SV: [vmaxtech] radial tires poll

The original front is 18” and I use radial front with no issues at all. I
have used the Michelin Pilot 2 and 3 and I am very glad I did, I isn’t
putting on a bias on the front again, back I got a ME880 bias but that have
never been a problem either with a radial front and a bias rear. Pilot 3 is
very sticky in rain and in dry it’s possible to do a stoopie and that was
impossible with bias front. IMHO of course.

Åke

 

  _____  

Från: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] För Your
Friend, Rick
Skickat: den 8 april 2012 07:24
Till: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Ämne: Re: [vmaxtech] radial tires poll

 

  

Metzler make an ME880 bias ply and an ME880 radial. I never understood why
they did that. I'm pretty sure the rest on the list are radials. The stock
Vmax wheels (15" rear and 17" front) are designed for bias ply. I'm looking
for aftermarket wheels that are 18" diameter wheels. The advantage is
handling although I hope you don't consider me an expert. Here is some
information regarding tires for the Vmax including the radials modification.
Rick4095
******************Tires
The best for safety and handling >>ON STOCK RIMS<< is the STOCK sizes:
150/90/15 rear
110/90/18 front
   If you really want THE best handling, you'll need to put 17" rims on your
bike and switch to radial tires. You can have your stock rims modified to
17" by places like Kosman, or, buy 
completely new rims and tires. Get ready to spend some SERIOUS $$$ if you go
the new wheel route. Getting Kosman to convert your OEM rims is M U C H
cheaper. 
I have the horrible Metzeler ME880 Marathon 170/80/15 on my bike. It is NOT
the hot tip for handling, but, many of us feel the improvement in "the look"
is worth the trade off in handling. 
++>>> With V E R Y  few exceptions, IMHO putting 17" rims on a Vmax
completely TRASHES "the look" of the bike. If you don't replace the rear
fender with a more modern looking piece, you endup with a HUGE gap between
the fender and the MUCH smaller in diameter 17" rim and tire. lOOK at some
pics of bikes with 17" rims BEFORE you spend your money. The aggressive
"look" of the Vmax is at least 50% of what attracks most people to this
bike. Its VERY easy to kill that look, and end up with a real odd ball
lookin bike.
A 170/80 is safe in either metz. or avon Metzler will last longer and
perform better.. Avon looks cooler
According to their site, we should use the ML2...which i have tried with
pretty good results in the past, although i must admit i do not push to the
limits in corners etc. 
MARATHON ML 2 - LASERTEC FRONT   
Front 110/90V18M/CTL(61V) LASERF  - 2.50 BAR  
Rear 150/90VB15M/CTL 74V ML2  - 2.90 BAR
I use a Metzler ME880 size 170/80-15, It gave me about 1/2 from hitting the
swingarm on the differential side I did remove the spacer from the brake
side and moved it onto the differential side - inside differential housing.
The instructions can be found on Vmax Outlaw website. Haven't had any
problems with the Metzler 150. Takes less power to turn it. I know many are
doing 170, but rim is too narrow.
Have you ever considered installing a fat rear tire but thought the fit
might be a bit too tight? Well here is a tip that will free up a little
extra space you may need to accommodate that oversize tire. In a recent
V-Boost issue we listed many of the available tires that will fit the Vmax
and some that may be a marginal fit. The Metzler ME880 170/80-15 is just
such a tire. A call to Metzler confirmed that the stock 3.5 inch wheel width
is within specification for this tire application. However, without a little
more clearance this tire will rub on the shaft side of the swing arm. There
are a few brands of 170 size rear tires that will fit but for those of you
who choose the marginal ones or just desire a bit of extra swing arm-to-tire
clearance this may be the ticket for you. This procedure basically moves the
washer located on the rear axle between the brake arm and the swing arm to
the other side of the wheel between the differential drive unit and the
wheel drive hub. This provides extra clearance for the tire on the swing arm
side of the tire equal to the width of the washer, about 1/8 inch. A bit of
additional clearance may be obtained by making sure the differential unit is
mounted to the swing arm as far to the right hand side of the bike as
possible.
+++*NOTE* There is some argument that moving the washer reduces spline
engagement and puts the U-joint in a bind+++
 Place the motorcycle on the center stand, or something appropriate if the
stock center stand has been removed (sometimes necessary for fitment of an
aftermarket exhaust system).
Remove the license plate to facilitate removal and installation of
tire/wheel assembly.
Remove the two bolts holding the rear brake caliper to the brake arm and
swing the caliper out of the way. It will rest on the outward side of swing
arm/shock or if you remove the right side shock it will simply sit on the
floor.
Remove the rear axle cotter pin, (pre-'96), axle nut, and washer on left
side of bike. Loosen the axle pinch bolt on the right side of bike. You
should now be able to pull the rear axle out from the right side of the bike
