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  1. #26
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    Quote Originally Posted by Spyderlass View Post
    Well I can tell you about a serious safety issue and it relates to the OP's question directly because I did change out my tyres at 350(ish) miles, the distance from my dealer to my home. I already knew about the issue because this is my second RT machine and my partner also is on RT number 2.

    I've no idea where you ride or the type of roads you are riding but I can understand that if you primarily ride the slab you may never come across the issue.

    The issue is related to the tyre structure and the way it deforms and is present to some extent in most tyres (possibly all tyres), but it's very marked in the front OEM tyres. It has caused the RT to veer completely into the adjoining carriageway more than once and fairly frequently pulls the RT over the road centre line.

    I'm referring to the tendency for the tyre to ride up a longitudinal ridge as its shoulder makes contact with that ridge edge. It's exacerbated by flexibility in the steering tie rods but it's cause lies in the tyre. Here in the UK roads are often surfaced by applying tar to one side of the carriageway and covering the tar with stone chippings then the other side of the road is surfaced in the same manner. This leaves a raised section some inches wide, and occasionally more than a foot wide, in the centre of the carriageway because it receives two coatings there. On top of this there is usually the road centre line which adds to the thickness of the raised portion.

    You might think that you'd be able to counter this but you can't do much about it since, 1) it's not particularly turning the steering, it's a tyre distortion issue and 2) it's very fast.
    It sounds like in your particular situation, the condition of the roads demands a different setup than stock OEM equipment. I encourage anyone to adapt their bike as necessary for their particular riding conditions and style and level of comfort. Nothing you have said, though, negates my contention that a stock setup is safe and dependable.

    We have two Spyder 2014RTLs, each with over 20k miles. We ride primarily in the Intermountain west and the desert Southwest in a wide range of conditions on a wide variety of roads, including interstates with heavy truck traffic. We have never felt unsafe on the Spyders due to the bike's handling. The original Kendas still are grippy in the twisties and track straight on all but the worst crowned and rutted roads and still have adequate tread on them.

    For some people the original Kenda tires represent too much of a compromise in some tire characteristics, but they are not unsafe and the hard facts bear that out.
    2014 RTL Platinum


  2. #27
    Customer Support LeftCoast's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Highwayman2013 View Post
    I ran my front Kendas for 20,000 miles.
    Ditto, but I definitely like the new fronts better.
    2015 Pearl White RTL
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    2015 RTL , Yes Pearl White

  3. #28
    Customer Support LeftCoast's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by P.W. View Post
    I come to this forum as a beginner and get treated like this!?( this isn't the first time Utahpete has put me down today) Here's a question for you.... What is YOUR agenda? To add to your post total and make good people like me feel small. Maybe someday I'll be as great as you are now......

    My question is valid....I've read numerous post where people said that they wish they would have changed out the factory tires sooner because of the difference it makes.
    I've already got easily 35k already invested in this new bike and IF I needed new tires to improve the ride and comfort felling I would spend the $300 to do so.
    Your question is valid and the response to you by UP was not appropriate for the forum.

    Pete take note.

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    2015 RTL , Yes Pearl White

  4. #29
    Active Member Boilermaker's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by P.W. View Post
    I come to this forum as a beginner and get treated like this!?( this isn't the first time Utahpete has put me down today) Here's a question for you.... What is YOUR agenda? To add to your post total and make good people like me feel small. Maybe someday I'll be as great as you are now......

    My question is valid....I've read numerous post where people said that they wish they would have changed out the factory tires sooner because of the difference it makes.
    I've already got easily 35k already invested in this new bike and IF I needed new tires to improve the ride and comfort felling I would spend the $300 to do so.
    Welcome to the forum! All kinds of "experts" are here. Some are experts on Spyder information and some are just experts about everything they have an opinion on. You will learn which to listen to and which to ignore. You can easily block posts from certain members in the forum settings. I have found this to be helpful.

