OPINIONS WANTED REGARDING TIRES FOR OUR BIKES

[admin]

Well, it's that time for me again. While getting my bike back together I noticed a bit of sidewall cracking on my front Dunlop Elite 3 tire, rear looks good and the tread looks good on both. I love the handling and performance of these E3's and will most likely replace them with same unless someone can come up with some compelling reason for me to change my mind and try another brand of tires. Current price for E3 is 334.24 for front and rear + tax with free shipping included.

A while back there were a number of members who were trialing several different low priced tires that have decent performance. I'd sure appreciate it if you could step up with your opinions and experiences with these low dollar tires.

[1060dsl]

I bought a set of Pirelli MT66's and I have to admit they are great !! Handle like a dream - I paid $242 all in (for both) delivered to my door I mounted them and the local shop spin balanced them for $25.00 (got less than $270 invested) http://www.canadasmotorcycle.ca/street-bike.html There is an American site that is a bit cheaper but then you have to smuggle them across the border. Unless something really bad happens to them (and all signs point to that not being the case) I Honestly cant see myself ever looking at an Elite II or III.

[Frank]

I've got maybe 1000 miles on a rear shinko, just seems like a tire to me, can't say that I notice anything either way on it yet, seems to be wearing ok. I don't notice the noise that some seem to say that they have. I rode with it for several days on the twisties over in Arkansas and didn't notice anything. I run it at max pressure, ride is a little stiffer but I run all my bike tires at max pressure. I've got Metzlers on one of my other bikes and I really can't tell much difference between the two. Only thing that I can see that might crop up is the wear issue but for $67.00 I can replace a lot of them

[admin]

I have heard a lot of good things about those Shinkos. V rating, low price, nice tread pattern, great handling wet or dry etc.
I am seriously thinking about a set of those. I paid big bucks for the Dunlop Elite 3's and they ended up with dry rot in the sidewalls after just a few years of use. I can get the Shinkos delivered to my door for $201.91 and that ain't bad at all. If I don't try them myself I'll never know for sure if they are a great value or not.

[Frank]

That's how I look at things too. I just don't trust MOST peoples opinions. So often I think that they are influenced by buddies, ego, higher price must be better. I read the review on here about the Shinko then read all the reviews on their site and I thought damn for the price I can give em a shot, I mean they are just tires and if they were a hazard I don't think that they would be on the market long. The technology is based upon the old Yokahomas, those were good tires and were made for many special applications. The only consistent thing I could see was they just didn't get the mileage that say a Metzler would get but I know from experience that those are very hard tires. I change my own tires so it's not like a big cost issue to change them like someone who doesn't do their own work on these bikes. I did find that it took a good bit of weight to get them balanced but then again that's the whole point of balancing them?

[90Blazer]

I'm running a Pirelli Route 66 on the rear of mine, I've only got about 3k miles on it so far but it sticks like glue. I was looking at the shinko's before I bought this one and the reason I bought the Pirelli was a friend of mine had one on his '84 naked and got about 14k miles before a nail got it and he had to replace it. All the reviews I've read are good on the Pirelli's front and rear.

just my .02

[1060dsl]

internet has lots of people with all kinds of varying opinions and not trying to slam Shinko but the problems this fellow has had with them are very similar to the wobble problems that more and more of our members have been talking about lately, I know lots of people have switched to Shinko - I wonder if they have anything in common - I have no doubt that you can find similar video's to most tires but this one makes you wonder.

[admin]

The fellow in the video is using Shinko 005 Advance tires and the tires I am interested in are the Shinko 230 Tourmasters. The 005 is a soft, gummy fast wearing performance tire and supposedly the 230's are made for touring therefore they are a lot more durable. The shaking issues in the video could have been caused by unique road oscillations or a defective tire carcass although I have not read elsewhere any other reports stating the shaking problem. Sure wish other members here who are using the 230's would speak up and give their feedback.

[wingandaprayer]

We are riding Michelin Commander II's. I don't remember what they cost, but they are going to be very inexpensive per km based on the slow rate of wear.

[Poorboy]

I'm trying a Shinko on my 85 Interstate & so far like it. I have about 2,600 miles on it. Shows very little wear. Rode from home (northeast Alabama) to Savannah, Ga, down the coast to Key West, Fl. then back home. Not pushing it & only about 3 miles in rain. Just secondary roads no super slabs. Not a lot of speeds above 75 mph. Will be riding to Chicago & back next week. Riding to Sturgis, SD in August should know more on wear then. Running 41 psi.
Poorboy

[neoracer]

i am running a last year new front shinko on my sei,when my E2 needed replacement when the rear was a metzler which i would imagine has 8-10K left at least,figured they both will wearout close together and i'll try the new commander II's then ,if my E3's on the apsy wearout i'll do the same there too,plus is the commander are cheaper,since E3's seem to have jumped another $20 min this year
considering that ghostrider got 8K off his rear shinko,i think the sinko's will serve you well since i know you dont hard as hard as he does nor run the miles that he does,and since he swears by the handling i would not be afraid to run them either except i want a tire that i dont have to change every year

one thing i noticed running the shinko front tire is my speedo is only off 3 mph at 70mph vs the 7 mph for the E3,took me awhile to realize that my loss of fuel mileage was attributed to the shinko vs the higher reading on the E3,duh

[Frank]

I'm going with car tires for my next ones! Oh wait, I tried that already! ha

[joe turner]

On my second set of 230 tourmasters, the first set went all most 7,000 miles. They grip better wore out slick than new e3s. I do use balancing beads, do not know the brand they came out of a old truck tire. It does not cost me any thing too change tires. The shinkos have a very smooth ride, and are quiet in the curves.

[PanMan75]

I have been running a shinko 777 rear in reverse on my front for years now. My first one I got 2 around 19,000 miles out of it. It is a softer rubber but handles very well in wet conditions. It is a bit different running the rear tire up front at first but the handling is just as good as a standard front tire, just the feel at first was slightly different. I am now on my second Shinko 777.

Last season I ran a pirelli mt66. It handled well at first but as I got wear in it I noticed the performance loss. I replaced it 2 months back and probably had enough tread to get another 1000 miles out of it if I wanted to. When I pulled the tire off I noticed a crack in the side wall approximately 1 foot long. Glad I replaced it when I did and I don't recommend it for our bike. I now run a bridgestone spitfire and it handles very well in all conditions. The only complaint is that everyone I ride with says when they are behind me, it sounds like a huge swarm of misquitoes buzzing around LOL. I don't hear it unless I am close to a median in the road.

[neoracer]

have 3000+ on my front 230 shinko,wearing very well and handles good,handles excellent at 70-75 on curving wv interstates last weekend and if the rear metzler i have on now wears out and front still looks good i may install a rear shinko to match so they both wearout about the same time,and holdoff on installing commander II's till next set