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Tires: suggestions?


Larz

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2nd for the Micheline 5's

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2015 FJ-09 / FJR touring bags / oil plug mod / Evotech rad guard / SW Motech bash plate / VStream touring windshield / Seat Concepts:  Sport Touring / Vcyclenut ABS rings (speedo correction) / Cosmo RAM mount

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There are a lot of great tires available, as previously mentioned the Road 5 is a popular choice as is the Pirelli Angel GT original and Angel GT II, Dunlop Road Smart 3 and Continental Road Attack 3. 

I have also used Bridgestone T31 sport touring tires as well as their S21 and S22 sport tires and really like all 3 of them. 

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***2015 Candy Red FJ-09***

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4 hours ago, RedBlock said:

Recently got my Tracer GT and I am about to hit 2K miles.  The Stock tires are shite.  Debating on RoadSmart 3 or 4, Angel GT II or Road Pilots. Anything but the stock tires.

 

I went to Pilot Road 5s after the OEMs as have them on another bike.  I did not realize until I changed how stiff those OEM tires are.

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Another Michelin Road 5 fan here.  Just came back from a short ride with friends and got caught in the rain.  No hint of losing traction on roads that were quite slick in sections.  One of the friends got a little sideways on more than one occassion!

Can't fault them.

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At 2,400 miles took the OEM tires off and put a Michelin Pilot Power 5 on the front and a Road 5 on the rear.  The Road 5 has 3,800 miles from a previous bike and was a bit squared off, Power 5 is new and a rain tire.  Its "stickier" than the Road 5.  My only issue with the Road 5 is the front cupped enough at 12,000 miles on my previous bike that I replaced it.  Lots of straight riding and I do brake fairly aggressively.  Expect the Power 5 to not cup like the Road 5 as the tread blocks are different.  I probably should have upped the pressure a bit but ran it at 36 psi.  The Tracer GT is lighter in the front wold not expect it to wear just like previous bike.  I'm super happy with the combination but working on getting it further leaned over - need clear roads I'm comfortable with and haven't hit that combination recently.

I keep thinking about running some other tire but the Michelins have always done well for me and I am hesitant to give up something I know is good for something I don't know.  Ive been running thru 2 rears and one front a year so if I dint like the tires wouldn't be long before they were off. Buuuuut ....

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I've not yet put 500 miles on my bike but today was the first time I've ridden in really wet conditions. My Buddha! Those OEM Dunlop Sportmax tires had my bike going all sideways and squirrelly over every single tar snake and irregularity. It freaked me out. I'm used to Michelin's and Metzelers and never had a bike act this way. I've already ordered stiffer front springs and need them as I'm 195lbs but this wasn't that. It was straight up lack of grip. 

I was going to ride these out but now I'm thinking I can't go into winter with this crap on my bike. Shame to waste new rubber but I need to feel way more trusting of my tires. I dropped 25% or more off my normal wet weather speed because I was paranoid those OEM tires were going to put me on the ground in a slight corner. 

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I'm just a sucker for tires that are $95 for a rear and $68 for a front. If I can't get those prices I'd have Michelins on.

I've ran Shinkos on previous bikes no problems, good mileage. FZ-07 had front and rear Shinko Ravens when I traded it. I was double dark on my ST1300 when I traded it. Sick of burning rear tires at 4-5k miles. It IS the way to go with big bikes. Back to blowing off rear tires on the FJ at 5k miles.

I'm fine with the OEM tires on the FJ, could always use more mileage.

I've got a front and rear Thailand Dunlop Roadsmart 2 waiting to mount next year. Couldn't pass up the price. hope they aren't a mistake. Noticed the 180 series out of stock for a while, wonder what's going on with that?

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9 hours ago, Salish900 said:

I was going to ride these out but now I'm thinking I can't go into winter with this crap on my bike. Shame to waste new rubber but I need to feel way more trusting of my tires.

Save them for summer and burn through them on a long road trip.  They do fine on hot, dry pavement.

I bought my bike in December and had the rear end slip a few times going through traffic circles on dry but cold pavement.  I didn't complain when I picked up a nail at 4k miles, perfect excuse for new Pirelli Angel GT's.