while lifting the tire/wheel (to get the tire/wheel weight off the axle; it
really isn't going anywhere at this point as the drive hub is still firmly
seated in the differential unit). The washer mentioned previously on the
right side of the wheel should drop to the ground when the axle is removed.
The wheel will be continue to held off the ground as it is still seated in
the differential drive unit. Pull the brake arm toward the rear and up past
the top of the tire to get it out of the way. You may need to loosen the
bolt holding the brake arm to the brake torque rod to swing it out of the
way or it may simply be removed if you want some extra elbow room.  
 You should now be able to pull the tire/wheel assembly to the right and
away from the differential assembly while supporting its weight; it should
drop to the ground. Roll the tire/wheel assembly out to the rear of the
bike. If you have a very large tire already fitted to your wheel, you will
probably need to let all the air out of the tire so it will slide between
the differential and the right side of the swing arm.
This is the prefect opportunity to clean up the inside of the differential
and wheel assemblies, the brake arm, the rear caliper, and the axle. Maybe
even your wheel!
Before reassembly (and after cleaning), apply bearing grease to the splines
inside the differential drive unit and lightly coat the rear axle, (moly
grease is recommended).
With the rear wheel off and out of the way you also have an opportunity to
make sure the differential unit is mounted to the swing arm as far to the
right as possible to take advantage of any extra clearance this may provide.
Loosen the four nuts that hold the differential on to the swing arm. Just a
bit loose; allowing the unit to be moved slightly with a few mallet taps.
Tap the differential to the right side of the bike with a plastic or rubber
mallet, and tighten the four nuts. It may or may not move at all, depending
on factory assembly and tolerances.
 We are now ready for reassembly. Take the washer that was previously
between the brake arm and the swing arm on the right side, (don't confuse it
with the thicker washer that came off the left side from underneath the axle
nut). Place this washer into the differential unit spline area near the
center where the axle hole is. Insert a screw driver or other suitable
instrument from the outside of the differential unit and into the axle hole
to keep the washer in place until we can slide the axle back in through the
wheel.
Roll the tire/wheel assembly back in between the swingarms and lift it up
and onto the differential unit engaging the splines on the wheel and drive
unit to hold it in place. Push the wheel to the left to make sure it if
firmly seated in the differential while guiding the screwdriver through the
center of the wheel hub. Once the wheel hub is fully seated it will press up
against the washer we placed in between the hub and the drive unit and keep
it from sliding out of position.
At this point you may want to look into the axle hole from the outside of
the drive unit to see if the washer in centered. If not, you should be able
to move it slightly to center it before installing the axle, (leave the
screwdriver in place until you are ready to push the axle through just in
case). Swing the brake arm down and forward; make sure it is aligned between
the wheel and the swingarm.
Slide the axle back through the right swing arm, brake arm, wheel, washer
(in between the wheel/differential unit), and differential. If you still had
a screwdriver inserted to hold the washer in place, it should have been
pushed out at this point and the axle should be protruding from the outside
of the differential.
Re-install the left side axle washer and nut and torque to the proper
specification; reinstall a new cotter pin if so equipped.
Re-install the brake caliper making sure the brake pads have been spread to
facilitate sliding it over the brake rotor. Install the caliper retaining
bolts and torque to the proper specification.
Torque the axle pinch bolt on the right swing arm to the proper
specification.
Re-install the license plate (we wouldn't want you to get pulled over!).
Be sure to your tire is inflated to the proper pressure and check for
tire-to-swing arm clearance on the left side. You should have enough
clearance to fit many, (perhaps all), of the 170 series tires available.
Remember, the tire will expand when it gets hot under a load.
This procedure has been tested for years under heavy load conditions, (high
speed, wheelies, etc), on many different Vmaxes with the long lived Metzler
ME88 and the more recent replacement ME880 170 series tires with no apparent
adverse affects to the drive engagement splines or any of the drive gear.
Some rear ends do have minimal clearance due to manufacturing tolerances and
the tire may still be too close after it heats up. This seems to be a rare
occurrence but if it is encountered it would be wise to make sure the entire
swingarm is not severely out of alignment.
A special thanks to Brad Thomas of Mesa, Arizona for sharing this tip. His
many years of experience in the application of this modification on so many
different Vmaxes allows it to be recommended without reservation.

