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Tires....

3K views 21 replies 9 participants last post by  Pjv1k 
#1 ·
Was heading back from Bingham Maine today and just got outside of Portland and got a flat!!!!! Pull over rear tire low head to next exit find a Walmart get a slime kit and head home... What tires do I buy now?? Help me out ill do front and rear now just sucks only have 5600 miles on them stock dunlops!! Let me know I'm a big Avon fan but willing to try anything
 
#5 ·
Agreed. They are dual-compound tires where the center strip is a harder rubber for longevity and the sides are softer for better cornering grip.
 
#7 ·
But you're willing to spend even more to replace a tire that doesn't need replaced?
Can I give you an address to send it to next time you want to throw away good money?
 
#9 ·
Fine, send me the front tire and I'll send you 50 pounds of air. If you send $5 I'll throw in 5 pounds of Nitrogen.
 
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#11 ·
I completely understand where you are coming from. I got a grippy Avon 23" with my new wheel. It REALLY highlighted how crappy the stock tire was. I took off the rear with 4K miles, and sold it cheap. The stockers are fine for some, but if you don't like it, get what you do.
 
#14 ·
avon tech told me 44psi rear, 42front and you will get more miles
 
#19 ·
I'm double darksiding these days but if I weren't; I think I would try a set of Michelin Commander II tires. The Harley guys are getting up to 20k on their Ultra's which are about the same weight as the XCT.

Michelin Commander II Cruiser Rear Tire - Motorcycle Superstore

Somewhere I read someone getting 19k on an Avon. It must have been the AV-72 with a guaranteed 15k wear warranty. I'd give them a try too. These are radials whereas the MC II isn't. That's important to some people.

Avon AV72 Cobra Rear Tire - Motorcycle Superstore

The Dunlop American Elite is another one worth a look.

Dunlop American Elite Harley-Davidson Replacement Rear Tire - Motorcycle Superstore

I'd likely match any of the above tires with the appropriate front tire of the same make and type if possible.

On a previous bike I loved the Dunlop E3's but on the XC I didn't care for them at all. At just 6k miles they started singing in the sweeps and had the funny wear pattern on the front which I guess is normal.

I don't push the XC through the corners like I do the KP so going to the darkside was a no brainer for me although I was pleasantly surprised to not lose any traction with the tires I'm running. I'm just not as comfortable as some people are pushing a 1000 lb bike hard in the corners. I simply don't trust the road to not have some gravel or spot of oil on it at a critical point in a turn. Yep. I'm kind of a pussy that way. I admit it.

One last point comes to mind if I'm remembering it right. You can run a bias in front and radial in the rear but can't run a radial in the front and bias in the rear. If running bias in the rear you must run them in the front. has something to do with the way they track and handle.

Also I went to the darkside at 6k miles and now have about 23k with both tires looking like they will go another 5k miles or more. So figure 22k on the back. Not bad but since it's a run flat; it's great IMHO. I generally tour alone so this is a comfort to me. Front is a Bridgestone Battlax BT-45 Sport Touring REAR tire mounted with the rotation normal and the rear is a Dunlop Winter Sport Run On Flat in 175 width which they don't make anymore so I will go with the 195 listed next time. The first half of the compound is very soft so it wears out kinda fast then it gets down to the harder compound which wears much longer. When in the first half; they really grip the road better than any other tire I've run on any bike. I guess that's the Winter thing about them. In the cold the rubber would be much more firm but in the Summer they are very soft.

So, armed with all that knowledge and a couple of bucks, you should be able to get a small coffee at Mickey D's. ;)
 
#21 · (Edited)
If your rear tire has good meat left on it , can you plug it and get your new skins over the winter ? Finish out the season on what you have , no down time and you can start next season on a fresh set of sneakers .... This is what I'm doing , I could really use new sneaks too , I will suffer these out for now , even though they are square instead of round . LOL
 
#22 ·
Ha good idea to mags I did slime it when I got the flat its holding air well( I ride another 200 miles to get home) so I just might do that.. The only cost is the tires I have all the equipment to mount and install them
 
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