Tire recommendations

[beemrdon]

Bizzaro...You are probably on your last set of PR3's anyway. I could not get a front as all of the distributors ran out (out of production for awhile). You can go with the PR4's if you want to. You will have to get a 120/70/18 for the front as they are not made in the stock size and you will need to get the 150/70/17 for the rear, which you are probably using now anyway with the PR3.

[bizzaro]

Yea, I have been trying to find another set, and nobody seems to have both. I have found the proper front or back at different locations.  I guess if I want to get another pair, I had better grab them from different retailers!  I would imagine that the PR 4 is a great a tire as well, but I can't find anything that will fit on my bike in the PR4.  There is such a limited offering for K11LT's in radials, and even in bias ply. 

[beemrdon]

PR4 front...120/70/18 (PR4-GT)...PR4 REAR...150/70/17. 

[K1300S]

having just put 100 miles on a set of michelin sport activ's on a track, worn edge to edge, i have nothing but praise for them.   sticky and predictable on track.  the 700 miles i have on them on the street have been just as good.  they are worth it!

well, maybe not if you tires just wear in the center from slab or commuting miles.

update..after another day at the track i am even more impressed with the Michelin Pilot Activs.  they  turn in nicely, and just stick.  excellent tire for an old K bike.  outer third of the tire must be stickier compound.  noticeably different look and feel hot off the track.  found tire pressures of 36/38 HOT worked very well.  (that is 32/34 cold).

two track days and 700 street miles and they still look new...well except for the solid scuffing from edge to edge......

[beemrdon]

Mlytle...I just bought the Activ set but haven't installed yet. Hope they are not a letdown after having the PR series on the bike for the last 4 years. Just don't do much twisties in Nevada and no rain so maybe the PR's are overkill. One advantage of the Activ tires is that they come in the stock K 1100LT size. Glad you are enjoying them.

[bizzaro]

mlytle,  ah, which bike are you talking about here?  I mean K75's are  well over 200# lighter than the LT?  I would imagine the 1300 would be close in weight to the LT.  Are the Actives radials?  And do you run all your tires in that pressure range?  It seems low for todays standards?  Inquiring minds want to know!
 

[K1300S]

tires are for the K75.....this is a brick forum and the K13 ain't a brick.   :hehehe

Interestingly enough,  the k1300s and k75s are close to the same weight.

they are not radials.  don't think there are any radials in stock sizes for a K75. 


lower tire pressures worked better on the track...for street running stock cold pressures.


(K13 getting mich pilot power RS or dunlop sportmax Q3+)

[alabrew]

Just put on a set of Metzler Roadtec Z8's on the '91 K100RS 4V. I wanted a matched set and paid $250 for the pair from https://www.rockymountainatvmc.com. I've only ridden to work and back twice and they felt fine, even up to 100 mph. I have a HF mounting machine and a Metzler balancer. That is a FAT rear and had to take off the Staintune exhaust to get it out.

[beemuker]

My new to me '94 K75s has tires with plenty of tread, but the Metzler ME88 Marathon on the rear is 3902, which I think is 39th week of 2002! The front Lasertec is 5006, so 11 years old.
I'm tempted to wear a little of the almost new tread off, but tire failure probably is not pleasant.

I have read through the tire threads and am thinking Shinko 230's.as I can get a matched set.  I looked at bike bandit and they want $129.27 shipped for the set. I'm thinking that is crazy cheap for decent tires. advice?

[Laitch]

I have read through the tire threads and am thinking Shinko 230's.as I can get a matched set.  I looked at bike bandit and they want $129.27 shipped for the set. I'm thinking that is crazy cheap for decent tires. advice?

AMT sells the 100/90-18, 130/90-17 set for $125.89 shipped. Tourmasters have been praised by well-respected members here. Use them.

[The Mighty Gryphon]

I have over 26,000 miles on three sets of Tourmasters with my K75RT which is at least a few pounds heavier than the K75S.  I can't think of one negative thing to say about them.  For the price, they are hands down the best deal in tires you can find. 

Having said that, on my K75S I use a Shinko 712 on the front and a Battle Axe on the rear.  The Tourmsasters would work just fine on the S model, but I went with the 712 and the Battle Axe because they have "sportier" looking tread patterns.   ...Ah, the price of vanity.

[K1300S]

My new to me '94 K75s has tires with plenty of tread, but the Metzler ME88 Marathon on the rear is 3902, which I think is 39th week of 2002! The front Lasertec is 5006, so 11 years old.
I'm tempted to wear a little of the almost new tread off, but tire failure probably is not pleasant.

I have read through the tire threads and am thinking Shinko 230's.as I can get a matched set.  I looked at bike bandit and they want $129.27 shipped for the set. I'm thinking that is crazy cheap for decent tires. advice?

Chuck those tires!  It is not just about tire failure, the rubber gets hard with time and traction goes down dramatically.

