Off with the old.... on with the new!

[Pampurrs]

Today, I removed the original Kenda rear tire after nearly 17,000 miles. I replaced it with the General Altimax RT 43. Thanks everyone for the great recomendations! [emoji106]

Pam

Sent from my SPH-L720T using Tapatalk

[kngfsh27]

17k miles is great for a Kenda. Looks like you might have got another 1k out of it.

[Pampurrs]

17k miles is great for a Kenda. Looks like you might have got another 1k out of it.

Yeah I thought that too, but didn't want to push it.

Pam

Sent from my SPH-L720T using Tapatalk

[Deanna777]

Today, I removed the original Kenda rear tire after nearly 17,000 miles. I replaced it with the General Altimax RT 43. Thanks everyone for the great recomendations! [emoji106]

Pam

Sent from my SPH-L720T using Tapatalk

Pam, You are Welcome ! for the tire recommendation. You will like how the tire handles on the spyder. The General Altimax RT 43 has a very good tread depth. Deanna

[jaherbst]

Pam, does everyone get the pretty pink and green stripes on there new tire or just Girls? I want one.

Jack

[Chupaca]

You are...cause now we will be expecting updates on the new treads... well your all set..ryde on..

[jerpinoy]

You're old tire showed a worn middle part and I think you were over inflated.

[paforonda587]

What is the actual size of the General? I just replaced my kenda rear 225/50/15. Only had 7700 and looked like yours.


Sent from my SM-T530NU using Tapatalk

[Pampurrs]

Pam, does everyone get the pretty pink and green stripes on there new tire or just Girls? I want one.

Jack

The stripes were extra

Pam

[Pampurrs]

You're old tire showed a worn middle part and I think you were over inflated.

Not true. I am very judicious about my air pressure and keep it at 28 psi according to spec. The Kenda wears that way for some reason. Others have had the exact same experience.

[Pampurrs]

What is the actual size of the General? I just replaced my kenda rear 225/50/15. Only had 7700 and looked like yours.


Sent from my SM-T530NU using Tapatalk

215/60/15

[BLUEKNIGHT911]

You're old tire showed a worn middle part and I think you were over inflated.

.....Over the years the PSI issue with the Kenda tire has been dis-cussed ad-infinitum and the vast consensus is it doesn't matter what PSI is in the Kenda .....it will wear out pre-maturely, because of it's construction..............However this new generation of Kenda's may have turned a corner on the longevity thing, almost 17,000 miles on an RT is DAMN good ..........jmho........Mike

[PMK]

.....Over the years the PSI issue with the Kenda tire has been dis-cussed ad-infinitum and the vast consensus is it doesn't matter what PSI is in the Kenda .....it will wear out pre-maturely, because of it's construction..............However this new generation of Kenda's may have turned a corner on the longevity thing, almost 17,000 miles on an RT is DAMN good ..........jmho........Mike

Agree the 17k is a lot of miles. I almost wonder if the roads in the SW are as smooth as a basketball court. Regardless, ensure to scuff the tire in good before riding it aggressively.

[PW2013STL]

Just changed out my General Altimax RT43 (215/60R15) to the new Michelin Premier A/S (205/60R15). The Altimax (right picture) has 17,000 miles on it and still has tread left, but became slippery when the roads are wet, and that started around 14,000 miles. The Michelin is advertised as the best wet road tire - even when worn - so if that is true and it handles as well as the Altimax did then I have a winner. I will have to wait until fall so I have enough miles on it to know for sure.

[jcthorne]

You're old tire showed a worn middle part and I think you were over inflated.

Nope, that is just how crappy Kenda tires wear. Poor construction allows the center of the tread to balloon at speed.

[IGETAROUND]

Pampurs if you got v 17k out of the original Kenda you oughta be looking for 60 k out of the tire that you put on to replace it

[Bob Denman]

17,000 miles from a Kenda...
You might just wear out the bike; before the General needs to be replaced!

Seriously: Fantastic mileage out of the OEM; here's to hoping for even BETTER legs on the new tire!

