Do we owe Kenda an apology?

[BLUEKNIGHT911]

I wasn't going to contribute to this thread at all, as I have a fairly strong suspicion that even if I posted serious comments others would simply try to drag it into **** stirring and arguments, maybe even cause some of them to push the boundaries of the Rules here & possibly result in some being banned for suckering others into arguments/breaking the rules; but also to a fair degree because I've said very close to everything I feel the need to say on this subject more than once in the past, so I won't go thru it all again - you can search 'tires' plus my username/posts for it if you want to find it, then spend a couple of weeks reading.

However, this vid that I've linked below juuust might help those of you who aren't aware of what actually goes on in the industry understand a little more about the priorities of car/tire manufacturers and if/why it might not be such a smart idea to blindly select the OE tire as your replacements once the original tires are worn out or prove unsuitable for YOUR needs/wants (something that is implicity allowed in most countries of the World, and also something that OEM Manufacturers are expressly not permitted by law to 'force' upon owners in some countries too! :shocked: ) Sure, the vid is about car tires fitted onto an EV, but then, our Spyders ARE UNDENIABLY running on car tires, and there are many parallels to be drawn with our situation from this vid - so please, check it out, especially the bit from around 48 seconds in thru to about 1 minute 35 seconds where he talks about one of the most significant reasons behind vehicle manufacturers specifying a particular tire as an OE Tire; and while you do that, just bear in mind that this vid is talking about a car company and a tire manufacturer where the manufacturers of each have worked closely together and put in a LOT of time, money, and effort into developing the absolute best tire/vehicle match they possibly can, something that clearly (to most anyway ) has not been the case with BRP & Kenda tires. Here it is:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yi7dtd9cNQ8

And while you're there, consider that pretty much ALL of the testing for Spyders, and the development of the Safety Suite they run, affectionately called 'the Nanny', was not done on the OEM Spec Kendas, they only came along for the production models - pretty much all the prior testing and development work was done on bog standard, off the shelf car tires! Tires which, just like all of the other car tires out there, might have a MAXIMUM LOAD/MAXIMUM COLD PRESSURE specification printed on their sidewalls that should never be exceeded, but just like pretty much all other pneumatic tires, they DO NOT HAVE A MINIMUM LOAD/MINIMUM COLD PRESSURE specification there!! This is because, by International Agreements, Standards, and Regulations about tires, if these tires are going to be used on the road, they MUST be capable of working safely at less than the maximum levels of both, with the basic 'tenet' applicable to running at less than either being "lower the load, lower the pressure"; OR alternatively, "lower the maximum pressure, lower the maximum load!" And do watch thru to the end if the vid too, there's something worthwhile there too! :thumbup:

Just Sayin' :cheers:

:clap::clap::clap: ..... As usual Peter you nailed it ..... I agree with your assessment for paragraph #1. .... I stopped responding for exactly the same reason, I decided I was :bdh: ...... just let add This should be a STICKY .....Mike :thumbup:

 

[Cobwebs]

For me dry grip is at the top of the list others will have other requirements. If it can be shown that leaving tread on the rear tyre edges is detrimental to wet grip, I'll change my opinion.
My current setup is Kenda fronts, Nankang rear. Rear needs warming up to reach acceptable adhesion (it is woefully inadequate and spins up immediately when leaving my driveway and has none of the instant or when hot bite the Kenda had. UTQG of the Nankang is 400 or so I think from memory if you want numbers to go by. I prefer feel, but whatever, that's my start point if Kendas become unavailable. Think I scored the last set of Kanines before the supplier went out of business, whether that translates to dealer availability who knows.
Understandable that BRP used whatever was laying around for prototypes, not like they would start with a tyre and work up I guess. Whatever they specified to Kenda we'll never know or why.

My opinion and mine only that's what we're here for.

