OEM Tire Upgrade

[japgen]

Sorry in advance if this question has already been posed to the group.
I'm planning to pre-order a 2020 RT Limited, and will be meeting with the dealer to discuss options and pricing in a few weeks. My question is whether it's possible to have the Spyder fitted with tires other than the Kendas on a new order like this? Or do they "automatically"ship with OEM tires in all cases?

Thanks for any input the braintrust can offer.

 

[JKMSPYDER]

The tires will be shipped with the OEM Kendas. You might be able to have your dealer install auto tires if they agree to it. Some dealers will install auto tires and some won’t

 

[ARtraveler]

:welcome: The new one will come with Kenda's. Most dealers will NOT change them out.

The good news is...if you like the ride, you should not have to change out the fronts for about 20,000 miles or the rear for 15,000 miles. This is my track record over 4 different spyders.

This summer we went to "other" tires on both of our Spyders.

The additional good news for you is...don't worry about tires now. Drive the :spyder2: until you need them. There are a LOT of tire threads with very good suggestions. You have plenty of time to figure it out.

:bbq: :bbq: :bbq:

 

[Deanna777]

Sorry in advance if this question has already been posed to the group.
I'm planning to pre-order a 2020 RT Limited, and will be meeting with the dealer to discuss options and pricing in a few weeks. My question is whether it's possible to have the Spyder fitted with tires other than the Kendas on a new order like this? Or do they "automatically"ship with OEM tires in all cases?

Thanks for any input the braintrust can offer.

The spyder comes with Kenda tires on it.

Ride the spyder until it needs new tires. I have 2014 RTS-SE6 and had my local dealership install the rear tire( General Altimax RT 43 I bought myself) I had to sign a waiver first. The rear tire was changed @ ( Kenda) 5,824 miles( in 2014). I'm on my 2nd General Altimax RT 43 rear tire, which was replace this year. This tire has a "Replace Tire" with in the rubber of the tire. It has a tire monitor system, which tells you when to replace the tire.


I also replace the front tires with Continental Contiprocontacts ( size 165/60 R 15) at 12,807 miles in 2016. I am still running the Continental Contiprocontacts on my spyder. Also my spyder has 26,000 miles. The Continental's still have a lot of thread left and wearing well.

Deanna

 

[2dogs]

I have a 14 RTS-SE6 cognac also. I stupidly pushed my OEM rear tire to just over 7K and replaced it with an General Altimax. Replaced the fronts with Federal Formoza at about 20k because they were so badly cupped. (Service manager said that's normal. Yea right! LLPOF) I'm at 39K now and all my tires have plenty of tread left. Like everyone said here, save your dinero and wear out the oem krapendas and then buy your choice of quality car tires.

 

[BLUEKNIGHT911]

I have a 14 RTS-SE6 cognac also. I stupidly pushed my OEM rear tire to just over 7K and replaced it with an General Altimax. Replaced the fronts with Federal Formoza at about 20k because they were so badly cupped. (Service manager said that's normal. Yea right! LLPOF) I'm at 39K now and all my tires have plenty of tread left. Like everyone said here, save your dinero and wear out the oem krapendas and then buy your choice of quality car tires.

" front tires cupping " :roflblack::roflblack: ….it's possible that manager has seen many Crapenda's with " Cupped " tires ….. too many Kenda's are defect prone ……. :agree: get some good auto tires, you will be much happier ….. Mike hyea:

 

[ThreeWheels]

Tires !
You said TIRES !!!!!!!

Slowly I turned, step by step, inch by inch...............
And then I saw him, with TIRES...............................................................

 

[Mikey]

:bdh::bdh::bdh: One, two,, three,,, Your going to have to live most likely with the stock tires till you want to change them!! Then have to go to a different bike shop that will work on your bike and have them changed out to what you want! Most Can-Am dealers will NOT want to even have you say the word CAR TIRE out loud I the store! Good luck!!! I have found a private shop that will do it for me, I may have to help him take the rear tire off the first time, but that's ok, Ill know it's done right that way!!

 

[japgen]

Thanks for the replies folks! I was hoping to get something different put on from day one, but will live with the Kendas for a while as everyone has suggested.

 

[Mikey]

Thanks for the replies folks! I was hoping to get something different put on from day one, but will live with the Kendas for a while as everyone has suggested.

Your buying them, even if you may not like them, you may as well burn the snot out them and not waste your money!! RIGHThyea: Have fun!!!

 

[troop]

OK ... Kinda the same situation. I have 3300 miles on my my 2019 F3-S with OEM tires. I've been reading the tire threads and pretty much decided to go the Vredestein Quatrac 5 route (165/60-15) for the fronts as a winter upgrade. That said, in all reality, I likely spend 90% of my riding in "normal" mode. The other 10% would be the more aggressive type riding (CO/AR/Sturgis/Smoky's) that I do on my annual trips. One side of my brain says use up the Kenda's. I didn't have anything to complain about on a trip thru the Ozarks last month. The other side says for about the $230 cost (tires/mounting), the added benefits of ride/handling is worth it. Is it that much noticeable? I'll also be adding an upgraded swaybar to the mix. Being in WI, I have 3-4 months to decide

 

[Peter Aawen]

...... Is it that much noticeable? I'll also be adding an upgraded swaybar to the mix. Being in WI, I have 3-4 months to decide

Short answer, YES, it is that much noticeable WHEN you start having issues with the Kendas (and that's usually just a matter of time &/or miles! :lecturef_smilie: ) And it's also that much more noticeable if you ever want to do any 'more aggressive' type ryding too! hyea:



