Ready for this Riding Season

[gerald37]

I should have My Spyder all ready for this riding season. Today I replace the tires with car tires. The rear I installed a General Altimax RT43 215-60/R15 and on the front a pair of Federal AZ01 165-55/R15. I also installed set of 3 Centrimatic Balancers. While doing this I bleed the brakes. I checked the brake pads, the front was fine but I will be replacing the rear in three or four thousand miles.

Changing the rear tire was much easier than I thought would be. It did not change my belt alignment or tension at all. The hardest thing was to get the tire to take air. I finely got a strap around it and twisted a long screw driver in the strap and got it to take air. I was worried about the brake bleeding but it was real simple. I had forgot that I had purchase a one way valve tube bleeder for my Goldwing’s back several years ago. I used it and that really makes bleeding brakes easy. Better than a Mity-Vac not much chance of getting any air in the system. My Spyder is a 2015 with about 18,000 miles on it and the brake fluid was black. I have one of Doc’s belt vibration damper and I have done laser alignment so I don’t know what else I could do to it make it any better. I suppose I could change out the sway bar to one of Bajaron. That I may think about but I ride alone and only weigh 150 lbs. so I don’t know if I would notice much different.

 

[Deanna777]

I should have My Spyder all ready for this riding season. Today I replace the tires with car tires. The rear I installed a General Altimax RT43 215-60/R15 and on the front a pair of Federal AZ01 165-55/R15. I also installed set of 3 Centrimatic Balancers. While doing this I bleed the brakes. I checked the brake pads, the front was fine but I will be replacing the rear in three or four thousand miles.

Changing the rear tire was much easier than I thought would be. It did not change my belt alignment or tension at all. The hardest thing was to get the tire to take air. I finely got a strap around it and twisted a long screw driver in the strap and got it to take air. I was worried about the brake bleeding but it was real simple. I had forgot that I had purchase a one way valve tube bleeder for my Goldwing’s back several years ago. I used it and that really makes bleeding brakes easy. Better than a Mity-Vac not much chance of getting any air in the system. My Spyder is a 2015 with about 18,000 miles on it and the brake fluid was black. I have one of Doc’s belt vibration damper and I have done laser alignment so I don’t know what else I could do to it make it any better. I suppose I could change out the sway bar to one of Bajaron. That I may think about but I ride alone and only weigh 150 lbs. so I don’t know if I would notice much different.

My spyder is all set for the riding season too, I have only 4weeks until Spyder is out of hibernation :clap::clap: . I am also running the General Altimax RT43 215/60 R15 on the rear. These were change @ 5,824 miles.

I am running the Continentals Contiprocontact's Size: 165/60R 15 these were installed on 6/24/16 @ 12,807 miles. I have 22,000 miles on the spyder. The Generals have excellent ratings, no noise, comfort.

Ride safe out there!

Deanna

 

[gerald37]

My spyder is all set for the riding season too, I have only 4weeks until Spyder is out of hibernation :clap::clap: . I am also running the General Altimax RT43 215/60 R15 on the rear. These were change @ 5,824 miles.

I am running the Continentals Contiprocontact's Size: 165/60R 15 these were installed on 6/24/16 @ 12,807 miles. I have 22,000 miles on the spyder. The Generals have excellent ratings, no noise, comfort.

Ride safe out there!

Deanna

I have not rode seen I installed the new tires but I am sure it will make a difference. I had rode a little with the centrimatic balance rs on the front and they had helped so I am sure the tires will be an improvement. We had a nice last week end and so I did ride a bout 300 miles but today it has been rain mixed with a little snow. End of the week and next week it is suppose to be in the 50's.

 

[missouriboy]

...I am running the Continentals Contiprocontact's Size: 165/60R 15 these were installed on 6/24/16 @ 12,807 miles...

Deanna

I don't understand all these folks replacing the front tires so early... Mine have 48,500+ miles, are wearing pretty well even across the tread, and still have at least 2/16 tread above the wear bars! (Not the water-buster bars.)

