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Active Member
Tires again
So, here I am with a 2020 RT with 4500 miles on it and thought I
would see what is considered to be best buy on tires. Fronts will stay
as a motorcycle type and the rear will be a car type. I have had a car type
on my 2015 and 2017 can am and like the ride and feel not to mention the
mileage on the tires. Size and brand would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks in advance.
Dray
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Very Active Member
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Very Active Member
Originally Posted by Mikey
Someone fails to see it is a reverse trike? And that better tires on the front is what improves handling.
2018 RT Ltd - Asphalt Metallic - East Valley of Phoenix
2018 RT Ltd Chrome - Champagne Metallic - Lake Stevens, Wa
(Champagne/Hooker) Magic Mirrors, 360 LED head lights, BajaRon sway bar, H&R springs and shock adjusters, dash cam, foam grips, third brake light 4 LED strobe for 7 seconds and then on steady, rear LED turn signals/8 ohm 50W resistors, sequential turn signals on front fenders, Vredestein and PPA Orb wheels on front and General out back, and driver backrest.
Things that move between machines: Ikea sheep skins, Zumo XT GPS, and extra tools. Hooker is going to be my summer trike up North; and Hookie my winter trike down South.
(Asphalt/Hookie) Elka shocks on front - BajaRon sway bar, OEM driver's backrest, LED headlights, dual USB with voltmeter, dash cam, foam grips - Magic Mirrors - front tires Vredestein Quatrac SL on PPA ORB Chrome wheels.
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Very Active Member
try Vredestein Quatrac 5, ALTIMAX RT43, Federal Formoza and Kendra Kanine tires seem to run in that order.
My Spyder
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Originally Posted by Dray
So, here I am with a 2020 RT with 4500 miles on it and thought I
would see what is considered to be best buy on tires. Fronts will stay
as a motorcycle type and the rear will be a car type. I have had a car type
on my 2015 and 2017 can am and like the ride and feel not to mention the
mileage on the tires. Size and brand would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks in advance.
Dray
Are you aware that NONE of the tires on a Spyder/Ryker are "motorcycle" tires? None of them. They're ALL car tires and the wheels are J type CAR tire compatible wheels. A motorcycle tire wouldn't even mount correctly on a Spyder/Ryker wheel.
I understand that the new Kenda K9 (Kanine) is supposed to be a better tire than the original Kendas but it's still a Kenda. I wouldn't even put a Kenda on my car.
Buy a new pair of CAR tires for the front now. Once the rear tire wears out, put a car tire on the back.
Like CopperSpyder said, the most popular choices are Vredestein Quatrac 5 (aka Q5), ALTIMAX RT43 and Federal Formoza AZ01 however just about ANY CAR tire will be better than the OEM Kendas. Do a forum search for "car+tires" (without the quotes) and you'll find more threads than you have time to read along with the accepted sizes.
FWIW, I have a '21 RT with just over 3k miles. The front Kendas have miles of tread left on them and I just put a pair of Q5s on the front of my bike.
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Very Active Member
Originally Posted by MONK
Are you aware that NONE of the tires on a Spyder/Ryker are "motorcycle" tires? None of them. They're ALL car tires and the wheels are J type CAR tire compatible wheels. A motorcycle tire wouldn't even mount correctly on a Spyder/Ryker wheel.
I understand that the new Kenda K9 (Kanine) is supposed to be a better tire than the original Kendas but it's still a Kenda. I wouldn't even put a Kenda on my car.
Buy a new pair of CAR tires for the front now. Once the rear tire wears out, put a car tire on the back.
Like CopperSpyder said, the most popular choices are Vredestein Quatrac 5 (aka Q5), ALTIMAX RT43 and Federal Formoza AZ01 however just about ANY CAR tire will be better than the OEM Kendas. Do a forum search for "car+tires" (without the quotes) and you'll find more threads than you have time to read along with the accepted sizes.
FWIW, I have a '21 RT with just over 3k miles. The front Kendas have miles of tread left on them and I just put a pair of Q5s on the front of my bike.
Is the the General people are using? General ALTIMAX RT43 (T-SPEED RATED) - SIZE: 215/60R15
On edit: Never mind, I found the answer in other threads.
