Another tire thread?

[Spin]

It looks like I need a rear tire on my 16 RT. I have 9000 miles on it and I could probably get away with another few thousand, but I would rather be safe than sorry, especially since I'm going on a trip soon. I would like to stay as close to stock size as possible, which is 225/50/R15. My shop will install anything I bring them for $75. Any suggestions will be greatly appreciated!!

[ARtraveler]

Give us a post, BlueKnight.

[Mikey]

[Lew L]

Quite happy with the General Altimax 43

[BLUEKNIGHT911]

Because the OP would like a tire close to 225/50 - 15, I would recommend the General Altimax RT43 with the H or V rating in 215/60-15. To the OP this size will correct the speedo / odometer reading. .... and a very good PSI for this tire is 18-19 ...... good luck .... Mike

[Spin]

Thanks for the replies. Any other suggestions?

[Steve W.]

Thanks for the replies. Any other suggestions?

There are MANY other suggestion. Look through the archives, you will see suggestions for the Altimax already mentioned, Kuhmo, Vredestein, and several others.

Many will try to convince you that what THEY installed is the best tire around, but the fact is that the worst of them is still better than the stock tire, so it doesn't really matter. What WILL matter is to go up one size, like BlueKnight suggested. That will correct the inherrent speedo error.

.

[Spin]

How about the Vredestein Quatrac 5 in 205/60/15. Anyone have any comments about that tire?

[EdMat]

How about the Vredestein Quatrac 5 in 205/60/15. Anyone have any comments about that tire?

The Q5 in 205/65/15 is a fine choice so that one should be great if you don't want to upsize slightly. Only a size difference.

[Spin]

The Q5 in 205/65/15 is a fine choice so that one should be great if you don't want to upsize slightly. Only a size difference.

You have that tire on your machine? How many miles and how is it holding up?

[EdMat]

You have that tire on your machine? How many miles and how is it holding up?

Only have a little over 1,000 on the rear so I can't tell you personal long term. I can tell you from a ride and wet traction perspective I like it much better than the kenda that it came with. Just put new Q5 fronts on couple hundred miles ago. Like them too! Ride is so much better now.

[BLUEKNIGHT911]

How about the Vredestein Quatrac 5 in 205/60/15. Anyone have any comments about that tire?

According to Tire tests the Q-5 has the best ratings in all categories ( and it's my recommended tire for any Spyder ) .... But the 205/60-15 is slightly smaller than what the OP is looking for ...... Mike

[Spin]

Only have a little over 1,000 on the rear so I can't tell you personal long term. I can tell you from a ride and wet traction perspective I like it much better than the kenda that it came with. Just put new Q5 fronts on couple hundred miles ago. Like them too! Ride is so much better now.

According to Tire tests the Q-5 has the best ratings in all categories ( and it's my recommended tire for any Spyder ) .... But the 205/60-15 is slightly smaller than what the OP is looking for ...... Mike

Anyone have significant mileage on the Q5? How is it holding up?

[Steve W.]

We put on some Q5s 3100 miles ago. 175/55s up front and a 205/65 on the rear. They all started with 10/32" tread depth. I just checked them, the fronts are just over 9/32", the rear is just under 9/32".

The difference in handling is remarkable. The difference in ride quality is also remarkable. If the speedometer was any more accurate, I would be scared. With the cruise control locked as close as possible to 70, the GPS varies between 69 and 70.

How much better do you want?

.

[Spin]

We put on some Q5s 3100 miles ago. 175/55s up front and a 205/65 on the rear. They all started with 10/32" tread depth. I just checked them, the fronts are just over 9/32", the rear is just under 9/32".

The difference in handling is remarkable. The difference in ride quality is also remarkable. If the speedometer was any more accurate, I would be scared. With the cruise control locked as close as possible to 70, the GPS varies between 69 and 70.

How much better do you want?

.

Thanks for the info. Anyone have experience with the Kumho Ecsta AST 225/50-15?

[Spin]

So far I've got it narrowed down to the Vredestein Quatrac 5 in 205/60/15 or the General Altimax RT43 in 215/60/15. I welcome any comments about the longevity of these tires or any other brands/sizes you guys have experience with.

[troop]

Longer than OEM Kenda ...

[KX5062]

You might also look at the Cooper Tires. They make a couple of tires that would fit the bill. I had a CS5 Ultra Touring on my 2014 and it preformed really well under a variety of conditions and lasted the longest of any tire I've tried.

