The amazing self-standing tyre

[nickjtc]

Aka a Tourance NEXT rear after 10,326km. These are supposedly 'dual compound' meaning that the centre is 'harder' than the edges. The jury is out on that. Interestingly the front has at least half of its tread left and is not square at all. So I've decided to replace the rear with the same tyre (which this year is 25% more expensive.... "less favourable exchange rate; more expensive from the manufacturer... blah, blah, blah) in the hopes that the front and rear will wear out together.

Not sure what I will put on next, but the 'fiscally prudent' part of me is thinking of Shinkos.

And NO I am not intending this to be the start of a tyre thread!    Your results may vary.

[JayDub]

You need more twisties methinks 

[ssevy]

Per Mustang's recommendation, I put Shinkos on my Tiger when I got it. Kept the air pressure up higher as recommended as well. Not sure why folks feel these are a "cheap" tire, as they seem to be every bit as sticky and long-lived as the Pilot Road 2s on my Legend?
I think the dual compound tires sound great in theory, but honestly I don't envy the manufacturers having to design a tire for so many variables. Just think of all of the bikes and environments they are trying to target! I have seen riders with flat centers like yours, and others with the sides absolutely scrubbed off to the carcass.
Personally, I am pretty amazed at how well all of the modern tires perform, especially when you consider how small those two contact patches are that connect you to road.
Just like trying several brands of oil to find the one that best matches your shifting style, I think finding a model of tire that gives you predictable handling and then sticking with it is a good idea.

[Mustang]

@sevy



I hope to find the time before fall.........................
I'm thinkin sidecar   

and in keeping the thread on track ............

the self standing tire still has some life left in it 

I thought this one was done , in Des Moines Iowa but couldn't find an open or willing dealer .
So we pressed on till home 1500 miles later 

[HeavyHustler]

If you only got 6k miles out of that tyre then you shoulda went with the Shinko.  Same mileage.  Less cost.  Good all round tyre.

[JayDub]

I fitted Shinko's against the advice of most of the members of another forum, just because everyone else recommended them, I'm glad I made my own decision as they lasted me for 8k rear and 11k front on a XJ750 - mixed miles, but most of them hard, I never had any scary moments even in the wet... I'd have them again, maybe on the steamer.

[Sin_Tiger]

  I've used tool steel that was questionably as Square as that. Shinko's haven't really pushed them over here but that is certainly a testament to the amount of rubber you get for your money.

[nickjtc]

You need more twisties methinks 

You are right!  :icon_wink: Unfortunately it is hard to lean over when the road is an endless unwavering straight line drone, aka the Alaska Highway. Maybe 5% of the entire trip to the Yukon and Alaska last year was 'interesting' and bendy.

[nickjtc]

Personally, I am pretty amazed at how well all of the modern tires perform, especially when you consider how small those two contact patches are that connect you to road.

Of course there are so many variables here that it is impossible to base an assumption of how a tyre will work based on what someone else on a different machine, differently loaded, with a different riding style, has found. I wistfully dream of the time I got 20,000+km out of a set of both a front and rear Michelin Pilot Roads on my old VFR800. I suspect that the Steamer has a rear end weight bias, not helped when it is loaded up to the nuts for a long distance trip, which is why the rear NEXT wore so 'rapidly'.

And as noted in this forum and others, Shinkos seem to be either the best thing since sliced bread or the biggest piece of cr@p on the face of the planet! Personally I prefer to try things for myself to make a judgment.... but you can't knock the savings in price!!

[nickjtc]

the self standing tire still has some life left in it

Yes, technically it has. Possibly a thousand k's or so. But I cannot be faffed to mess around changing tyres when the season is up and running, so despite being stingy I will deal with it now.  :icon_wink:

Having said that I was once in the position of choosing to ride home from Edmonton on a tyre that was 'questionable' and by the time I got home (800km) the carcass was visible. Thank goodness it did not rain because it was like a racing slick. The tyre did make a good visual aid for training purposes, though.

[Sin_Tiger]

What kind of training was that, A & E trauma team 

[nickjtc]

What kind of training was that, A & E trauma team 

Har har, har de har.  :icon_wink: No, I used to be a motorcycle rider instructor with a large training outfit and in my own 'one on one' school.

[nickjtc]

Oh frabjous day.... new tyre arrived. Bunged it on with minimum travail. (It helps having an assistant to tap on the axle bolt while you hold the wheel in alignment.)

Now the hope is that the front will continue to wear at the same rate as before so that front and rear need replacing at the same time. Then Shinkos it is.

Interesting the diff between new and old: