Car Tire verses Bike Tire

I'm sure you've hashed this over 'somewhere' on the forum but I can't find what I would like to address my question. We are getting ready to leave on a 3 week, 4300 mile trip and John say's I will most probably need a new REAR tire along the way. He wants to to put a car tire on ... I'm not wrench enough to even know the difference in the two.

So my questions is, "Car Tire or Bike Tire?" :hun: I have an 2013 ST-L. Please, use language a totally inept, unknowledgeable, none-wrench rider will understand - I have absolutely no understanding of garage speak so please talk down to me LOL. I truly appreciate your input ... I just want enough info to be able to make an informed decision.

Fronts or rear? I have a 2011 RT-S,
I changed to car tires at about 8,000 miles and am at almost 39,000 now.

Rear I'd say the only benefit to a car tire is its cheaper. Wear is about the same mileage, at least in my experience.

Fronts, I have experienced better handling and MUCH longer wear. I will probably never have to change my front tires and I have almost 30,000 miles on them.

Sent from my VS980 4G using Tapatalk

As I've been told, the car tire (assuming it's the correct size) will work just fine. You may have to fool around with the tire pressure to get the ride and handling you want because car tires are built to handle more weight and the rubber is harder. On the whole, they also have an advantage because they have, for the most part, also proved to be more durable. If you look around here, you will find several suggestions as to what others have used. Given the tire wear I'm getting on the 2014, I will be moving to a car tire when the current one runs out.

there is no end to this subject. You can find lists of tires being used and how much mileage you can get etc. Sadly I think it all started with the comparison to cars getting like 50,000 miles and these don't. Even the car tires on these machines don't do as well as cars. I have gotten great mileage on my oem tires and they were designed for the roadster. Vee rubber now designed a tire fro the spyder as well. I prefer to stay with motorcycle type tires just shop around for a good price. The car tires work and some work well my suggestion is if you change the rear tire for a car tire do the front to match....:thumbup:

Here is a thread where I asked if there were any people dissatisfied with car tires on the Spyder. Over 3,000 views and nobody reported dissatisfaction. Incredible level of customer satisfaction, I think. http://www.spyderlovers.com/forums/s...745#post812745

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Originally Posted by Dan_Ashley

Here is a thread where I asked if there were any people dissatisfied with car tires on the Spyder. Over 3,000 views and nobody reported dissatisfaction. Incredible level of customer satisfaction, I think. http://www.spyderlovers.com/forums/s...745#post812745

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Thanks Dan, I'll look at it with pleasure :D

Jacque I replaced my rear Kenda tire with a Kumho car tire last month. I got 10,000 miles from the OEM tire. From what others have told me, the Kumho will last twice as long or more from the Kenda. The Kumho car tire is called the Ecsta AST and you can get it in the exact size as the Kenda. I've been told the Kumho lasts longer because it is 4 ply vs 2 ply and is harder rubber. I'm running 28 lbs in the Kumho and have been very happy with it so far. Most of the riders I ride with have switched to Kumhos.

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Originally Posted by JKMSPYDER

Jacque I replaced my rear Kenda tire with a Kumho car tire last month. I got 10,000 miles from the OEM tire. From what others have told me, the Kumho will last twice as long or more from the Kenda. The Kumho car tire is called the Ecsta AST and you can get it in the exact size as the Kenda. I've been told the Kumho lasts longer because it is 4 ply vs 2 ply and is harder rubber. I'm running 28 lbs in the Kumho and have been very happy with it so far. Most of the riders I ride with have switched to Kumhos.

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I do believe I am convinced. So, here my non-wrenching mind asking - what size do I get? I think I'm going to get one for my rear tire. Hoping not to have to do it until we get home from our 3 week, 4300 miles trip but just in case ....

Should I replace all 3 with car tires when they're ready?

