Tires for K75RT in the Year 2020

[chazzman]

A week ago it was 65 degrees in New Hampshire and I put 100+ miles on the old beast, split between Saturday and Sunday.

As I worked on getting accustomed to the handling of an old bike that isn't as nimble as my Thruxton, it didn't take me long to determine that I detest the five-year-old Dunlop 404's that are mounted on my K75. Though there appears to be sufficient tread, the tires are old and hard as stone. I don't feel like they're gripping the road.

I spent days searching Motobrick.com forums for suggestions for tires. Many posts dealt with K75, K100, K1100, Y wheels, Snowflake wheels, Bias-Ply, Radial, and Mixing and Matching patterns and brands. My head was spinning.

So I did my own homework, for a single model of bike, my '92 K75RT, with Y spoke wheels (Rear Tire Size: 130/90-17 and Front Tire Size: 100/90-18).

My criteria were simple - only select matched sets in original sizes. In other words, no mixing Bias Ply and Radials, no wider tires, no different profiles, no mixed pairs by Brand, Model or Tread Pattern.

I searched manufacturers' websites, as well as online resellers such as Revzilla, Dennis Kirk, JP Cycles. I found many tires available in front, but not rear and vice versa. I only listed tires where I could purchase a matched set. I found a single offering for radial tires and eight for bias ply. I listed the current (January 15, 2020) online price per pair.

Summary:

Only one set of Radials will fit my '92 K75RT:
Metzeler Roadtec 01 $250

Suitable/Available Bias Ply Tires are (in no particular order):
Metzeler Lasertec $255
Pirelli Sport Demon $235-$290
Michelin Pilot Active $265
Conti Go $200-$250
Avon Roadrider MKII $215
Avon Roadrider AM26 $200
Dunlop D404(F) - $144
Shinko 712 - $120

I want the sweet spot between a grippy tire and one that wears well. I want to get at least a full season from a set of tires. I average 10,000-12,000 miles per year. I had Metzeler Lasertec on my Triumph and didn't like them. I replaced them with Continental Road Attack 3 and I love those.

A few sets of tires that appeal to me from the list above: The Metzeler RoadTec 01 gets good overall reviews and its the only radial offering. The other set is the Pirelli Sport Demon Touring, which seems to be a love it or hate it set of skins. A third, the Michelin Pilot Active also gets high points. Note that reviews on reseller pages include Sports bikes, cruisers, etc. So reviews for BMW riders may vary. That's why I'm here.

The Triumph will remain my 50-mile day, back road bike. The K75RT will be for longer distances on both country roads and highways. Any suggestions from this list of nine sets of tires would be appreciated. Thanks.

[Martin]

Currently I'm on my second set of Michelin Pilot Actives. They wear better than the previous two sets of Bridgestone BT45's and grip maybe slightly better. Two sets of Avon Venoms gripped OK and would have worn well except they cracked in the bottom of the grooves. Previous Michelin Macadams were terrible in the handling department. I nearly went with a Shinko 712 but I wanted to keep them as a pair. They seem to get good reviews.
Regards Martin.

[The Mighty Gryphon]

I own a K75RT and it is definitely not a peg dragger.  It's claim to fame is that it will get you and a couple weeks of gear far away from your starting point quickly and comfortably in a wide range of weather conditions.

Recognizing that, I look for tires that work well in the wet in temperatures from 32F to 120F and have a low cost per mile.

To that end, my favorite is the Shinko 230 Tourmaster 100/90 front and 140/80 rear.  They aren't scary at 85+ on the interstate rain grooves and work well if you aren't a maniac in the twisties.  They are very nice on meandering, curvy roads.

I get mine online from Chaparral Motor Sports for about $160 a set with free shipping.  I mount and balance them myself. 

I have had three sets over a period of 5 years and 30,000 miles.  I takes about 7,500-8,000 miles to square them off enough to make them scary in the mountains.  As long as you aren't pushing real hard into blind corners and off camber switchbacks, they will work well for about 10,000 miles.

[billday]

Shinkos.

[blackie1]

are you certain the Metzeler Roadtec 01 are radials?

at present i have a set of pirelli sport demons on my K75RT and give them full marks for their grip factor in the dry. i don't tend to ride much in the wet.

[champ7fc]

I currently ride a 1987 K75S and a 1985 K100RS. I have lasertecs on both and on my second set on the 75S. I replace the tires after 3 years no matter what the mileage is. I am a pilot and have always subscribed to the notion that my life and safety are worth the best that I can afford. I always ask the question when faced with a replacement of a part on my plane or bike, what is my life worth? The answer is obvious, at least to me. Good hunting for your proper tires. Craig

[K1300S]

go with the Michelin Pilot Activ's.  have them on both of my K75S's.  seem to wear well and they are very sticky.  stable and responsive on the highway.  no problems with deluge level rainstorms.  both my K75's have track time on the Pilot's.   braking and cornering awesome. never an issue with traction or feel..even with pegs dragging at speed and wear to the edges. 

[johnny]

yokohama...

[Laitch]

I always ask the question when faced with a replacement of a part on my plane or bike, what is my life worth?

I've reduced the worth of my life so I can buy less expensive tires. It's a winning system.

[The Mighty Gryphon]

I've reduced the worth of my life so I can buy less expensive tires. It's a winning system.

+1 

If I really valued my life, I wouldn't be messing about on motorsickles, I'd be driving something like an armored personnel carrier with the loudest exhaust I could find while swathed in bubble wrap. 

