Tire recommendations Spyder RT Ltd 2014 REAR - S Drive vs. Toyo Proxies?

[Ken613834]

I know we have beaten the tire issue to death and I had concluded that I would go for the Yokohama S Drive, 205 55R 15 as they do not make the same size as the Kenda's 225 50R 15.

When I went into my tire supplier he questioned if it was wise to put a tire such as the S Drive on the rear as it was two sizes smaller than the stock Kenda, although the posts in the forum state it is acceptable as the size difference is marginal. He suggested that I might want to consider the TOYO Proxies P225 50R 15 to match the same size as the Kenda.

I was a little uncertain as to how to proceed hence this post to the Forum for advice from those of you who are in the know.

Thanks for your help everyone...great forum full of amazing info and lots of great feedback.

Ken

[Bob Denman]

Either tire is a very good choice...

[kbwitt]

I have the Yok s drive on mine only a week so can not report but it is quite had these on a toyata car once. Great traction and long life

[Warlock]

I know we have beaten the tire issue to death and I had concluded that I would go for the Yokohama S Drive, 205 55R 15 as they do not make the same size as the Kenda's 225 50R 15.

When I went into my tire supplier he questioned if it was wise to put a tire such as the S Drive on the rear as it was two sizes smaller than the stock Kenda, although the posts in the forum state it is acceptable as the size difference is marginal. He suggested that I might want to consider the TOYO Proxies P225 50R 15 to match the same size as the Kenda.

I was a little uncertain as to how to proceed hence this post to the Forum for advice from those of you who are in the know.

Thanks for your help everyone...great forum full of amazing info and lots of great feedback.

Ken

I believe the S drive would last longer. Better thread wear.
David

[_..stiffler..]

I was looking at both.

I just bought the s drive cause I got it for 100 bucks shipped to my door.

I don't think you will be disappointed with either one.

Sent on Note 5 in Taptalk

[redhorse]

I went with the Kuhio 225x55x15 and love it. It also corrects true sped with my garmin

Sent from my SM-T810 using Tapatalk

[BLUEKNIGHT911]

I know we have beaten the tire issue to death and I had concluded that I would go for the Yokohama S Drive, 205 55R 15 as they do not make the same size as the Kenda's 225 50R 15.

When I went into my tire supplier he questioned if it was wise to put a tire such as the S Drive on the rear as it was two sizes smaller than the stock Kenda, although the posts in the forum state it is acceptable as the size difference is marginal. He suggested that I might want to consider the TOYO Proxies P225 50R 15 to match the same size as the Kenda.

I was a little uncertain as to how to proceed hence this post to the Forum for advice from those of you who are in the know.

Thanks for your help everyone...great forum full of amazing info and lots of great feedback.

Ken

You are fortunate that you can get that size in Canada ....because it's not sold in the U.S. ,....... I have them on my RT on the front and LOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOVE them........Excellent in dry and WET. Since they are a CAR tire I strongly recommend a PSI of 21 lbs. COLD ........they will have much better traction especially in the WET at that level...........Mike

[Ken613834]

Thanks everyone for the information.

[_..stiffler..]

anyone ever run a 225/45/15??

whats your take on that?

Stiff

[Jetfixer]

anyone ever run a 225/45/15??

whats your take on that?

Stiff

http://www.tire-size-calculator.info/


Not much different.

[Richardv]

I know we have beaten the tire issue to death and I had concluded that I would go for the Yokohama S Drive, 205 55R 15 as they do not make the same size as the Kenda's 225 50R 15.

When I went into my tire supplier he questioned if it was wise to put a tire such as the S Drive on the rear as it was two sizes smaller than the stock Kenda, although the posts in the forum state it is acceptable as the size difference is marginal. He suggested that I might want to consider the TOYO Proxies P225 50R 15 to match the same size as the Kenda.

I was a little uncertain as to how to proceed hence this post to the Forum for advice from those of you who are in the know.

Thanks for your help everyone...great forum full of amazing info and lots of great feedback.

Ken

My son in law has the Proxies 4 225/50R15 and loves it. But I think it has been discontinued!? If it is a Proxies 4 , go for it.

[Marvin2488485]

I just installed this tire yesterday on my 2015 RT KUMHO Ecsta AST (KU25) 225/50R15 XL 91H

[Richardv]

I just installed this tire yesterday on my 2015 RT KUMHO Ecsta AST (KU25) 225/50R15 XL 91H

My spouse, daughter and I do run that Kumho AST 225/50R15 , because there was no more Proxies 4 available. We love them also, and I was following my daughter and son in law in the rain the other day, and both the Kumho and Proxies 4 were "drying" the road as well one as the other.