[BLUEKNIGHT911]

Thanks for the info. Anyone have experience with the Kumho Ecsta AST 225/50-15?

That Kumho is one of the most popular tires because they make the 225/50-15 size...... others here have posted that the first 15,000 mi. has good traction but after that it's wet road traction drops off noticeably ..... the Spyder VSS will save you, but you will have reduce your speed more than most tires ..... Mike

[BLUEKNIGHT911]

So far I've got it narrowed down to the Vredestein Quatrac 5 in 205/60/15 or the General Altimax RT43 in 215/60/15. I welcome any comments about the longevity of these tires or any other brands/sizes you guys have experience with.

Both those tires are excellent, IF the Altimax is the H or V rated model - ONLY .... their reg. touring model isn't rated as high ..... Mike

[Steve W.]

So far I've got it narrowed down to the Vredestein Quatrac 5 in 205/60/15 or the General Altimax RT43 in 215/60/15. I welcome any comments about the longevity of these tires or any other brands/sizes you guys have experience with.

As mentioned earlier, we only have just over 3000 miles on ours, but please do consider going to a 205/65-15 tire. The extra height brings the speedo error to nearly zero and also helps the ride with a little more cushion.

.

[Spin]

Both those tires are excellent, IF the Altimax is the H or V rated model - ONLY .... their reg. touring model isn't rated as high ..... Mike

The one on Tire Rack is a 94T. I don't see an H or V rating any where in the description.

[Spin]

As mentioned earlier, we only have just over 3000 miles on ours, but please do consider going to a 205/65-15 tire. The extra height brings the speedo error to nearly zero and also helps the ride with a little more cushion.

.

I will consider the 205/65 as the 205/60 isn't available from my supplier on Long Island. The only thing that worries me is this tire 1.62" bigger than stock. You have no clearance issues?

[Peter Aawen]

I will consider the 205/65 as the 205/60 isn't available from my supplier on Long Island. The only thing that worries me is this tire 1.62" bigger than stock. You have no clearance issues?

While those 'tire size comparison' tables & applications can be a help in getting an idea of what MIGHT fit, they are relying on the Nominal sizes for all tires (ie, what's printed on their sidewalls) as being their ACTUAL size - they rarely are!! Just about every tire varies somewhat from its Nominal size, some brands/tire models more than others!! The greatest disparity I've come across so far was a nominal 32 inch dia tire that actually measured a tad over 34 inches in diameter!!

So, while you can certainly use those tables & comparison tools to narrow down your tire search, if you want to be sure about the difference in size between tires, you'll really need to look at the manufacturers ACTUAL dimensions for each tire you are comparing, checking things like the rolling radius or diameter, or maybe the 'revs per mile' figures - and even then, if the numbers contained in the manufacturers specs exactly match those shown in the tire comparison tables &/or tools, there's a very good chance that the manufacturer has taken the easy way out & simply copied the Nominal size info, and very little chance that the tire is ACTUALLY that size!! It might vary by just a little, but then again, what if it varies by a lot?!

All that said, Kenda tires are, on the whole, a fairly small tire for their Nominal size..... but still, if you find people here recommending and successfully using a particular brand/size of tire, there's a pretty good chance that it'll fit on your Spyder if it's fitted on theirs.

And just to throw another hat into the ring, I'm currently running a Michelin 205/65R15 on the rear of my RT - fits & works admirably, even in toad drowning downpours; but I can't tell you too much about milage/tire life yet... it's only been on about a month/few thousand miles so far, but it is a niiice ride, & sticks to the road like the proverbial to a blanket!


Ps:

The one on Tire Rack is a 94T. I don't see an H or V rating any where in the description.

That V or H will be in the load/speed rating info, which usually follows the tire size - so that tire size info would probably read 205/60R15 94T and the 94T bit IS where there should be a V or an H - the T in the 94T tells us that tire is only speed rated to 118 mph, while a tire with an H speed rating is rated out to 130 mph & a V rated tire out to 149 mph. So based upon that 'go for the V or H rated tire' recommendation, I wouldn't be buying a tire rated at just 94T!!

[BLUEKNIGHT911]

The one on Tire Rack is a 94T. I don't see an H or V rating any where in the description.

Well it was there yesterday, I had checked ..... because it's a higher rated tire it's listed in a different category .... Look under " Grand touring All season in the passenger tire section for General tires ... Mike