    As far as the tire question, I have never been off of the original tires and am looking forward to the great improvements to come when I change to car tires. But, I have also never had to do a laser alignment and the Bajaron swaybar upgrade wasn't nearly as thrilling as it was made out to be. Best advice is to ride and decide on your own. The original tires are definitely not unsafe.

  5. #30
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    Quote Originally Posted by P.W. View Post
    I come to this forum as a beginner and get treated like this!?( this isn't the first time Utahpete has put me down today) Here's a question for you.... What is YOUR agenda? To add to your post total and make good people like me feel small. Maybe someday I'll be as great as you are now......

    My question is valid....I've read numerous post where people said that they wish they would have changed out the factory tires sooner because of the difference it makes.
    I've already got easily 35k already invested in this new bike and IF I needed new tires to improve the ride and comfort felling I would spend the $300 to do so.
    My apologies. I was wrong.
    2014 RTL Platinum


  6. #31
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    Quote Originally Posted by P.W. View Post
    We bought a 19 RTL last week (being delivered next week) and in my searching here I'm finding that the factory tires are "junk". I've read where people wish they would have put new "car" tires on sooner because of the difference they make in the ride and handling.
    My question is.....In your opinion should I just cut my loses on these factory tires now and look into "car" tires sooner rather than later?

    If so, can someone point me in the right direction on what to buy for tires and what size ???? I know that's a hot topic so you can PM if you wish.


    Thanks for your time and help,
    P.W.

    One's opinion on Kenda tires depends greatly on one's expectations. It also seems to depend greatly on whether you get a good set of Kendas or a bad set. Some here ride a lot and have years of experience, and they can tell you that car tires make a difference for them. I don't doubt that for a minute, but remember that the emphasis is "for them." I don't know how "they" ride and I haven't experienced car tires on my Spyder. But I also have no need to find out. For me, I bought my 2017 Spyder new and I seem to have lucked into one with good Kendas and good factory alignment. All I know is that they work great for our 2017 Spyder which we bought new. They track straight and IMO it corners great - I am taking one particular on-ramp at 65 mph when it's marked 35 mph. I don't have any desire to corner faster than that, so for me, that's great performance. For others, maybe it's not. And maybe the Kendas will wear out quickly, although mine show no sign of wear after 4000 miles. If and when my Kendas do wear out, there is strong probability I will buy car tires as recommended here. But I'm happy with my setup right now so I'm leaving well enough alone.

    IMO if you have a brand new Spyder, it would be silly to replace your factory Kendas before you even try them out for a few thousand miles. Put another way - how would you know if car tires are better if you never even try the Kendas?
    2017 RTS , Blue

  7. #32
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    Quote Originally Posted by P.W. View Post
    We bought a 19 RTL last week (being delivered next week) and in my searching here I'm finding that the factory tires are "junk". I've read where people wish they would have put new "car" tires on sooner because of the difference they make in the ride and handling.
    My question is.....In your opinion should I just cut my loses on these factory tires now and look into "car" tires sooner rather than later?

    If so, can someone point me in the right direction on what to buy for tires and what size ???? I know that's a hot topic so you can PM if you wish.


    Thanks for your time and help,
    P.W.
    just put some premium car tires on and don't look back nite and day difference on both spyders and way longer tread life
    2 happy happy spyders

  8. #33
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    So far, I've got 1000 miles on my month-old new 2018 RTL. The Kenda's seem pretty grippy to me. Just took the RTL up into the mountains near Red River NM, north of Taos, a 350 mile round trip on some of the twistiest roads and switchbacks you'll ever see and I felt confident the whole time. I do find that motorcycle tires, being more grippy than automobile tires are less forgiving of incorrect tire pressure, though. Also, being a grippy tire, it's going to wear faster, but that's the price you pay for that grip. If I can get 20K out of them - I'll be more than satisfied. A two-wheeler would be running bald and on the cords at 20k, for reference...

    Threw my back out the other day changing the front on a Goldwing - a good lesson to remind me not to let them go without checking them more often.

  9. #34
    Very Active Member Deanna777's Avatar
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    I have a 2014 RTS-SE6 and I changed the rear tire ( OEM) at 5,824 miles, the tire was bald in the middle, and not safe to drive at the time. Good luck!


