Topic: Trying to decide between two types of tire, opinions welcome!

[Kframe]

I'm going to pull the trigger on buying new tires, chain, sprockets, fork seals and brake shoes tomorrow, and I've got everything figured out except which tires I want. 
This isn't a 'which tire is best' thread, I'm just trying to get some more input to help with my decision.

The bike is a CB550, and will be used mainly for leisurely cruising about town, with occasional blasting about the curvy countryside in the Mississippi river valley of MN and WI.  It's also may see a longish roadtrip of 2-3000 miles here and there. 
I will ride it sometimes, but it's actually going to be my wife's primary bike.  She is moving up from a Honda Helix.

First I was thinking just get road tires that I know and like, Avon Roadriders, like I have on my Bonneville.  I'm familiar with them, they handle well wet and dry.  But then I was looking at the blocky current tires and started wondering whether I should get more of a dualsport tire like the Dunlop K70 or Michelin Anakee. 

Roadrider


Anakee


K70


This bike won't see 'dirt bike' action, but every once in awhile I see a gravel road I'd like to go down, and in rural MN it's common to drive over sandy patches of paved roads as well as spilled grain, so maybe a nubbier tire would be good even for on the road?
But how are the DS tires at 75 miles an hour on the paved roads?  Noisy?  Squirrely? 

And my wife is a pretty new rider, so would a DS tire help her deal with debris on paved roads, or not really?

And I don't relish the idea of getting grit everywhere and rock chips on the bike, so the gravel road use would be very limited, but you know, maybe it'd be nice to have the option.  Then again, this will be her bike, so I should set it up for whatever would be best for road use.  It's obvious I'm torn.   

I've got Metzeler ME880's on my '84 Shadow, and the Roadriders on the Bonneville, and I've never ridden a dualsport bike or a road bike with DS tires, so I feel like I can't make this decision with the info I have. 

Price isn't really a factor, I mean I don't want the most expensive tires out there, but I'm not going to pick safety equipment based on cost.

Thanks!
 
-Kris

[TwoTired]

Do the wife and the 550 a favor and order Metzlers; 3.25x19 front and 4.00 x18 rear.
I'm using the Lasertec front and the ME77 rear.  Its the best combo I've put on the 550 in my 30 years of ownership.

Cheers,

[Kframe]

Do the wife and the 550 a favor and order Metzlers; 3.25x19 front and 4.00 x18 rear.
I'm using the Lasertec front and the ME77 rear.  Its the best combo I've put on the 550 in my 30 years of ownership.

Cheers,

Thanks for the reply, have you done any gravel with that setup?
The Bonneville came stock with a Lasertec front and an MEZ2 rear, it was a good combination but I was never off paved road with it. 
And honestly I don't know how much I'd actually go on gravel roads on the 550, I guess I'm more thinking about my wife the new rider dealing with sand and dirt that's been pulled onto the road from field entrances and side roads. 

That's partly why this is a harder decision than when I bought tires for my own bike - my #1 priority is making my wife as safe as possible while riding and tires are a big part of that.  (Not that I don't want my own bike to be safe, but she's my wife you know, gotta go the extra mile for her!)
So grip is much more important that high mileage or low cost.

I'll have to look at those ME77's you mentioned, I'm not familiar with them.

-K

[TwoTired]

Can't recall doing much gravel road riding.
Certainly have dealt with sand/gravel/mud/water/oil/and what-the-F-is-that on the highway?  (Don't you just love the errant sprinkler?)

It's hard to quantify slippage in, say, mud, for example.  I never went down because of any of those things, though.  But, I didn't panic, either, and knew to stay off brakes and power while "in it".  I've ridden those tires I mentioned both single and two up on the curvy mini-mountains we have around here (lick observatory terrain).  Never could rely on clean roads leaned over in turns, plenty of sand/gravel patches and mud occurrences there.
Not me, but this will give you an idea what the road is like.

http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-2702571230894583607#

[Gordon]

I love Avons.

[Slams77]

Can't recall doing much gravel road riding.
Certainly have dealt with sand/gravel/mud/water/oil/and what-the-F-is-that on the highway?  (Don't you just love the errant sprinkler?)

