Front Tires

[Jim Haebe]

Hi All, I know that there is a lot of info on front tires in the search category. So before someone out there bites my head off. I left Las Cruces,New Mexico on June 2nd and am sitting in Fremont Indiana tonight. I am tired and do not feel like searching. At this particular moment in time, stock Kenda's would be fine. I need to stop long enough to locate a dealer who has the tires in stock and will put the tires on while I wait.Apparently my front end alignment is no longer working as it should.
Plan B is what tires are substituted for the fronts from the different manufacturer's? Both tires have worn the inner tread pattern completely off, so I need to take some kind of action in the next few days. Right now, I am not sure where I am going to be. Heading to the west coast now, but have a ways to go. As soon as I figure out where I will be I will need to find a dealer. Again, I am going to ask you for some help in finding a good dealer. Plan B is tire store installs tire, and then off to some other bike shop for balance. Thank you all for your support. By the way, a friend and I are traveling to the 4 points of the U.S.......Jim

[RShrimp]

Sounds like a great trip.
Sounds like you need a FE alignment (Only a Spyder Dealer is going to be able to do this)
Best Option:
Get front end aligned at dealer and buy new tires.

Second Best Option:
As for tires any auto tire the right size will do just fine in a pinch.
If it was me, if best option was out, I would just get the cheapest ones I could find, knowing that they would be ruined pretty quickly.

Any decent tire store should be able to install and balance the fronts no problem. It is the back tire that most auto tire stores wont touch.

Third Option:
If you cant get them balanced call RideOn and have him overnight some of his magic sauce to you.

[tjfischer]

Hi All, I know that there is a lot of info on front tires in the search category. So before someone out there bites my head off. I left Las Cruces,New Mexico on June 2nd and am sitting in Fremont Indiana tonight. I am tired and do not feel like searching. At this particular moment in time, stock Kenda's would be fine. I need to stop long enough to locate a dealer who has the tires in stock and will put the tires on while I wait.Apparently my front end alignment is no longer working as it should.
Plan B is what tires are substituted for the fronts from the different manufacturer's? Both tires have worn the inner tread pattern completely off, so I need to take some kind of action in the next few days. Right now, I am not sure where I am going to be. Heading to the west coast now, but have a ways to go. As soon as I figure out where I will be I will need to find a dealer. Again, I am going to ask you for some help in finding a good dealer. Plan B is tire store installs tire, and then off to some other bike shop for balance. Thank you all for your support. By the way, a friend and I are traveling to the 4 points of the U.S.......Jim

Sounds like a great trip.
Sounds like you need a FE alignment (Only a Spyder Dealer is going to be able to do this)
Best Option:
Get front end aligned at dealer and buy new tires.

Second Best Option:
As for tires any auto tire the right size will do just fine in a pinch.
If it was me, if best option was out, I would just get the cheapest ones I could find, knowing that they would be ruined pretty quickly.

Any decent tire store should be able to install and balance the fronts no problem. It is the back tire that most auto tire stores wont touch.

Third Option:
If you cant get them balanced call RideOn and have him overnight some of his magic sauce to you.

Yes you need a front end alignment. However, since you are on your way to the west coast, You can call a dealer and order the tires, and schedule a front end alignment.

Since you are in a pinch, you can go to a local tire shop and sse if they will rotate the tires. (switch rims). If ther is enought tread left they may in fact do this. If not, then you are back to getting new tires.

Good luck.

[Trickie Dick]

Jim, We have a very good dealer here in Indy but you are in the north part of the state and I assume heading west on I80. So it would be out of your way to come down here. I would be happy to check to see if they have tires in stock if you want. PM me and I'll check in the morning and call you if you want. In checking the Indiana thread for dealers, there is one in Hammond, IN that is on your way. Their number is 219.844.440.
Good luck and have a great and safe trip.
Dick

[Firefly]

These guys in Ohio tend to stock a lot of stuff---- might give them a shout:

http://www.hondaeasttoledo.com/

877-437-1631

[Firefly]

Worst case scenario----- I'm about an hour from where you are--- I just put on a new set of rims and tires-- and have my old rims and tires with only around 2,000 miles on them-----

You're more than welcome to borrow/use/buy them......

