UURG new rear tire

[gwritesel]

Depending on conditions, 8500 miles on the stock Kenda tire is not too bad. I got 9500 miles on my original rear tire and 7500 on the second one although it wasn't completely worn out when I changed it. Changed to a Kumho and got over 14,000 on the first one, working on a second. Remember that the original Kenda is technically a motorcycle tire with softer compound and a more flexible sidewall than a car tire. Lots of GoldWing and BMW riders would be happy to get 8500 miles on a rear tire. I know I would have on my BMW.

Cotton

Left Ohio last year with 7500 on the rear and headed to Fairbanks,Ak,made it there and back down to Prince George BC and had the tire changed there,I think I had about 15000 on it.Original factory rear tire.

[bikeguy]

Interesting you say that. I got upwards of 18,000 miles on the rear and 16,000 on the front on my 2005 Goldwing. All were Dunlop Elites. I was expecting the Spyder to do better since there's no tire leaning.

I think you are the first GoldWing rider I ever heard say that they got more miles on a rear than on a front tire but conditions make a tremendous amount of difference in tire wear and I'm not at all surprised that you would get more mileage riding in Idaho than in Texas due, in part, to a lower average temperature. High temperatures can really make a difference in tire mileage. Road surfaces also can make a tremendous difference. When I was a teen-ager I think Texas had some of the best roads in the country. You could literally feel the difference when you rode into Louisiana, Arkansas, New Mexico, and especially into Oklahoma. You still can but now, instead of the roads getting worse they get better when you leave Texas. On secondary roads, which I ride all the time, the highway department now uses a paving process called chip and seal rather than the hot mix asphalt they used to use. The chip and seal surface is much more abrasive than hot mix along with being noisier. It's especially abrasive in the center of each lane where it gets less wear from automobile tires. Our rear tires are in the center of the lane, so they literally have a more abrasive surface to ride on than the fronts.

I think most of the GoldWing riders I know get about half as much mileage on a rear tire as a front and that's about what I got on my BMW although I usually changed both at the same time barring having some other problem. A rear tire on my R1100RT was good for about 7,000 to 8,000 miles - maybe. I changed one at just over 5,000 and it was worn into the cords.

Cotton

[IdahoMtnSpyder]

Interesting you say that. I got upwards of 18,000 miles on the rear and 16,000 on the front on my 2005 Goldwing. All were Dunlop Elites. I was expecting the Spyder to do better since there's no tire leaning.

I think you are the first GoldWing rider I ever heard say that they got more miles on a rear than on a front tire but conditions make a tremendous amount of difference in tire wear and I'm not at all surprised that you would get more mileage riding in Idaho than in Texas due, in part, to a lower average temperature.......

I think most of the GoldWing riders I know get about half as much mileage on a rear tire as a front and that's about what I got on my BMW although I usually changed both at the same time barring having some other problem. A rear tire on my R1100RT was good for about 7,000 to 8,000 miles - maybe. I changed one at just over 5,000 and it was worn into the cords.

Your response prompted me to double check my GW database. Here's the pertinent segment from it.

Date	Odometer	Note
07/28/2009	15942	Front tire replaced, Dunlop E3 130/70R18
04/22/2010	18328	new rear tire
04/03/2012	29824	Replace brake and clutch fluids, new front tire Dunlop Elite
09/12/2012	35358	new rear tire, Dunlop E3
09/21/2013	45941	New front tire, Dunlop Elite 3 130/70R18
11/30/2013	51818	new rear tire, oil & filter, final drive oil chg,

At most of the changes the tire was at or below the center tread wear bars. I sold the bike at less than 52,000 mileage. I figure the front tire still had upwards of 10k left on it when I sold the bike.

[bikeguy]

That's good mileage, looks like those Dunlops really worked well for you. If my math was right, that was over 16,000 on all the rears and 29,999 on one of the fronts. I've never run a Dunlop but you can bet that I'll be looking at them when I change tires on my F650 BMW. I've had good luck with Michelins but never got that much mileage. Too bad Dunlop doesn't make a tire that fits a Spyder. (They don't do they?)

Cotton

[IdahoMtnSpyder]

That's good mileage, looks like those Dunlops really worked well for you. If my math was right, that was over 16,000 on all the rears and 29,999 on one of the fronts. I've never run a Dunlop but you can bet that I'll be looking at them when I change tires on my F650 BMW. I've had good luck with Michelins but never got that much mileage. Too bad Dunlop doesn't make a tire that fits a Spyder. (They don't do they?)

Cotton

Oops, better double check your math, or your typing! It's more like 18,000, 17,000, and 16,500 on the rears and 16,000, 14,000, & 16,000 on the fronts. Actually, the last rear still had quite a few miles left on it but since I was getting the bike ready to sell I figured I better change the tire to enhance its saleability.

[bikeguy]

Oops, better double check your math, or your typing! It's more like 18,000, 17,000, and 16,500 on the rears and 16,000, 14,000, & 16,000 on the fronts. Actually, the last rear still had quite a few miles left on it but since I was getting the bike ready to sell I figured I better change the tire to enhance its saleability.

You're right, of course, I missed the new front tire at 29,824. Still good mileage and still seems strange that you get better mileage on rears than fronts but facts are facts.

Cotton

[cptjam]

Hard tire. Long wear, poor tr action. Wrecked bikes get long life. Buy the stickiest tire you can. Live to bitch about having to replace soft, sticky tires! Living is good! Longer is better! A few bucks vs. safety? I vote safe. Have you ever regretted buying the best? HECK NO!

[Dubld]

Just ordered a Kumho Ecsta 225/50R15 to replace my rear tire. I figure I have maybe about 3,000 miles left on the original. At the rate I'm going, I may have that in 2 months or less.