2018 RT Ltd - Asphalt Metallic - East Valley of Phoenix
2018 RT Ltd Chrome - Champagne Metallic - Lake Stevens, Wa
(Champagne/Hooker) Magic Mirrors, 360 LED head lights, BajaRon sway bar, H&R springs and shock adjusters, dash cam, foam grips, third brake light 4 LED strobe for 7 seconds and then on steady, rear LED turn signals/8 ohm 50W resistors, sequential turn signals on front fenders, Vredestein and PPA Orb wheels on front and General out back, and driver backrest.
Things that move between machines: Ikea sheep skins, Zumo XT GPS, and extra tools. Hooker is going to be my summer trike up North; and Hookie my winter trike down South.
(Asphalt/Hookie) Elka shocks on front - BajaRon sway bar, OEM driver's backrest, LED headlights, dual USB with voltmeter, dash cam, foam grips - Magic Mirrors - front tires Vredestein Quatrac SL on PPA ORB Chrome wheels.
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Very Active Member
Originally Posted by MONK
Are you aware that NONE of the tires on a Spyder/Ryker are "motorcycle" tires? None of them. They're ALL car tires and the wheels are J type CAR tire compatible wheels. A motorcycle tire wouldn't even mount correctly on a Spyder/Ryker wheel.
I understand that the new Kenda K9 (Kanine) is supposed to be a better tire than the original Kendas but it's still a Kenda. I wouldn't even put a Kenda on my car.
Buy a new pair of CAR tires for the front now. Once the rear tire wears out, put a car tire on the back.
Like CopperSpyder said, the most popular choices are Vredestein Quatrac 5 (aka Q5), ALTIMAX RT43 and Federal Formoza AZ01 however just about ANY CAR tire will be better than the OEM Kendas. Do a forum search for "car+tires" (without the quotes) and you'll find more threads than you have time to read along with the accepted sizes.
FWIW, I have a '21 RT with just over 3k miles. The front Kendas have miles of tread left on them and I just put a pair of Q5s on the front of my bike.
Monk,
When you replaced your front tires with the Q5's did you notice a smoother ride? When I did that to my wife's 2018 F3 I asked her how it felt. She said like a new bike that is so smooth that she wished I had done it sooner.
2021 Sea To Sky, 2020 RTL
Isn't it weird that in AMERICA our flag and our culture offend so many people......
but our benefits don't?
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Originally Posted by PW2013STL
Monk,
When you replaced your front tires with the Q5's did you notice a smoother ride? When I did that to my wife's 2018 F3 I asked her how it felt. She said like a new bike that is so smooth that she wished I had done it sooner.
Smoother, turns easier, sticks to the road a little better. I've only put a couple hundred miles on them so far. Hope for more curves as the weather warms up. (Most of the really good curves are up the mountain from me.) My next Spyder will get car tires before I ride it home.
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Very Active Member
I tossed the oem Kendas for Q5s all around @ 1000 mi. Threw the Krapos in the recycle bin. At 5000 mi now and can't imagine riding on those plastic tires ever again. I ride & corner hard and have given the Q5s a real test. The Q5s are what Monk said and I can corner far faster than the Ks - right up till the nanny finally gets pissed. But like so many things, you have to try it to appreciate the improvement. FWIW, I think swapping out the fronts is more helpful than the rear alone but doing all 3 is the way to go.
'20 Spyder RT: Bajaron swaybar. Vredestein tires, Pedal Commander, Elka front shocks, GPS/USB/12V handlebar mount, Heli-Bars, Radar Detector, KOTT grills & vents, Shad top case, chin & DRL LEDs.
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Originally Posted by RayBJ
I tossed the oem Kendas for Q5s all around @ 1000 mi. Threw the Krapos in the recycle bin. At 5000 mi now and can't imagine riding on those plastic tires ever again. I ride & corner hard and have given the Q5s a real test. The Q5s are what Monk said and I can corner far faster than the Ks - right up till the nanny finally gets pissed. But like so many things, you have to try it to appreciate the improvement. FWIW, I think swapping out the fronts is more helpful than the rear alone but doing all 3 is the way to go.
What size did you get for the front and back? That is what confuses me as most of what is talked I don’t see what size is recommended.
Thanks
Steve
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Ozzie Ozzie Ozzie
Originally Posted by beerandchips
What size did you get for the front and back? That is what confuses me as most of what is talked I don’t see what size is recommended.
Thanks
Steve
That's because the specific nominal sidewall size isn't really all that important, since physical tire sizes can vary so much from whatever it might say on the sidewall; physical sizes that will almost certainly vary from manufacturer to manufacturer even if they wear the same nominal sidewall size, which may also vary between different tire types made by the same manufacturer!!