If you don't wanna swap the rear axle spacer, the stock 150/90/15 size is
about it. Some people claim they've installed a Metzeler me880 marathon
170/80/15 without swaping the spacer and NOT rubbing on anything. Hard to
believe, I've had 2 170/80/15 rear tires on my Max, both tires needed the
spacer swap. The more recent 170/80/15that's on my bike now is MUCH smaller
in size than the older one. The spacer swap wasn't mandatory, but, I know
that nasty big bump is in my future....sooner or later your gonna hit one.
You can easily be fooled into believing you have enough clearance, by
looking at the space between the rear tire and the swingarm from above.
That's NOT the tightest place, lay on your back and look at the spacing from
below, you'll freak ! The tire will also balloon over time, making that
spacing less and less as time goes by. ++>>> Installing the Metzeler ME880
Marathon 170/80/15 is NOT the hot tip for handling, but, some of feel the
"look" is worth the trade off. I have ZERO interest in racing the twisties
on a Vmax.

I've had Avon Venoms great gripping tire but scary in the rain, i talked to
the Avon rep about it he said and other rep's say the same thing, " there
are three main components we  build into a tire, Tread life, Grip,
Rainability, pick TWO!! if you want all three, there will be a compromise on
one of them, the Venom it was rain, but it has great grip and wear, which it
was designed for." Venom not short lived in my experience. I'm a heavy rider
,and I ride pretty hard.  Got 6-7000 on stock size rear venom. Have
170-80-15 version now. Gonna get same mileage. Includes 2-3 burnouts.38-40
psi.

I'm looking at a Metzeler 110/80V18M/C(58V)TL  Lasertec  front tire. Anybody
know what the 58V means ???  Is this tire a radial?
I'm looking at the Metzler web site http://www.us.metzelermoto.com and the
Lasertec is advertises as a "new sports touring X-ply tire" and the chart is
titled "Bias / Belted." Their chart reads the following sizes for front
Lasertecs for an 18 inch wheel:
100/90-18M/C 56H TL
100/90-18M/C 56V TL
110/80-18M/C 56H TL
110/80-18M/C 56V TL
110/90-18M/C 61H TL
 The tire that you described is not listed so I'm assuming that you mistyped
your choice. I'm not sure about the numbers, but the letter represents a
speed rating (H is for sustained speeds up to 130 mph and V is for sustained
speeds up to 149). The stock size for the front is 110/90-18. Is there a
reason your going with the 110/80-18?

To be honest, never have liked Avons. Mario has had good results from them.
He would be a good source of info on them. Dunlops are good for dirty
pavement. Michelins have excellent bite, but not much warning before they
let go. Pirelli need about 10 miles before they get a bite.
They can give a twitchy feel, but on their side, like a slot car.
Bridgestone BT56 J Spec for Busas also need about 10 miles and are ready to
go. Don't have twitchy feeling. Maxxis also need a few minutes before they
stick. Have a stiffer sidewall than others.

