Tires

[Fnicolosi]

I’m picking up my new to me F6B Deluxe Wednesday. At 10,500 miles and original tires date code 1249 I’m going to get new rubber right away. I’ve run Metzeler ME888s on my Valkyrie 1500 Tour and they work great. Between Dunlop Elite 4 and ME888 I’d go with the Metzelers. Anyone have any comments?

[thumper 549]

On my Hog I have had two sets of ME 888 come apart, literally throw the tread off.
Like a truck tire would.
I was running heavy 80 and 90 MPH all day (back from Sturgis ) Both times.
You may have better luck.....
But no more for me.
AVON Cobras! So far so good.
They went to Sturgis and back. no complaints.

http://wingstuff.com/products/34751-avon-cobra-tire-combo-for-gl1800-goldwing

[wjduke]

Date code doesn't look right. First two numbers are the week, next two numbers are the year. Bike came out in 13...should be a 2, 3, 4, 5, or 6 on the end.

[2wheelsforme]

I’m picking up my new to me F6B Deluxe Wednesday. At 10,500 miles and original tires date code 1249 I’m going to get new rubber right away. I’ve run Metzeler ME888s on my Valkyrie 1500 Tour and they work great. Between Dunlop Elite 4 and ME888 I’d go with the Metzelers. Anyone have any comments?


Many threads out about just that. Metz have such a bad rap I stay away from them. The Dunlop E-4s should be much better but have some bad reviews also, minor stuff but last a long time. Some really like the stock tires and stay with those. I choose the Avon Cobras, the only bad review I can find is they don't last as long as some others but they cost less than the long lasting noisy E-3s and are asphalt sticky and quite. Any of those three should give good service.

[Az Wingrider]

I am currently on a set of Elite 4's and I am completely satisfied with them. They have about 14,000 miles on them and have a lot of tread left. I expect the rear to go to about 20,000 miles. I had these installed last summer before I left on a ride that lasted 7800 miles during which I rode on a lot of different types of roads and some very heavy rain the tires performed great in all situations. At the start of the trip I took off a set of Elite 4's with about 8,000 miles on them because I wanted to start the long ride on a new set of tires. When the current tires wear out I plan on re-installing the set I took off.

In November I took a trip to Death Valley with a friend who had over 20,000 on his rear Elite 4 and it was still doing the job. In my opinion these are the best tires available for my type of riding.

[jm21ddd15]

Date code doesn't look right. First two numbers are the week, next two numbers are the year. Bike came out in 13...should be a 2, 3, 4, 5, or 6 on the end.

Ya, he either had a "typo" error, or he read the wrong thing. :shrug:

[crossbowme]

I'm an Avon Cobra fan. As soon as these are worn out I'll change to Avon.

[opas ride]

I have Dunlop E-4's and they are just fine..No issues at all and intend to run them again when these wear out...Some like the Avon tire a lot and they get good reports...No experience with Metzlers, but many do not like them much....I would recommend the Dunlop if it were my bike...Regards and ride safe

[druggr]

I used to run E3's and have changed back to Stones because they feel more sure-footed on wet pavement.

[Fnicolosi]

Date code doesn't look right. First two numbers are the week, next two numbers are the year. Bike came out in 13...should be a 2, 3, 4, 5, or 6 on the end.
Yes, I entered it wrong. 49th week of 2012. Thx for catching it.

[Fnicolosi]

I’m picking up my new to me F6B Deluxe Wednesday. At 10,500 miles and original tires date code 4912; I’m going to get new rubber right away. I’ve run Metzeler ME888s on my Valkyrie 1500 Tour and they work great. Between Dunlop Elite 4 and ME888 I’d go with the Metzelers. Anyone have any comments?

See corrected date code.

[Fnicolosi]

On my Hog I have had two sets of ME 888 come apart, literally throw the tread off.
Like a truck tire would.
I was running heavy 80 and 90 MPH all day (back from Sturgis ) Both times.
You may have better luck.....
But no more for me.
AVON Cobras! So far so good.
They went to Sturgis and back. no complaints.

http://wingstuff.com/products/34751-avon-cobra-tire-combo-for-gl1800-goldwing

Interesting. My sons an independent tech, primarily HD. He said the same about Metzeler’s doing that in the past 4 years. I never had any come apart and they stick well, esp in rain, but these inputs worry me. I like how Cobras stick but found they don’t last very long. Probably get E4 radial.

[Fnicolosi]

I'm an Avon Cobra fan. As soon as these are worn out I'll change to Avon.

What kind of mileage do you get on your Avon’s. Assuming you’ve used them on a big bike.

[Fnicolosi]

Ya, he either had a "typo" error, or he read the wrong thing. :shrug:

Yeah, a memory typo. LOL.

[thumper 549]

Interesting. My sons an independent tech, primarily HD. He said the same about Metzeler’s doing that in the past 4 years. I never had any come apart and they stick well, esp in rain, but these inputs worry me. I like how Cobras stick but found they don’t last very long. Probably get E4 radial.