So, given that, you need to make your own choice on what size & type of tire to fit. I generally go for something just a little larger than the OE size, because we have lots of long and hot miles here in Oz, so choosing a tire that gives it fewer revs per mile/a little bit longer legs helps (once corrected for speedo/odo variations) fuel economy a tad & the slightly larger tire rolling dia generally gives better tire life (altho that may be somewhat varied by the choice of compounds used in the tire's tread!) Besides, it seems BRP has deliberately(?? ) chosen tire sizes that aren't readily available in any alternatives in order to make it less likely owners will choose anything but their OE Crap... err, sorry, Kendas! But so far, going by the myriad of beta testers & testing that's been done by owners/users, pretty much any auto tire in a size that physically fits into/onto a Spyder/Ryker is likely to last longer, perform better, be less prone to issues & failures effecting ride, handling, puncture resistance, suspension compliance, and tire longevity et al.
All of which boils down to YOU needing to make a decision - you can stick with the OE spec rubbish; you can choose alternative auto tires that match the OE Spec sizes from the limited options available (which may be significantly different sizes anyway ) that better suit your needs/wants; or you can choose auto tires that better suit your needs/wants which have physical dimensions that are reasonably close to but different from the ACTUAL tire diameter of the OE spec tires (altho the Kenda is a little small) Compare the rolling radius or diameter, or you could even compare the 'revs per mile' of your tire of choice - in either case, you get to select something that, if you make any effort to define what you really need/want, will almost certainly better suit your particular application than the 'one size fits all applications' type tire that BRP tries to foist off on everybody despite the vast range of uses & conditions where they may be used!
For the rear of Spyders, that generally means something between 195/75R15 up to 225/60R15, with the most popular choices being in the 205/215/225 sizes and profiles being 55, 60, or 65, albeit not too many want to risk going over 225/60 simply due to the space available. For the 2013 & later fronts, most go for 165/175 x 15's in 55, 60, or 65 profile, altho there are a few who've opted for 185/50R15's and upgraded their fenders to cater for the extra width. Any auto tire that's NOT a Spyder spec Kenda (OE Spec or the alternate Kenda Kanines) & so is likely to have a higher load &/or speed rating will be substantially more 'robustly constructed' than the OE Spec tires, and so will not need the higher pressures you'd normally run in them if they were fitted to an auto weighing in maybe three times as much! That means you'll need to run pressures in the vicinity of 16 psi up front & 16-18 psi in the rear or you'll be running them over-inflated for the load/application on the Spyder/Ryker, and in doing so risking abnormal wear rates/patterns, increased likelihood of punctures, substantially reduced traction (especially in the wet), and less suspension compliance/harsher ride, et al! We don't get Vredesteins here in Oz, so my 2013 RT Ltd is currently running 175/60R15 Kumho's up front at 14-16 psi depending upon temps/load/trip length & a Michelin 205/65R15 on the rear at 16-18 psi with the same proviso's. And I've got better than 30,000 km of better ride, handling, & traction etc out of all the tires I've run (not just tested) on my Spyder since I scrapped the dodgy Kendas that it left the factory with - they didn't even last 5000 km, and the improvement in all aspects of tire ride, handling, & performance once I'd tossed them was astounding!!
But it's your Spyder, and it'll be your tires, so it's really YOUR choice, isn't it?!? You just hafta make it!
Last edited by Peter Aawen; 04-05-2021 at 09:24 PM.
2013 RT Ltd Pearl White
Ryde More, Worry Less!
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Very Active Member
Originally Posted by Peter Aawen
That's because the specific nominal sidewall size isn't really all that important, since physical tire sizes can vary so much from whatever it might say on the sidewall; physical sizes that will almost certainly vary from manufacturer to manufacturer even if they wear the same nominal sidewall size, which may also vary between different tire types made by the same manufacturer!!
So, given that, you need to make your own choice on what size & type of tire to fit. I generally go for something just a little larger than the OE size, because we have lots of long and hot miles here in Oz, so choosing a tire that gives it fewer revs per mile/a little bit longer legs helps (once corrected for speedo/odo variations) fuel economy a tad & the slightly larger tire rolling dia generally gives better tire life (altho that may be somewhat varied by the choice of compounds used in the tire's tread!) Besides, it seems BRP has deliberately(?? ) chosen tire sizes that aren't readily available in any alternatives in order to make it less likely owners will choose anything but their OE Crap... err, sorry, Kendas! But so far, going by the myriad of beta testers & testing that's been done by owners/users, pretty much any auto tire in a size that physically fits into/onto a Spyder/Ryker is likely to last longer, perform better, be less prone to issues & failures effecting ride, handling, puncture resistance, suspension compliance, and tire longevity et al.