[beemrdon]

Just replaced my Michelin PR tires (radial) with the Michelin Activs (bias ply) and now have about 1,500 miles on them.
Verdict: The Activs cannot match the Pilot Road tires for handling. The difference is quite noticeable. I have now become a 10-15 mph slower rider.  I will be going back to the PR (4) tires when these wear out...or before.
If you have not ridden your brick with radials, you have NO idea what you are missing.

[beemuker]

Chuck those tires!  It is not just about tire failure, the rubber gets hard with time and traction goes down dramatically.

I said I was tempted, but I'm looking for new rubber.

[beemuker]

Just replaced my Michelin PR tires (radial) with the Michelin Activs (bias ply) and now have about 1,500 miles on them.
Verdict: The Activs cannot match the Pilot Road tires for handling. The difference is quite noticeable. I have now become a 10-15 mph slower rider.  I will be going back to the PR (4) tires when these wear out...or before.
If you have not ridden your brick with radials, you have NO idea what you are missing.

Showing my ignorance here, but I didn't think I could get radials for my bike. Are the 230 radial ? If not , what is ? I might have read you couldn't get a radial set, but maybe 2 different brands.

[beemrdon]

Look at my submission at the top of this page for tire size!

[The Mighty Gryphon]

I am pretty sure that if you spend a couple days searching on the interweb like I did you will come to the conclusion that as nice radial tires are you will not find any radial street tires that fit your bike.

You will find that the only radial tires in the sizes you need are "dual purpose" tires designed for "Adventure" bikes.  If you go that route be aware that you will be sacraficing some tread endurance and dry road traction for the ability to go off road. 

I cannot document how much performance on dry roads you will lose, but those dual purpose tires will not perform as well as radial street tires.   In the end, you may end up with a higher priced radial that is no better than a bias ply.

[beemuker]

Look at my submission at the top of this page for tire size!

sorry, I saw you rode an 1100 and didn't know you were talking about tires that would fit the K75. so to be clear, those will fit my K75 with the 3 spoke rims?

[bizzaro]

Just replaced my Michelin PR tires (radial) with the Michelin Activs (bias ply) and now have about 1,500 miles on them.
Verdict: The Activs cannot match the Pilot Road tires for handling. The difference is quite noticeable. I have now become a 10-15 mph slower rider.  I will be going back to the PR (4) tires when these wear out...or before.
If you have not ridden your brick with radials, you have NO idea what you are missing.

Ditto on that. And to be clear, this is on the K11LT in both cases.  It is a beast..................Something like 750 pounds, and even more loaded.  I had Sport Demons on my bike last year.  I think I got a bit over 3.5k on them and they were done. I never felt like I could push them.  I couldn't wait to get back to radials.... And the Michelin PR's I am riding on now have over 9000 miles on them, and they still have some life left in them.  I expect to get a bit over 10k out of them.  I have never gotten more than 6k on any other tire on any bike.  The Michelin PR 3's handle great in all weather, and stop on a dime.  I assume the 4's will be similar, and well worth the couple extra dollars by a long shot on every measure.  YMMV

[beemuker]

I have over 26,000 miles on three sets of Tourmasters with my K75RT which is at least a few pounds heavier than the K75S.  I can't think of one negative thing to say about them.  For the price, they are hands down the best deal in tires you can find. 

Having said that, on my K75S I use a Shinko 712 on the front and a Battle Axe on the rear.  The Tourmsasters would work just fine on the S model, but I went with the 712 and the Battle Axe because they have "sportier" looking tread patterns.   ...Ah, the price of vanity.

curious why you didn't go for the Battlax on the front, seems they are available in 100/90 18

[Laitch]

All this time I thought Battlax was a guano-producing compound. It's lifelong learning here at MB.C!

[The Mighty Gryphon]

All this time I thought Battlax was a guano-producing compound. It's lifelong learning here at MB.C!

Laitch, that is a really sh!tty play on words.

Regarding the 712 on the front.  It was solely a price driven decision.  I had good experience with Shinko so I thought I would give it a try.  As for the rear, I think it was because Shinko didn't have the size I wanted, and the bike originally came to me with the Battle Axe.

[beemrdon]

Bizzaro, The K1100LT weighs 635 pounds wet and with all of the bags and radio in place. About 600 pounds otherwise. The K1600 weighs about 735 or so.

Beemucker, if you have the 3 spoke wheels, the tires may fit. I do not know. Do the research on the specs for your bike's wheels widths vs the specs for the K1100 series.

[Laitch]

Laitch, that is a really sh!tty play on words.

It stinks; I know.  :dunno2:

[bizzaro]

Yea, I tried using Battlax T30's. At the time, I was new to the Brick K11LT, and had hard time loosening up........................... :yes   I would like to try them again as I didn't appreciate them at the time.  You really have to drive them with authority I think, and I was a bit tentative being new to "the Beast".  I will say they gripped like a bear, but to me, I felt I had to really pitch um into corners.  I couldn't just roll into them gently. Now that I am more accustomed to the bike, I think I would like them a lot more.  But not as much as the high milage road burner the PR 3's have been.  Its fun to switch it up a bit though.


And Gryph, may I say,  IT'S REALLY GOOD TO SEE YOU POSTING :2thumbup: