin tires.

[dboblet]

my bike a '78 CB750F
I just ordered

Item: CHENG SHIN HI MAX  SPORT/TOURING BW - 100/90H19 FRONT
Item: CHENG SHIN HI MAX SPORT/TOURING BW - 110/90H18 REAR

The price was very cheap and if they wear out fast, so be it.  But I liked the tread pattern.  I'll be mostly commuting and that on mountain roads up here in gold country.
Cheng Shin has a LOT of tires to choose from and the shipping was way cheaper than any I found on E-bay.  I used tires unlimited and ordered on line.... now I get the fun of putting them on the danged rims.  Uh, damn, I've got to pull the rear wheel...  Any advice on doing it without breaking the chain... never mind, I'll break it and soak it and re-lube it to get the gunk out.  Hope I don't need to buy a new one.

[jameseb444]

Theres a lot of talk about how cheap these tire are so can anyone tell me what the 18 x 3.00 and the 18 x 3.50 cost? The 350F I bought came with 2 brand new Cheng Shin tires I had to have mounted. Once I deduct the cost of the tires then I can figure how much I really spent on the bike. The bike and tires were $200.00. This bike is a keeper.

[averydad]

Speaking of Cheng Shins.......

I have a pair of take off Cheng Shin Barracuda tires. 110/90 18 rear and 100/90 19 front. They are about three years old and have about 500 miles on them.Still have partial nubs left.  They were on my CB 500 Four.
I know they aren`t the best, but they rode and handled OK for me in fair weather riding. Never tried them in the wet.
Any way if any one can use them I`d take $30 for the pair plus shipping. Or you could pick them up in Skippack, Pa.  zip code 19474 (20 NW of Philly.)

Rick

[feliz]

Price isn't the reason I buy CS tires, I buy then because as far as I know they are the only tires that replicate the original tread pattern. I only use them on vintage bikes and for that purpose they're fine, I've never had a problem and it rains a lot here. Would I put them on an R1 and head to the track, I don't think so. I think we're all, or most of us, are saying the same thing...for conservative/occasional riding these tires are fine, they're not marketed as high performance racing tires.

[Terry in Australia]

my bike a '78 CB750F
I just ordered

Item: CHENG SHIN HI MAX  SPORT/TOURING BW - 100/90H19 FRONT
Item: CHENG SHIN HI MAX SPORT/TOURING BW - 110/90H18 REAR

The price was very cheap and if they wear out fast, so be it.  But I liked the tread pattern.  I'll be mostly commuting and that on mountain roads up here in gold country.
Cheng Shin has a LOT of tires to choose from and the shipping was way cheaper than any I found on E-bay.  I used tires unlimited and ordered on line.... now I get the fun of putting them on the danged rims.  Uh, damn, I've got to pull the rear wheel...  Any advice on doing it without breaking the chain... never mind, I'll break it and soak it and re-lube it to get the gunk out.  Hope I don't need to buy a new one.

Well you don't need to break your endless chain to remove it mate, but you probably know that, and of course be careful soaking your chain in any strong solvents or else you'll melt your "O" rings.

Good thing about the F's "Comstar" wheels is you can run tubeless tires, I've got Bridgestone BT45's front and rear on my 1977 F2, with no tubes. Very modern, indeed. Cheers, Terry.