Author Topic: Tire battle  (Read 15150 times)

Offline Pagman

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Tire battle
« on: October 07, 2012, 09:16:05 PM »
I'm sure the tire topic on this forum has been beaten up already, including me giving it a couple of kicks. But instead of asking what tires should I use, I want my fellow riding peers to tell me what they think about the affordable Shinko 712 (bikebandit- $63). I have 3 motorcycles which all need routine maintenance and some replacement parts here and there, especially my K. Financing this hobby gets strenuous, so I try to get the best bang for my buck. Regarding tires, I personally feel that the higher price of a tire doesn't constitute safety. It is, however, factory regulations and inspections that allow a tire to be placed into the market. I think the expensive brands are a status symbol to some point. I had an Avon on my Harley that wasn't fully worn and I kept losing traction do to no grip. There was still life left on that tire. I switched to a dunlop and regained control of my back wheel. Also, the current rear tire on my K is a Michelin, it went from a good tire to a bald tire in a 5 hour ride. Although I cracked it a few times, my average speed was around 70mph. That being said, I'm leaning toward an affordable and reputable brand.  Whatcha guys think?

Also, gotta throw this out, the Shinko 712 i want to get is H rated (130mph). Many people get V rated for their Ks. The K100 tops off at 140, but it's no secret that the speedos read 10% faster above its accuracy. With the math calculated, this means I can top the K at 126mph. Now i'm no speed demon, but technically the H rated tire can handle this bike full throttle. It's having a harder compound tire and spending a bit less. Does anyone have issues with this?
'86 K100rs- naked
'97 Vulcan VN800
'02 Harley Dyna Superglide
Queens, NY

Offline WayneDW

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Re: Tire battle
« Reply #1 on: October 07, 2012, 10:21:01 PM »
Economic reality forced me to put the least expensive tire I could find on my bike's rear last spring.  I believe it is the same one you mention.  It seems to work just fine, thank you very much, but of course I don't know how long it will last.

edit: I have verified that the tire I put on last spring is indeed the Shinko 712.

Two springs ago I put a Bridgestone Spitfire on the front.  They used to be the best inexpensive tire you could put on a motorcycle.  But, they had a substantial price increase in 2012 and no longer qualify, IMO.  The Shinko 712 is the new winner in that regard.  Again, IMO.
  • Minneapolis, MN, USA
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Offline TimTyler

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Re: Tire battle
« Reply #2 on: October 07, 2012, 11:46:13 PM »
I have been riding Bridgestone S11 Spitfires for the last 7000 miles and I like them as much, or maybe a little more than the Metzeler Lasertecs I had on before. The Spitfires are pretty inexpensive too.

Offline Chaos

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Re: Tire battle
« Reply #3 on: October 08, 2012, 01:24:33 AM »
I got spitfires at the 2011 prices, very pleased with them.  I would probably try the Shinko if there was a substantial price difference (maybe 20%) Most of the creditable tire reviews are from people that push their tires to the edge, and I for one don't ride like that anymore. 
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Offline wmax351

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Re: Tire battle
« Reply #4 on: October 08, 2012, 02:35:15 AM »
I got an s11 after my bt45 wore out in the rear. Great tire, at a great price. I would say its worth the extra 20 bucks for the better tires. The spitfires grip great, and seem to last quite a while.
  • Albuquerque, NM
  • 91 BMW K75 Standard, 98 Moto Guzzi California EV
Bikes:
Current:1991 BMW K75 Standard, 1998 Moto Guzzi California EV11
Past: '83 BMW R65LS, '75 Honda CB550F, '69 Honda CB175, 1999 Royal Enfield Bullet 500, 1973 Triumph Tiger TR7V, 1971 BMW R75/5 in Toaster outfit, 1979 Harley Davidson XLS-1000 Sportster Roadster

Offline Pagman

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Re: Tire battle
« Reply #5 on: October 08, 2012, 10:52:42 PM »
Economic reality forced me to put the least expensive tire I could find on my bike's rear last spring.  I believe it is the same one you mention.  It seems to work just fine, thank you very much, but of course I don't know how long it will last.

edit: I have verified that the tire I put on last spring is indeed the Shinko 712.

Two springs ago I put a Bridgestone Spitfire on the front.  They used to be the best inexpensive tire you could put on a motorcycle.  But, they had a substantial price increase in 2012 and no longer qualify, IMO.  The Shinko 712 is the new winner in that regard.  Again, IMO.

Thanks. I placed the order and should be receiving the shinko 712 during the week. Once it's installed and I get some miles out of it, I'll post my personal experience regarding this tire.
'86 K100rs- naked
'97 Vulcan VN800
'02 Harley Dyna Superglide
Queens, NY

Offline rut3556

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Re: Tire battle
« Reply #6 on: October 13, 2012, 09:13:08 AM »
I run a Shinko 230 on the rear of my K75 and for the money it's a great tire.

Offline TimTyler

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Re: Tire battle
« Reply #7 on: October 13, 2012, 09:31:02 AM »
...for the money it's a great tire.

What does that mean?

IMO a tire might be great or not, but the money has nothing to do with it.