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***2015 Candy Red FJ-09***

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@RedBlock - Glad to hear you're enjoying the new GT, and think you'll find premium tires to be a significant upgrade from the OEM D222s.   There are a bunch of different threads running on tire suggestions, and - as you would expect - there are wildly differing opinions... welcome to the internet.  :)    But since you specifically mention the Dunlop RoadSmart 3 and Michelin Road 5, I thought I would copy & paste this from a post I made elsewhere.   I've run both on my 2015 FJ, and was surprised by the difference in feel between the two.   If I was pressed to pick one, I would personally go with the Michelin, but that's based on the characteristics that are most important to me...  your mileage may vary. 

Anyway, here was my compare/contrast of the two:

I recently went from the Road 5s to the Dunlop RoadSmart 3, and the tactile difference really surprised me.  I can’t say that one is necessarily better or worse; they’re just very different.  

The rears are both very similar:  Plenty of edge grip, great feedback, and predicable forward bite as you start feeding the throttle back in to pick the bike up off the edge of the tire.   

The fronts, however, are vastly different.   I suspect the Dunlop has a rounder profile, as the steering is very light (bordering on too light) and neutral from straight up to fairly deep lean angles.   The Michelin takes a bit more initial effort to get the bike to turn in, but then gives great feedback as you keep pushing...  It’s not linear, and takes incrementally a bit more pressure on the bar the farther you want to push the front.   Personally, I believe the Michelin front is more in line with my riding style and preferences.   That said, I’ve adapted to the Dunlops just fine over 500 miles or so, and I don’t regret having tried them on the FJ. 

A couple of very specific points: 
- The Dunlop lets you roll in/out of the throttle mid-corner, and even feather in the front brakes, without any drama or readjusting of your line.   The Michelin is much more sensitive to such inputs. 
- I’ve had an odd front end oscillation with the Dunlops during rapid transitions from side to side.    Around 70 mph, as you snap the bike over quickly from one side to the other, it gives a single wobble from the front as it unloads & transitions across the top...   not really a problem, and it doesn’t ever threaten to headshake or do anything unnerving, but it’s a behavior I never saw with the Michelins. 
- Here's the big one:  My slight high-speed weave is back with the Dunlops.   I haven’t had that since I removed the hand guards a few years ago, and always assumed it was an aero issue.   But I’ve run it up to around 120 mph indicated on three separate occasions since fitting the Dunlops, and each time it’s started that low frequency oscillation/weave.   Damn it!  :)     

Ohlins 535 shock, RaceTech fork work, and I have the forks about 5mm up in the clamps.   This setup was spot on for the Michelins.   I’m going to try going a little farther up on the forks with these RS3s, and hopefully address the last two points above.   The front just ‘feels’ taller with the Dunlops, and it seems to be enough that it’s induced some geometry related setup gremlins.  

So, a VERY long-winded way to say that “Yes, they’re both great tires, but they each have distinctly different characteristics and riding feel.”

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Very interesting perspective there @texscottyd , which got me thinking, why is it that some people love those dunlop tyres (tires) and others hate them.

I would say that the biggest single improvement I have made to my bike, in handling, feel, faster riding, more confident riding, better lean angle, wet/greasy/damp grip etc. was getting rid of the Dunlops (not oem, Sportsmax) , and getting the Michelin Pilot Road 5's fitted.
More than the K-Tech shock, more than the front end revalve and spring work, more than the booster plug.
All down to the fact that I couldn't feel anything from the Dunlops.

Which begs the question. Why? I know we are all different, riding style, weight blah blah.

Because for 1 thing, I am not that great a rider, normally any old tyre does me , until it squares off. But with the Dunlop tyres, I had zero feel. I would go so far as to say that I have more grip/feel/confidence in the worst of road surface conditions with the Michelins than the best of conditions with the Dunlops.

Could it be a temperature/climate thing?
Since I got the bike, I have not ridden in temperatures more than about 70-75f, and mainly between 45-55f
If it was generally warmer, I wonder if the Dunlop's would give better feel.
 

Just putting it out there , I may be miles out, but it would be interesting to hear from others re the temperatures they normally ride in.

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