[nhoj]

My son in law has the Proxies 4 225/50R15 and loves it. But I think it has been discontinued!? If it is a Proxies 4 , go for it.

No the Proxes 4 225/50R15 is still available (in Canada). I got one mid-August and the tire dealer brought in 4 of them from Toyo Canada.

20160823_085931.jpg

[rtlister]

I just bought the Kumho Esctra AST tire and got it yesterday ...supposed to have it installed tomorrow on the rear of my 2014 RTL. One of the Can Am dealers in my area that I called and asked if they would install the Kumho tire said they strongly recommended that I not use that tire. The dealership service guy told me he has a brand new one (Esctra AST) sitting on his office floor now that he just took off a Spyder. He said the owner said that it was sliding all over the place in the rain ...that the Kenda was a soft tire for that reason.

On the other hand, I've read several good reviews from Spyder owners ...but I am wondering how many have ridden it in the rain.

So...does anyone here have any experience with the Kumho Ecstra AST in the rain? It is a much stiffer tire and I expect it will last a lot longer than the Kenda (I certainly hope so) ...but just wondering about the rain?

Suppose to have my Kumho mounted tomorrow at another dealership that is fine with it.

Thanks

[BLUEKNIGHT911]

I just bought the Kumho Esctra AST tire and got it yesterday ...supposed to have it installed tomorrow on the rear of my 2014 RTL. One of the Can Am dealers in my area that I called and asked if they would install the Kumho tire said they strongly recommended that I not use that tire. The dealership service guy told me he has a brand new one (Esctra AST) sitting on his office floor now that he just took off a Spyder. He said the owner said that it was sliding all over the place in the rain ...that the Kenda was a soft tire for that reason.

On the other hand, I've read several good reviews from Spyder owners ...but I am wondering how many have ridden it in the rain.

So...does anyone here have any experience with the Kumho Ecstra AST in the rain? It is a much stiffer tire and I expect it will last a lot longer than the Kenda (I certainly hope so) ...but just wondering about the rain?

Suppose to have my Kumho mounted tomorrow at another dealership that is fine with it.

Thanks

............The Stealers only sell CRAPENDA'S .....so what do you think He's going to tell you ........ " All tires can & will HYDROPLANE " given the right conditions..... Mike

[Peter Aawen]

And add to that ^^ another tid-bit!! 'Pump any tire up hard enough & it will hydro-plane on a wet enough road!!'

That said, you wondered how many giving good reports of Kumho's had ridden them in the rain?! I have, & I still do!! In fact, over the last couple of years & some of the wettest winters in recorded history here, I've ridden my 2013 RT Ltd with Kumho's fitted all round on it most days and literally for days at a time & thousands of miles IN THE RAIN (& at a reasonable speed too) often with water sheeting across the roads while the 2 wheelers (& cages) are tippy toe-ing along or sometimes even pulling off the road cos they can't handle the conditions or stay upright while my wife & I riding 2up on our Spyder running Kumho's ride past without the slightest concern or any hinting of hydro-planing issues & getting far better ride, handling, traction, hydro-planing resistance, & tire wear than I ever got from the Kenda crap too!!

rtlister, maybe you should offer to take that brand new Kumho off that dealers hands for nix if it's so bad - you could even get him to fit it to the rear of your Spyder & you'll promise to take it away & never complain to him about how bad it is!! Then once you get it on your Spyder & out of his dealership, NEVER GO BACK THERE, cos he's obviously prepared to lie & distort the truth in order to sucker customers into paying for rubbish tires instead of running something that can work a helluva lot better when used appropriately & inflated properly!!

The Kenda's hafta run the pressures they do cos they are so lightly (& weakly) constructed that their rubber bits simply won't hold up the (light) weight of the Spyder with any less air in them but they simply peel off the centre of the rear tire's tread compound whatever you do!! Stronger & better constructed car tires that are made well & capable of carrying 3 times or more the weight generally don't need quite so much air pressure in them to do the same job & last a lot longer; and by running them at an appropriate pressure instead of over-inflating them for the load, the tread of those car tires will heat up to their optimum temp & pressure so that the tires can work somewhat better all round than the Kenda crap ever could too!!

[rtlister]

Thanks for your input. This is exactly what I'm wanting to hear about. :-)

Sent from my SCH-I545 using Tapatalk

[Ken613834]

Thanks everyone for the valued advice...updates!

