What brand for replacement rear tire?

[BLUEKNIGHT911]

THAT TIRE

just my opinion but this is the tire. leave the tire lable on then you can burn it off when you first ride on it:yikes:
General Altimax RT-43, utoq 600 "T" speed , dry 9.1--- wet 8.8...........#

No it's not just your opinion......It was my #1 pick also :thumbup::thumbup::thumbup:.................just not " firefly's ", but I don't care......Dee will be getting it also!!!

 

[PMK]

FWIW, I did a bit of homework and honestly won't know it's correct until I ride the tire.

I ordered a Yokohama S Drive 205/55R15.

I considered the ratings, writeups and opinions. I did not get wrapped around the axle regarding cost, if I found a better tire cost was not considered unless unrealistic.

I read a lot, and I mean a lot of info here.

Some tires had me very interested, others less interested.

From experience with other vehicles and some understanding chassis loads, I decided whatever tire I choose, it had to be a symmetrical tread design.

Saying that I wanted symmetry in design, I did consider the General Altimax HP in 215/60R15. I considered the popular Kuhmo ECSTA AST in 225/50R15. I looked at tires from Bridgestone, Dunlop, Pirrelli, Vee, and more.

I opted in on the Yokohama, symmetry of the tread, long circumferential grooves to remove water similar to the oem, it is a summer only tire (which may mean the Spyder might not heat it enough), Nervous the size may be small or too close to the rated max rim width. However short of mounting it and riding it I won't know. It cost more than others, I will mount and balance it myself and report back when I have a valid opinion.

Thanks to the others that posted about these tires.

The OP will find a worthy tire. I do like the General Altimax HP also. If the Yokohama is nervous, I'll try a General.

By the way, the roads here get smokin hot and we get torrential rain on a moments notice.

PK

 

[YIRYDE]

Ann, I cannot wait to hear your opinion on the Yokohama S Drive. A couple of us are running that now and really like it. But I don't ride in the rain (because we don't get much here in So. Cal), and don't put NEAR the miles on you do! So your opinion will be interesting to hear!

Bob

I rode about 400 miles in the rain at interstate speeds (some standing water) with my S drive and it rode great. If this tire will last me at least 25,000 or more miles I will be buying another one.

 

[amusher]

Here's one other location to check on tires. http://tire-size-conversion.com/tires/Michelin/ Just click on the brand down the left side and it will bring up all the models of that brand. Click on one you like and a chart will come up giving you specs on it and available sizes..

 

[IGETAROUND]

Chupaca said: but there must be a reason that they have tires designed for motorcycles :dontknow:

Let me try and shine a little light on this subject; from http://www.goldwingfacts.com/forums/95734-82gl1100iwingman.html posted on 2/2/2013

Design Differences Between Car and Motorcycle Rim/Tire

As a tire spins, the centrifugal force generated makes the tire’s bead seat to want to pull from the rim’s bead seat and during cornering, the lateral loads placed on the tires want to push the tire away from the bead flange. As alluded to, in the design of the rims there are two things other than just the circumference of the rim and the air pressure that help hold the tire on. They would be the bead hump, and the bead lock. The bead hump helps keep the tire help against the bead flange and the bead lock helps keep the tire from pulling away from the bead seat.

The bead lock is formed as the shape of the face of the bead flange and how the bead flange meets up with the radius from the bead seat to the bead flange. On a car tire/rim combination has a 6.5mm radius. On a motorcycle tire/rim combination has a 2.5mm radius. The bead flange on a car tire is 17.5mm tall and the bead flange has a radius of 9.5m radius on the face. On a motorcycle the bead flange is only 14mm tall and it has one radius in the middle of 12.5mm and a 3.0mm radius on the very top of the face.

The bead hump is quite different in shape and size from a car rim to a motorcycle rim. The bead hump is a little larger on a motorcycle rim versus a car rim because of the extra forces generated while the motorcycle is cornering. The bead hump is placed in a VERY critical location on both rims. On a car rim it is 21mm from the bead flange to the center point of the bead hump. On a motorcycle it is placed at 16mm from the bead flange to the center point of the bead hump. Why this is critical, is the respective tire that fits the respective rim will have a matching size bead seat of both the rim and the tire. So by placing a 21mm bead seat (car tire) in a spot only allocated for 16mm. (Motorcycle rim) the car tires bead seat is sitting on the bead hump not down by it allowing the bead hump to help hold the tire on the rim. Thus this where and how a car tire can dismount from a motorcycle rim.

Here is an AutoCAD drawing I have done to help with explaining the dimensions and how the tires and rims interact with each other:

As far as rim widths, they are the same for both the car rim and the motorcycle rim with the following exception. The 5 ½” rim, the car rim is only .5mm smaller than a motorcycle rim and there is no 7” or 7 ½” wide rims for motorcycles.

