OEM tires improved?

[dbaucum]

After the original rear tire on my RT only lasted 6k miles, I started using car tires. It's a pain because many dealers will not install car tires, and I don't want to worry with taking the wheel off myself. Have the OEM tires improved to the point we can consider them again, or do dealers offer a better alternative?

[Little Blue]

SORRY, NO change. Kenda LOVES to make $$$. The CAR Tire is the better way to RYDE .

[JayBros]

Any tire manufactured after 2814 (28th week of 2014, at the end of the DOT string of numbers on the tire) is a harder compound than ones made before that date. The harder compound MAY give you longer life depending on how you ride. My first two tires, the soft compound lasted only around 7K while my first tire with the harder compound gave me over 11K. My second harder compound tire is approaching paws up at only 8.6K but that tire has 5,500+ miles of interstate travel at high speed. I'm just about finished researching a dealer not too far away that will install a car tire for me.

[Chupaca]

Not many gave them a second chance but they did change the compound back to the original. They do last longer now but it still depends on where, when, what and how you ryde. I got on average 16,000 miles on the Kendas and am currently on a Arachnid which I will not know for some time. Have about 7,000 on it now and it looks like I am about half or less to the wear limit. Being a mechanical machine there will be no studies as to the effects of using the car tires and the issues the spyders are having but I will continue on the recommended tires.

[BajaRon]

The OEM tires are overpriced and of low (IMO) quality control. However, if you get a good set they are fine (once you get past the price and the low longevity). But if you get a bad one, it can be a real pain.

Interestingly, of all the posts I've seen about bad tires over the years. I've yet to see one about a bad car tire. Maybe I missed them.

I have seen a few posts where the OP was not thrilled with traction. Especially in wet (that's where you need to do your research). But nothing about the major build issues encountered with way too many Kenda's.

Get the right tire to the right installer and you'll get a far superior product for less money.

[RinconRyder]

What's the problem with installation: Dealers that won't install other than OEM or can't find tire shop to do it?

[BLUEKNIGHT911]

The OEM tires are overpriced and of low (IMO) quality control. However, if you get a good set they are fine (once you get past the price and the low longevity). But if you get a bad one, it can be a real pain.

Interestingly, of all the posts I've seen about bad tires over the years. I've yet to see one about a bad car tire. Maybe I missed them.

I have seen a few posts where the OP was not thrilled with traction. Especially in wet (that's where you need to do your research). But nothing about the major build issues encountered with way too many Kenda's.

Get the right tire to the right installer and you'll get a far superior product for less money.

with Ron ..... and would add that I believe Kenda changed the rubber compound ....But NOT the way they are constructed ... They are still made with less than Half the Plies that car tire are made with ....... Ask your self this .... Would you rather have a tire that is at or near it's maximum weight load (ie the Kenda's ) .....or a tire ( ie car type ) that can hold three times the weight load exerted by your Spyder ........ Another way of looking at is an " S " rated tire vs. " V " rated one, me I'd rather you the tire that was tested at 160+MPH vs 108mph ......... Mike

[Bob Denman]

I always felt that the Kendas handled okay, road quietly, and gave a decently smooth ride...
But when you figure in the cost, and short tread-life: there ARE better alternatives out there...

[johnsimion]

with Ron ..... and would add that I believe Kenda changed the rubber compound ....But NOT the way they are constructed ... They are still made with less than Half the Plies that car tire are made with ....... Ask your self this .... Would you rather have a tire that is at or near it's maximum weight load (ie the Kenda's ) .....or a tire ( ie car type ) that can hold three times the weight load exerted by your Spyder ........ Another way of looking at is an " S " rated tire vs. " V " rated one, me I'd rather you the tire that was tested at 160+MPH vs 108mph ......... Mike

What you're saying makes sense, but I wonder if the Kendas were designed that way in order to improve the ride (and of course to save money!). Extra plies and extra weight capacity should make the sidewall flex less, especially on a vehicle as light as the Spyder. Less flex would lead to better handling and at least theoretically, a harsher ride. I know that switching from all-season tires to ultra-performance summer tires on a car has that effect. The rear wheel of the Spyder is right under the passenger, so maybe they deemed the ride quality to be most important. That might have been BRP's purpose in specifying these tires.