All of which boils down to YOU needing to make a decision - you can stick with the OE spec rubbish; you can choose alternative auto tires that match the OE Spec sizes from the limited options available (which may be significantly different sizes anyway ) that better suit your needs/wants; or you can choose auto tires that better suit your needs/wants which have physical dimensions that are reasonably close to but different from the ACTUAL tire diameter of the OE spec tires (altho the Kenda is a little small) Compare the rolling radius or diameter, or you could even compare the 'revs per mile' of your tire of choice - in either case, you get to select something that, if you make any effort to define what you really need/want, will almost certainly better suit your particular application than the 'one size fits all applications' type tire that BRP tries to foist off on everybody despite the vast range of uses & conditions where they may be used!
For the rear of Spyders, that generally means something between 195/75R15 up to 225/60R15, with the most popular choices being in the 205/215/225 sizes and profiles being 55, 60, or 65, albeit not too many want to risk going over 225/60 simply due to the space available. For the 2013 & later fronts, most go for 165/175 x 15's in 55, 60, or 65 profile, altho there are a few who've opted for 185/50R15's and upgraded their fenders to cater for the extra width. Any auto tire that's NOT a Spyder spec Kenda (OE Spec or the alternate Kenda Kanines) & so is likely to have a higher load &/or speed rating will be substantially more 'robustly constructed' than the OE Spec tires, and so will not need the higher pressures you'd normally run in them if they were fitted to an auto weighing in maybe three times as much! That means you'll need to run pressures in the vicinity of 16 psi up front & 16-18 psi in the rear or you'll be running them over-inflated for the load/application on the Spyder/Ryker, and in doing so risking abnormal wear rates/patterns, increased likelihood of punctures, substantially reduced traction (especially in the wet), and less suspension compliance/harsher ride, et al! We don't get Vredesteins here in Oz, so my 2013 RT Ltd is currently running 175/60R15 Kumho's up front at 14-16 psi depending upon temps/load/trip length & a Michelin 205/65R15 on the rear at 16-18 psi with the same proviso's. And I've got better than 30,000 km of better ride, handling, & traction etc out of all the tires I've run (not just tested) on my Spyder since I scrapped the dodgy Kendas that it left the factory with - they didn't even last 5000 km, and the improvement in all aspects of tire ride, handling, & performance once I'd tossed them was astounding!!
But it's your Spyder, and it'll be your tires, so it's really YOUR choice, isn't it?!? You just hafta make it!
X's 10 and this should be a sticky ..... JMHO .... Mike
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Originally Posted by Peter Aawen
That's because the specific nominal sidewall size isn't really all that important, since physical tire sizes can vary so much from whatever it might say on the sidewall; physical sizes that will almost certainly vary from manufacturer to manufacturer even if they wear the same nominal sidewall size, which may also vary between different tire types made by the same manufacturer!!
So, given that, you need to make your own choice on what size & type of tire to fit. I generally go for something just a little larger than the OE size, because we have lots of long and hot miles here in Oz, so choosing a tire that gives it fewer revs per mile/a little bit longer legs helps (once corrected for speedo/odo variations) fuel economy a tad & the slightly larger tire rolling dia generally gives better tire life (altho that may be somewhat varied by the choice of compounds used in the tire's tread!) Besides, it seems BRP has deliberately(?? ) chosen tire sizes that aren't readily available in any alternatives in order to make it less likely owners will choose anything but their OE Crap... err, sorry, Kendas! But so far, going by the myriad of beta testers & testing that's been done by owners/users, pretty much any auto tire in a size that physically fits into/onto a Spyder/Ryker is likely to last longer, perform better, be less prone to issues & failures effecting ride, handling, puncture resistance, suspension compliance, and tire longevity et al.