 

[Snoking1127]

I final word for the day. Air or n2 AKA inflation is what allows a tire to carry weight. The tire/wheel combination is just a vessel for the air to be pumped into. Less psi = less weight to be carried, more psi = more weight to be carried. To carry a LOT of weight one needs a larger vessel and/or a vessel capable of handling higher PSI inflation. One can have three tires in a given size, a load range C tire rated to 50 psi, a load range D rated to 65 psi and and a load range E rated to 80 psi. The LRD will be rated for more weight carrying than the LRC, the LRE will be rated for more weight carrying than the LRD while the vessel remains labeled as the same size for all three. The construct and weight for the tire normally increases as the load rating goes up. If the Kenda and the car tire that Bajaron weighed were basically the same weight, then one can not really claim the NON Kenda tire was much more robust.

 

[BLUEKNIGHT911]

I final word for the day. Air or n2 AKA inflation is what allows a tire to carry weight. The tire/wheel combination is just a vessel for the air to be pumped into. Less psi = less weight to be carried, more psi = more weight to be carried. To carry a LOT of weight one needs a larger vessel and/or a vessel capable of handling higher PSI inflation. One can have three tires in a given size, a load range C tire rated to 50 psi, a load range D rated to 65 psi and and a load range E rated to 80 psi. The LRD will be rated for more weight carrying than the LRC, the LRE will be rated for more weight carrying than the LRD while the vessel remains labeled as the same size for all three. The construct and weight for the tire normally increases as the load rating goes up. If the Kenda and the car tire that Bajaron weighed were basically the same weight, then one can not really claim the NON Kenda tire was much more robust.

I see where you are going with this ...... However weight per se' will not be the determining factor .... an example of this could be which would be stronger if using Weight as the determing factor - a Spider web or the same web made of Steel ????? .... Google it .....Mike :thumbup:

 

[BajaRon]

We are now kind of going round and round with the same subject matter.

Anyone with anything new, or should we go to sleep? :bowdown:

I want to thank you, ARtraveler, (and others) for being able to share what might be considered, by some, to be a contrary opinion. And this without any attempt to diminish the opinions and experiences of others. This is the way it should be. An asset to the forum. Just wanted to acknowledge it.

If we aren't willing to hear all sides. Then we will remain locked in place, and the learning process no longer functions. Everyone's opinion should count.

I see where you are going with this ...... However weight per se' will not be the determining factor .... an example of this could be which would be stronger if using Weight as the determing factor - a Spider web or the same web made of Steel ????? .... Google it .....Mike :thumbup:

Spider silk has 5 times the tensile strength than steel at the same diameter strand. Additionally, spider silk can elongate 35–50% its length before snapping compared to 8% steel. Maybe we should be using spyderweb in our tires!

 

[old Timer]

Believe it or not, my '20 F3 L has 25,000 on the original Kendas up front, the rear, not a Kenda, is a tired 2nd tire.

Will be changing them all out soon.

 

[Cobwebs]

Believe it or not, my '20 F3 L has 25,000 on the original Kendas up front, the rear, not a Kenda, is a tired 2nd tire.

Will be changing them all out soon.

Just shows how variable this whole thing can get. If you're not individualising your setup, you're going to miss something.

 

[old Timer]

Just went out and took a pic of the front tire on my '20 F3 L with 25,000 miles on the tire. Smooth up to above 80, OEM Kendas on front.

 

[BajaRon]

Just went out and took a pic of the front tire on my '20 F3 L with 25,000 miles on the tire. Smooth up to above 80, OEM Kendas on front.

I know this is an old post. But I have to say that 25K on OEM front Kenda's is not unusual. The much narrower tread does not need nearly as much structure or strength as the much wider rear tire. Less span, less tendency to balloon out and wear in the middle.

 

[nightfalcon]

I'm new... should I be replacing my stock Kenda's before it's too late? opcorn:

 

[BajaRon]

I'm new... should I be replacing my stock Kenda's before it's too late? opcorn:

If you are happy with the ride (read; you lucked out and got a round set of tires), then my suggestion is to run them 'til they wear out. They last longer on the Ryker than they do on the Spyder. Less power and less weight.