I know this has been talked about before, but it never hurts to ask, right???
Well I have worn out my 3rd Metz 880 tire on the front of the Maggie.
I have every plan to purchase another Metz, but thought I would throw it out there...
Does anyone have any other recommendation besides the Metz??
Here is your chance to promote your recommendation..
Now as most of you know, this discussion is about FRONT tires only.... As I still have a long time to go on the Darkside tire on the back...
I have always had good luck with Metzeler front tires on my Magna's. Kept them at 40 psi and got great wear and feel from them!
When I first go my magna from Curtis, it had a fairly new Metz 880 on the front that I wore out.
I couldn't afford a Metz so I bought a dunlop K555, which i have now wore out as well.
Both exibited the same issue when worn out. they both wobble at low speed with hands off the handlebars.
Not have started with a new metz my opinion my seem biased, but when i first started riding with the dunlop, it seamed more solid like it took more user input to change course.
Doing a little research on tires, since I need one as well!
The best prices I've found are from http://www.motorcycle-superstore.com (http://www.motorcycle-superstore.com) Which is cool since they are a Mootmag supporter. :cool:
3 of the top, low cost, tires are as follows.
Dunlop K555 120/80-17 $81.99 (free shipping) *
Avon AM26 120/70V-17 $81.99 (free shipping)
Pirelli MT66 120/90S-17 $76.99 (free shipping)
For cost comparison.
Metzeler ME 880 120/80V-17 $135.99 (free shipping)*
* have used on my bike.
Im tempted to try the Pirelli just cause its cheap, but will probably order the dunlop again.
I think i'll start a database of tires that can be used on the magna 3gen
I just had to replace the front tire on my Magna at a measly 5000 miles on it due to weather cracking -- on a bike which lives in the garage most of the time. (http://s5.tinypic.com/2vmswig_th.jpg) I replaced it with another Dunlop K555, but I bought it at a bike shop, not at the dealership which sold me a "new" old-stock tire. With installation, I think it ran $105, but since I am not set up or qualified to mount tires, that's a perfectly reasonable cost to me.
I have a metz me880 on my front now also. It's lasted alot of miles, almost 20k so far. That Dunlop for 82 bucks shipped seems like a heck of a deal though.
Quote from: Len Averyt on December 06, 2009, 01:08:03 PM
Dunlop K555 120/80-17 $81.99 (free shipping) *
Avon AM26 120/70V-17 $81.99 (free shipping)
Pirelli MT66 120/90S-17 $76.99 (free shipping)
For cost comparison.
Metzeler ME 880 120/80V-17 $135.99 (free shipping)*
Im tempted to try the Pirelli just cause its cheap, but will probably order the dunlop again.
I think i'll start a database of tires that can be used on the magna 3gen
First a really big Thank You for starting the db.. I will add info on your other post..
I would be concerned with using either the Pirelli or the Avon listed above (I've seen your other post and there are a few more tires listed)
I have nothing against Pirelli or Avon. A friend of mine had a Pirelli on his nighthawk (a Diablo Strada or something) and it was fine. However, the issue I would have with the two listed above is the differing height or the tire which will throw off your Speedo.. for me, it has to be the same height tire.. I'll check your DB on the other post and see if there is something else I would try..
Times are tight right now (No Job) and if I can find something cheaper that will do me for 12K miles instead of the 16-20K out of the Metz, I might go for it, for now..
I like the irc wildflares. Cheaper than dunlop and wearing realy well.
I found this survey (http://www.westcoastmagnas.com/survey/surveytireresults.mv) on-line, feel free to contribute
Interesting on the tire inflation averages
I looked at the IRC's but they have a straight groove down the middle which I do not like. It promotes front end wiggle on rain grooves...
OK all you smart guys.. What do you think of this tire???
AVON ROADRIDER 120/80B-17 REAR (http://www.americanmototire.com/catalog/product_info.php?manufacturers_id=216&products_id=443)
Now this is a Biased tire and I have a radial car tire on the rear - Any thoughts
This is a rear tire, so IF I wanted to use this as a front tire, I would reverse the rotation, correct?
It's from Avon which I have had good experiences with before (Venom's on the back tire) and it $78 bucks which is a lot cheaper than the $128 they want for the Metz 880...
Quote from: gargoyleddriver on December 07, 2009, 10:54:04 AM
I like the irc wildflares. Cheaper than dunlop and wearing realy well.
from what I saw, they were not tubeless tires, but i may be wrong. what size(s) did you run?
Quote from: hootmon on December 07, 2009, 11:50:21 AM
I looked at the IRC's but they have a straight groove down the middle which I do not like. It promotes front end wiggle on rain grooves...
OK all you smart guys.. What do you think of this tire???