[BLUEKNIGHT911]

Just changed out my General Altimax RT43 (215/60R15) to the new Michelin Premier A/S (205/60R15). The Altimax (right picture) has 17,000 miles on it and still has tread left, but became slippery when the roads are wet, and that started around 14,000 miles. The Michelin is advertised as the best wet road tire - even when worn - so if that is true and it handles as well as the Altimax did then I have a winner. I will have to wait until fall so I have enough miles on it to know for sure.

I'm very curious as to what PSI you had in that Altimax.....................Thanks , Mike

[PW2013STL]

I'm very curious as to what PSI you had in that Altimax.....................Thanks , Mike

Mike I ran 28#

[BLUEKNIGHT911]

Mike I ran 28#

You may have missed my Posts about running lower pressures when using Car tires on the Spyder....From looking at your Pics, it certainly appears that the middle of the Altimax was wearing more than the sides ( like a Kenda )......My current rear tire is a Michelin Hydro-Edge ( no longer made ) I use 21 PSI in this tire and with about 10,000 miles the tread wear is even across the tire........I ride hard and this tire holds very well at this pressure.....The sidewalls on any Car tire are much stronger than the OEM - Kenda, they are designed to carry approx. 4000+ lbs., so 21lbs PSI for an 1100lb Spyder is plenty.........On your new Michelin, try 22 lbs. It won't hurt or kill you, the ride will be better and the WET traction will be much improved................Note: If you had been using 21-22 lbs. with the Altimax your WET traction also would have been much better.......Mike ( the hydro-plane Guy )

[Bob Denman]

Hi Mike,
Does Dee have her rear tire pressure down in the 21-22 psi range?

[PW2013STL]

You may have missed my Posts about running lower pressures when using Car tires on the Spyder....From looking at your Pics, it certainly appears that the middle of the Altimax was wearing more than the sides ( like a Kenda )......My current rear tire is a Michelin Hydro-Edge ( no longer made ) I use 21 PSI in this tire and with about 10,000 miles the tread wear is even across the tire........I ride hard and this tire holds very well at this pressure.....The sidewalls on any Car tire are much stronger than the OEM - Kenda, they are designed to carry approx. 4000+ lbs., so 21lbs PSI for an 1100lb Spyder is plenty.........On your new Michelin, try 22 lbs. It won't hurt or kill you, the ride will be better and the WET traction will be much improved................Note: If you had been using 21-22 lbs. with the Altimax your WET traction also would have been much better.......Mike ( the hydro-plane Guy )

Mike,

After looking at the tire after pulling it off I had decided to lower the pressure, but I was planning on 25#. I will experiment with the pressure and may just end up with the pressure you run. Ron had recommended higher tire pressure with his sway bar so that is why I was at 28#

Les

[BLUEKNIGHT911]

Mike,

After looking at the tire after pulling it off I had decided to lower the pressure, but I was planning on 25#. I will experiment with the pressure and may just end up with the pressure you run. Ron had recommended higher tire pressure with his sway bar so that is why I was at 28#

Les

I have a feeling that Ron's 28 psi recommendation was based on using a Kenda rear tire. Also I can see why raising the psi on the front tires makes sense with a stiffer ROLL BAR and Kenda tires.....But IMO if I had CAR tires on the front I think I would only run 18 psi, also because of the stronger side walls.........Mike

[Dick Wells]

You're old tire showed a worn middle part and I think you were over inflated.

That worn center seems to be "the nature of the beast" with the Kenda. Mine looked (nearly) like that when it still had mold nubs near the center! What's a new Kenda have, there in the center; less than an eighth-inch above the wear bars? I thought "over inflation", so I went down to ~22 psi with no noticeable change for several thousand miles. Dang thing always seemed to be wearing in the center, throughout it's life. Didn't look much different at 14000 miles than when I started. I just changed to a Kumho, a couple of months ago, and I'm loving it. At least the Kumho started out with some tread, all the way across. This new General looks like an equally good choice.

Pam: Did you get any resistance from any tire salesman, or bike dealer, when you wanted to make the change? My original on-line order with Discount Tire got cancelled because I spec'd the Spyder for the application. Ironically, the one I put on was from Discount Tire on E-bay, and I got it with free shipping.l

Good ryding on your new General.
DW

[finless]

Congrats Pam.... Did you do it yourself or have it done?

Bob