Need motorcycle tire recommendation, riding the light side.

[Jaralan]

I ride E-3s too.  The other day I was riding down the freeway.  I lost most of the tire pressure due to a staple in the tire.  It was hard to tell the tire was flat as the bike still handled okay and I got home.  Tested the tire pressure and there was almost none.  Rode to the local gas station and filled them up again. They still leaked air so I took them to a bike shop for repair.  The sidewalls on these tires are so stiff that you don't lose your ride completely.  I would say that is a benefit to riding these tires.  Also a warning to check tire pressure frequently!  Taz recommended some Ride-On tire sealant.  I am definetly going to add that to my tires.

[NITRO]

I ride E-3s too.  The other day I was riding down the freeway.  I lost most of the tire pressure due to a staple in the tire.  It was hard to tell the tire was flat as the bike still handled okay and I got home.  Tested the tire pressure and there was almost none.  Rode to the local gas station and filled them up again. They still leaked air so I took them to a bike shop for repair.  The sidewalls on these tires are so stiff that you don't lose your ride completely.  I would say that is a benefit to riding these tires.  Also a warning to check tire pressure frequently!  Taz recommended some Ride-On tire sealant.  I am definetly going to add that to my tires.

A friend of mine recently put the dynabeads in his tires and he really likes them thus far. However, after I got a screw in my tire and we plugged the hole, we got talking about what the dynabeads would do in a plugged tire. Since there is glue all over the plug, does that mean the beads would stick to the tire? Or if you added ride-on (which I think I'll be doing soon), would that mess up the beads?

[MP]

Ride on for sure would.   I do not think the string plug would hold enough to matter.  There a quite a few beads that go in a tire.  Pretty light, so volume is large.

MP

[Bob E.]

I had the best mileage from Dunlop E3's and Avon Venoms...almost the same at around 10,000 miles.  Avon rear Cobra wore out a little faster at 7500 miles (front is still on with about 5500 miles on it)  and Metzeler was, by far, the worst at just barely 5000 miles to the threads (rear).  The front Metz did go a little farther to about 7000 miles.

I just switched to a General Altimax darkside rear (still running the Cobra on front) and I'm still getting used to the feel.  I only have about 100 miles on it so far, but my initial reaction is that I like the feel of a motorcycle rear tire better.  However, I can barely afford to buy a new set of tires every year.  So, at half the price and likely twice the mileage, I'm going to run this car tire and see if it grows on me.  I don't dislike it.  I just like the MC tire better.  I'm still playing with the pressures and have dropped it down to 32psi and it is better than it was at 38psi where I started.  My riding conditions are pretty close to yours, but with less city driving.  So I would not discount the running of a darkside tire.  As cheap as they are, it's not much of an investment for the experiment.  Just pick a good tire.  I was torn between the Altimax and the Goodyear Assurance Triple Tread because those seem to be the most popular.  I chose the Altimax because it looks more like a performance tire and because it looks almost identical to the Cooper that Smokin Joe runs and, based on some of the riding pics I've seen him post, I respect his opinion on the subject.  I would have just bought the Cooper, but I could not get one locally.  And I figure, it was pretty cheap at $97 delivered, so I can always take it back off if I cannot live with it.  But so far, I don't think that will be necessary.

[Valker]

Switching from the radial front tire to a bias ply rear tire on the front of my Valk really changes the handling for the better. I run a Dunlop (not sure of the number) on the front of mine.

[hoopty-cuztom]

well i had a set of  metzeler tires on mine an on dry ground they were fine,  but when it was wet i could pull off an at a slow roll just nail it an hit the rev limiter 1st 2nd an 3rd gear just spinning its wiener off

now i have the E3 tires on it an they are great dry an wet they seem to grip the same either way, when wet i can pull off at a slow roll pull the clutch in rev it up some drop the clutch an it just stands up,

I want my tire to grip when its wet dont know about yall

[Wm Jones]

Avon cobras..Front and back..Changed the back to a 200X60RX16 and like it better than the stock 180X70RX16..

[ossvalk]

i ran several sets of metzlers which were pretty good except they dont grip on oil  on my interstate I ran then 40-42 front and 44-46 rear depending on if I had a passenger and was pulling the trailer.  They gripped better in front with lower pressure and in winter also with lower pressure

switched to the cobras front in 2008 and they are wearing good and great traction

the rear cobra went on in april and so far I like it, went to wv (2 up), the blue grey, americade etc and have about 5k on it now

So far its my favorite rear tire.  

But the fellow was right  a car tire absorbs potholes better than anything and is better in the rain and light snow

either way get a 3 pack of ride-on motorcycle formula (unless you use dynabeads) from ride-on.com and the tires IMHO will last longer and you wont have to worry about flat tires  front tire should take 9oz and rear around 10 oz but check the dosage inst.

[Jaralan]

I am hearing different info on tire pressure.  I ride a standard with Dunlup E-3.   Should the rear tire pressure be 36 (as posted on the bike) or more?

[Bob E.]

I am hearing different info on tire pressure.  I ride a standard with Dunlup E-3.   Should the rear tire pressure be 36 (as posted on the bike) or more?

Almost everyone will tell you to run between 40 and 45psi for maximum tire life.  Some run as high as 50psi in the rear.  I ran 45psi front and rear on my E3's and got 10,000 miles out of them...the most I have ever gotten from a motorcycle tire.  Avon Venoms were a close 2nd with 9000 miles, Avon Cobras at 7400 miles, and Metz at just barely 5000 for the rear, all at 45psi.  Right now, I'm running a car tire on the back with 35psi in it, so I have backed off the front (Avon Cobra) tire pressure to 41psi to soften it up a bit.  I have about 7000 on the front and it is looking good...I expect to get pretty close to 10,000, if not more, at the current wear rate.

[NITRO]

I am hearing different info on tire pressure.  I ride a standard with Dunlup E-3.   Should the rear tire pressure be 36 (as posted on the bike) or more?

I run 41 to 42 psi front and rear on my E3s. I have around 6K on the rear now and it looks to have at least half the tread left.

[cookiedough]

I still have the 2nd set of tires on my Interstate (16.7K mileage), Dunlop D206's before the Elite III's came out with about 9K on them since 2005 (5 years).  For sure, next spring they are coming off and new Dunlop Elite III's are probably going on.  I have read almost every posting and overall, it seems the Dunlop elite III's are getting the best reviews overall followed by Avon Cobra/Venoms(pricier though).  Not to interested in Bridgestone although have heard good reviews also about those and not too many good reviews on Metzeler ME880's.  Shinkos are out since probably not worth the cheap price.  I would get what you want or is the cheapest within reason because it seems like mixed reviews from almost everybody.  I really want to go to the darkside and run a car tire in the back for increased mileage/life expectancy and cheapest overall, but the misses said no way and have heard the handling intown cornering and at low speeds is harder to handle by a little since the car tire is flat vs. rounded like a cycle tire.  I think, at least around here, most Honda dealers carry Dunlop Elite III's since most goldwings nowadays come with them new and some do carry and prefer using Metzeler ME880's and not too many I have found carry Avons for some odd reason.

[cookiedough]

Oh, by the way, tire pressure on rear tire I run 40-42 psi (could be a little more though) since my weight and the misses are pushing 500 lbs. and I think since my front Dunlop D206 tire is on the front and not too many people have these on anymore, I run only 35-36 psi because anything over that say 38 on up really rattles the front end and can feel every chop or bump being transmitted thru the handlebars.  I think if I had a newer tire on the front, the ride would be better in handling, comfort, etc. and should be able to run 38-40 psi as others do,if not a little more psi, for longer tire life.