Unofficial Royal Enfield Community Forum
Royal Enfield Motorcycles => Bullet Iron Barrel => Topic started by: c1skout on February 23, 2008, 04:12:22 am
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What do you guys run? My front needs replacing due to wear and I'm thinking of tossing the rear out too, since they're both dang near 8 years old and seem pretty hard. The rear seems especially "greasy" in the rain. I was set on getting the k70 dunlop replica cheng shins but then I found the new avon roadriders are available properly sized for rear fitment. Guess i'm just just making sure there isn't a tire I'm missing out on before I make my decision. I mostly ride on the paved road but I do take the odd spin on local gravel roads and some dirt two-tracks to get to hidden fishing spots.
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There are three very good brands Avon, Michelin,and Pirelli. I prefer the Avon's.
I would be leary of a chang sung wong to, or any Chinese tire, Try a blowout, at 60mph on the front, I've survived, but with soiled shorts.
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Vince had some good suggestions on tires, you might look up his posts. I don't remember the string, sorry.
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I'm with Dogbone here. Avons seem well suited to my bikes characteristics so far and seem reasonably priced too.
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There are three very good brands Avon, Michelin,and Pirelli. I prefer the Avon's.
I would be leary of a chang sung wong to, or any Chinese tire, Try a blowout, at 60mph on the front, I've survived, but with soiled shorts.
Everyone should run what they're comfortable with. I have used Cheng-Shin (I think that's the brand you were referring to) for many years, on both my scooter and my motorcycles. I have never experienced a quality problem with any of them.
As for sudden blowouts (the fear factor), the only one I ever had was with a Dunlop on the front of a Yamaha 650 Special. Pretty exciting. But that doesn't mean that Dunlop is anything but an excellent tire. These things can happen to anyone at any time.
At the same time I say all this, I am not an aggressive rider. My centerstand will never grind in a corner and both my wheels will be on the ground most of the time. So because they suit my style and my needs, the less expensive but very road worthy Cheng Shins will be on my bike.
:)
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Check out campfire talk "quick release rear wheel". I posted 1-5-08. Basically I strongly recommend the Avon Road Rider AM26. Use 90/90-19 front and 100/90-19 rear. This is a fabulous choice. In my opinion you will not find a better for the Enfield.
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I love my K70 Dunlops. I am riding 3.25 x 19 front and rear. I ride pavement, forest service roads, powerlines and snow and they do very well, thank you. I don't do much two-up, but my lovely wife does join me for a trip to dinner or errands on occasion. (She is petite.)
I suppose if I were doing a lot of two-up, or more heavily burdened riding, I would search out a 3.50 x 19 K70 for the rear. CMW only has the 3.25 x 19 in the K70 . Why? (Kevin are you "listening"? :O)
-Jesse, Happily riding the Olympic Penisula
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Don't take cheap shots at Cheng Shin tires! I use them and they're great. I purchased front and rear for $60 combined from JC Whitney.
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Check out campfire talk "quick release rear wheel". I posted 1-5-08. Basically I strongly recommend the Avon Road Rider AM26. Use 90/90-19 front and 100/90-19 rear. This is a fabulous choice. In my opinion you will not find a better for the Enfield.
I second Vince here. I have them on mine and they are a huge improvement. They ride better and the more rounded profile improves turnability. You lose some of the vintage look, but for me it was worth it.
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My bike is a 2000; the tires are original on it, with 5000 miles. They've got plenty of tread left, but I'm wondering whether I should replace them just because of their age. They show small cracking all around the sides, but otherwise seem OK. I just wondered if there was a rule of thumb about tires and age...?
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You should replace them NOW! Aside from any discussion of profile or tread, that cracking is a sign of rubber compound break down. The chemicals in the compound that make it soft, pliable, and sticky are volatile. They are subject to a phenomenon called out gassing. This happens from heat or age. That is why race cars change tires so often. The heat from usage boils off these chemicals. When not subject to these extremes, these chemicals still evaporate. It just takes longer. Even when the tread depth is ok, these older tires still won't grip the way afresh tire will. Often, the bargain tires people get on sale or from the internet are older tires. These may not have been stored properly. A hot warehouse will bake these chemicals out of the rubber very quickly. Your tires are talking to you. You should listen.
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OK, Vince, you've talked me into it. Time to go tire shopping...
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Recently I was talking with a friend who like me shares a passion for stationary engines. He also though goes to some country shows with his 1966 BSA 350. He chides me about getting 'A proper British bike; not this imported rubbish" and I just talk about his inability to ride his bike properly etc.
He did say that he can't corner very fast these day (he's about 68 years old) and I said it was him. He said no, it was just that the tyres didn't seem to grip very well now even though there was loads of tread left as the bike has only done 5,000 miles from new. I asked when he fitted these and then fell about with laughter when he said they were the ones that came with the bike from new!!!!!!!!!!! ;D
I had a look at them and there is no sidewall cracking etc. They are just so hard; they're fossilised! :o
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You should replace them NOW! Aside from any discussion of profile or tread, that cracking is a sign of rubber compound break down. The chemicals in the compound that make it soft, pliable, and sticky are volatile. They are subject to a phenomenon called out gassing. This happens from heat or age. That is why race cars change tires so often. The heat from usage boils off these chemicals. When not subject to these extremes, these chemicals still evaporate. It just takes longer. Even when the tread depth is ok, these older tires still won't grip the way afresh tire will. Often, the bargain tires people get on sale or from the internet are older tires. These may not have been stored properly. A hot warehouse will bake these chemicals out of the rubber very quickly. Your tires are talking to you. You should listen.