1. Decided to go with the Toyo Proxes 4, P225 50R 15 for the rear. Paid $143 Cdn plus tax. Seems reasonable.

2. I have arranged to take the bike in to the dealer to have it installed and they are OK putting on a vehicle tire. About $100 labour they say.

3. Tire pressure? On the Kenda they recommend 28 PSI rear but considering this is a car tire, can anyone recommend what tire pressure I should run. I suspect it will be somewhere around the 20 range but was not sure. Suggestions greatly appreciated and thanks again...this Forum is extremely helpful.

Ken

[Peter Aawen]

I'd guess that 22-24 psi would be a better starting pressure to go with Ken, but its a guess!! You'll probably see why further on.....

If you can track down the full technical specs for the tire, they should have a chart or table showing what pressure is needed in that tire to carry a given weight! You may need to do a small calculation to work the pressure out properly if the load on your Spyder rear tire is off the low end of the table, but it won't (or shouldn't, anyway) be too hard/much off the end, altho you will certainly need to run the rear tire over a weigh bridge or a biiig scale while you are sitting on your Spyder!! While you are weighing it to work out the rear tire loading, check the front end loading as well (you don't need to check those individually tho, just weigh the front end & divide that by 2! ) Your local garden centre or wood lot will probably have a weigh bridge. And that manufacturers stated pressure required for a given load is really only a starting point that should be adjusted up or down to account for the myriad of minor variables that YOU & your Spyder, your tires, the roads you ride on, etc bring with them & all combine to vary the necessary pressure to give you the optimum balance of ride, handling, traction, tire wear, & tire life etc!! But it's a pretty good start & probably better'n my earlier guess!!

[robmorg]

I know we have beaten the tire issue to death and I had concluded that I would go for the Yokohama S Drive, 205 55R 15 as they do not make the same size as the Kenda's 225 50R 15.

When I went into my tire supplier he questioned if it was wise to put a tire such as the S Drive on the rear as it was two sizes smaller than the stock Kenda, although the posts in the forum state it is acceptable as the size difference is marginal. He suggested that I might want to consider the TOYO Proxies P225 50R 15 to match the same size as the Kenda.

Ken

I see you already went with the Proxies. Sorry I didn't see your post sooner. I don't know anything about the Proxies, but you most likely ended up with a good tire.

But just to set the record straight, the s.Drive in 205/55R15 is NOT "two sizes smaller" than the stock Kendra. When I installed my s.Drive, I discovered that it was exactly the same diameter as the stock Kendra and just a smidgen wider at the bead (but not at the sidewall). It actually fit the rim BETTER than the stock tire. Tire sizing is difficult to compare without a comparison calculator as they are based on aspect ratio rather than actual dimensions (except for the wheel diameter). Better yet is to compare manufacturer dimensions for their various sizes as varying tire construction can slightly throw off the calculator chart.

I would heartily recommend the s.Drive as an OEM replacement for the rear wheel. More info here.

[BLUEKNIGHT911]

I see you already went with the Proxies. Sorry I didn't see your post sooner. I don't know anything about the Proxies, but you most likely ended up with a good tire.

But just to set the record straight, the s.Drive in 205/55R15 is NOT "two sizes smaller" than the stock Kendra. When I installed my s.Drive, I discovered that it was exactly the same diameter as the stock Kendra and just a smidgen wider at the bead (but not at the sidewall). It actually fit the rim BETTER than the stock tire. Tire sizing is difficult to compare without a comparison calculator as they are based on aspect ratio rather than actual dimensions (except for the wheel diameter). Better yet is to compare manufacturer dimensions for their various sizes as varying tire construction can slightly throw off the calculator chart.

I would heartily recommend the s.Drive as an OEM replacement for the rear wheel. More info here.

Well if it's anything like it's predecessor the Tr 1 , it should be EXCELLENT ..... My Tr 1's on the front stick like GLUE - DRY and very impressive in the wet. I can't tell what the MAX would be WET because I'm not STUPID .................Mike

[dslim]

[QUOTE=Ken613834;1185204]Thanks everyone for the valued advice...updates!

1. Decided to go with the Toyo Proxes 4, P225 50R 15 for the rear. Paid $143 Cdn plus tax. Seems reasonable.



Is it possible to buy tires in Canada and have them shipped to the US?

[finless]

[Peter Aawen]

Yeah Bob, pic's not showing here either! At least, not for me!