poconoscooter1
New member
I have searched previous posts regarding auto tires for the F-3. Some of them were a few years old. Could you be so kind to recommend both front and rear tire brands, model and sizes that you are using. Thank you very much.
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F-3 Tire Recommendations
- Thread starter poconoscooter1
- Start date
BLUEKNIGHT911
Sadly Passed Oct 2024 - RIP
The NEW Vredestein " Quatrac " model has the best rating of the current tires that will fit .... The Michelin Cross Climate 2 is very slightly higher rating but there are no sizes for the front ...ONLY the rear .... also they are way more expensive ( not worth the money IMHO ) ..... Mike :thumbup: ....I just started a Thread in new tire tests ....
I'm sure some will oblige with their preferences pocono, but it seems to me that you are over-thinking this. 
First up, don't restrict your search here only to tires that fit F3's - if an alternative/non OEM tire fits an RT, it's a pretty certain thing that it'll fit on an F3 too.
That said, there's also not a massive change rate in tire brands, types, &/or sizes that fit our Spyders (any Spyders that is, F3's, RT's, even RS's & ST's, at least all those since the early GS/RS Spyders that ran 14" front rims & different brakes - not the current Brembos) so there's no significant changes in the tire recommendations that work well, except for the occasional addition of upgraded/latest version of those tires like the Vredestein Quatrac's & the latest Michelin Cross Climate 2 upgrades Mike mentioned above. So those 'few years old' threads & their recommendations are still just as valid today as they were when they were posted a few years ago, even if there are a couple of tire brands/types that have since superseded earlier versions with more recent types of the same tire! :thumbup:
So it really doesn't matter if the tire thread you're reading is a few years old or if it's for an RT, an RSS, an ST, or an F3 - just so long as it's talking about tires for 15" rims and it's NOT talking about tires for a Ryker, then the recommendations there-in are still valid; and even if that thread is a few years old, new tires of the same brand/type or the latest version of those tires should work for you, and do it very well too - just so long as you run them at the right (lower) pressures for the light load the Spyder imposes on a tire that's capable of carrying so much more weight when it's fitted to a car!
hyea:
First up, don't restrict your search here only to tires that fit F3's - if an alternative/non OEM tire fits an RT, it's a pretty certain thing that it'll fit on an F3 too.
That said, there's also not a massive change rate in tire brands, types, &/or sizes that fit our Spyders (any Spyders that is, F3's, RT's, even RS's & ST's, at least all those since the early GS/RS Spyders that ran 14" front rims & different brakes - not the current Brembos) so there's no significant changes in the tire recommendations that work well, except for the occasional addition of upgraded/latest version of those tires like the Vredestein Quatrac's & the latest Michelin Cross Climate 2 upgrades Mike mentioned above. So those 'few years old' threads & their recommendations are still just as valid today as they were when they were posted a few years ago, even if there are a couple of tire brands/types that have since superseded earlier versions with more recent types of the same tire! :thumbup:
So it really doesn't matter if the tire thread you're reading is a few years old or if it's for an RT, an RSS, an ST, or an F3 - just so long as it's talking about tires for 15" rims and it's NOT talking about tires for a Ryker, then the recommendations there-in are still valid; and even if that thread is a few years old, new tires of the same brand/type or the latest version of those tires should work for you, and do it very well too - just so long as you run them at the right (lower) pressures for the light load the Spyder imposes on a tire that's capable of carrying so much more weight when it's fitted to a car!
hyea:
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poconoscooter1
New member
I'm sure some will oblige with their preferences pocono, but it seems to me that you are over-thinking this.
First up, don't restrict your search here only to tires that fit F3's - if an alternative/non OEM tire fits an RT, it's a pretty certain thing that it'll fit on an F3 too.
That said, there's also not a massive change rate in tire brands, types, &/or sizes that fit our Spyders (any Spyders that is, F3's, RT's, even RS's & ST's, at least all those since the early GS/RS Spyders that ran 14" front rims & different brakes - not the current Brembos) so there's no significant changes in the tire recommendations that work well, except for the occasional addition of upgraded/latest version of those tires like the Vredestein Quatrac's & the latest Michelin Cross Climate 2 upgrades Mike mentioned above. So those 'few years old' threads & their recommendations are still just as valid today as they were when they were posted a few years ago, even if there are a couple of tire brands/types that have since superseded earlier versions with more recent types of the same tire! :thumbup:
So it really doesn't matter if the tire thread you're reading is a few years old or if it's for an RT, an RSS, an ST, or an F3 - just so long as it's talking about tires for 15" rims and it's NOT talking about tires for a Ryker, then the recommendations there-in are still valid; and even if that thread is a few years old, new tires of the same brand/type or the latest version of those tires should work for you, and do it very well too - just so long as you run them at the right (lower) pressures for the light load the Spyder imposes on a tire that's capable of carrying so much more weight when it's fitted to a car!
Thank you Peter for the information. I probably should have expounded on my questions. I live in a small town in Northeast Pennsylvania. I was having trouble finding recommended tires (possibly COVID) supply issues or such) so I just wanted to get a list of other tires that I maybe able to locate. Again, thank you very much for your advise.
jcthorne
Well-known member
We highly recommend the Yokohama tires front and rear. MUCH better traction for launch than any of the Michelin, General or Verdestien tires mentioned and still manage a very respectable 18 to 20k life on the rear. We have sold and installed many sets to very happy customers that return and buy them again. Well the rears anyway. The fronts last so long they bike usually goes away first. My personal set have 67,000 on them and plenty of tread. Will age out before they wear out. Its also nice having the same brand front and rear. Lastly, they are MADE IN USA.