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Originally Posted by JKMSPYDER

Jacque I replaced my rear Kenda tire with a Kumho car tire last month. I got 10,000 miles from the OEM tire. From what others have told me, the Kumho will last twice as long or more from the Kenda. The Kumho car tire is called the Ecsta AST and you can get it in the exact size as the Kenda. I've been told the Kumho lasts longer because it is 4 ply vs 2 ply and is harder rubber. I'm running 28 lbs in the Kumho and have been very happy with it so far. Most of the riders I ride with have switched to Kumhos.

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Would be very interested in your driving impressions of any difference with this Kumho vs the stock Kenda.

JC, I've put over 2000 miles on my rear Kumho so far and I can't tell any difference in handling from the OEM Kenda. But I see no wear at all so far. I run 28 lbs when riding alone and 32 lbs when my wife rides with me.

You can get the Kumho rear tire the same size as the OEM Kenda. 225/50/R15. I found mine at a discount tire place for $70.

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Originally Posted by jcthorne

Would be very interested in your driving impressions of any difference with this Kumho vs the stock Kenda.

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I have used Kumho Ecsta AST on the rear of three Spyders now and buy the tire for $80 and it lasts at least twice as long as the OEM. I find the handling every bit as good as the OEM and better in the rain... I got 43000 plus on my last set of front Oem tires on the 2012 but the Kendas on the 2014 are junk so I replaced them with Federals (auto tire same size) at 8000 miles, now have 13000 and find the handling from the Federals to be much better (Vee Rubber does not make a front tire for the 2013/2014 - only earlier models so no way to test that yet)

The problem is the premise. It isn't car tire vs motorcycle tire because the Spyder does not use a motorcycle tire. It is Spyder light duty car tire vs automotive quality car tire.

The Spyder uses a very light duty car tire. There are other differences but the biggest difference is that the Spyder tire has a 2 ply tread area and a car tire will have a 4 ply tread.

You need to be careful in selecting an automotive quality tire for your Spyder. Rubber compounds and tread design are very important as the Spyder tends to hydroplane in wet condtiions. This is due to the relatively light weight of our Spyders.

It is not a great idea to go for a high mileage automotive quality tire as this usually means a harder rubber compound and probably less traction in wet conditions. Any automotive quality tire will most likely outlast the OEM BRP tire.

Bajaron gives good advice here. The Spyder rear tire is a light duty tire, 2-ply is like a 2-layer construction in simple terms. Most any other "car" tire we use is going to be a 4-ply. This does many things, including giving us a "stronger" tire that has a higher speed rating (safer at continued high speed rotation) and a higher load rating (able to handle more weight and heat). Anyone who pulls trailers should be able to tell you what happens when you install a tire with less plys (plies) as they will have more punctures and more failures. Granted, the Spyder is a lighter machine so a 2-ply might be "acceptable" but many of us want higher quality, reliability and durability.

The car tires can be found in so many treads designs and rubber compounds, one needs to be careful here. A longer lasting car tire is almost always going to use a harder rubber compound, which is generally a reduction in traction. Even a car tire with a "low" tread wear rating of only 300 is going to last longer than the OE tire, but will also be sticky and work very well from a traction standpoint. Only those who push their machines to their traction limits will be truly qualified to make statements as to a certain tire working like the OE tire. During casual riding one might not notice much of a difference, but get real familiar with your nanny and you can soon find out the differences between the various tires in various conditions.

The comment was made that riders switch to a car tire because it is less expensive, that is just one consideration. We can save money, we get a longer lasting tire, we get one that has a higher speed rating, we get one with a better load rating that is more resistant to damage/puncture. We get one that wears more evenly, instead of ballooning out in the middle at high speeds. As for the front tires, we have on many occasions found the cheap OE tires to be barely acceptable in terms of roundness and balance, they cause all sorts of wobbles and shakes. So many times it is simply a cheap tire, get rid of it and the front end runs straight and true. Assuming good alignment, of course!