[Mad Mac]

When I had ours changed by a dealer, he said "as long as we don't remove or install the wheel(s) from the machine, we can mount the tires". So removed the rear wheel from the machine and took it to the dealer, had the tire (Yokohoma S-drive) mounted/bal. and was on my way back home. Still cost me $45.00 for the "service" though. Mad Mac

[ARtraveler]

I have discussed the dealer in previous tire threads. My dealer is one that will NOT install non OEM tires on the . They are now the ONLY dealer in the state. Next nearest dealer is 1500 miles South (Washington State) or East (Whitehorse YT.).

I am okay with it. My current Kenda fronts (2014) have 28,000 on them and still look like new. The rears are approaching 20K.

Normally I get 20K on the fronts and around 15K on the rears.

[blitzkreig]

I have discussed the dealer in previous tire threads. My dealer is one that will NOT install non OEM tires on the . They are now the ONLY dealer in the state. Next nearest dealer is 1500 miles South (Washington State) or East (Whitehorse YT.).

You missed a few dealers in British Columbia ... LOL

[BLUEKNIGHT911]

When I had ours changed by a dealer, he said "as long as we don't remove or install the wheel(s) from the machine, we can mount the tires". So removed the rear wheel from the machine and took it to the dealer, had the tire (Yokohoma S-drive) mounted/bal. and was on my way back home. Still cost me $45.00 for the "service" though. Mad Mac

If you have to do that much work ...... just take the wheel / tire to any car tire place and have it done for $10 to $15 .......Mike

[ES44AC]

I have about 11k on my second Kenda rear tire. 7800 on my first one.

[BajaRon]

If you have to do that much work ...... just take the wheel / tire to any car tire place and have it done for $10 to $15 .......Mike

Exactly!

Do you have your 'Ford' tires done at a Ford dealership? Probably not. It's a Car tire on a Car wheel. A no-brainer for any tire shop. They probably don't have a dynamic balance machine that they can get to work with it. But the truth is. Neither do most dealerships. Most Can-Am dealerships just static balance your tire, if that.

[slick999]

Any tire manufactured after 2814 (28th week of 2014, at the end of the DOT string of numbers on the tire) is a harder compound than ones made before that date. The harder compound MAY give you longer life depending on how you ride. My first two tires, the soft compound lasted only around 7K while my first tire with the harder compound gave me over 11K. My second harder compound tire is approaching paws up at only 8.6K but that tire has 5,500+ miles of interstate travel at high speed. I'm just about finished researching a dealer not too far away that will install a car tire for me.

I have a later 2014,7500 on original Kenda and it doesn't even look half worn.At this rate it should make 15,000.

[Peteoz]

If a customer came in my store missing a safety shield that hangs off the back of their lawn mower deck, and wanted a tune up. The mower would leave with a new safety shield on the back of the mower deck. The customer will usually throw a fit about the $8 - $12 part, & ask to sign a waiver. I will tell him it is a safety issue, and it doesn't leave my store without it.

So you are effectively forcing your customer to buy a safety shield, whether they want it or not, JAS? I would have thought that would be opening yourself up to litigation every bit as much as having the customer sign a waiver, especially if you are the only dealer within 150miles and the customer simply can not afford to go elsewhere. Please don’t get me wrong. I would not dream of criticising you as you are running a store (unlike me) and are fully aware of the gotchas. I am just interested.

Pete

[UtahPete]

If you don't like it. Thats where you have the option to go somewhere else for your services.

I've got a funny feeling I wouldn't feel comfortable in your shop.

[UtahPete]

I will not allow any written waivers in my dealership. I learned in a business class I took way back in the day waivers will not hold up in court.

