Preference for new tires? Dunlop, Avon, Metzeler, Bridgestone? Other?
Question
Hello guys, Preference for new tires? Dunlop, Avon, Metzeler, Bridgestone? Other? I am waiting for your answers. 🙂
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Answers ( 66 )
Depends on riding style..where you live or will travel the most..
Metzler for traction but you will not get great life out of them.
I get a lot of miles out of the Michelin Commanders.
Michelin, Commander 2 in front and car tires in back.
I get 20000 out of Dunlop
They finally sorta fixed their tires 10-12k was the max I got out of the hd factory front.
Michelin Commander 2 I love them for grip. Much better feeling in the rain and on road snakes. No expert and don’t have a lot of experience with other brands but I’m sold.
I’ve become a huge fan of the Michelin commander 2 I’m getting 32-36k on the front and 14-16k on the rear. Michelin has a new tire for Harleys, if it is as good or better than the commander 2 it’ll be good too
I got 17-18k on the Dunlop stock tires on my Road Glide 2016 special.
Yeah I think because of their lack of after market sales Dunlop sorta fixed their crappy wear.
I am a fan of avon venom 2 haven’t tried the cobras because they weren’t available when I needed tires that’s how I got on to the commanders.
Michelin pilot road 4
I will never run Metzler me880’s ever again they flat suck shit.
Anything except Metzeler. Under inflated slightly (couple lbs) will throw chunks of rubber off the tire.
when i ranthe Metzler Me880 tires i ran about sixty pounds in the rear and 45 in the front and got great wear and traction but they don’t compare to the michelins.
50,000+ miles on Metzeler Z6 / Z8 series tires on my Honda ST1100 without failures.
Michelin Commander II. Run on 00 Deuce and 08 FLHTP
Ridden them all! I like to try new tires. And the sweet thing is if you ride, they’ll wear out then you can try new ones! 9 bikes in the garage and my own Coates 220 tire machine next to them! Keep going back to Metzeler ME 880, love,em on my ’00 HD FXDX. 90K on it so I’ve tried a few…
Michelin commander 2 great tire run it on my sportster
Michelin Commander 2 Road King
Michelin commander 2 is the only tire to run best wear and ride
When I had a factory original Dunlop removed from my Harley I was shocked by how thin it was. To be fair the tread was worn done to the warning bars but it was so soft I could press it with my pinky finger. So beware there is almost no carcass under there once the tread is down. a sharp rock could cause a blowout.
To its credit the factory Dunlop had good traction in the wet and I got about 11,000 miles on it.
I ran a Venom on the back and it was really sticky in the wet but it only lasted about 8,000 miles. When I took it off, it was still so stiff I could not push it in so there was still a lot of carcass under the tread.
Right now I’m running a Pirelli MT66. It has great traction wet and seems to be wearing well. It has about 6,000 miles on it and appears to be only half worn down.
You and I appear to be about the only 2 who run MT66 tires….after going thru Metzler, Michelin, Dunlop,IRC, Shinko, Bridgestone I finally found a tire Worth repeat purchases….Odd how it seems they are rarely used…I averaged about 15,000 miles out of the rears below 1000 cc’s, total yet to be seen above 1000 cc’s…will know next year…??
10,000 Km’s on my metzler 880’s and they look to have another 10,000 in them easy
Just rode 450 miles last Monday on the way home from Biketoberfest, Raines the entire way… Michelin Commander II’s is the way to go!
Commander 2 will last you forever but they’re shit in the rain, complete and total shit.
I use a commander 2 on the front and stock Dunlap for the back. 17,000 on the rear and double for the front
I agree with the riding style,,, I use Avon because they hold the road so well during rain,,,but they wear out twice as fast as most because of the soft rubber that the tires are made of which also holds the road so well,,, but to me it is worth it,, I have had alot of others before that last alot longer but with rain they did not hold as well,,, but if you are into spinouts, burnouts and etc an Avon would last 10 seconds LOL so they would not be for you…
Not only style, but where you live or trips you’re planning.
We use Good Year 175/60-16 CT rear and Avon rear tire in reverse in front, getting about 28K per change. We have a 99SE wing with Hack..
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Can you explain a little better why you do what you do?
Sure, we try to put 10-15k on the bike every year, the sidecar puts a lot of side pressure on the rear tire (would only get 8-10k with bike tires) so a few years ago we went Double Darkside, the car tire on the rear gives up more rubber on the road, and the rear Avon tire on the front running in reverse makes the rubber last longer. We don’t lean anymore because of hack so the car tire works great, but I do have friends with Gold Wings without the sidecar and they also have a CT in the rear and can still drag their running boards in turns. http://mcdarksiders.forumotion.com/f6-general-discussion
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By they way, the CT fits with no mods needed….
