Need tire recommendations from vet R65ers

[montmil]

My 1981 R65 has some vintage Metzler Marathons mounted up. The granite countertops in my kitchen are softer!

I want to purchase new skins before any long trips but have no recent experiences with bike tires. Also, tubes or tubeless? The valve stems on my R65 do not  look like tube-style units but the manual sez...

I'd appreciate some suggestions from experienced voices. What'cha rolling on?  

Monte

[Semper Gumby]

What works:

Michelin Macadam 4.00H18 rear 100/90H18 front for endurance.
or
Avon Roadrider 4.00V18 rear 100/90V18 front for grip.

The stock front is 90/90H18 which will give you a little quicker steering.

The 4.00X18 rear is easier to remove than the 120/90X18 rear.  I had to deflate the tire everytime I pulled rear tire off the bike and although the 120/90 Macadam fits some 120/90X18 don't and you need a spacer to get enough clearence with the drive shaft tube.  Way too much trouble for no gain.  I got 20000 miles out of a set of Macadams.  Currently I have the 4.00V18 Avon Roadrider on the back and a 110/80H18 rear tire Macadam on the front (2 sizes over because of the saddle bags and the Luftmeister fairing).


My advise the best tires money can buy for the reasons you want them and be happy.

[steve hawkins]

I am running a pair of conti's and find them more that up to the job.  I have the deap tread rear.  

You will struggle to find a bad tire in this day and age.  As long as they are black and round and you can recognise/pronounce the company they are made by.

Unless, of course, you are a superhero, and ride you bike on its ear all the time:)

Steve H

[drewboid]

Check out
http://www.webbikeworld.com/Motorcycle-tires/sizes.htm
lots of information but read it to the end.
I put the BT45 battleax on and they are great.
YMMV.

[nhmaf]

Yes, I also put on a set of the BT45 tires and am quite satisfied with them - perhaps a bit softer than some of
the others so the mileage wear might eventually prove a bit less, but they ride smooth and stick pretty well for me.
Less prone to following rain grooves than the ubiquitous Metzlers, too.

[Justin B.]

I am a big fan of Michelin Macadam tires.  Don't take it personal but I'm moving this thread to the Rants section.  If enough of you think the thread winds down with some merit I'll move it back...

[Rob Valdez 79 R65]

I'll keep it going!  


I am on my third set of Bridgestone Spitfires.  

I guess you could say I like them.

[NC Steve]

Bridgestone Spitfires are the way to go, especially if $$$ is important & you get them as cheap as J Hirst just managed to! Great tires at a low price: check www.chaparral-racing.com  

For a few more bucks, the Bridgestone BT45s are also excellent tires.  [smiley=thumbsup.gif]

[montmil]

I put the BT45 battleax on and they are great.

Visited the website you recommended. Good info.

What size/s of BT45s are you running front and read?  Thanks!

Monte

[Justin B.]

The 90/90-H18 Mac 50e and 110/90-H18 Mac 50 perform very well and wear almost as good as the old Dunlop Touring Elites.  We have Michelins on 2 bikes and Dunlops on two others.  The Dunlops last a bit longer but the Michelins are not that far behind and are stickier.  I can get about 14k miles out of a read Macadam on an R100 and about 18k out of the front.  The last pair of Macadams I bought was less than 3 months ago and by doing good on-line comparo the front was less than $80 and the rear about $90.  I find the best  verifiable shipped price, call Dennis Kirk, and they beat each item by a dollar and are extremely reliable.

[MrRiden]

Who's afraid of a little tire thread?
Im a poverty rider and use Cheng Shin Hi Max C906 up front

And Chen Shin Hi-Max C907 at the rear. Touring and around town these are good by me at a fraction of the cost of some other options.
rich

[Ed Miller]

So who makes dual sport tires to fit our bikes?  I haven't been able to find any for the front, anyway.

[montmil]

So who makes dual sport tires to fit our bikes?  I haven't been able to find any for the front, anyway.

Ed, I've been checking tire sizes and prices on this site. Click on the "dual sport" button and watch all the choices pop up.   Monte

http://www.americanmototire.com/catalog/index.php

[Ed Miller]

I found a rear tire the right size:

http://www.americanmototire.com/catalog/product_info.php?cPath=200_232_234&products_id=2271

...now I can't remember the right size front; here's a 3.50 x 18:

http://www.americanmototire.com/catalog/product_info.php?cPath=200_239_240&products_id=2649

and it's 4.00 x 18 brother:

http://www.americanmototire.com/catalog/product_info.php?cPath=200_239_240&products_id=2650

...those two are so cheap I should try them just for farts and giggles.

Thanks for the link.

[not-so-fast-ed]

Went with a set of the Bridgestone Battleax BT45 tires last December and they seem to do the job fine.