I just did a short 60 mile loop to scrub these in a bit and see how they feel compared to my normal Shinko 705's.
For those of you that have not run the Shinkos, they are a great tire for the Steamer, and you quickly adjust to their tendency to "drop" into a turn. Wear is good and wet performance is also fine. Even though they look the part of a 70/30, I'd say they were more road biased myself, although on the maintained dirt and gravel roads that I have ridden, they are fine. The best part, of course, is that they cost about half of any other tire, but their performance in no way reflects their price point.
The Road 5 Trails, on the other hand, are a premium priced tire, and as such, I expect excellent road manners, wet weather performance, and longevity. I chose these in preparation for an 8000 mile trip across the USA on mostly paved roads, as I felt the Shinkos might not last the entire distance.
In any case, after my first ride with these this afternoon, I wanted to share my first impressions:
As soon as you complete your first turn with these, you are immediately aware that these are not Shinkos. Rather than feel the bike drop suddenly into the turn as you begin to countersteer, these tires lower you at a smooth and continuous rate of descent that is very linear. On the twisty road I selected for this scrub in, this smooth descent made the transition from left turn to right turn, etc., very much easier than the Shinkos, and even though it was my first ride of the season, I was cleaning connecting turns effortlessly. When thinking about the handling overall, including straights and turns, I have to say that the bike felt the steadiest I have ever experienced, almost like it was on rails. Although this is the first 60 miles, I think that the profile and stiffness of the sidewall must be just right for our particular bike, and I am excited to ride these on a long trip and see if the performance remains this good.
I will update this thread as the mileage adds up. Fingers crossed!
:thumbsup Good man :new_popcornsmiley
Keep us updated Ssevy
Honestly, I have heard quite a few people who came from premium tires, then got the Shinko's and really did not appreciate their grip or their handling in the wet. A reason why I am not considering them for my Tiger and sticking to the premium rubber. ;)
Are you running standard wheels with tubes?
Is that a 110/80 R19 59V front and 150/70 R17 69V rear?
How are they holding up?
(https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20210612/80393f7b4e4fe0a93582f0f3faef303a.jpg)
(https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20210612/60043cf444f0c64efc947d647d8f9b7b.jpg)
After the 6000+ mile trip. I sealed my rims, so no tubes.
Love everything about these tires, especially longevity while running slab at high speeds for many hours/days.
Shinkos are great for mixed terrain and last well if you are not running them endlessly on flat terrain, however, and I have no complaints about the many sets I have had on the Tiger.
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Look's like you have had your money's worth!
Thanks Ssevy, looks like they are keeping to form as the 8k+ road tyre that we've come to expect and good value. Glad to hear the rim job has worked out :thumbsup