It's hard to quantify slippage in, say, mud, for example.  I never went down because of any of those things, though.  But, I didn't panic, either, and knew to stay off brakes and power while "in it".  I've ridden those tires I mentioned both single and two up on the curvy mini-mountains we have around here (lick observatory terrain).  Never could rely on clean roads leaned over in turns, plenty of sand/gravel patches and mud occurrences there.
Not me, but this will give you an idea what the road is like.

http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-2702571230894583607#

Ahhh, Mt Hamilton.  I miss that road.  It has been my sanctuary for the past 22 years and I've ridden it on both bike and car.  Cool video....you made that first hairpin look smooooth.  You definitely need good tires for that road.

[Soos]

I love my Anakee's.
A several(3-400) hundred dirt miles, about half that on REALLY rough tracks.
GREAT wet rock traction IMO.

about 15000 miles on the pavement.

Not bad road tires.
They seen to handle my abuse well.



l8r

[Soos]

Once warm, GRIPPY as can be.
Great twistie ride tires IMO.
(ride is surprisingly good considering it the blocky sections of tread.)


l8r

[cb750k77]

 i run Dunlop D404's on mine and i LOVE THEM! good price tooo and i did some gravel road running and it was pretty good seemed like after a long ride they were still going strong even in the turns those are nice tires!

[Kframe]

Yeah I really like the look of the tread on the ME880's, the Anakee's, the Tourance's, and those 404's - nice big deep treads that like to grip in the slip. 
I love my Avon's on the Bonneville, but there's something really tempting about getting something nubbier.

I can't find the Anakee in 110/90-18 anywhere.  The ME880's are double to triple the cost of the others. 
Hmmm, no clear decision yet.
-K

[cb750k77]

just trust me i've tried a ton of different tires and the D404's are one of the best i've tried my GL buddies love em 2 and the sportster guys love em as well... its a good choice

[Kframe]

just trust me i've tried a ton of different tires and the D404's are one of the best i've tried my GL buddies love em 2 and the sportster guys love em as well... its a good choice

I googled "dunlop d404 review" and at least half of the comments I read were very negative, i.e. "I'd never buy them again" and "don't waste your money" and "worst tire made" - which obviously scares me a bit.  They really do look good though, the tread looks a lot like that of the ME880's.  That's cool they've worked well for you.

-K

[Kframe]

Just in case anyone else is in this process too, I found part #'s for inner tubes and rim strips while searching older threads.

These are Dennis Kirk part numbers, I like them cause they have free S&H for orders over $100 (except tires are always $5 additional), they ship same day UPS ground and because they're 100 miles from me I get stuff the next day.  Great return policy, and they match any price (after figuring other companies S&H in). 

Anyway, rim strips for 18"/19" are #535198 ($1.50 each)
Inner tube for 3.25x19 #53011  (Drag Specialties, ~$10)
Inner tube for 4.00x18 #53003  (Drag Specialties, ~$10)

I nearly forgot to order the rim strips, I'm sure they're probably crumbling in my wheels right now!
Oh, and I appreciate all the opinions on the tires, I ended up ordering Avon Roadriders, hopefully I can mount them this weekend, although it's gonna be awhile before I can test them!


-K

[cb750k77]

look in the picture... there is my rear rim with Dunlop D404's on my bike i've put over 10k miles on my bike since i've had it and i'm on my second set of rear tires its a good grippy tire feels good in the rain.. and i did some gravel ridding on a gravel road last year and overall its been a good tire almost like it was MENT for the Cb750... the reason some guys dont like it is cuz they put it on a bike that neeeds something more! even the HD guys use it on the Sporty's its a good stock tire but tires are like shoes... there are many choice's but not everyone like the same thing....

[dave500]

use road tyres and teach your wife to read the roadsurface and ride accordingly.

[ev0lve]

D404's are a reasonably grippy long lived tire. I've had them on three machines. The only thing I'd trade them for are Metzler's but they were more cash than I had on hand at the time.

"I have a 02 elec glide run only bags no tour pack only ride single got less than 3000 miles on rear tire it is now bald. Buddy says its the weight but thats BS!! never again"

"Put a set of D404's on my '99 Indian Chief in April of '09....read tire blew out at 5,247 miles...front tire still had plenty of wear left...go figure..."

Most of the guys complaining in those reviews look to be heavy in the throttle in a straight line. For the record I'm cresting 4000 on my set over 10 months or so and the rear looks unworn and I don't feel any of the sudden turn in a flat spot would cause.

I don't think you'll be disappointed with D404's. I'm not.