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Rich Miller thanks! Makes Complete sense to me!
Over 30 years I have tried most, I ride heavy cruisers. I’m current on my 3rd set of Michelin Commander II’s For me I get a smooth ride great in rain and some of the best tire life I’ve never found. I did like the performance of the Avon cobras but they didn’t last very long
Dunlop
I ride A LOT 28,000 miles in last ten months. All on Dunlop they last and do very well until it rains IMHO. I spin in the rain if I twist the throttle in any gear on my Indian. Anti locks kick in under mild braking on the rear in rain any moisture on the road I have to ride like driving in snow. For a dry road rider I agree Dunlop is awesome.
Dunlop American Elite series. Much stronger sidewall than Michelin, Avon, Metzeler or Brigestone. Smoother ride than the HD Dunlops, but same strength. My last set, I got 35k on my rear before I cut it, and 50k on the front.
Do you ride in the rain?
Chris Foth when I lived in Florida I rode in the rain all the time. Wasn’t much of a problem because it kept the oil off the roads. In Texas and now Illinois, the streets are slicker with slight rain. Make sense?
I’m disappointed on dunlop original rear on my Ultra Limited got only 12,000 miles de 2nd tire the d407 is around 12,500 miles and is almos done. The next set is going to be Michelin Comander II
Chris Foth I don’t own a cage, so I ride everywhere, in all weather.
Me too
Was a die hard Dunlop fan until I tried the Michelin’s! I’m sold! I have an ST 1300 and a Harley ultra! They both wear em!
Michlin Commander 2 for years on my 2003 Royal Star venture. Good ride and traction. Just went to a American general CT first time. 5000 miles so far and no wear yet. Only got 10000 out of Commander 2. Took a little while to get use to turns feeling better now. 38 PSI Cold. No modifications needed. stops great in the rain and no spinning at pull out either.
These are extremely good in wet and foggy.
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Michelin Commander II, great wet weather tire and mine have held up for over 12k, still going
Depends on your riding style and pocketbook. I run Shinkos because I do about 20k a year. 2 rears 1 front.. Usually less than 225 a year..
I get 15+K out of the rears, balance has never been off or slightly out of round, never a cold/wet /or any traction issues..No choppy wear…a set about $175 from my favorite supplier….what’s not to love…
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Unless I’m on the road and I have NO choice, Metzeler ME888 Marathons for me and my bride. Mine: ’09 HD Crossbones, Hers:’07 HD Streetbob. And yes, loaded up, whatever the weather and no windshields, the road has no end.
Michelin Commander IIs are the longest wearing motorcycle tire on the market! Why settle for less?
Long wearing, but not as sticky. I’d rather it wear and not drop, slide etc
Ridden in the rain @ freeway speeds never felt it slide once, if you are racing, maybe you need more stick in corners, but otherwise no problem!
They only get slippery when over inflated.
I’ve run Dunlops,Michelin,and Avons. Like Avons the best especially for rain and mileage. Had ok luck with Michelin and my new bike came with Elite 3’s. The 3’s seems pretty good and here the 4’s are better. Lot of good tires to choose from.
Michelin PR4’S… I’m on my second set. 1st set lasted a little over 24k miles (no lie!). They’re very grippy in wet weather, sand, & mountainous terrain. I’m riding a Suzuki Bandit 1250, & have taken 6 long trips with the Michelins, they’ve been good to me!
Dunlop Elite 3 26,000 plus miles!
Well never run a Dunlop again. Had my last one wear out in 3800 miles. Perfect air pressure. I wnt to a commander II Michelin. The Dunlop rep told me they have an American Dunlop now that was really expensive. Said 4k was a normal wear out on them now.
I usually always run Dunlap 401’s on my bike but a friend told me about those Michelin commander’s ,said they’re great tires,I think I’m going to give them a try
I was pissed after having to change into my 3rd tire
Have run Bridgestone, Metzler, and Michelin. The Metzlers wore well but would get so noisy at 5-6k that I replaced them twice. Went to Michelin Commander IIs last time. So far so good.
The noise is why I’ll never but the me880 again. The me888 might be better, they changed the tread pattern
Yes, they were 880s I was running. The front tire would start singing so loud that people riding with me could hear it.
If you want serious kilometres or miles, go a car tyre. MC tyres are pathetic compared to a CT.
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Michelin Commander II the best wear, grip and ride. Switched from HD Dunlop Won’t go back…
Michelin Commanders II. I love mine !!!