Weird, just last week I noticed a lot of cracking on the sidewalls of my tires (the stock ones) and got a new set of tires mounted pronto. I went with your suggestion of the AM26 Roadriders and I was surprised at how much better they feel! As to why the stock tires lasted such a short time, who knows? Maybe they did sit in a warehouse for a long time? Anyway, it made me realize I should examine the ENTIRE bike more often. Those sidewalls didn't start cracking overnight - I should have caught it happening sooner. It would be no fun to get a blow out while riding!
Luckily, I was planning on trying a tire other than the Speedmasters soon anyway. I don't know how the AM26's will handle forest service roads and the like, but I imagine no worse than the stock tires. I originally had thought about trying Dunlop K70's for a more vintage look, but I'm sold on the Roadriders.
Eamon
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I sure like the Cheng Shins our host sells. They seem adequately sticky for the pavement, and gravel roads that I use. If I were racing my bullet, perhaps I would get a softer race tire, one that is really gooey.
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Thank you for pointing those out. I hadn't seen them before. I've run Cheng Shins on several motorcycles and my scooter as well (Vespa 200E with Polini kit and pipe) and never had any complaints. I believe them to be a very good 'bargain' tire (tyre?). :)
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Tires Unlimited has the roadriders for 65-70 $ ea. They also Carry Michelin tubes (the best according to Hoyle) The sidewall comparison to the oem avons is night & day. They ride much smoother riding. Ex cellent .
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Interesting comment Vince made in the "Campfire" thread, I think it was, about the volatile substance that makes these tyres soft diffusing off over time. Could also be some additional cross-linking taking place, but whatever it is, rubber obviously has a finite life span and to lengthen it, as in the storage of rubber parts, some type of barrier coating on them, or possibly vacuum packing, might be the answer. I asked that question (rubber storage) under Tech tips, and the answers were, from Matt, wrapping the parts in greasy paper, and from Dew, spraying with silicon spray - either might work. I suppose with tyres you would normally expect them to wear out before they crack and get hard, but maybe that isn't always the case. If not, is there a way to extend their life while they are on the bike, in storage say?
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I have a 2005 Bullet it came with Avon's. It handles so good that I lift the footpeg on easy slow intersection turns. This bike needs ground clearance not better tires ;D .............................But If your sidewalls are cracking please buy something!
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I have a 2005 Bullet it came with Avon's. It handles so good that I lift the footpeg on easy slow intersection turns. This bike needs ground clearance not better tires ;D .............................But If your sidewalls are cracking please buy something!
I'm not suggesting there is anything wrong with the Avon Speedmasters from a handling perspective - I was content with them until I noticed the sidewalls cracking. It's just that the Avon Roadriders were about the same price as the old ones and they do feel noticeably better to me. Like I said, though, it's not that the stock tires seemed bad (handling wise).
Eamon
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I didn't get much time on my old tires, but based on the small sample the Roadriders seem to handle better and they definitely ride better.
I replaced mine because the tires were 5 year old and most of that time was spent sitting at the dealer then in my father's garage. When I bought it from him 20 months ago it only had 300 miles on it in about 2 years of ownership.
But the rubber had faded somewhat, which was likely due to drying. It just seemed prudent to replace them.
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I'm not suggesting there is anything wrong with the Avon Speedmasters from a handling perspective - I was content with them until I noticed the sidewalls cracking. It's just that the Avon Roadriders were about the same price as the old ones and they do feel noticeably better to me. Like I said, though, it's not that the stock tires seemed bad (handling wise).
Eamon
Can't you fix cracking sidewalls with shoe polish? (just kidding, don't do it!).
The only thing I don't like about the Roadriders is that they just don't look like they belong on a Bullet. Kinda like seeing a set of wrinkle walls on a Lincoln.
Last year I ran a 3.25x19 K70 on the front and a 4.10x19 K81on the rear. So far it was the best looking combo I tried but I feel that the handling took a turn for the worst with em.
The K81 rear has about 3,000 miles on it so far and is almost down to the wear bars.
I got almost 10k on the stock Avon rear.
I have a set of tires for this year already but next year I'm going back to the Speedmaster/Safety Mileage combo that comes on the stock ones.
CJ
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I am of course biased, but I like how they look.
You can see how they look in the pics I posted last week.
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CJ,
I too, tried, albeit briefly, the combination of a K70 on the front and a K81 on the rear. It was bizarre. As a another RE rider coined, "it was like riding on balloons!" The severe "V" profile of the K81 with the rounded profile of the K70 effected a controlled steer into a corner with an unnerving dive at the rear as the K81 flopped onto one side or the other of the "V". (Also, because of the "handmade" aspect of the RE, I could not properly align the 4.10 x 19 .)K81 without it rubbing the chainguard or grazing the swingarm
I like the K70's front and rear. Predictable, grippy and with enough of an aggresive tread to feel secure on a twisty road, a gravel fire road or 6" of snow.
Happy trails
-Jesse
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Jesse,
Yea, it's weird the way the bike handles with that combo. Not real bad just weird.
I'd like to try the 3.60 x 19 K81 on the front 4.10 x 19 K81 rear combo but they don't seem to sell the front in the US.
I can get the front in Canada but it's a bit pricey for me.
I run the K70s front and back on my Trump and like em but the rears don't last long.
CJ