All of which boils down to YOU needing to make a decision - you can stick with the OE spec rubbish; you can choose alternative auto tires that match the OE Spec sizes from the limited options available (which may be significantly different sizes anyway ) that better suit your needs/wants; or you can choose auto tires that better suit your needs/wants which have physical dimensions that are reasonably close to but different from the ACTUAL tire diameter of the OE spec tires (altho the Kenda is a little small) Compare the rolling radius or diameter, or you could even compare the 'revs per mile' of your tire of choice - in either case, you get to select something that, if you make any effort to define what you really need/want, will almost certainly better suit your particular application than the 'one size fits all applications' type tire that BRP tries to foist off on everybody despite the vast range of uses & conditions where they may be used!
For the rear of Spyders, that generally means something between 195/75R15 up to 225/60R15, with the most popular choices being in the 205/215/225 sizes and profiles being 55, 60, or 65, albeit not too many want to risk going over 225/60 simply due to the space available. For the 2013 & later fronts, most go for 165/175 x 15's in 55, 60, or 65 profile, altho there are a few who've opted for 185/50R15's and upgraded their fenders to cater for the extra width. Any auto tire that's NOT a Spyder spec Kenda (OE Spec or the alternate Kenda Kanines) & so is likely to have a higher load &/or speed rating will be substantially more 'robustly constructed' than the OE Spec tires, and so will not need the higher pressures you'd normally run in them if they were fitted to an auto weighing in maybe three times as much! That means you'll need to run pressures in the vicinity of 16 psi up front & 16-18 psi in the rear or you'll be running them over-inflated for the load/application on the Spyder/Ryker, and in doing so risking abnormal wear rates/patterns, increased likelihood of punctures, substantially reduced traction (especially in the wet), and less suspension compliance/harsher ride, et al! We don't get Vredesteins here in Oz, so my 2013 RT Ltd is currently running 175/60R15 Kumho's up front at 14-16 psi depending upon temps/load/trip length & a Michelin 205/65R15 on the rear at 16-18 psi with the same proviso's. And I've got better than 30,000 km of better ride, handling, & traction etc out of all the tires I've run (not just tested) on my Spyder since I scrapped the dodgy Kendas that it left the factory with - they didn't even last 5000 km, and the improvement in all aspects of tire ride, handling, & performance once I'd tossed them was astounding!!
But it's your Spyder, and it'll be your tires, so it's really YOUR choice, isn't it?!? You just hafta make it!
If you are going to slander Kenda as OE spec rubbish you will need to quote a date to go with it. My 2020 F3L has 16k km on the Kendas and they have proven to be as good as the best of 2 wheel tyres I have fitted. Thankfully CAN-Am appear to have listened to many years of complaining about Kenda tyres and have changed their ways .... or I'm just lucky to have jagged a good set for my vigorous twisties ryding. Whatever, I'll be fitting Kenda tyres again very soon.
There is usually another way. 2020 F3Ltd.
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Very Active Member
Originally Posted by RazzleH
If you are going to slander Kenda as OE spec rubbish you will need to quote a date to go with it. My 2020 F3L has 16k km on the Kendas and they have proven to be as good as the best of 2 wheel tyres I have fitted. Thankfully CAN-Am appear to have listened to many years of complaining about Kenda tyres and have changed their ways .... or I'm just lucky to have jagged a good set for my vigorous twisties ryding. Whatever, I'll be fitting Kenda tyres again very soon.
Peter's likely to be sleeping now ( Australia time ) So here's the TRUTH based on a decade of testing ...... they are probably the most " defective prone " tires made. ... Their long term track record by members here prove this. Is every Kenda Spyder tire bad .... No, but lots of folks here have reported very early failure, or un-rider right off the showroom floor. Compared to Auto tires the Kenda's are very weakly made, the casing is isn't strong enough to support even a " Smart car ". The Kenda tires are are very close to the Maximum load they are designed to carry ie. an RT. I agree Kenda has made some adjustments over the years to improve them, but getting another 2-3000 mi. more from them does not impress me. ..... My recommendation has been - if they will at least balance, then use until they wear out - then get auto tires that fit ...... Good luck .... Mike
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Very Active Member
Originally Posted by MONK
I understand that the new Kenda K9 (Kanine) is supposed to be a better tire than the original Kendas but it's still a Kenda. I wouldn't even put a Kenda on my car.
Kendas work quite nicely on my table saw!!
Kenda name.jpg
Table saw.jpg
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.
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Originally Posted by RazzleH
If you are going to slander Kenda as OE spec rubbish you will need to quote a date to go with it. My 2020 F3L has 16k km on the Kendas and they have proven to be as good as the best of 2 wheel tyres I have fitted. Thankfully CAN-Am appear to have listened to many years of complaining about Kenda tyres and have changed their ways .... or I'm just lucky to have jagged a good set for my vigorous twisties ryding. Whatever, I'll be fitting Kenda tyres again very soon.
