Need to get new tires

[mrfixit]

Tires

That size will not work:

[FONT=Avenir LT W01_65 Medium1475532]If your speedometer reads 65 [/FONT][FONT=Avenir LT W01_65 Medium1475532]mph, you are going about [/FONT][FONT=Avenir LT W01_65 Medium1475532]68.5[/FONT][FONT=Avenir LT W01_65 Medium1475532] mph[/FONT]​

huh!!!!!

 

[Deanna777]

That size will not work:

[FONT=Avenir LT W01_65 Medium1475532]If your speedometer reads 65 [/FONT][FONT=Avenir LT W01_65 Medium1475532]mph, you are going about [/FONT][FONT=Avenir LT W01_65 Medium1475532]68.5[/FONT][FONT=Avenir LT W01_65 Medium1475532] mph[/FONT]​

[/QUOTE Chris,

I have a 2014 RTS-SE6 Cognac, and I'm running the General Altimax RT43 Size: 215/60 R15. These were installed on 6/20/2015 and I have 18,238 miles on the tire. I have not had any issues. This size above works.


The spyder has 23,486 miles on it.

Go to "MY Albums" look for General RT Tire".

Deanna

 

[jcthorne]

We stock and install quality Yokohama tires front and rear on Spyders. Avoid the chinese junk. Your life is riding on these rubber donuts.

 

[SpyderAnn01]

I'll get flamed for this but here goes;

Scalloping is normal with Kenda fronts. It doesn't affect safety or handling or balance. I've got two RTs with 15k and 17k, original Kendas in the front with plenty of wear left and I don't feel compelled to spend the money to replace them.

Severe cupping is something else. That's an indication of out of balance, but you would have noticed that as a vibration in the front end.

The Kenda rear tires have a very short life. Most of us here get 9-12k miles at best on them. However, they are a very good tire and you can't go wrong having the dealer replace them with Kendas.

I have General Altimax on the rear of both my RT's. I do my own work except for the mounting of the tires on the rims and balancing them. And, I don't want to have to do that job more than I have to, so I opted for the General Altimax. Others like Kumhos, some like Yokohama, etc. There are trade-offs involved and unless you are an extreme rider and understand and can benefit from the performance characteristics of the more exotic tires, then as I say you might stay with a proven, common tire like the General or the Kumhos.

If you go with car tires, understand you may not be able to convince your dealer to mount them on your bike. That's a whole other topic, and there are plenty of threads here on the forum talking about just that.

Kenda tires will cup when they are ready for the landfill. They will cause handling problems, unless you don’t think of shaking as a handling issue. Kenda tires suck and the only reason they come stock on a Spyder is because they were the only manufacturer to bid on the contract.

 

[UtahPete]

Kenda tires will cup when they are ready for the landfill. They will cause handling problems, unless you don’t think of shaking as a handling issue. Kenda tires suck and the only reason they come stock on a Spyder is because they were the only manufacturer to bid on the contract.

Haven't had any problems with either of my bikes, and I've pushed the Platinum pretty hard...as in over 105 mph and chasing a BMW through the twisties.

They are slightly scalloped (feathered), not cupped, which is the distinction I made in my post. This is the condition I'm talking about, on the Cognac that Joe laser-aligned this Spring in Hurricane.

 

[Peteoz]

Looks like Chris has sold the Spyder and is walking home

Pete

 

[ChrisW]

Rear tire info I have got on here so far:

Yokohama the 205/55-15 are the same high but smaller width by .8"
General the 215/60-15 are over an inch taller and just a little smaller width

Also a Michlen Premier A/S in 205/60 -15

Front tire info I have got on here so far:

​

Yokohama

the 175/55-15 are .5 inch higher and width is wider by .4 inch

Looks like the front will work but should I go with a smaller back tire?

Thanks,
To everyone for the help

Chris & Sandy
​

​

 

[ChrisW]

I can't get the front and back at one store in stock or delivered in a week or so, not fun at all.

 

[ChrisW]

I'll get flamed for this but here goes;

Scalloping is normal with Kenda fronts. It doesn't affect safety or handling or balance. I've got two RTs with 15k and 17k, original Kendas in the front with plenty of wear left and I don't feel compelled to spend the money to replace them.

Severe cupping is something else. That's an indication of out of balance, but you would have noticed that as a vibration in the front end.

The Kenda rear tires have a very short life. Most of us here get 9-12k miles at best on them. However, they are a very good tire and you can't go wrong having the dealer replace them with Kendas.

I have General Altimax on the rear of both my RT's. I do my own work except for the mounting of the tires on the rims and balancing them. And, I don't want to have to do that job more than I have to, so I opted for the General Altimax. Others like Kumhos, some like Yokohama, etc. There are trade-offs involved and unless you are an extreme rider and understand and can benefit from the performance characteristics of the more exotic tires, then as I say you might stay with a proven, common tire like the General or the Kumhos.

If you go with car tires, understand you may not be able to convince your dealer to mount them on your bike. That's a whole other topic, and there are plenty of threads here on the forum talking about just that.

You run a

General Altimax on the rear, what size? and what do you run on the front? please​

 

[UtahPete]

You run a General Altimax on the rear, what size? and what do you run on the front? please

Per post #11; Google General Altimax RT43, 215/60R15 Lots of places to buy including Walmart

On BOTH bikes with 15k and 17k miles respectively, I have the original Kendas. Yours are probably just fine, unless you are getting vibration from them, or see visible signs of severe cupping.