The Bead Flange (the area of the rim where the bead of the tire seats against the side of the rim)
Car Rim 17.5mm (.689")
Motorcycle Rim 14mm (.551")

The Bead Seat (the area where the tire sits on the rim in between the bead flange and the bead hump. The bead hump is what helps keeps the bead of the tire against the flange of the rim)
On a Car Rim it is 21mm wide with a 5* positive slope.
On a Motorcycle Rim it is 16mm wide with a 5* positive slope.

The lower inside corner of the rim where the bead flange and bead seat meet for the bead to interlock the tire in to the rim also known as the bead lock (the respective tire will have a matching size radius):
On a Car Rim it has a 6.5mm (.256”) Radius
On a Motorcycle Rim it is 2.5mm (.098”) Radius

The outer bead flange radius (the top outer edge of the rim):
On a Car Rim it has 9.5mm (.374”) radius
On a Motorcycle Rim have both a 12.5mm (.492”) and a 3mm (.118”) Radius

Rim Diameters (Tolerances: For Motorcycles +/- .015" For Cars +/- .04")

15"
CT 14.968"
MT 15.08"

16"
CT 15.968"
MT 15.978

17"
CT 17.189"
MT 17.08


Perhaps this bears some consideration and comment from the engineering types on the forum. I'm just passing along information for consideration; not staking out a place in the sand from which to make a fight!!

 

[SpyderAnn01]

Perhaps this bears some consideration and comment from the engineering types on the forum. I'm just passing along information for consideration; not staking out a place in the sand from which to make a fight!!

You sure sound like an engineer to me!

 

[SpyderAnn01]

Okay, my Spyder has new rubber all the way around. If you missed my post last night, I hit a large piece of metal on the road and it took out the sidewall on my rear tire. Good news was that when I got home 5 hours later my new Yokohama S Drive and Federal Evo's were on my front porch. We installed them today along with new front brake pads and we also took off my trailer wheels and will take them to be changed tomorrow.

I bought the trailer tires, exact tire as the OEM for the RT-622 from etrailers.com for 1/2 the price that BRP wants.

 

[finless]

FYI, since the Spyder is 3 wheels, it does not have 2 wheel cycle type rims.
I confirmed this with a tire place since this discussion gets brought up all the time. The rim bead on the Spyder's rear is a car tire style bead.

Bob

 

[Bob Denman]

:agree: While the difference in the two types of rims are important and undeniable; the Spyder uses an automotive style rim... :thumbup:

 

[IGETAROUND]

finless

FYI, since the Spyder is 3 wheels, it does not have 2 wheel cycle type rims.
I confirmed this with a tire place since this discussion gets brought up all the time. The rim bead on the Spyder's rear is a car tire style bead.


Good information, was not aware of this. Does this hold true for the front rims also???​

From SpyderAnn01
You sure sound like an engineer to me! Ha, had you fooled!! I'm great at purloining other individuals work!!!:yikes::dontknow:

 

[PW2013STL]

No it's not just your opinion......It was my #1 pick also :thumbup::thumbup::thumbup:.................just not " firefly's ", but I don't care......Dee will be getting it also!!!

I agree with you Mike as I also did the research and I purchased the same tire. I have about 1500 miles on it and though heavy rains. It works great:yes:

 

[Bob Denman]

Good information, was not aware of this. Does this hold true for the front rims also???

Yes; it does. :thumbup:

 

[900Dave]

All good info

I am planning on a new set of tires on the front real soon. I thought 20,000 miles on the oem Kenda's would not be an issue. But at almost 13,000 miles I am developing pretty severe "cupping" on the left front, minor cupping on the right front. At times I am starting to feel a slight vibration through the bars. (I did have the Rolo alignment last year, maybe I knocked it out of whack. I did hit some potholes since then)

I like the Evo's I will be waiting for a report back from SpyderAnn to see how she likes them. We are going on a 5 day New England tour over the July 4th time frame and want new rubber on the front for that trip.

Kumho on the back right now not bad, but not great. Also looking forward to reports on the S Drive.

 

[finless]

Dave, 15K on my 2011 RTS with the stock front tires. No cupping. I will probably get another 14K out of them!

I suggest you have some alignment problem as they should not be cupping.

Bob

 

[Bob Denman]

:agree: Cupping is a sign that something needs a little bit of attention up there...:shocked:

 

[900Dave]

Could not wait

I ordered the new Federal EVO's Saturday. I will schedule another alignment before I install them.

My dealer had just recieved their ROLO system right before I had the alighnment completed. Did they not do it right? I also had the rear tire replaced after the alignment. Did they adjust the rear adjusting bolts to get the axle out or did they pull the rear shock bolt and jack it up:dontknow: