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Another car tire thread
- Thread starter easysuper
- Start date
Dudley
New member
I have had 4 Spyders since 2008...a GS SE5, 2010 RT Manual, a 2014 RT SE6 (killed a Javalina with it), and a 2017 F3L (by far the BEST Spyder made. IMO). Total Spyder miles 154,000 + or -. I have read the owners manuals for general knowledge and have never seen where automobile tires cannot be used on the Spyders. The OEM tires say "Motorcycle Only" and I can understand why...that crap would blow out on your car or trailer if used for load carrying. On the 2014 I had just had all three tires replaced for a 4000+ mile vacation with Kumho. The fronts were 155/60/15 and the rear was a 205/55/15. My wife commented about how much more comfortable the ride had become and how the curves in the mountains were executed much more smoothly. I don't recommend anyone do what they don't think they should. This is just a shared experience.
PinkRosePetal
New member
Hi, I was referring to the car ones, they were summer tyres. They were on the car for approximately 20k miles and 2 years before I removed them. I have a picture for you but perhaps you could start a new thread because I feel we're hijacking this one.
The ones on the Spyder were all season tyres, I covered 7000 miles on them before the bike was sold. I liked their performance a lot but it was too short a time to know about the hardening and aging rubber.
RICZ
New member
The Nokian tires I bought are a All weather WR G4 with the most asymmetrical tread I have ever seen. We rarely get snow and when we do, it's usually gone in 1 to 3 days. So snow performance wasn't high on the priority list but reviews say they are OK, not great in snow.
Docster
New member
"There are some experts on here that do not agree with Shawn S. Even a casual read on the subject of tires will show that (dare I say 75%...number not vetted), are using car tires. I am also a recent convert."
I would hope the OP perhaps do some reading of at least SOME of the dozens of car tire threads, get an idea of how many people use them and why/what problems have occurred with them then make up his own mind. These "just another tire thread" threads are getting ludicrous. Read, research and decide for yourself!
I would hope the OP perhaps do some reading of at least SOME of the dozens of car tire threads, get an idea of how many people use them and why/what problems have occurred with them then make up his own mind. These "just another tire thread" threads are getting ludicrous. Read, research and decide for yourself!
easysuper
Active member
I’m sorry you did not read my OP , like most of the people who hijacked my thread , I explained in it if you had actually read it that I am and will use car tires and have been doing so fo the last five years and did a 10,000 mile croscountry 66 day ride this summer on car tires . I don’t feel that my post was “ludicrous” and was simply looking for opinions if anyone had knowledge of car tires affecting the traction control system, again I would say that before adding or hijacking a thread one should read the OP.
The Traction Control / Nanny will work the same But: If you go around a corner with OEM Tires trying to make the Nanny kick in it will kick sooner, then with Car Tires. With Car Tires it kicks in much later according to post I have seen here. So in some ways Shawn S could be right if the OEM tires make the Nanny kick in at say 50MPH because they are weak and the Car Tires Kick in at 75MPH because they are stronger. Now the Nanny has to deal with 75MPH vs 50MPH. So I'm thinking some one has to present the other side. Car tires are good if you don't change your driving style Live to Ride, Ride to Live.
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h0gr1der
New member
And yet you took time to not only read it, but comment on it.:joke:
h0gr1der
New member
I did a lot of fretting over tires, finally went on the knowledge that others have been successful in their endeavors. One thing I can't find out is how the Nanny handles the different sizes than OEM. Here's my take on it, based on my previous life as an I&E tech. The computer uses programming to determine if one wheel is stopped or out of spec as far a revolutions (wheel speed sensors). There will be a tolerance because tires wear, rear mores o than front. In selecting my tires, I opted to go with a match that made less of an overall difference in the front/rear rolling ratio. I'm speculating, because I don't know how they programmed the stability computer. If you go with a larger rolling diameter on the rear (I did), try to increase the front rolling diameter the same percentage. It should keep you farther from Nanny intrusion. Just guessing.
Deanna777
Well-known member
I run car tires on my 2014RTS-SE6 and I have not had any problems with the nanny.
I run General Altimax RT 43 on the rear( matter of fact I am on my 2nd General Altimax RT 43 tire on the rear of the spyder) , & I run the Continental Contiprocontacts on the fronts. ( have them on the fronts for 3 years now until present, no problems).
I don't watch Shawn Smoak video's.
Deanna
BLUEKNIGHT911
Sadly Passed Oct 2024 - RIP
Guessing :roflblack:,..... join the club …. only Bosche ( and not likely BRP, because the info is proprietary ) … Waaaaaaaaaaay back at the beginning of the Spyder according to BRP history, Bosche had a difficult time setting the VSS to an acceptical level of control (?)…. Bosche has the formula and they aren't sharing. …. Tire sizes MUST be within a certain range to be accepted by the computer … The Spyders are quite limited in what will fit inside the tupperware and metal framework.... and I haven't found a tire size combination that will trigger a Fault Code. … if the tire can be mounted within the framework, you are safe ……. Mike
hyea:missouriboy
Active member
FWIW I have to give my Michelin Defender a very low grade for traction. I can hardly ever use high throttle at low speeds in any of the first three gears... it will just spin, spin, spin.
On wet pavement, it behaves like it's icy pavement.
On dry pavement, it behaves like it's wet pavement. (Except maybe on really coarse concrete. I'm talking blacktop, the majority of the roads around here.)
Today a hot little Mustang decided to drag-race me from a stoplight, on blacktop, so I joined the fun. :2thumbs: But I immediately started fishtailing with no traction, and he surged ahead, TEMPORARILY. Of course, when my tire finally grabbed some ass(phalt), I smoked his buns for him. :yes:
But still... I'm looking for better traction on my next CAR tire selection. :dontknow:
On wet pavement, it behaves like it's icy pavement.