AVON ROADRIDER 120/80B-17 REAR (http://www.americanmototire.com/catalog/product_info.php?manufacturers_id=216&products_id=443)
Now this is a Biased tire and I have a radial car tire on the rear - Any thoughts
This is a rear tire, so IF I wanted to use this as a front tire, I would reverse the rotation, correct?
It's from Avon which I have had good experiences with before (Venom's on the back tire) and it $78 bucks which is a lot cheaper than the $128 they want for the Metz 880...
I run the dunlop K555
The Dunlop K555 has a groove in the center as well, and yes it does groove steer.
Its also a biasply tire as well and i run my Kumho radial on the back. no problems.Don't know about the rotation, I think it still has to be the same for water ejection.
Quote from: Len Averyt on December 07, 2009, 06:32:55 PM
Quote from: gargoyleddriver on December 07, 2009, 10:54:04 AM
I like the irc wildflares. Cheaper than dunlop and wearing realy well.
from what I saw, they were not tubeless tires, but i may be wrong. what size(s) did you run?
An IRC came on the front of my 97 and it does not have a tube in it that I am aware of. I need to wear it down and change to a new tire w/o sidewall cracks.
Quote from: hootmon on December 07, 2009, 11:50:21 AM
I looked at the IRC's but they have a straight groove down the middle which I do not like. It promotes front end wiggle on rain grooves...
OK all you smart guys.. What do you think of this tire???
AVON ROADRIDER 120/80B-17 REAR (http://www.americanmototire.com/catalog/product_info.php?manufacturers_id=216&products_id=443)
Now this is a Biased tire and I have a radial car tire on the rear - Any thoughts
This is a rear tire, so IF I wanted to use this as a front tire, I would reverse the rotation, correct?
It's from Avon which I have had good experiences with before (Venom's on the back tire) and it $78 bucks which is a lot cheaper than the $128 they want for the Metz 880...
Correct, unless it is bi-directional, I didn't look at the tire.
Quote from: TLRam1 on December 08, 2009, 01:23:27 AM
Quote from: hootmon on December 07, 2009, 11:50:21 AM
I looked at the IRC's but they have a straight groove down the middle which I do not like. It promotes front end wiggle on rain grooves...
OK all you smart guys.. What do you think of this tire???
AVON ROADRIDER 120/80B-17 REAR (http://www.americanmototire.com/catalog/product_info.php?manufacturers_id=216&products_id=443)
Now this is a Biased tire and I have a radial car tire on the rear - Any thoughts
This is a rear tire, so IF I wanted to use this as a front tire, I would reverse the rotation, correct?
It's from Avon which I have had good experiences with before (Venom's on the back tire) and it $78 bucks which is a lot cheaper than the $128 they want for the Metz 880...
Correct, unless it is bi-directional, I didn't look at the tire.
Why would you turn the tire to change the direction of rotation of a rear tire when using it on the front? I would think a unidirectional tire is designed to roll in one direction only.
Quote from: Sledge Hammer on December 08, 2009, 11:33:57 AM
Why would you turn the tire to change the direction of rotation of a rear tire when using it on the front? I would think a unidirectional tire is designed to roll in one direction only.
I believe I have read before the reason is on Unidirectional tires you reverse them on the opposite wheel because Rear wheels main stress is acceleration and the front tires main stress is braking.
All of the acceleration comes from the back wheel and 70% of braking comes from the front wheel. This puts the most force on the tire in the direction it was intended to take the most stress.
Quote from: hootmon on December 08, 2009, 11:41:57 AM
Quote from: Sledge Hammer on December 08, 2009, 11:33:57 AM
Why would you turn the tire to change the direction of rotation of a rear tire when using it on the front? I would think a unidirectional tire is designed to roll in one direction only.
I believe I have read before the reason is on Unidirectional tires you reverse them on the opposite wheel because Rear wheels main stress is acceleration and the front tires main stress is braking.
All of the acceleration comes from the back wheel and 70% of braking comes from the front wheel. This puts the most force on the tire in the direction it was intended to take the most stress.
Thanks for clearing up the mystery for me, Hootmon! I learned something useful today from that! :cool:
YEP HOOTMON is correct, atleast as the Avon rep explained things to me when I was looking into running a Avon rear for the front of the Project 96 Magna.
After he said all that he quietly told me that he didnt see any issues running it for a front..
I too did research through Avon when I bought the AM 26 for my magna front. It was marked as a rear tire at the time but now the same tire is marked as Unidirectional. The Avon reps told me the only difference the unidirectional had would be the absence of the arrow. I haven't put a lot of miles on mine yet so I can't attest to the wear but I am impressed with the handling of the Avon tires. I have had an AM 42 on the rear for over a year now.