Front vs Rear

[Porter]

Smitty, I need to change my rear tire its got some tread left, but its like flat almost all the way across. I'm pretty stoked about replacing it come spring time, will it handle allot different, or am I getting excited over nothing?

I ride mostly highway and my rear tire wears pretty flat across the middle.
When I have a new tire installed on the rear, I can notice the difference. The bike leans/turns much more easily. Now that have experienced it a couple of times, I can tell when I would lean into a turn with a flat wear pattern on the rear. I feel the bike transition from the "flat" to the more rounded "edge". Something to thing about.... I would think that for that short instant at the transition, your contact patch is diminished. Add some oil or a debris and there could be an issue....

 

[ooheritage]

thanks porter, you answered my question.

 

[Hoople]

I ride mostly highway and my rear tire wears pretty flat across the middle.
When I have a new tire installed on the rear, I can notice the difference. The bike leans/turns much more easily. Now that have experienced it a couple of times, I can tell when I would lean into a turn with a flat wear pattern on the rear. I feel the bike transition from the "flat" to the more rounded "edge". Something to thing about.... I would think that for that short instant at the transition, your contact patch is diminished. Add some oil or a debris and there could be an issue....

What tire pressure (cold) do you run.

 

[Hoople]

Hoople,the Dunlop has always been a good mid-range tire,wears decently but has good traction until near the end of it's life.
I would not let anyone put a Dunlop on my bike with a build date earlier then Aug.09. because it was June when they admitted the problem was there and took steps to correct it.

Wow. I wonder what they did to address it. I try to keep an eye on my tires for cracks whenever I wash or clean the bike. I have Dunlops front & rear.

 

[Porter]

What tire pressure (cold) do you run.

40 in the rear, 36 up front.
I follow the 2-up pressure setting because I weigh 235lbs. With helmet, leathers, and the daily commuting gear (laptop, lunch, rain gear, etc) the load is about 260-280 depending on the weather.

 

[Hoople]

40 in the rear, 36 up front.
I follow the 2-up pressure setting because I weigh 235lbs. With helmet, leathers, and the daily commuting gear (laptop, lunch, rain gear, etc) the load is about 260-280 depending on the weather.

Wow, That should be Plenty. I thought maybe your tire pressure was low but it's far from it.

Tires are really not rubber any more they are compound they have clay and many other things in them it is the amounts of each that determan cost. dry grp. wet grip, bite and how long they last.

Your right Smitty. The topic of Tires/rubber is very complex indeed. I guess any compound no matter how soft, won't help you on sand or gravel. I Enjoy riding SO much, but I have this Tremendous fear of the tail end of the bike coming out from under me while going around a turn. I have to somehow get over it.

 

[Porter]

Your right Smitty. The topic of Tires/rubber is very complex indeed. I guess any compound no matter how soft, won't help you on sand or gravel. I Enjoy riding SO much, but I have this Tremendous fear of the tail end of the bike coming out from under me while going around a turn. I have to somehow get over it.

Hoople:
I have taken a couple safety courses. Don't know if you are into that or not, and it all depends on the course and the instructors, but pushing my bike at a relatively low speed (<30 mph) through turns in a closed course with people watching my every move....really boosted my confidence. Not to say I crossed any limits, but my 07 UC could comfortably (didn't feel like it initially then) perform in scenarios that I would have avoided in my typical riding style.

Something to think about. It helped me get a better understanding of what I can, should, can't and shouldn't do. Really boosted my confidence.

 

[dogdad]

Hoople,the Dunlop has always been a good mid-range tire,wears decently but has good traction until near the end of it's life.
I ran Dunlops with good success until my last 3 cracked on me and made me a little bitter.Hopefully they got the problems ironed out.Myself I would not let anyone put a Dunlop on my bike with a build date earlier then Aug.09. because it was June when they admitted the problem was there and took steps to correct it.

Steve ,,how does one tell of the manufactures date on these tires?

 

[R. Lewis]

Sounds like an INDY
Metzler's while ok tires will give you no were near the mileage a dunlop will
Avon's will do better on wear than Metzler's
Any of the 3 are good for street riding
But changing out a front tire every time you do the rear will be costly and waste a lot of cash.
The wear on these tires in not opinion Metzler's are a softer compound tire
The Avon come in between the Met and Dunlop on softness.
As for mixing some do it I would not two differnt compound will grab road different different tread patterns thow water differently.

what kind of (est.) mileage did you get out of the Metzlers?

 

[R. Lewis]

Most get 50-70% of the milage they do from Dunlops
It is not that they are bad tires they are different tires they have a softer compound.

1st rear ( came with the bike) Dunlop tire was changed out with 8353 miles on the od.
2nd rear Dunlop was changed out with 15147 miles on her . Went with a Michelin Comander for a rear tire this time. Still have org. front tire on her - no problems. I keep an eye on tire / shocks psi.
I was just wondering about the Metzlers.