The Macadams were the worst tire longevity wise I ever had back in the bias
ply days.. 
So far the Me Z6 has been great in the radial world.--GarySpradley

Rear install tips
Don't press the brake lever with the caliper off the disc.  Grease bearings,
final drive splines and axle while it's apart.  I usually let most of the
air out before removal or install, makes it easier to get it mounted.
Remove license plate too.. Also take care to install washer with stepped
shoulder on rt. side with raised area pointing out. Observe torques, esp on
axle nut. Varies by year. Too much could wreck hub/bearings

Street tire vs. Race tire
http://www.sportrider.com/tech/tires/146_0002_street_vs_race_tires/
Street vs. Race, Choosing the right tire for the job  By Andrew Trevitt
We know what you're thinking: Those namby-pamby street tires are for
weenies, and the DOT race tires work way better on the street, right? Wrong.
While you're struggling with a stone-cold Supersport toss-off that's rock
hard from too many heat cycles, your buddies on their high-performance
street tires will be long gone.
Race tires are specifically meant to do one thing: Stick like glue, for one
heat cycle. To that end, they are designed with an entirely different
philosophy from street tires, and those differences make them unsuitable for
street use. One obvious difference is most race tires have fewer grooves for
more grip. And while this is great on a dry road, riding in the rain can get
pretty hairy. But this is just what you can see, and it's perhaps more
important to know what's going on inside the tire to fully understand the
differences.
Max Martin, with Avon Tyres, says its Azaro Supersport bun is designed with
a high arch and very high crown, particularly the front tire. This makes a
race bike steer quickly (at the expense of stability), and gives more
surface area on the side of the tire for more traction at full lean. The
Azaro Sport street tire has a rounded profile, which puts more tread on the
road when the bike is straight up for better wear, as well as being more
stable and allowing easier line changes in midcorner. Put the race tire on
the street and it will wear quicker due to the pointy profile.
Martin also pointed out differences in casing design, with the Supersport
tire having an additional ply and tighter winding for higher cornering
loads. However, on larger bumps found on public roads, this extra rigidity
will have the race tire chattering earlier than would the softer and more
compliant street tire.
Sport Tire Services' Dennis Smith points out that the Dunlop D207 Sportmax
is designed to work correctly at the reduced temperatures found on the
street, as opposed to the higher temperatures found on the racetrack. And
that you'd almost never be able to generate track temperatures during a
street ride to take advantage of the extra grip offered from a race tire.
Smith also mentioned the material and production costs are totally different
for each type, with the race tires costing significantly more than the
street tires.
According to Mike Manning of Dunlop Tires, the D207GPs utilize a "cut
breaker construction," in which the plies are overlapped to give good side
grip. Compare that with the D207 Sportmax, which has a "jointless belt
construction," giving more stability and a smoother ride. Manning also added
that a street tire's rubber compound is designed to go through more heat
cycles, as well as having silica added to give better wet grip.
So let's see, a street tire will generally have better wear, more stability
and superior wet-weather performance compared with a race tire, offer
similar grip (and most likely more) at real-world tire temperatures, and
give constant performance over many heat cycles-all for less money. Sign us
up.

H rating vs. V rating from http://www.cbxman.com/tech_tire.aspx
Comment: The choice between whether to use am H-Rated tire (Safe at
sustained speeds of 130 MPH) or V-Rated Tires (Safe at sustained speeds of
150 MPH) is up to the rider to choose but in some instances the choice is
limited to what is offered by the manufacturer. There is no reason not to
use a V rated tire on a CBX it's just a bit of overkill.

http://www.cdegroot.com/cgi-bin/mirror/pweb.jps.net/~snowbum/catch.htm
While on the subject of tire ratings:  It is not commonly known that H rated
tires MAY last longer at reasonable speeds and loads, as compared to V and
higher rated tires.   This is especially so with the same make and model.
Sometimes this is purely the result of the lower rated tire having DEEPER
tread!  Deeper tread squirms more, and generates more heat, so for higher
speed rated tires, manufacturer's may well reduce the depth of the tread.
So you MIGHT have the situation of purchasing a high speed rated tire for
whatever reason (not speed!), and find out it costs more and lasts less!

Radial Tires & Wheels
For some of us poor folks what is the least expensive route to take to
upgrade to radial tires?  If you do the back do you have to do the front or
should u do the front i know mixing bias ply and radial on a car don't work
out too well so i would imagine the same for a bike.  But anyways what is
the easiest way to upgrade, who sells the wheels/tires and another question
is there not a radial available to fit on the stock wheels?  Are the stock
wheels a weird size or something as I have not been able to locate any
radials for the stock wheels.

