Tire combinations.

[Tim spain]

Hi Guys, I was wondering if anyone has tried a Shinko front tire combined with a Metzeler Rear tire, I ask as here in spain it gets very hot in the summer (110f)and my concern is that a Shinko on the rear might wear out way too quickly(I realize that is a relative statement). I need to get new tires very soon anyway (currently Metzelers front and rear), but there may be other issues re tire compatability with a Shinko front and Metzeler rear. The other thing is that my bike is a 1992 1st gen but a European spec bike limited to under 100bhp, maybe this would increase rear tire life with a shinko when compared to full power 1st gen bikes. I do not ride the bike hard and use it for cruising mostly anyway, sometimes with a passenger, but I do enjoy the twisting mountain roads around here, so tire grip is important. I would very much appreciate any input re this issue.

 

[one2dmax]

I've mixed and match tire brands but not tire types (radials vs bias) so I see no issues with you running mixed brands. Tire life is a lot more dependent on throttle application (how fast you accelerate) then it is on the power output. Ride it calmly as you would any normal transportation and expect longer tread life then if you go around spinning the tires and running it hard.

 

[Tim spain]

I've mixed and match tire brands but not tire types (radials vs bias) so I see no issues with you running mixed brands. Tire life is a lot more dependent on throttle application (how fast you accelerate) then it is on the power output. Ride it calmly as you would any normal transportation and expect longer tread life then if you go around spinning the tires and running it hard.

Thank you for your comment. I don't ride hard or spin the tires so extra grip on twisty roads would be more of a benefit. I'll order a set of Shinkos and see how they go, especially as other VMAX owners do seem to rate them highly. I have had incompatability issues in the past with much older bikes '76 Triumph Bonneville/ '75 Trident T160, as the profiles didn't match up well with Avon Roadrunners versus Dunlop TT100's, although a Pirelli rear and Dunlop TT100 front did work well on the Bonneville as the profiles were very close.

 

[Parminio]

I've never seen anybody get more than about 4,000 miles out of a rear Shinko. Most I've seen don't make it 2,000.

A Michelin Commander II or Metzeler 888 will last no less than 10,000 even with pretty hard riding. They're rated up to 25,000 on easy riding. I have 11,000 miles on my Metzelers now and am going to have to change them due to age, not tread wear. The front still looks brand new. The rear is worn to where you can notice, but it's not near bald yet.

Edit to add: And contrary to popular belief, Shinkos do not grip better. They tend to distort a lot more than higher grade tires especially at speed. People I think typically just say they grip better to somehow rationalize buying a tire that cost 1/3rd as much with no R&D department and no testing department against their better judgement.

 

[Tim spain]

I've never seen anybody get more than about 4,000 miles out of a rear Shinko. Most I've seen don't make it 2,000.

A Michelin Commander II or Metzeler 888 will last no less than 10,000 even with pretty hard riding. They're rated up to 25,000 on easy riding. I have 11,000 miles on my Metzelers now and am going to have to change them due to age, not tread wear. The front still looks brand new. The rear is worn to where you can notice, but it's not near bald yet.

Edit to add: And contrary to popular belief, Shinkos do not grip better. They tend to distort a lot more than higher grade tires especially at speed. People I think typically just say they grip better to somehow rationalize buying a tire that cost 1/3rd as much with no R&D department and no testing department against their better judgement.

Thank you for this. Shinkos are not easy to get where I live in spain, so maybe stick with Metzelers after all. I too need to change my current Metzelers due to age and not wear ( the rear tire anyway), but tire wear here in southern spain is an issue due to the heat, even in winter the daytime temp rarely drops below 59f anyway, in the Summer 110f or more is not unusual.

 

[Pighuntingpuppy]

I am not a fan of Metzlers. Between 2 bikes, I have not had good experiences with them. I am currently running Shinkos on my Gen 2. I am running Bridgestones on my Gen 1. I need to get the tires rebalanced on the Gen 2 as once I hit highway speeds, I have a bad vibration in the front tire. Gets worse the faster I go.

 

[sdt354]

I am not a fan of Metzlers. Between 2 bikes, I have not had good experiences with them. I am currently running Shinkos on my Gen 2. I am running Bridgestones on my Gen 1. I need to get the tires rebalanced on the Gen 2 as once I hit highway speeds, I have a bad vibration in the front tire. Gets worse the faster I go.

Ever try Dyna-Beads? They give a smooth ride high into the triple digits. Once they're in, the tire is balanced for it's usable life.