It's only slander if it's not true. Just sayin'.
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Very Active Member
Originally Posted by IdahoMtnSpyder
And golf carts.
Kenda started as a bicycle tire company I believe. In 2004 we bought a 5th wheel trailer that had Kenda Klever LT235/85R16E tires. People were having so many issues with them that Kenda paid me $110 x 5 tires to have them removed and destroyed. I told a guy in a camp ground to get them off his trailer, and later he posted on a forum for the trailer brand that he should have listened to a guy that told him to get rid of them, as his trailer was heavily damaged when one failed. I still think as I have posted before that Kenda pricing to BRP is in play here as agreement to only use and recommend Kenda's. They are probably paying $35 or so per tire.
Sep. 13, 2020 by Tire Reviews And More
At its inception in 1962, the Taiwanese manufacturer produced bicycle tires, and continued in this industry until 2001 after which it added passenger car tires to its portfolio. Kenda manufactures a diverse product line, which includes tires for bicycles, motorcycles, ATVs, automobiles, trailers, and industrial equipment.
2018 RT Ltd - Asphalt Metallic - East Valley of Phoenix
2018 RT Ltd Chrome - Champagne Metallic - Lake Stevens, Wa
(Champagne/Hooker) Magic Mirrors, 360 LED head lights, BajaRon sway bar, H&R springs and shock adjusters, dash cam, foam grips, third brake light 4 LED strobe for 7 seconds and then on steady, rear LED turn signals/8 ohm 50W resistors, sequential turn signals on front fenders, Vredestein and PPA Orb wheels on front and General out back, and driver backrest.
Things that move between machines: Ikea sheep skins, Zumo XT GPS, and extra tools. Hooker is going to be my summer trike up North; and Hookie my winter trike down South.
(Asphalt/Hookie) Elka shocks on front - BajaRon sway bar, OEM driver's backrest, LED headlights, dual USB with voltmeter, dash cam, foam grips - Magic Mirrors - front tires Vredestein Quatrac SL on PPA ORB Chrome wheels.
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Very Active Member
Originally Posted by Snoking1127
And golf carts.
Kenda started as a bicycle tire company I believe. In 2004 we bought a 5th wheel trailer that had Kenda Klever LT235/85R16E tires. People were having so many issues with them that Kenda paid me $110 x 5 tires to have them removed and destroyed. I told a guy in a camp ground to get them off his trailer, and later he posted on a forum for the trailer brand that he should have listened to a guy that told him to get rid of them, as his trailer was heavily damaged when one failed. I still think as I have posted before that Kenda pricing to BRP is in play here as agreement to only use and recommend Kenda's. They are probably paying $35 or so per tire.
Sep. 13, 2020 by Tire Reviews And More
At its inception in 1962, the Taiwanese manufacturer produced bicycle tires, and continued in this industry until 2001 after which it added passenger car tires to its portfolio. Kenda manufactures a diverse product line, which includes tires for bicycles, motorcycles, ATVs, automobiles, trailers, and industrial equipment.
..... it's all about the money .... Since H.D. uses Dunlop " AUTO " tires on their Trikes for sale in the US, the entire LEGAL argument about " they MUST be Motorcycle tires has been de-bunked. .... and I don't think BRP pays anything for the tires from the factory they have a " sweetheart " deal with Kenda because only Can-am dealers can actually buy Spyder tires , and they make a hugh profit on them .....also PRINTED on the sidewall of the Kenda tire " this tire MUST be mounted on a " J " type rim .... " J " type rims are what all AUTO wheels are .... rant over ..... Mike
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Originally Posted by Peter Aawen
That's because the specific nominal sidewall size isn't really all that important, since physical tire sizes can vary so much from whatever it might say on the sidewall; physical sizes that will almost certainly vary from manufacturer to manufacturer even if they wear the same nominal sidewall size, which may also vary between different tire types made by the same manufacturer!!