The cheapest way, (about $550.00 for the wheel) to get radials on front and
back would be to have your rear wheel converted to a 17" or 18" wheel by
Kosman Specialties. There is no problem with putting an 18" radial on the
stock front wheel. It's just that they should be run in  pairs.
_http://www.kosman.net/_ (http://www.kosman.net/) --Tim Hagan, VMOA # 1567,
[EMAIL PROTECTED]

One of, if not the main reason, being a change from bias ply to radial ply
tyres. No radials suitable for the Vmax 3.5" x 15" rim. Because the radial
tyre is designed with a lower height to width ratio, a wider rim is required
to accommodate the increased tyre width. The stock bias ply 'Max tyre is a
90 series ( the height of the tyre being 90% of the width ) Most radials you
will find on the Vmax on 17 " or 18" rims are around 180 / 55 or 190 /50.
There is no problem with swing arm clearances if the wheel is built with an
offset to centre the rim between the arms. A 200/50 may also fit depending
on the make of tyre. If the rim is not offset you will probably have to do
the spacer swap trick to move the wheel to the RHS if the tyre rubs the LH
swing arm.--JMB.

Radial conversion is over rated considering the expense of wheels the
performance gains are mild, the advice I always give is "do Racetech forks,
Works performance shocks & use a superbike handle bar" these mods with bias
tires will make the bike handle very sweet. As for my experience with
radials here are the tires I tried back to back front: 110/90X18,110/80X18,
120/70X17. 130/70X17, 140/80X17:  Rear: 150/90X15, 150/80X15,180/55X18,
180/55X17, 160/70X17 all tried on the same bike with no other change during
trial time which was at least 6 month each. the best IMHO are 110/80X18 with
150/80X15 bias, or 110/80X18 with 160/70X17 Radials, I used Z6 and very
satisfied with their performance that does not mean other tires are bad or
inferior. I ride daily year round from freeways to surface streets to
canyons all in one day every day. so when I test tire sizes or any other mod
I really put it through the ringers. vs seasonal riders (nothing wrong with
that) so when I give my opinion/ advice I give it from actual experience. I
have Kosman 3.5 x 17, the front 110/80X18 is about one inch shorter than
stock size, it looks kind of small but handles great, you'll need to get use
to it maybe do some changes with handle bar position. With this rear size no
need for washer swap or notching the swing arm. The 160/70 looks fat enough
and handles nimbly too, even if you get a venture rear go with 160/70 not
160/60, it absorbs road irregularities better, has higher load rating and is
easier on your back. Note: the 120/70X18 is even shorter than 110/80X18,
wider front tires make handling more sluggish. The 160/70X17 tire is 9mm
shorter than stock 150/90X15 according to Metzler PDF, this is the closest
17 inch tire diameter to stock. The 180/55X17 was too small and RPM increase
by 500, I find it straining the engine for no reason, same speed at 500 RPM
higher all this to have a fat tire so I can look at it when the bike is
parked? Not to mention the sluggish turning. you want nimble handling use no
more than 160 rear, if I didn't already have the Kosman rear 17 made I would
have chosen a 16 inch wheel instead. more air cushion = more shock absorbing
at the tire vs. low 55 profile makes it like riding on a wooden tire, after
a while your back is not going to be happy with all the shocks transmitted
to it. That new 150/60X15 Radial is too small just like the 180/55X17 and
will be as skinny as the stock so you'll end up with increased RPM and no
fat tire look either. The real benefit of radials on max is the weight
saving, radials are ~ 10 lb lighter then stock bias tires, I happen to weigh
them at FedEx location legal scale. one more thing I noticed with 180/55X17
is that you never use all available tread and end up using the center part
of the tire only even at sharp lean angles, same thing happens with fatter
front tires like a 120,130 & 140 can't use all the tread either (on 1st gen
vmax, not applicable to sports bikes with 120 front tires).--Ibrahim