But I can understand if you want to wear out the Kendas first, I just hope that while you are wearing them out, you never run into a situation where you really NEED your Spyder to be wearing tires that will let it handle & perform anywhere near the extremities of its capabilities! The OE Spec Kendas really are the limiting factor in that equation! :gaah:

Ryde Safe! :thumbup:

 

[BLUEKNIGHT911]

OK ... Kinda the same situation. I have 3300 miles on my my 2019 F3-S with OEM tires. I've been reading the tire threads and pretty much decided to go the Vredestein Quatrac 5 route (165/60-15) for the fronts as a winter upgrade. That said, in all reality, I likely spend 90% of my riding in "normal" mode. The other 10% would be the more aggressive type riding (CO/AR/Sturgis/Smoky's) that I do on my annual trips. One side of my brain says use up the Kenda's. I didn't have anything to complain about on a trip thru the Ozarks last month. The other side says for about the $230 cost (tires/mounting), the added benefits of ride/handling is worth it. Is it that much noticeable? I'll also be adding an upgraded swaybar to the mix. Being in WI, I have 3-4 months to decide

IMHO, even tho the Kenda's are marginal ( at best ), the traction they do have isn't so bad they are dangerous..... If the fronts are well aligned they should last 20 to 25,000 mi. ….. the rear about 10 to 13,000mi. …… I would just wear them down and then get the Quatrac 5's ( My pick for best tire currently ) ….. oddly, the Vredestein's have a pretty high " snow " rating...…. good luck …. Mike hyea:

 

[cruisinTX]

Like others have said, it is likely you will have to pay for the Kenda-crap even if your dealer agrees to put the tire of your choice on before delivery to you. No need to beat the horse about which tire in this thread; a search will turn up more answers than you want to read about that.

On the other side of the coin, you could get your deal made with price locked in on one condition--that they install the tires you want at no additional charge. Tell the dealer that's the only way you will drop 30K$ and stick to your ultimatum. Be sure to report back here how that works out.
opcorn:

 

[BLUEKNIGHT911]

Like others have said, it is likely you will have to pay for the Kenda-crap even if your dealer agrees to put the tire of your choice on before delivery to you. No need to beat the horse about which tire in this thread; a search will turn up more answers than you want to read about that.

On the other side of the coin, you could get your deal made with price locked in on one condition--that they install the tires you want at no additional charge. Tell the dealer that's the only way you will drop 30K$ and stick to your ultimatum. Be sure to report back here how that works out.
opcorn:

Just a thought, three UNUSED Kenda's probably an MSRP of over $300.00 ….. good luck ….. Mike hyea:

 

[h0gr1der]

I like the idea most folks on here have about running the Spyder in completely stock form until you get comfortable with it. When you do that, each change you makes is easily discernible as to how much benefit it gives. I bailed on my OEM Kenda's at around 1000 miles because the bike was wandering and one of the fronts couldn't be balanced (Kenda wheelbarrow quality). I switched to car tires and I can say as long as I own this Spyder it will never have Kenda tires on it again.

 

[cruisinTX]

Just a thought, three UNUSED Kenda's are worth over $300.00 ….. good luck ….. Mike hyea:

:dontknow: I think I would replace the word "worth" with "have an MSRP of," as they are certainly not worth that to most folks who have experienced them. :sour:

 

[japgen]

Like others have said, it is likely you will have to pay for the Kenda-crap even if your dealer agrees to put the tire of your choice on before delivery to you. No need to beat the horse about which tire in this thread; a search will turn up more answers than you want to read about that.

On the other side of the coin, you could get your deal made with price locked in on one condition--that they install the tires you want at no additional charge. Tell the dealer that's the only way you will drop 30K$ and stick to your ultimatum. Be sure to report back here how that works out.
opcorn:

I like this idea! As much as I respect everyone's input about riding the Kendas since I will already have paid for them, my 2 wheel experience has been that I always put the absolute best rubber on, and change out before they really need it. I think tires are arguably the most important component on the cycle, right up there with brakes.

With that background, I'm thinking about having dealer install new, better, tires right out of the gate before I even take delivery. Yes it will cost me more, but from all that I've read and seen online about these Kendas, to me it would be worth the improved handling, safety and peace of mind. If those of you with Spyder-specific miles under your belt think this is nuts, please chime in!

 

[Peteoz]

I like this idea! As much as I respect everyone's input about riding the Kendas since I will already have paid for them, my 2 wheel experience has been that I always put the absolute best rubber on, and change out before they really need it. I think tires are arguably the most important component on the cycle, right up there with brakes.

With that background, I'm thinking about having dealer install new, better, tires right out of the gate before I even take delivery. Yes it will cost me more, but from all that I've read and seen online about these Kendas, to me it would be worth the improved handling, safety and peace of mind. If those of you with Spyder-specific miles under your belt think this is nuts, please chime in!

Japgen, I wasn’t smart enough to do that at time of purchase, but it is sure worth a try. I did however swap my Kendas for Kuhmos within the first thousand Kms. They just didn’t feel right to me (others have no issue with them, but they weren’t for me). I have not once regretted my decision to ditch perfectly good, new tyres for one minute. The Kuhmos just make me feel so much more planted and confident at all times
p.s. I chose Kuhmo as we don’t seem to have the issue with wet weather grip out here that is reported in the US. Perhaps different road compound?

Pete

 

[troop]

Alright ... alright ... alright.. I'm thinking that the Vredestein Q5 $225 cost (tires/mounting/balancing) is a small price to pay for the improved ride and handling. I'll want them on when I get a laser alignment come spring after I get the swaybar installed this winter. Wearing out the OEM Kenda's could take a couple more seasons and I'm not gonna wait. Gonna be ordering a pair on Jan 02