Saving a few dollars on a less expensive tire that does a lesser job of keeping the rider safe is not wise.

Offline Pagman

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Re: Tire battle
« Reply #8 on: October 14, 2012, 01:18:53 AM »
...for the money it's a great tire.

What does that mean?

IMO a tire might be great or not, but the money has nothing to do with it.

Saving a few dollars on a less expensive tire that does a lesser job of keeping the rider safe is not wise.

There's nothing unwise about saving some money in this case, Tim. I don't know of any tire company that manufactures cheap quality tires enough to the point where it does "a lesser job of keeping the rider safe." If you know of any company like that or even relevant articles, please post it so we can read about it.

I just placed the shinko 712 tire on my k's rear. It's a $60 tire. I feel that it's a great tire and the ride was substantially improved. It has excellent deep tread designed appropriately for ejecting gravel. It's a rounder tire which makes the ride more nimble than the metzeler I had previously. I bought the H rated because it was cheaper thant the V and these bricks don't go passed 130mph anyway (not that i even push it). I don't ride like i'm on a race track, so my cheap tire is sufficient for riding somewhat quickly and dipping into turns. Unless a person is particular about name brand bragging rites, there is no point in spending double the money on a tire intended for normal use.  :nono
'86 K100rs- naked
'97 Vulcan VN800
'02 Harley Dyna Superglide
Queens, NY

Offline TimTyler

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Re: Tire battle
« Reply #9 on: October 14, 2012, 01:54:46 AM »
I understand your points (including Wayne's now missing reply), but I stand by my comment. "Great for the price" doesn't make sense to me when it refers to the piece of equipment that literally connects the rider to the road. Would you employ a surgeon who is "great for the price"? I might buy gloves or peanut butter that is "great for the price", but not tires. If an inexpensive tire has a proven record of reliability and durability, then that's a different story and I'm all for it.

Now, I'm not saying I think the Shinkos are an inferior tire. I don't know anything about them. But my life experience has taught me that most of the time, you get what you pay for.

Maybe the Shinkos are a safe tire that will just wear out quickly like the Cheng Shins.

I'm not dissing the tire brand. I'm suggesting that a tire is not "great" just because of it's low price.

Offline WayneDW

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Re: Tire battle
« Reply #10 on: October 14, 2012, 07:56:57 PM »
I understand your points (including Wayne's now missing reply),

Sorry about that, Tim.  I decided I didn't really want to go where I was going with my deleted comment in case of any offense. 
I see now that that wouldn't have been the case. 
thanks.
  • Minneapolis, MN, USA
  • 1992 K75RT

Offline Pagman

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Re: Tire battle
« Reply #11 on: October 14, 2012, 08:30:22 PM »
I understand your points (including Wayne's now missing reply), but I stand by my comment. "Great for the price" doesn't make sense to me when it refers to the piece of equipment that literally connects the rider to the road. Would you employ a surgeon who is "great for the price"? I might buy gloves or peanut butter that is "great for the price", but not tires. If an inexpensive tire has a proven record of reliability and durability, then that's a different story and I'm all for it.

Now, I'm not saying I think the Shinkos are an inferior tire. I don't know anything about them. But my life experience has taught me that most of the time, you get what you pay for.

Maybe the Shinkos are a safe tire that will just wear out quickly like the Cheng Shins.

I'm not dissing the tire brand. I'm suggesting that a tire is not "great" just because of it's low price.

Wow, you dug up one of my old threads on that cheng shin link, lol. I understand what you're saying, Tim. I'm sure there are crappy tires that will wear out quicker than others. Frankenduck said his cheng shin was $60, but so is a Kenda challenger which is a great tire and so is my shinko. Depending on the rider to tire ratio, longevity might definitely be compromised. However, I just want to point out that, as an easy rider, I put 15,000 miles on two cheap tires on my vulcan 800, a kenda challenger for the rear ($60) and a maxxis ($74- later found out they are made by cheng shin) for the front. 15,000 miles on two tires costing under $140 for the set. I went through a four state trip, used it for recreation, and also as my daily commuter. Load was small and rarely had passengers. Never had to use a patch or plug. Haven't tried this set up on a K, but I wouldn't hesitate.
'86 K100rs- naked
'97 Vulcan VN800
'02 Harley Dyna Superglide
Queens, NY

Offline BobZ(IL)

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Re: Tire battle
« Reply #12 on: October 15, 2012, 10:23:43 PM »
I had Cheng Shins on a bike. They looked like oem's from a Ural. Couldn't wear them out, finally just replaced them with Bridgestones. They performed good, I hated the look.
  • Bourbonnais IL
'93 K1100LT
'78 R100S
'05 R1200GS

Offline Pagman

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Re: Tire battle
« Reply #13 on: October 19, 2012, 06:17:37 PM »
I had Cheng Shins on a bike. They looked like oem's from a Ural. Couldn't wear them out, finally just replaced them with Bridgestones. They performed good, I hated the look.

I bet you didn't hate the price! ;)
'86 K100rs- naked
'97 Vulcan VN800
'02 Harley Dyna Superglide
Queens, NY

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