High performance tires are nice, but the O.P. is looking for tires to put on an RT.  I really doubt they are planning to drag pegs with it at track days.  On that bike, it's really nice to be able to take off on a 7-8,000 mile trip and not have to spend a day or two looking for tires and then paying $300 to have a dealer mount them somewhere a couple thousand miles from home.

[natalena]

Just put on 3k miles on a pair of Shinko 712's. They were bought at Bike Bandit, and delivered quickly, as the local shop didn't have the sizes I needed for the K75S.
Pros: very inexpensive, to the point of not really impacting the budget, since they were on promo. Very good overall grip when stopping and leaning at "reasonable" angles ... I used to sport ride, but now prefer getting to a destination without Mach speeds and laughing hysterically for not low siding through a slick corner. Minimal wear/scuffing noted for 3k miles of varied use. Easy to install.
Cons: I don't like the center channel on the front tire. It tracks our road construction corduroy with a satanic grip, and can be terrifying enough to give you religion for a week, that's the only road surface it doesn't play well with. Highway is smooth and not as twitchy as you'd expect from a narrow carcass tire.
Always been an Avon fan, but the Shinko's were readily available, inexpensive and worth a try.
Good Luck, most any tire nowadays is better than what we had in the early 80's :)  Cheers

[Laitch]

Just put on 3k miles on a pair of Shinko 712's.
Cons: I don't like the center channel on the front tire. It tracks our road construction corduroy with a satanic grip, and can be terrifying enough to give you religion for a week, ...  Cheers

The 230 Shinko that Gryph recommends has a notched-patterned center channel that inhibits satanic behavior coming from the tire, leaving that as a domain for the rider.  :-)

[Scott]

I replaced the original 1992 dated Metzlers last year, with the Avon Roadrider AM26, you listed.  It seems to be well suited to my k75, not expensive and the bead seated easier than with the Pilot Actives, when i put a set on an airhead, but a good tire for old BMW's too. 

[chazzman]

...I look for tires that work well in the wet in temperatures from 32F to 120F and have a low cost per mile.

To that end, my favorite is the Shinko 230 Tourmaster 100/90 front and 140/80 rear.  They aren't scary at 85+ on the interstate rain grooves and work well if you aren't a maniac in the twisties.  They are very nice on meandering, curvy roads.

I have placed a set of these Shinko 230 Tourmasters in my online Wishlist (pre-shopping cart). I am also replacing brakes and tires on my Ninja which I plan to sell in Spring 2020. So I may try the first set of appropriate Shinkos on that bike to keep costs down before I flip it.

Honestly, my initial reaction was that the Shinkos are too cheap, and that made me skeptical. As I've read more reviews the biggest complaint I've seen relates to some tires wearing out too quickly. I'm not tearing up the roads, and I check tire pressure regularly, so I'll give it a go. Since it's currently 17 degrees F with six inches of snow on the ground it may be a while before I have an update for you guys. Thanks to everyone for their input thus far.

[caveman]

Not to get in the weeds on tire things but, I've run shinkos and liked them but 4 to 6k is all I get out of them (better than lazertec in grip and wear IMO). I'm happy with Avon M26s, ran a set out 9600 miles last year on a trip and was looking for a rear while out on the road only thing I could find was a Donlop 404 from a shop that was being aholes so nursed them home. They still were not to the wear bars but to thin for my blood.

Now what is the best oil to use in a brick?

[-mek-]

I had Lasertec on rear and ME880 Marathon on front. Marathon on front was ok, but Lasertec was very sensitive on snow plough scrathes on the road, so I went for Michelin Pilot Classic. They are ok. Not brilliant, but way better than Lasertec.

[duckhawk]

Pirelli Sport Demons on a K75. Two Summers, 3k  yeeh-haw miles in the Midwest. Very little rain riding.

[Soggz]

Avon Roadriders.Great tyre.

[Gio]

Hello comrades - have been away for a while (no not in that way!) ... and finally getting around to re-instating the old K75 to road-worthiness. Just checked with my local dealer re a pair of Avon Roadrider Mk2 in oem sizes ... and. at least here in Canada, the suppliers are saying unavailable until Sep 2020 (?). So wondering if other folks in north America are having similar experience ???

Another pair of Sport demons would be an option (good experience with those previously) or perhaps the still available Roadrider AM-26 ..?

Gio

[Laitch]

perhaps the still available Roadrider AM-26 ..?

Perhaps. 

[The Mighty Gryphon]

Look at Shinko Tourmasters.  Best bang for the buck tires I have been able to find for my K75RT.  I can get about 9,000 good miles out of a set, 10,000+ if I really push it on the rear.  I've put over 36,000 miles on 4 sets of them so far.

They are good in the wet, stable at 90mph, handle fairly well, but like most bias ply tires wobble a little on rain grooves. 

I get them online from Chaparral Motorsports for well under $200 a set shipped.

[billday]

shinkos shinkos shinkos shinkos shinkos shinkos shinkos shinkos shinkos shinkos shinkos shinkos shinkos

[Gio]

Yes - have read some good things here re the Shinkos ... but also some not so good reviews elsewhere (balance, fit etc) so am hesitant with regard to that (probably good, and certainly less $$) option. But would really like to hear if folks in the US have access to the Mk2 Roadriders ... latest here in Canada seems to be Sep 2020 but ?? Am-26 readily available btw ...

[Gio]

Unavailability of Avon Mk2 here in Canada now confirmed from a third source - so will most likely go with what I (and others) already know works well on the K75 ie Pirelli Sport Demons in factory sizes.

[Past-my-Prime]

The place NOT to spare $$ is where the rubber meets the road.  I've mostly gone with Michelin's or Battle Axes and did not regret. Also: lube your splines.