Model of Yokohama rear tires?
jcthorne
Well-known member
Yokohama Advan Fleeva 205/55VR15
BLUEKNIGHT911
Sadly Passed Oct 2024 - RIP
I don't understand why quite a few folks recommend this tire ( Hankook )..... it's DRY rating is 7.9 .... and it's WET rating is only 6.8 ( 10 is best ) .... both the Vredestein & Michelin are in the mid 9's ..... the only thing it has going for it is it's cheaper..... Also the Yokohama Fleva doesn't impress me either ...... JMHO ... Mike :thumbup:
RICZ
New member
What are the Yokohama Fleva's numbers for the rear Mike? Considering that I'm in my mid 80s, I'm now a fair weather rider. I had enough discomfort in past riding years (since 1952) that I no longer volunteer for more. So wet/rain tire numbers don't interest me, but the other numbers do.
jcthorne
Well-known member
I have said this before, these numerical 'ratings' are user rating of these tires on station wagons (cars and trucks). Has next to no bearing on its use for Spyders. The comparisons are just not valid. They are also not valid across different types of tires. A ultra high performance tire with a 7 dry traction does NOT have less traction than a station wagon tire with a 9. This applies in this case because the Advan Fleeva is a V speed rated performance car tire, not a general passenger all season.
I can tell you from personal real world experience that the Yoko has far better dry traction for launch than Kenda, General, Hankook, Kuhmo or vredestein. Its a different class of tire. None of those brands even make a performance tire in this size. I will say some of those last longer but its because of the hard rubber compounds they use which limit traction.
I can tell you from personal real world experience that the Yoko has far better dry traction for launch than Kenda, General, Hankook, Kuhmo or vredestein. Its a different class of tire. None of those brands even make a performance tire in this size. I will say some of those last longer but its because of the hard rubber compounds they use which limit traction.
BLUEKNIGHT911
Sadly Passed Oct 2024 - RIP
Well I don't ride in the Rain either unless I have no choice. .... However using tires that provide the most traction IF it does rain is what I suggest .... Why would I or anyone suggest riding on Mediocre Tires ???? :dontknow: .... What do ytou think would happen if someone started a Mediocre Tire Thread ???? ...... ride safe ride happy ..... Mike :thumbup:
BLUEKNIGHT911
Sadly Passed Oct 2024 - RIP
Well I rely on " tire science " ... not " Butt feelings ".
jcthorne
Well-known member
If you consider 0-60 times measured with my trusty old Vericom to be Butt Feelings then I guess we will just have to disagree. Lower 0-60 times are the result of a better gripping tire. The butt-o-meter has no trouble telling the difference either. its not subtle.
Hypurone
Active member
I agree 100%. I like the new Fleva but feel its predecessor was better... But hey! This one can still take all but the most hamfisted applications.... Even mid-corner. :shocked:
Just wish they would make the equivalent for the fronts!! If my 595's ever wear out I'm gonna be in trouble...
Actually, that's not quite true
The tyre you have referenced has a considerably smaller diameter, which gears the bike down. It would be like comparing a big rear sprocket with a small.
Hypurone
Active member
Uh nope...
Using a handy tire conversion calculator found online I did the research before switching the 205/55-15 on mine... The image is small so expand it... Circumference is IDENTICAL...
Do be aware that TrevorG posted the post you quoted back in January 2022, and he hasn't visited the Forum since April this year, so he might not ever see your post...
Aaand, while there's a very good chance those tires are quite close in their actual physical sizes, you should also be aware that those "tire conversion calculators" only refer to the 'Nominal Tire Sizes', and not the ACTUAL tire sizes of any specific tires!! So they're a good indicator of the general size relationship between those sizes, but not necessarily such a good indicator of the actual physical size relationship between any two specific tires/tire sizes! :lecturef_smilie:
Only it gets worse, cos while tire manufacturers not only tend to put the 'nearest applicable NOMINAL tire size' on the sidewalls of their tires when they make them, so most tires generally are usually fairly close in actual size to their Nominal tire size; but also, different tire manufacturers might also use different methods to choose which nominal size they put on a particular tire... Some manufacturers might use the tire casing minus all the tread layers and tread depth as the basis of their nominal tire size choice; while others might use the completed tire including all the tread layers plus the tread depth as the basis for their choice; and there's other methods used too - the point being, there's no standard method for choosing how to assign the nominal tire size, and tires with exactly the same nominal size may have significantly different actual physical sizes, which means somewhat different rolling diameters than those shown on your handy online tire conversion calculators.
You might think that the difference between the 'Nominal/sidewall size' and the 'actual/physical size' might not be all that great, but so far, the largest variation I've found has been 50mm/2" - Yep, TWO INCHES difference in rolling diameter between the nominal/sidewall size of a tire and its actual/physical size!! And that's one that I personally physically measured myself!! A supposedly (almost) 32" rolling diameter tire going by its nominal/sidewall size that was actually/physically (almost) 34" in rolling diameter - and that was before it'd been inflated!! :shocked:
So while those handy online tire conversion calculators might help you get an idea of the likely difference in tire sizes, they don't necessarily reflect the ACTUAL PHYSICAL difference in tire sizes - you need to check the manufacturer's physical specifications for the tire, or the Actual Physical size of a tire to be reasonably SURE of its true size! :lecturef_smilie:
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