I tried Pirellis, Metzelers, and Avons on my bike, and NONE of those
performed, gave me better grip, and smoother ride than the Bridgestones
Battlax BT-021 "Dual Compound" Sport Cruiser tires I have now. I have a 190
on a conversion 6 " rear rim, a 110  on a stock front rim, and I can assure
you this tires are GREAT. When I got my conversion rear rim, I went to
Pirelli radials, I thought, now with radials the bike is going to perform
more like a sport bike, well, it did change quite a bit, but the Pirellis
were designed for super sport bikes weighting around 400 lbs. NOT for a 630
Lbs tractor like the Vmax, the same happened with the Metzelers and with the
Avons, (which the front went pretty fast) I mounted these Bridgestones at
the end of 2008, put 4,000 miles and still the best I ever had on this
bike.—Mario

Last year I put on Michelin Road Pilot 2 110/80/18 front and a 180/55/17
rear. Sticky tires. I like them alot. Im no canyon carver nor do I drag
race. I only ride my bike and they work great so far. Seem smooth not alot
of tire noise, corner real good for the corners i take. I hated the Avon
Venoms but I got them mostly used up, when i got the bike, so I cant comment
on them new. But when they wear the Avons slid around like dirt tracking
corners, and of course the front tire cupped.--JonLewisVMOA#4701

Unsprung Weight
Yea, I definitly felt the difference. More so in the front though. Stock
Front wheel ready to bolt up was 36.5 lbs with a used Metzler 880. The
Thundercat 17" I used, ready to bolt up was Front 28.5lbs with a brand new
Battleaxe. I definitly feel the front difference. What I feel in the rear is
a lot more traction (from 150 bias ply to 190 radial)—Trent

Installing radial tires is the thing to do, the handling on the bike will
change completely.. (day and night, like the "Old Man" says) The use of a
17" front rim and radial tire, will make it easier to push and turn on the
curves, (compared to the stock 18" and stock tires), but it all boils down
to personal preference. I have a 17"x6" rim at the rear, and a stock 18" at
front, both with ME-4Z Metzelers, and the bike turns and handles like a
dream. –Mario

That's what I have now, the Lightcon 5.5" X 17" rear with 180 tyre and 3.5"
X 17" front and 120 tyre. They are amazing and Bill Warner has the best
prices on these. I can keep up with anything in the twisties. Sam B.

I can run on a stock rim? Can a 120/70/18 fit? I have a 110/80/18 now and it
seem's a tad small.
Tire will fit but will be even smaller in height. go to Avon chart look up
oem height on stock tire .120s are smaller and want a wider then stock size
rim that will pinch them and change the contact patch I put on the Avon
storms and love them at the 110/80/18 if you have ? you can e mail Sukoshi
Fahey at [EMAIL PROTECTED] she is the north American sales rep. –MarkVmoa#4288
A 120 is too wide for a stock rim. Even the 110 is tight. –DNC

I PUSH THE MAX HARD , AND AFTER 1500 MILES I LIKE THE SHINKO TOUR
MASTER.--96ER

Wheels, Wheels Assembly
Does thick washer on right side of rear wheel go right or left of brake
carrier?
Yes. Manual specifies NOT to put between wheel and brake stay. Will cause
uneven pad wear/damage? --Randy3539 Washer goes between brake stay and
swingarm. --Mark#1098

Here are a few links to big tire Vendors. I haven’t dealt with any of them
but i like the Big back tire so I’ve searched a few out. Call em up let them
help u make the decision.
http://www.wildbros.com/
http://www.madmax.com/
http://www.pcwracing.net/catalog.htm  for----frame work
http://www.wildbros.com/Carrozzeria.html
Those are just a few off the top of my head--Jon LewisVMOA#4701

Just bought a set of Dunlop F20/K525 QUALIFIER TIRES, Dunlop makes these
tires specifically for The MAX. Check em out ...Jeff
http://www.jcwhitney.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/Product?storeId=10101
<http://www.jcwhitney.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/Product?storeId=10101&Pr
=p_Product.CATENTRY_ID%3A2015089&productId=2015089&catalogId=10111>
&Pr=p_Product.CATENTRY_ID%3A2015089&productId=2015089&catalogId=10111