The courts will look at it like... As a professional in my field I know exactly why that safety shield is on the back of the mower deck, & I should have never have let a consumer sign a waiver that doesn't fully understand why it is there in the 1st place. So I would be deemed to some of the fault, simply because I know better as a trained professional, over the general consumer with lack of knowledge.

So I'm sure there are a lot of other dealerships out there that also see things as too big of a liability risk even with a waiver signed.

I give you kudos as a small businessman and I wish you well. But, that doesn't qualify you to give advice involving legal liability. Also, lawn mower salesman / mechanic is not a recognized profession in any state, that I know of. It may be a recognized trade, I don't know.

Legal liability varies state by state. In my state (Utah), signing a waiver is acknowledgment of personal responsibility and would protect a business that was providing a requested service in spite of the owner's misgivings about it.

[UtahPete]

Whatever... MY POINT IS NOT EVERY DEALERSHIP WILL TAKE THE RISK IN TODAYS SUE HAPPY WORLD

I never said they would. I just said mine does, and it doesn't hurt to ask their dealer if they will.

[Bruiser37]

After the original rear tire on my RT only lasted 6k miles, I started using car tires. It's a pain because many dealers will not install car tires, and I don't want to worry with taking the wheel off myself. Have the OEM tires improved to the point we can consider them again, or do dealers offer a better alternative?

I have F3-T spyder with 21K original OEM Kenda tires. Rear tire center tread wear bar just began to show replacement but outer tread wear bars still OK... figure will replace around 23 -24K front tires still have plenty wear left according to wear bars will replace around 25K. I ride hard on southern AZ mountain twists to keep up with my 2 wheel hard riding buddies. What can I say about OEM Kenda's, nothing except they will be my next set of tires. Friend had a 2014 RT and rear OEM Kenda tire replaced at 6K... don't know what's different.

[Road-Kill]

I average 13,000 in the rear Kenda tire and 27,000 on the front Kenda tires.
I experience excellent traction, no flats and thus no reason to risk loss of traction.
If it aint broke don't fix it.
The geniuses on this thread talk mileage and never traction and that tells everything.
Stay with what Can Am mandates and ride safe.

I have F3-T spyder with 21K original OEM Kenda tires. Rear tire center tread wear bar just began to show replacement but outer tread wear bars still OK... figure will replace around 23 -24K front tires still have plenty wear left according to wear bars will replace around 25K. I ride hard on southern AZ mountain twists to keep up with my 2 wheel hard riding buddies. What can I say about OEM Kenda's, nothing except they will be my next set of tires. Friend had a 2014 RT and rear OEM Kenda tire replaced at 6K... don't know what's different.

[Highwayman2013]

I average 13,000 in the rear Kenda tire and 27,000 on the front Kenda tires.
I experience excellent traction, no flats and thus no reason to risk loss of traction.
If it aint broke don't fix it.
The geniuses on this thread talk mileage and never traction and that tells everything.
Stay with what Can Am mandates and ride safe.

Didn't you argue similarly with the "geniuses" on here about aftermarket swaybars? Just saying.

[JKMSPYDER]

Yes, even Road-Kill argued that the chances of the front pulley on his F3 going out were less than 1%. He has had two crater on his now! And he did have to change his tune about Ron’s sway bar after he finally tried one. If he doesn’t want to install car tires on his Spyder it’s his loss. I think he drinks too much BRP kool aide.

[Road-Kill]

Very true.
I admit I was wrong.

Didn't you argue similarly with the "geniuses" on here about aftermarket swaybars? Just saying.

Also very true.
I admit I was wrong, but in my defense by adding Rons sway bar I was giving up nothing in the way of safety.
As far as car tires are concerned, I have had no issues with BRP Kenda tires though.
Safety is a huge concern and the only reason I'm not going to play with "car" tires.

Yes, even Road-Kill argued that the chances of the front pulley on his F3 going out were less than 1%. He has had two crater on his now! And he did have to change his tune about Ron’s sway bar after he finally tried one. If he doesn’t want to install car tires on his Spyder it’s his loss. I think he drinks too much BRP kool aide.