On dry pavement, it behaves like it's wet pavement. (Except maybe on really coarse concrete. I'm talking blacktop, the majority of the roads around here.)
Today a hot little Mustang decided to drag-race me from a stoplight, on blacktop, so I joined the fun. :2thumbs: But I immediately started fishtailing with no traction, and he surged ahead, TEMPORARILY. Of course, when my tire finally grabbed some ass(phalt), I smoked his buns for him. :yes:
But still... I'm looking for better traction on my next CAR tire selection. :dontknow:
BLUEKNIGHT911
Sadly Passed Oct 2024 - RIP
In the past I had recommended the Michelin Defender …. " the T&H Model " ….. The original Defender is now an older tire, how old yours is - you didn't say - Also with any Auto tire the PSI is critical to the amount of Traction it has .….. just sayin …… Mike
hyea:...………..PS the T&H model had a much higher performance rating then the original Defender had ….. hyea:missouriboy
Active member
Mike, today the tire is 16.5psi (cold). It has ~24,200 miles on it, and the crosswise rain sipes are still prominent.
The DOT number is: DOT APP2 023X 1916 If those last four digits mean Week 19 of Year 2016, then DANG, it was already two years old when I bought it (03/18).
I couldn't find anything like "T&H Model" anywhere on the sidewall. Does that mean Traction & Handling??
On the Order Receipt, I did find this: Michelin Defender 205/60R15 91T BSW If that "91T" is in place of "T&H", perhaps that's the difference? If true, that's my bad, because I found T&H where I wrote down the info from your post, but apparently disregarded it when searching the internet for the tire...
The DOT number is: DOT APP2 023X 1916 If those last four digits mean Week 19 of Year 2016, then DANG, it was already two years old when I bought it (03/18).
I couldn't find anything like "T&H Model" anywhere on the sidewall. Does that mean Traction & Handling??
On the Order Receipt, I did find this: Michelin Defender 205/60R15 91T BSW If that "91T" is in place of "T&H", perhaps that's the difference? If true, that's my bad, because I found T&H where I wrote down the info from your post, but apparently disregarded it when searching the internet for the tire...
BLUEKNIGHT911
Sadly Passed Oct 2024 - RIP
The " T&H " should be imprinted on the sidewall …. and if your tire is from 2016 it couldn't be a T&H because they hadn't been introduced yet !!!! ……. I reviewed some of you posts and saw that you had been using the Altimax RT43 ( a tire I did recommend until I discovered the Vredestein Quatrac 5 ) ….. you said your tire is at 16.5 psi Now …. what was it normally ???? …. PS Peter did a nice info piece a few post up on this thread - He also knows a lot about tires annnnnnd it's accurate - no guessing …… good luck …. and thanks for replying ….. Mike
hyea:missouriboy
Active member
mike: ...you said your tire is at 16.5 psi Now …. what was it normally ????...
I keep this tire at 15-17. About the same in the fronts.
I keep this tire at 15-17. About the same in the fronts.
BLUEKNIGHT911
Sadly Passed Oct 2024 - RIP
Interesting about the PSI you had in the Defender tire ….. From what I know of that ( older model ) tire it wasn't as good as the T&H model but it wasn't bad by any stretch, the psi you were using was where Auto tires work best on Spyders ….. thanks …. Mike
hyea:I'm calling BS on Shaun's comments. The salesman who sold me my bike new said the same.
Me also thinks that most of it comes from Kenda being the only official supplier of tyres for Spyders and BRP want to protect that relationship, but at our expense. Plus I really don't think some mechanics fully understand how these systems work either.
Since fitting a car tyre to the rear of the RTL Nanny visits far less often, it breaks and corners far better. My logic follows that of some advice I sought from a motoring association Automotive Engineer when I queried an ABS event ... he said : "Your grip, braking, handling are only as good as the weakest component in each of those actions. If you have a Low quality tyre, when you hit the brakes hard the other 3 calipers reduce their grip on their respective disks to compensate for the weakest tyre that isn't able to maintain grip. If the shock pushing down on the tyre is poor, then grip is reduced in all scenarios with a result of poor performance."
Even my current insurer agrees that "fitting a better tyre would have to improve the machine and the safety systems ability to take care of you and your pillion."
If BRP have created a neanderthal traction control system then perhaps that may be the case. I do at times chose to ride the RTL hard, and can say I have not found an aspect of its handling, grip or braking that hasn't improved since fitting a car tyre. I am also an all weather rider and I mean all weather, and since fitting the Nankang I can predict what the RTL will do .... keep straight, where as in the past, if you hit a puddle on the road then the only thing you could predict with certainty is that you'd have a brown secretion in your underwear - the rest was in the hands of Luck/God/Your Stars.
I'd also argue the same with aftermarket suspension as I have just done to my RTL. My god what an improvement it has made. Until BRP can put in writing the facts I'll teat it with the same disdain as their choice of tyre.
Soapbox back under the counter ...
There's really no argument here. When the manufacturer states in writing that you must use a specific part that's what you need to use. Kenda is the only manufacturer tested and approved tire specially designed for use on the Spyder. No one can argue with that. It's written in the owners manual. Don't yell at me I didn't write it!
With that said there are thousands and thousands of miles on car tires. You can use whatever you like.
With that said there are thousands and thousands of miles on car tires. You can use whatever you like.
jcthorne
Well-known member
You misquote and misunderstand what BRP says. They do not state you MUST use the Kenda tire. They recommend it as it was tested with the VSS calibration.
Its been shown pretty extensively that using a tire that surpasses the specs of the Kenda in no way reduces the effectiveness of the systems. It actually keeps them less active and provides a better and safer riding experience.
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