IMHO, 'nis', the stock OEM Dunlops are the best deal out there for both
handling and economy when you have stock wheels and need bias ply tires. I
got a good price from the Dennis Kirk site earlier this year.--LtF

Hands down best tires are Avon am41 for the front and am42 for the back.
They are sticky and last forever.—EugeneFox

Are you out to play in the twisties?  I have ran nothing but Metzelers on my
rims - went M-1 to M-3 Sportec. Love em. You want grip you got it!! In the
rain tires were solid in the corners.—PaulPillen

ME880's never gripped as well as I liked so going to try Shinko's next (bias
tires).--Mark#1098
Shinko good quality. Soft compound good grip wet or dry. Wear quicker than
me880 or Avon Venom, but not horrible.--Randy

I run Michelin Macadams on my 86. It’s been a great tire.--Doug
Ron Ayers Motorsports. Once in a while they also have 7-10% off sales if you
sign up for their emails.—HerbW

AVON VENOM 170.I have had great life and traction out of this tire. You have
to let the air out to put it on. It fits perfect. I have a Metzler z6 110 on
the front and the bike handles much better and the smaller tire makes the
bike feel a 100lbs lighter on the front end.—RonnieGonzales

Avon Venom front and rear. Great tires.--Joe05Max

Avon is the best I have tried much sticker then the 880 found them to be to
hard and did not heat up as fast as the Avons. Now that I have gone to
radials I use Avon Storms on my Max and Busa.--Mark#4288

Avons is not the worst, but I find that its quite a big difference between
tires and in IMHO the ME880 its by far the best stock tires. Continental is
the worst I tried and it was like there was no nut on back wheel axle.—Åke

I have a 170/80x15 Shinko Tourmaster on my 1990 v max. No need to do the
washer swap, has reduced the rpm from 5000 to 4750 at 75mph,looks fat and
rides great.—Peter

I'm going on my second riding season with the Shinko's. So far I'm very
impressed. They wear well, there sticky and cheap. Once you light them up
there real sticky. This is my third set of tires for this bike. Much better
than the Kenda's (hard), better than the Dunlops in my opinion.--MitchG

I've got M880's on the stock bike and Bridgestone radials on the modified
bike. It's like chalk and cheese with regards to handling (also due to other
suspension mods as well as the tyres). With the M880s (several sets of tyres
over the years) I've found that when new and on good surfaces they perform
as expected. Over time and I guess with heat and wear the tyre seems to
harden. At this time on dusty or wet (ish) road surfaces be more aware. I
haven't found this with Dunlops or Bridgestones yet.--JMB.

Metzler recommends (and I use) the LaserTec (110/90-18 61 V TL Lasertec)
front tire to match Metzler's ME880 (150/90B15 80H TL ME880) rear tire. Many
Vmax owners purchase the ME880 front tire to match the ME880 rear tire. Many
Vmax owners also use Metzler's next larger size on the rear tire
(170/80B15.77H TL ME880) without negative (swingarm) clearance and
performance issues. I have found that 43psi in the rear and 40psi in the
front works best for me. After much experimentation I have found that 40psi
in the front tire and 42psi in the rear tire works best for me. A low front
tire pressure definitely will create an unstable condition, especially when
turning. I have the Metzeler Full Line Tire Guide in front of me. According
to Metzeler, for all Vmaxes, they recommend the 110/90-18 61V TL Lasertec
tire for the front (2.15") wheel and leave a margin for pressure preference,
36psi minimum and 42psi maximum. Metzeler recommends the 150/90B15 80H TL
ME880 for the rear (3.5") wheel and leaves a margin for pressure preference,
44psi minimum and 50psi maximum. I'm running the 170/80B15 77H TL ME880 rear
tire and Metzeler's recommendation for that tire is 40psi minimum and 42psi
maximum. There was some discussion that the 170 rear tire was too big for
the 3.5" wheel but there are several examples of size 170 recommendations
for other bikes with 3.5" wheels. There are also bikes with 4.5" rear wheel
that Metzeler recommends fitting with the 170.--Rick4095