So, given that, you need to make your own choice on what size & type of tire to fit. I generally go for something just a little larger than the OE size, because we have lots of long and hot miles here in Oz, so choosing a tire that gives it fewer revs per mile/a little bit longer legs helps (once corrected for speedo/odo variations) fuel economy a tad & the slightly larger tire rolling dia generally gives better tire life (altho that may be somewhat varied by the choice of compounds used in the tire's tread!) Besides, it seems BRP has deliberately(?? ) chosen tire sizes that aren't readily available in any alternatives in order to make it less likely owners will choose anything but their OE Crap... err, sorry, Kendas! But so far, going by the myriad of beta testers & testing that's been done by owners/users, pretty much any auto tire in a size that physically fits into/onto a Spyder/Ryker is likely to last longer, perform better, be less prone to issues & failures effecting ride, handling, puncture resistance, suspension compliance, and tire longevity et al.
All of which boils down to YOU needing to make a decision - you can stick with the OE spec rubbish; you can choose alternative auto tires that match the OE Spec sizes from the limited options available (which may be significantly different sizes anyway ) that better suit your needs/wants; or you can choose auto tires that better suit your needs/wants which have physical dimensions that are reasonably close to but different from the ACTUAL tire diameter of the OE spec tires (altho the Kenda is a little small) Compare the rolling radius or diameter, or you could even compare the 'revs per mile' of your tire of choice - in either case, you get to select something that, if you make any effort to define what you really need/want, will almost certainly better suit your particular application than the 'one size fits all applications' type tire that BRP tries to foist off on everybody despite the vast range of uses & conditions where they may be used!
For the rear of Spyders, that generally means something between 195/75R15 up to 225/60R15, with the most popular choices being in the 205/215/225 sizes and profiles being 55, 60, or 65, albeit not too many want to risk going over 225/60 simply due to the space available. For the 2013 & later fronts, most go for 165/175 x 15's in 55, 60, or 65 profile, altho there are a few who've opted for 185/50R15's and upgraded their fenders to cater for the extra width. Any auto tire that's NOT a Spyder spec Kenda (OE Spec or the alternate Kenda Kanines) & so is likely to have a higher load &/or speed rating will be substantially more 'robustly constructed' than the OE Spec tires, and so will not need the higher pressures you'd normally run in them if they were fitted to an auto weighing in maybe three times as much! That means you'll need to run pressures in the vicinity of 16 psi up front & 16-18 psi in the rear or you'll be running them over-inflated for the load/application on the Spyder/Ryker, and in doing so risking abnormal wear rates/patterns, increased likelihood of punctures, substantially reduced traction (especially in the wet), and less suspension compliance/harsher ride, et al! We don't get Vredesteins here in Oz, so my 2013 RT Ltd is currently running 175/60R15 Kumho's up front at 14-16 psi depending upon temps/load/trip length & a Michelin 205/65R15 on the rear at 16-18 psi with the same proviso's. And I've got better than 30,000 km of better ride, handling, & traction etc out of all the tires I've run (not just tested) on my Spyder since I scrapped the dodgy Kendas that it left the factory with - they didn't even last 5000 km, and the improvement in all aspects of tire ride, handling, & performance once I'd tossed them was astounding!!
But it's your Spyder, and it'll be your tires, so it's really YOUR choice, isn't it?!? You just hafta make it!
Peter,
Thank you for taking the time to write up a detailed reply. I very much appreciate it and it is very well written.
Thanks again,
Regards,
Steve
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Active Member
A couple of days ago, I noticed the center of the rear tire on my 2018 RT was showing wear. I contacted a dealer about 40 miles from here to check on options for replacement. Since they are fairly new to the Spyder game, they advised me that they had never done that job before. They said the book shows it as a 3 hour job. They have Kendas in stock, but said they would install another brand if I provided one of the same size.
Does 3 hours sound reasonable?
I'm still looking at other options.
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Very Active Member
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Active Member
I would like to get Vredestrin tires for my '14 RT. I am taking donations. Please send spare change to...
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Active Member
tires again
Thanks for all the info. Much appreciated and did not know front tires were car type tires.
Thanks to all.
Dray
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Very Active Member
Originally Posted by ricford
I would like to get Vredestrin tires for my '14 RT. I am taking donations. Please send spare change to...
My pleasure!
PXL_20210409_172831068.jpg
'20 Spyder RT: Bajaron swaybar. Vredestein tires, Pedal Commander, Elka front shocks, GPS/USB/12V handlebar mount, Heli-Bars, Radar Detector, KOTT grills & vents, Shad top case, chin & DRL LEDs.
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Ozzie Ozzie Ozzie
2013 RT Ltd Pearl White
Ryde More, Worry Less!
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