Are people just getting bad tires?

 

[gerald37]

I don't understand all these folks replacing the front tires so early... Mine have 48,500+ miles, are wearing pretty well even across the tread, and still have at least 2/16 tread above the wear bars! (Not the water-buster bars.)

Are people just getting bad tires?

Mind had good tread but was so out of balance. I had them balance twice and the left one had 14 of them small weights and the right had 8 weights. I put the Centrimatic balancer's on and removed the weights and for them to work I put half the weights back on the wheels where they were located. It was pretty good with them but I sure was not going to use those tires. The tires look real good they were wearing even and have a lot of tread left. If you want them I give them to anybody that want to pay the shipping. I know I will never get no 40,000 out of any tire. I do most all my riding on longer rides at around 75 mile an hour. If I get 20,000 miles I will be happy. The ones I took off would have run a good 25,000 miles.

 

[PW2013STL]

I don't understand all these folks replacing the front tires so early... Mine have 48,500+ miles, are wearing pretty well even across the tread, and still have at least 2/16 tread above the wear bars! (Not the water-buster bars.)

Are people just getting bad tires?

Short answer - Yes

Mine cupped within 2000 miles, and were so bad that at 20,000 miles I replaced them with car tires that cost less, and performed better!

 

[Bob Denman]

It sure sounds as if you're ready for the good weather! :thumbup:
Get those wheels spinning; and you'll be grinning!

 

[SPECTACUALR SPIDERMAN]

My new vredsteins are sitting on my rack, have the oil & filter and will be doing it all in april when i pull it out of garage.

 

[blacklightning]

Sounds like you are ready. I am fortunate and have been able to ride off and on all year long. My back tire is getting very low, but I am trying to make another 2k miles out of it. I would like to take it in and have the second service and rear tire mounted all at the same time. Hopefully it will not take too big a bite out of my wallet. I will be getting new wheels mounted on my M109 this Thursday. Probably going to do an oil change on that and it will be set for the first half of the season also.
On another note, I have found that when getting my spyder inspected, unless the tires are totally slick, they seem to always pass inspection. I check them for myself, but I find it strange that they are so strict on cars and bikes, but not on the spyder.

 

[Chupaca]

All set here....

Ready to go here...of course that only requires a wardrobe change...:roflblack: hang up the winter jacket and open the helmet vents....hyea:

 

[Deanna777]

I don't understand all these folks replacing the front tires so early... Mine have 48,500+ miles, are wearing pretty well even across the tread, and still have at least 2/16 tread above the wear bars! (Not the water-buster bars.)

Are people just getting bad tires?

The reason why I changed the front tires early is because I had the right front (Kenda tire) shimmy ( it had 5 weights inside the rim), only when I applied the brakes.

After I changed the Kenda's tires on the front, I did not get the shimmy.
Deanna

 

[gerald37]

The reason why I changed the front tires early is because I had the right front (Kenda tire) shimmy ( it had 5 weights inside the rim), only when I applied the brakes.

After I changed the Kenda's tires on the front, I did not get the shimmy.
Deanna

My left front had 14 weights and my right had eight weights. I put on the Centrimatic Balancer's and took the weight off and it shimmy bad. I put half the weights back on the wheels and it was not to bad under 70. I have the new Federals on the front with the balancer's with no weights. With our weather I have not been able to test it but I have used these type balancer's on three Gold Wings and I know they work. I am sure with these tires it will be smooth.

 

[Little Blue]

Front Tires

I have read on this forum that the car tires seem to run true and may not even need weights. Just wonder if people try the car tires to see if this holds true. :thumbup:

 

[SPECTACUALR SPIDERMAN]

Well now after the snow and ice melts i may be ready.

 

[gerald37]

Well now after the snow and ice melts i may be ready.

Last week our snow was all gone and it warmed up in the high 50's and I did get some riding in. Now Sunday we got about 6 inches of snow and it is cold again. I have never got to ride since I put the new tires and balancer's on. Hoping next week gets better again.