Tires Purchase Links
http://www.accwhse.com/metzeler.htm#Tires%20street
Try Southwest Moto Tires here is the link. Good price and free shipping if
you buy two tires.-- Kelvin
http://www.swmototires.com/
i buy from www.cycle-parts.com  They take paypal.—MichaelHerod

I tried several sizes and tires so here is my experience. Metzler ME800 in
stock sizes great tires and last very long but the front can break loose
every once in a while (it is hard rubber designed for longer wear), I also
tried Metzler lazertech stock size and now a size smaller front 100/90X18,
the smaller makes the bike handle better as Don suggests, the lazertech is
much stickier then the ME880 but has ~ half the life (880 front will last a
good 7-10K, the lazertech about 4k).
I tried from the fattest front tire to the skinniest from a 140/80X17 to
100/90X18, the best directional stability and road feedback I got is the
100/90X18 bias front tire.
also going 80 profile (150/80X15) for the rear tire makes the bike
accelerate a little quicker.
my recommendation is Lazertech front in 100/90X18, Rear ME800 size
150/80X15.
The fatter the tires the more vague handling gets for both front & rear as I
realized in my quest for the best handling.
This is my experience with different front tire sizes that might be helpful
to others. I tried stock size, radials 120/70X17, 130/70X17, 140/80X17
(progressively fatter front tire) the fatter I went the more vague straight
line stability became at speeds above 70 mph, I went back to stock bias
Metzler lasertech after using the fattest 140/80X17, the bike instantly
gained straight line stability which makes me understand Don's advice to use
a 100 size instead of 110. My next front tire will be 100/90X18.—Ibrahim

The Metzlers are good and provide decent traction and get pretty good life
out of the tires. The Shinko's are sticky and they are pretty cheap and it
is a good thing because tire life is short to say the least. I wore out a
pair of shinko's on my max in 2 months with less than 3000kms on them. I
found for my money the MAXXIS tires good, they offer great grip and decent
tire life, however they are a little more expensive.—RudyMercer
bias 17 inch lasertech tire I installed, it IS the best tire handling wise
of all the other Radial tires, my bike handles and keeps up with any Ducati!
leaning and turning and straight high speeds. yes I have a radial front and
a bias rear and it works BEAUTIFULLY. if you are looking for a significant
handling improvement do Kosman rear 17 welded and get a Lasertech
160/70X17.—Ibrahim

Max is a heavy bike, you need touring radials capable of handling the wt &
power while giving you longer tread life, good grip wet & dry, the 18 size
wheels are kinda limiting in tire choices, Metzler 880 come in ZR (radials)
120/70X18 & 180/55X18, not cheap but worth every penny. check Ronayers. did
you notch your swing arm? the 180/55X18 did not fit my stock swing arm but I
didn't try the washer swap thing. I am using a 160/70X17 & very happy with
its agility & performance try to find a 160/60X18 I am not sure they make
this size.
the fatter the tires the less agile handling becomes.--Ibrahim



On 4/7/2012 9:53 PM, [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: 

  

Some of the tires on your list are not radial, but Bias ply tires. Most
people run those, because the original rims are made for bias ply tires. Let
us know  (anybody) if you have successfully used Radial tires on those
original stock  rims. To my knowledge (which is limited) it can not be done
safely..
    Comments from the experts, please!!!  Why else would people spend big
$$$$ to build or buy radial rims??

 
Anthony

 

 

 

-----Original Message-----
From: Your Friend, Rick  <mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
<[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
To: vmaxtech  <mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]> <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>;
vmoachat  <mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]> <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>;
vmoatech  <mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]> <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
Sent: Sat, Apr 7, 2012 3:57 pm
Subject: [vmaxtech] radial tires poll

  

Does anybody have anything to say (good, bad or indifferent) about the 
following radial tires to fit an 18" wheel?
Metzler ME880 Marathon Touring
Avon Venom R
Dunlop D207ZR
Shinko 003 Stealth
Avon AV72 Cobra
Pirelli Night Dragon
Bridgestone Exedra G850
Avon AM23
Bridgestone Battlax BT45 Sport