There have been volumes on these subjects in this forum over the years, please use the search function to review all of the great posts many have made on these subjects. From my personal experience of 73,000 Spyder miles on three machines, I can tell you BRP has changed their rear tire compound several times and the latest one is a softer stickier tire that doesn't last as long. I burned up the new OEM tire on my 2013 ST-S in 2,500 miles, replaced it as 3,750. I only run car tires, have for years. Have used several Kumhos, Maxxis, now running Toyo Proxes 4. Me personally I will get about 7,500 miles per rear tire, on average, all due to speed, weight and driving habits. Like last week, 960 miles in three days, typical. 300-400 miles per day is normal, zero four-lane roads, all back roads.

Funny thing, most of the tire stores no longer have the Kumho in our size, not sure if it has been discontinued or what. The Toyo Proxes 4 is also discontinued, but we are talking only the OEM size. There are many very similar sizes that will work, so there are plenty of options. Again, many posts on this over the years. But right here and right now, I for one will never run a cheap OE 2-ply tire on any of my Spyders ever again. Hope this helps.

I'm running a car tire, didn't do it for price. Did it for mileage. I read all the posts and threads here and found a size that works and has many options. I got a Michelin Primacy 215/60/15 it is H rated to give good wear and good wet traction. It cost me $140 with mounting at the local tire shop and I removed and installed the wheel myself. The choice is yours.

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Originally Posted by White Lightening

On my last ride (two wheels) there was no end to the debate (complaints) in the various forums about the oem tires which were Bridgestones. Like here, most we're trying to get more miles between tire changes which is fine but in my opinion the least important attribute of a motorcycle tire. Seemed like there was little interest in the absolute or relative performance of tires with regard to stopping, turning, puncture resistance, or wet/dry traction. I only have 3000 on the Kendas on the Spyder but so far their wet traction, stopping, and turning characteristics have been fine.

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MC tire vs car tire on 2 wheels is a whole other world because you are going from a true MC tire to a completely different (in every aspect) design. It changes pretty much every dynamic on 2 wheels. People get away with it and some swear by a car tire on the back of 2 wheels.

Not the same thing on a Spyder where you're basically discussing the advantages/disadvantages between different car tires, including the stock Kenda.

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Originally Posted by JacqueTanis

I do believe I am convinced. So, here my non-wrenching mind asking - what size do I get? I think I'm going to get one for my rear tire. Hoping not to have to do it until we get home from our 3 week, 4300 miles trip but just in case ....

Should I replace all 3 with car tires when they're ready?

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Just put a post on Ace 1330 shop talk , my wife has a lot of experience with car tires.

I need some advice on how to remove rear tire on ST-L.... I've viewed the DIY video for the RS but I was told by parts guy that the ST is setup differently.... :dontknow::dontknow:

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Originally Posted by JKMSPYDER

Jacque I replaced my rear Kenda tire with a Kumho car tire last month. I got 10,000 miles from the OEM tire. From what others have told me, the Kumho will last twice as long or more from the Kenda. The Kumho car tire is called the Ecsta AST and you can get it in the exact size as the Kenda. I've been told the Kumho lasts longer because it is 4 ply vs 2 ply and is harder rubber. I'm running 28 lbs in the Kumho and have been very happy with it so far. Most of the riders I ride with have switched to Kumhos.

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Originally Posted by JKMSPYDER

JC, I've put over 2000 miles on my rear Kumho so far and I can't tell any difference in handling from the OEM Kenda. But I see no wear at all so far. I run 28 lbs when riding alone and 32 lbs when my wife rides with me.

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Originally Posted by JKMSPYDER

You can get the Kumho rear tire the same size as the OEM Kenda. 225/50/R15. I found mine at a discount tire place for $70.

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Thanks for this info. I know this is an old thread. Will have to see if these tires are still available.

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Originally Posted by BajaRon

The problem is the premise. It isn't car tire vs motorcycle tire because the Spyder does not use a motorcycle tire. It is Spyder light duty car tire vs automotive quality car tire.

The Spyder uses a very light duty car tire. There are other differences but the biggest difference is that the Spyder tire has a 2 ply tread area and a car tire will have a 4 ply tread.