I will Take a 10K mile tire that out runs well, sticks well, over a tire that lasts longer but does not grip and or comes apart.
As for me, there will not ever be another ME 888 Metzler anything anywhere in my stable.
I never even got an apology, a prorate, nothing from them or the vendor that sold them.
Tooooooo bad for me.
i am glad i am not DEAD!

[edgeman55]

Most of the Metzler problems were the 880"s.The place I have my tires mounted in Reno NV has installed 100's of Metzler 888's without a problem and I have a set on my 13 F6B with about 9 thousand trouble free miles.Stick well in all conditions and are wearing pretty nice as I am a big dude at 385lbs and could see 15 thousand out of the rear.Original Bridgestones gave me about 10 thousand miles to wear bars.Only bitch I have on the Metzlers is they have become a little whinny in the lean.Might try the E4's next time as many here have reported good things about them.Ran Avons on a few other Goldwings and while they stick like glue to the road they wear fast!

[crossbowme]

What kind of mileage do you get on your Avon’s. Assuming you’ve used them on a big bike.

I change my tires as soon as i see significant wear. Generally around 10K but it varies on the long distance, heavy loads I do. I know others that get more but I hate getting stranded by bad tires. I should add that I used them on my old GW, this F6B and my other bikes.

[RickW]

I run Avon's on the F6B as I did on the Valkyrie. Always had good luck.
Your mileage will vary greatly on these bikes all due to how you ride, type of roads you ride on and also temperatures.

[Travelor]

I've run Metzeler 880's and then the 888's on three K1200LT's - 2000, 2002 and 2009 (still riding this one) - for a total of 140,000 miles. Probably 60% of that was 2 up. Never any problem except for whining in the corners (the tires) as they got up in miles. However, on the F6b I liked the OEM Bridgestone's a lot and used them again when it came time to replace them at 12,500 on the rear and 14,000 on the front. There was probably 1,500 - 2,000 more miles left in them to the wear bars, but I never run M/C tires that far down.

[Bigcityd]

I’m picking up my new to me F6B Deluxe Wednesday. At 10,500 miles and original tires date code 1249 I’m going to get new rubber right away. I’ve run Metzeler ME888s on my Valkyrie 1500 Tour and they work great. Between Dunlop Elite 4 and ME888 I’d go with the Metzelers. Anyone have any comments?

I've got Metzlers on my Harley and I just put Dunlop E-4's on my F6B. The Dunlops changed the handling on the F6B for the better. The tar snakes are no longer an issue and after 5000 K's they still look new(missing the chicken strips...) but otherwise a great tire. I've run two sets of Meztlers on the Harley and they have been fine. Not great but just fine. I too have heard bad things about the ME88's but not had the same experience. My riding partners have changed from the ME's to either Pirrellis or to Michlens. Safe money appears to go to the Dunlops.

[Craig_328]

Purchased my bike with 2,800 miles on it April 16. Just hit 12k and burnt the remaining rubber off the stock tires. I switched to Dunlop E4's and rode 3.5hrs back to MD from NJ.

I will tell you the bike felt very different. Handled better, more planted, and as stated in other posts absorbed a lot of the road distractions. In a nutshell I have not tested other tires, but for the price these tires have handled very well for me and I am pleased.

[jm21ddd15]

As we all know, when we replace any brand of worn out tire, with any new tire, the new tire will feel better and out handle the worn out one that was just replaced. The only way to get a true comparison, is to have a spare wheel mounted with a new tire, and have a new tire from a different manufactor on your other wheel, and then ride and switch wheels, to do the comparison. This test will not tell you which will last the longest, but will tell you which tire handles the best.

[willtill]

As we all know, when we replace any brand of worn out tire, with any new tire, the new tire will feel better and out handle the worn out one that was just replaced. The only way to get a true comparison, is to have a spare wheel mounted with a new tire, and have a new tire from a different manufactor on your other wheel, and then ride and switch wheels, to do the comparison. This test will not tell you which will last the longest, but will tell you which tire handles the best.

Agree. I've pontificated this point before in other threads of this board.


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[opas ride]

As we all know, when we replace any brand of worn out tire, with any new tire, the new tire will feel better and out handle the worn out one that was just replaced. The only way to get a true comparison, is to have a spare wheel mounted with a new tire, and have a new tire from a different manufactor on your other wheel, and then ride and switch wheels, to do the comparison. This test will not tell you which will last the longest, but will tell you which tire handles the best.

True I suppose, but why go to all that trouble?? Replace your tires with what your most comfortable with and enjoy the ride...I don't know of many that buy extra wheels with tires and try different ones on a car!!...If the tire you put on your bike makes you un-easy, ride it until it is time to replace and then change...Sometimes we try to make "mountains out of molehills"....JMHO....Ride safe

[Walcrow]

Agree. I've pontificated this point before in other threads of this board.


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Wills pontificatin' again..........:icon_biggrin:

[wjduke]

Yes, I entered it wrong. 49th week of 2012. Thx for catching it.

I sell tires for a living...that stood out like a sore thumb to me! :)