    On the rear I am running General Altimax RT 43, and I am on my second General Altimax tire, and my spyder has 24,924 miles on it. The first General had 18.768 miles on.


    Deanna




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  10. #35
    Very Active Member BLUEKNIGHT911's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Deanna777 View Post
    I have a 2014 RTS-SE6 and I changed the rear tire ( OEM) at 5,824 miles, the tire was bald in the middle, and not safe to drive at the time. Good luck!


    On the rear I am running General Altimax RT 43, and I am on my second General Altimax tire, and my spyder has 24,924 miles on it. The first General had 18.768 miles on.


    Deanna
    18,768 miles ???? ………… Wow that's terrible, only slightly better than a KENDA …….However I do remember you saying ( a few dozen times ) that you ran it at 26 psi …… maybe that's why it wore out so soon ... I used 17 psi in my Michelin Hydro -Edge, and got over 35,000 mi.……………...Mike

  11. #36
    Very Active Member pegasus1300's Avatar
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    One more experience. I got 10,500 miles out of my rear OEM Kenda. I was used to getting 20,000 out of my two wheeler tires, so I was very disappointed in that mileage. Reading posts on here I discovered this was about average, tho I should have gotten around 13,000. I was getting ready to go to Sturgis and didn't want to go on that tire. That was in 2015. I went to my local car tire store here in rural central Utah and asked him for his best tire in the size I needed. He gave me a Motorcraft tire. I brought him the wheel minus the center hub, he mounted the tire. BTW that tire was warranted for 80,000 miles. Well. it lasted from 10500, to 44,808. That was Saturday when I put on a new Pirelli,34,000+. I am happy with that. I hope the Pirelli does as well. The Motorcraft handled well and felt more stable in the turns then the Kenda. The Kenda always felt mushy in hard cornering. I left the fronts OEM until they wore out at about at about 25,000. I thought they were fine until I replaced them with Car tires. I discovered that I could go into the corners deeper and come out harder without the front end feeling like it was going to wash out. I did not realize how weak the front tires were. I don't know that these tires will last any longer then the OEMs but they are a real improvement. For me, I would (and did) run the OEMs until they wore out. Then I would go to a quality car tire. Much less money, much better performance, and better mileage, and better, IMHO, ride.

    P.S. your front wheels are mounted on the Spyder just like a car only with three lug nuts instead of 5, so you can take your Spyder to the tire shop for front wheel removal. The rear you should remove that on your own. There are videos on You Tube on how to do it.

    Happy TRAils/NSD
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  12. #37
    Very Active Member IdahoMtnSpyder's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by P.W. View Post
    We bought a 19 RTL last week (being delivered next week) and in my searching here I'm finding that the factory tires are "junk". I've read where people wish they would have put new "car" tires on sooner because of the difference they make in the ride and handling.
    My question is.....In your opinion should I just cut my loses on these factory tires now and look into "car" tires sooner rather than later?

    If so, can someone point me in the right direction on what to buy for tires and what size ???? I know that's a hot topic so you can PM if you wish.
    It's a hit and miss proposition. Don't toss the OEMs without trying them. The biggest issue with the rear tires has been wear. On both my 2013 RT and 2014 RTS the rear wore out at less than 8k miles. A change in rubber composition has improved this from what I read here. Other than the propensity to wear in the middle the tires were OK, not great, but OK. If you're going to be riding on a lot of rain soaked roads then consider replacing them before they wear to the bars. The front tires wear reasonably well, but there have been quality problems. The ones on my 2013 still had some miles left when I sold it at 25k miles. Different story with my 2014. The tires were balanced, and wearing fairly evenly, but I had a constant pull to the right, even after a laser alignment. I finally tossed them at 13k miles and installed Continental Conti Pro Contacts. The constant pull was no more.

    So ride for a few hundred or thousand miles and if you're not happy with the ride and handling, then change them out for car tires.