 

[ChrisW]

Per post #11; Google General Altimax RT43, 215/60R15 Lots of places to buy including Walmart

On BOTH bikes with 15k and 17k miles respectively, I have the original Kendas. Yours are probably just fine, unless you are getting vibration from them, or see visible signs of severe cupping.

Long lead time to get the rear tire

The front tires have a little vibration and a little cupping inside and outside.

 

[UtahPete]

Long lead time to get the rear tire.

I don't know how hard you are trying, but TireRack has them in stock with 2-day delivery; https://www.tirerack.com/tires/tire...!!g!!&ef_id=WwhoFwAABcmXsiVc:20180715183527:s

Amazon has them with 3 day delivery https://www.amazon.com/General-AltiMAX-RT43-Radial-Tire/dp/B00E5B2JX6

I'm sure there are others (Tires Direct, Discount Tire, etc)

 

[ChrisW]

What do you all think

I was hoping to go in and see the tire before I buy it, but that looks like it will not happen.

So far I have the following to think about,

Rear tire:

General AltiMAX RT43 215/60R15

or

Kumho Ecsta AST 225/50R15

 

[UtahPete]

I was hoping to go in and see the tire before I buy it, but that looks like it will not happen. So far I have the following to think about,

Rear tire: General AltiMAX RT43 215/60R15 or Kumho Ecsta AST 225/50R15

Chris, we have already given our opinion. Either one will do the job; get whichever one works in terms of availability, since that seems to be the primary consideration.

 

[jcthorne]

Rear tire info I have got on here so far:

Yokohama the 205/55-15 are the same high but smaller width by .8"
General the 215/60-15 are over an inch taller and just a little smaller width

Also a Michlen Premier A/S in 205/60 -15

Front tire info I have got on here so far:

​

Yokohama

the 175/55-15 are .5 inch higher and width is wider by .4 inch

Looks like the front will work but should I go with a smaller back tire?

Thanks,
To everyone for the help

Chris & Sandy
​

​

The Yoko rear is same height and less than 0.125 narrower, not 0.8. IE its very nearly the same width.

The yoko front are less than 1/4 inch taller overall and fit all three fender styles without modification.

The yokos also have far better traction than the OEM Kenda or the general or kuhmo passenger car tires.

 

[BLUEKNIGHT911]

Yoko vs. Kumho vs Altimax RT43

The Yoko rear is same height and less than 0.125 narrower, not 0.8. IE its very nearly the same width.

The yoko front are less than 1/4 inch taller overall and fit all three fender styles without modification.

The yokos also have far better traction than the OEM Kenda or the general or kuhmo passenger car tires.

The Generals are much better in wet , slightly better in dry ........ and the Kumho is slightly better ..... The Yoko "S" drive is last in this three-way ...... " and the Truth shall set you free " ..... I don't know who said that first, but it applies :yes:....... :thumbup:

 

[ChrisW]

That size will not work:

[FONT=Avenir LT W01_65 Medium1475532]If your speedometer reads 65 [/FONT][FONT=Avenir LT W01_65 Medium1475532]mph, you are going about [/FONT][FONT=Avenir LT W01_65 Medium1475532]68.5[/FONT][FONT=Avenir LT W01_65 Medium1475532] mph[/FONT]​

[/QUOTE Chris,

I have a 2014 RTS-SE6 Cognac, and I'm running the General Altimax RT43 Size: 215/60 R15. These were installed on 6/20/2015 and I have 18,238 miles on the tire. I have not had any issues. This size above works.


The spyder has 23,486 miles on it.

Go to "MY Albums" look for General RT Tire".

Deanna

What are you running for the front tires?

 

[bboley]

My Setup

When picking out tires for my F3s I looked for long life not necessarily race track worthy traction, getting the speedo to be accurate, & low price. I selected these 80,000 mile tires for the fronts

https://www.tirerack.com/tires/tire...66TR5CPC&vehicleSearch=false&fromCompare1=yes

and this 75,000 mile tire for the rear.​

https://www.tirerack.com/tires/tire...6TR5TA11&vehicleSearch=false&fromCompare1=yes

I am running 18psi front and rear.

Ps. I don't know if this is a concern with others but... in my area were have crapy grooved pavement that causes some tires to catch the groves and your car, truck, trike wobbles. I was hoping that these tires would be ok with the grooves as they are more of a rib design than the Kendas. these tires work great with the grooves, I don't feel any wobble and they run smooth as silk!

 

[UtahPete]

When picking out tires for my F3s I looked for long life not necessarily race track worthy traction, getting the speedo to be accurate, & low price. I selected these 80,000 mile tires for the fronts https://www.tirerack.com/tires/tire...66TR5CPC&vehicleSearch=false&fromCompare1=yes and this 75,000 mile tire for the rear. https://www.tirerack.com/tires/tire...6TR5TA11&vehicleSearch=false&fromCompare1=yes

I am running 18psi front and rear.

Continental is a good brand. I don't know much about their other performance characteristics (wet and dry traction in particular), do you?

 

[bboley]

Continental is a good brand. I don't know much about their other performance characteristics (wet and dry traction in particular), do you?

I just put them on (300 miles on the fronts and 100 on the rear) so my experience is with them not being broken in yet. I read all kinds of post here on SL before making the switch and the Continentals get good reviews here. I did not see anybody post about the Kumho that I got but other lower mileage Kumhos have gotten good reviews so I went for it. That being said the ride and handling are already way better than the Kendas. I hit some puddled roads Saturday with the Continentals on the front and the worn out Kenda on the back, the continentals did great but the rear was all over the place of course. My wife and I are heading out on a 1,500 mile trip to The Lake of The Ozarks next week so I should have a real good handle on how the will preform wet and dry when I get back.