You need to be careful in selecting an automotive quality tire for your Spyder. Rubber compounds and tread design are very important as the Spyder tends to hydroplane in wet condtiions. This is due to the relatively light weight of our Spyders.

It is not a great idea to go for a high mileage automotive quality tire as this usually means a harder rubber compound and probably less traction in wet conditions. Any automotive quality tire will most likely outlast the OEM BRP tire.

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I hydroplaned for about 100 feet on submerged section of road in Florida with my 08 RS. The active handling feature kept the Spyder straight as an arrow.

I keep saying this and maybe I should quit. But it really isn't a matter of Bike tire vs Car tire. It's Car Tire Lite vs Car tire. There are differences. But a motorcycle or 'Bike' tire is nowhere near anything that is being discussed.

Yes, the OEM tire was designed for the Spyder. But the real meaning of this is that BRP was able to get away with a car tire having only 2 plies in the tread area instead of the usual 4 plies. This because the Spyder is much lighter than a car. You do have rubber compound and tread design to consider as these are also important. If you do go to a standard construction car tire be sure to get one with good wet and dry traction characteristics, and one that sheds water well (some do, some don't).

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Originally Posted by BajaRon

I keep saying this and maybe I should quit. But it really isn't a matter of Bike tire vs Car tire. It's Car Tire Lite vs Car tire. There are differences. But a motorcycle or 'Bike' tire is nowhere near anything that is being discussed.

Yes, the OEM tire was designed for the Spyder. But the real meaning of this is that BRP was able to get away with a car tire having only 2 plies in the tread area instead of the usual 4 plies. This because the Spyder is much lighter than a car. You do have rubber compound and tread design to consider as these are also important. If you do go to a standard construction car tire be sure to get one with good wet and dry traction characteristics, and one that sheds water well (some do, some don't).

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Well I switched. John put on my Kumho ecsta ast tire last month. We'll see how I like it, so far so good.

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Originally Posted by BajaRon

If you do go to a standard construction car tire be sure to get one with good wet and dry traction characteristics, and one that sheds water well (some do, some don't).

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Do you think that the spyders are more likely to hydroplane, due to their lighter footprint? :dontknow:

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Originally Posted by Bob Denman

Do you think that the spyders are more likely to hydroplane, due to their lighter footprint? :dontknow:

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See my post above. At least when a Spyder hydroplanes, it stays upright. Motorcycles don't.

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Originally Posted by Bob Denman

Do you think that the spyders are more likely to hydroplane, due to their lighter footprint? :dontknow:

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Yes, even with the OEM tire the Spyder, with its very wide rear tire and light weight, has a tendency to hydroplane. With a good tread pattern and rubber compound (as with the OEM tire) this potential is greatly reduced. Because of this there is a risk in replacing the OEM tire with a tire of the same dimensions but much different driving characteristics which can definitely increase the potential to hydroplane.

A directional tire is almost always much better at shedding water than the typical non-directional tire. Most tires are non-directional (meaning they work the same regardless of rotational direction).

I think the real confusion in this entire "MC vs Car" tire discussion is that the OEM Kendas have been 'Approved' for use on the Spyder which is designated a 'Motorcycle' so that the DMV can pigeon hole it for registration purposes and DOT can pigeon hole it for regulatory purposes. However, the fact of the matter is that the Spyder IS NOT a motorcycle, nor are the tires used on the Spyder 'Motorcycle' tires in any sense of the work other than DOT approval regulations.

This means that BRP has gone to the time, trouble and expense to get the OEM Kenda tires 'Approved' for Spyder Only applications. Since it is the only tire that has gone through this process, it is the only tire that can legally be installed on the Spyder.

It isn't that there is anything necessarily WRONG with putting a 'Car' tire on the Spyder. Obviously, this is not the case. It's just that no one has gone through the necessary governmental hoops to market their tires for the Spyder or to avoid the possibility of law suit exposure.