    2014 Copper RTS

    Tri-Axis bars, CB, BajaRon sway bar & shock adjusters, SpyderPop's Bumpskid, NBV peg brackets, LED headlights and modulator, Wolo trumpet air horns, trailer hitch, custom trailer harness, high mount turn signals, Custom Dynamics brake light, LED turn signal lights on mirrors, LED strip light for a dash light, garage door opener, LED lights in frunk, trunk, and saddlebags, RAM mounts and cradles for tablet (for GPS) and phone (for music), and Smooth Spyder belt tensioner.
    2014 RTS , Copper! (officially Cognac)

  13. #38
    Very Active Member IdahoMtnSpyder's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by BLUEKNIGHT911 View Post
    18,768 miles ???? ………… Wow that's terrible, only slightly better than a KENDA ……
    That's about all I got out the General Altimax I ran. Ran tire pressure around 23 - 25 psi.

    2014 Copper RTS

    Tri-Axis bars, CB, BajaRon sway bar & shock adjusters, SpyderPop's Bumpskid, NBV peg brackets, LED headlights and modulator, Wolo trumpet air horns, trailer hitch, custom trailer harness, high mount turn signals, Custom Dynamics brake light, LED turn signal lights on mirrors, LED strip light for a dash light, garage door opener, LED lights in frunk, trunk, and saddlebags, RAM mounts and cradles for tablet (for GPS) and phone (for music), and Smooth Spyder belt tensioner.
    2014 RTS , Copper! (officially Cognac)

  14. #39
    Active Member 007james's Avatar
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    Do you mind sharing the Size and Model of Motorcraft tire you got 34,000 miles out of! Also the Pirelli. I also need to change what I have been using on my 2016 RT Limited. I have my first General Altimax on the rear, which only has 8,000 miles on it, and looks over half gone, if not more, already. I have been running 20psi on it. I replaced a Khumo, which had been my favorite on my 2012 RT, but on the 2016 RT, it was completely bald, at 13,700 except the outer edges. I run them until I see the first spots of cord. The original OEM Kenda on my 2016 was bald at 9000 miles. Thanks.
    007james


    Quote Originally Posted by pegasus1300 View Post
    One more experience. I got 10,500 miles out of my rear OEM Kenda. I was used to getting 20,000 out of my two wheeler tires, so I was very disappointed in that mileage. Reading posts on here I discovered this was about average, tho I should have gotten around 13,000. I was getting ready to go to Sturgis and didn't want to go on that tire. That was in 2015. I went to my local car tire store here in rural central Utah and asked him for his best tire in the size I needed. He gave me a Motorcraft tire. I brought him the wheel minus the center hub, he mounted the tire. BTW that tire was warranted for 80,000 miles. Well. it lasted from 10500, to 44,808. That was Saturday when I put on a new Pirelli,34,000+. I am happy with that. I hope the Pirelli does as well. The Motorcraft handled well and felt more stable in the turns then the Kenda. The Kenda always felt mushy in hard cornering. I left the fronts OEM until they wore out at about at about 25,000. I thought they were fine until I replaced them with Car tires. I discovered that I could go into the corners deeper and come out harder without the front end feeling like it was going to wash out. I did not realize how weak the front tires were. I don't know that these tires will last any longer then the OEMs but they are a real improvement. For me, I would (and did) run the OEMs until they wore out. Then I would go to a quality car tire. Much less money, much better performance, and better mileage, and better, IMHO, ride.

    P.S. your front wheels are mounted on the Spyder just like a car only with three lug nuts instead of 5, so you can take your Spyder to the tire shop for front wheel removal. The rear you should remove that on your own. There are videos on You Tube on how to do it.
    2016 RT Limited , Black & Lava Bronze

  15. #40
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    Quote Originally Posted by IdahoMtnSpyder View Post
    That's about all I got out the General Altimax I ran. Ran tire pressure around 23 - 25 psi.
    Ditto.
    2014 RTL Platinum


  16. #41
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    Pegasus, ya think the ride on Kenda's are associated with 2 ply construction?

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