New Tire Time?

[ezrydr]

I remember once at Aspencade a lot of years ago there was some tire outfit that had a team there, and they offered a free check and correction of your pressures.  I forget who it was, maybe Continental?  Anyway I talked with one of their reps and he said that they'd done this all over the country and the overwhelming majority of bike tires were underinflated.  And yes, he confirmed that keeping them up to pressure would make a big difference in longevity. 

[Magnum Magna]

I have seen valve stem caps that have an indicator if it is low.  I believe the low pressure indicator was set for 30 psi.  Yes our pressure is 40 psi, yes 30 psi is bad but it is a good reminder while walking up to the bike and see it low.  You could get to a station to get some air.

[Greg Cothern]

I can personally confirm low air pressure brings about premature tire wear.  The set of Metz I put on  my Valk when I first bought it never felt comfortable on them (I think the sidewall construction was never meant for the big Valk) and ran them at 36 psi.  The rear lasted 6500, and boy was I glad it went! 
Now on my Super Magna with Metz I ran pressures of 40-42 psi respectively and had over 12K on the set when I sold the bike.  Have over 7K on the Valk so far with the Venoms and they look like they will go another 7K easily and I keep it at 40-42 psi.

[trapper]

I know what you mean, Greg.  My bike had been feeling a little squirrely, and during the ride at the March Central Texas Wrench Session, Jim told me that my rear tire looked to be running low.  Sure enough the pressure was way down  .  I filled it up to 42 psi and it seemed to run much better.  But the tire wore exceedingly fast the past 2 months, and it had gotten to the point where I couldn't seem to keep air in it.  Anyway...to make a short story very long...the last time I tried to put air in it, I noticed that I was losing air out the valve stem.  This aggrevated me as I tried to imagine    why...dirt, moisture, something else preventing the stem valve from closing off?   Then I thought to check and    sure as shootin'....the darned valve was loose in the stem..!  Tightened it up and problem solved.

We've said it over and over...we tend to overlook the most obvious things tryin to over analyze everything....lol

Anyway...I've since replaced the rubber all around and my "Valerie", (I've decided to name my bikes    ), rides so much better...  

[TLRam1]

Len,

What part of town do you live in?

[Len Averyt]

Len,

What part of town do you live in?

I live in Rhome north of Fort worth

[TLRam1]

No ideas to help you out over there Len.

[crash]

mine are cheaper no matter what brand since i work at bike shop on saturdays mine cost notta hehehehe

[dc112675]

I know this defies reasoning and logic, but for some reason I remember reading (several times) that the metz 170/80 are wider than the 180/70.  I know that it should not be that way, but I think that is the case.  IIRC isn't the first number the width of the tire in centimeters and the second number is the height of the tire as a percentage of the width?  For instance, a 200/70 would mean the width is 200 cm and the height is 70% of 200 (140 cm).  Of course the third number is the size of rim it fits on.  What I find interesting is that low profile tires are more expensive but use less material.
Where the numbers can become skewed between manufacturers (esp with bike tires) is that some treads wrap around further than others, changing the first number (which would in turn affect the second number).  In fact that could easily happen within the same manufacturer. 

[Magnum Magna]

That to me would make things easier, but I believe the second number is percentage of the width.
Someone will correct me if I am backwards in my thinking.

Date code
http://www.tirerack.com/tires/tiretech/techpage.jsp?techid=11

Tires Manufactured Since 2000

Today, the week and year the tire was manufactured is contained in the last four digits of the serial number, with the 2 digits used to identify the week a tire was manufactured immediately preceding the 2 digits used to identify the year.

Examples of tires manufactured since 2000 with this Tire Identification Code format:

XXXXXXXX 0608 
XXXXXXXX 0600 06 - Manufactured during the 06th week of the year
XXXXXXXX 0608 08 - Manufactured during 2008

And

XXXXXXXX 0600 
XXXXXXXX 0608 06 - Manufactured during the 06th week of the year
XXXXXXXX 0600 00 - Manufactured during 2000

[Greg Cothern]

170/80-15 Metz is taller than that of the 180/70-15.  170/80 is the largest you can put on the Magna, but with a brake stay rod replacement.

170 x 80 = 136mm tall sidewall 
180 x 70 = 126mm tall sidewall

Taller tire will give a larger contact patch also.

[Smoked U]

Anyway...I've since replaced the rubber all around and my "Valerie", (I've decided to name my bikes    ), rides so much better...   [/font][/color]

I thought you were going to call her "Pickles" because she is such a "dilly".

[trapper]

hehehe.....Dave, U slay me...!   

[redblack]

       I bought the 120-80-17 Metzeler 880 front and it is in fact narrower than the identical s Dunlop 555.  It is visibly narrower.  It is just over a quarter inch narrower.  Dunlop width 4.823.  Metzeler width 4.540.  I suspect that the Metzeler has a more drastic camber.  I hope this allows the bike to lean in faster. 
       I bought a 180-70-15 Metzeler and i'm glad i did.  I'm not at all interested in buying the 150-80-15 which is 1-1/4" narrower than the same sized stock Dunlop 555.  The 180-70-15 Metzeler is 6-1/2" wide and the overall diameter is about 5/8" taller than the stock 150-80-15 Dunlop 555.  The stock Dunlop 150-80-15 is 6" wide.  I'm not crazy about the Metzeler being taller than the stock Dunlop.  Just hope my acceleration isn't affected much.
       If anyone knows of a Metzeler front tire size that is the same width as the stock Dunlop 555 with a similar if not the same overall diameter, please share the size and it's actual dimensions!!!

[hootmon]

All I can say is that I've had most of the tires on my Magna's over the 100K+ miles I've ridden on them..
Best tires I've use, is my present set...
Michelin Pilot 4 in the front - You have to go 1 size shorter which makes your speedo read fast.. Great traction especially in  wet conditions
Perelli Night Dragon (running a 170) on the rear.. I'd love to run a Pilot 4 on the rear, but they don't make a size that fits the Magna..

I have run the Metz on the front (and the back) and they are good tires, but not as good as what I have now.