We could have the tires swapped to your rims--- but I have yet to find a local shop that can balance them--- so I just use Ride-on instead --- which I also have in my shop.

PM me if you need some help -- or call me on my cell 269-484-4457.

[BajaRon]

Sounds like a great trip.
Sounds like you need a FE alignment (Only a Spyder Dealer is going to be able to do this)

Off the top of my head I don't know any reason why the alignment could only be done at a Spyder Dealer. From what I've heard all that is adjustable is the Toe and that is a generic steering rod adjustment.

Not everyplace will have the specs for the Spyder but a Zero or very slight toe in would be close enough. A big improvement over what it is now if it's wearing tires like that.

Now whether or not a tire/front end shop would mess with the Spyder may be another matter. But I don't know why they wouldn't.

[NancysToy]

Off the top of my head I don't know any reason why the alignment could only be done at a Spyder Dealer. From what I've heard all that is adjustable is the Toe and that is a generic steering rod adjustment.

Not everyplace will have the specs for the Spyder but a Zero or very slight toe in would be close enough. A big improvement over what it is now if it's wearing tires like that.

Now whether or not a tire/front end shop would mess with the Spyder may be another matter. But I don't know why they wouldn't.

Toe-in is easy if you have the right tools, but it even took my dealer a trip to Menards, so all dealers are not equipped. Final note...the steering sensors are supposed to be reset after alignment, which requires BUDS.

Our dealer is north of you. Don't know if they would have tires in stock. If you bought/borrowed Firefly's tires/wheels, you will be in the area, and maybe Leaders Marine could squeeze you in for an alignment. Sounds like you need one.

[mike3069]

Just my opinion here.

Don't bother with new stock fronts. They just plain SUCK. I switched to Falken ZE912 tires in a 185/60-14 size and LOVE them! Big difference in the way the handles and no problems with the nanny. If I got a new Spyder, I would IMMEDIATELY throw away the stock tires! Also, most Spyder dealers do not have the equipment to change the tires on the rims and need to go to an auto tire shop to get it done. Just go to one that has the tires you decide on and have them mount them.

As for the alignment, it is pretty simple for anyone with a bit of knowledge about alignment (MOST auto tire shops) to set the toe adjustment, but as Scotty says, the dealers w/ BUDS are the only way to reset the steering center setting. That said, in the short term I would fix the toe adjustment and then get to a dealer for the recalibration when I could.

Hope this helps.

[Firefly]

Our local Discount Tire shop mounted and balanced one set of fronts for me (I had them rotate from one side to the other) -- but when I went back 8 months later to have some work done they refused to touch them because the tire said 'Motorcycle' on the side.

So maybe going with a car-tire will help in that respect (they don't need to know what vehicle you took them off of!).

So that Discount Tire had the proper adapters. My local Belle Tire said they will work on them, but they don't have the right adapter.

My dealer (Leaders Marine in Kalamazoo) uses Belle Tire in Kalamazoo - so I know they have the right adapters.

Leaders Marine:

8500 West Main Street
Kalamazoo, MI 49009-9231
(269) 544-2628

Belle Tire:
6780 West Main Street
Kalamazoo
269-372-4000

[tajohn]

We took ours to NTB (National Tire & Battery) to have the 6 Spoke rims and tire switch. They had the adapter ,it was the smallest in the shop. Plus they balanced w/ no problems. They sell fancy car rims so they were a natural....... the changer machine leaves nooo marks!!
Good Luck hope all works out.

Great offer Firefly that's what it all about on this site!!

[Roadkill]

Bridgestone Potenzas come in our size and work great.

Ride on.
Roadkill

[Jim Haebe]

Thanks for all the replies and help. I am about 50 miles South of Des Moines and my wife called and found a place called Hicklin Motorsports. She talked with the service rep (Chris) and said he had tires in stock and would get right to it on Saturday. Sounds pretty good to me. My wife stayed home on this trip so she is the "Go To Gal", not that she always isn,t. Will take a trip over there tomorrow and see how things come out. Once again thanks again for all the suggestions and offers of help. It is very much appreciated.....Jim