What tyres do others use?

[Tony Smith]

I am looking for tyres for my R65 (a sign that it is getting close to being a runner).
 
Few if any manufacturers make 3.25 * 18 and 4:00 * 18 tyres anymore and it seems that 90/90-18 and 120/90-18 are the go, with the proviso that some 120/90-18s are too wide and if you want to use that brand you have to go back to 110/90-18.

My first thought was ContiGo's, but the Australian importer tells me that the rears are on back order, not expected for 8 weeks and may in fact be already pre-sold.

I am ignoring anything made by Pirelli as I have a set on the recently "retired" R100 and I was seriously unimpressed by them.

Metzler make a ME77 front but can''t be bothered to make a matching rear.

Dunlop make several suitable tyres, which by their appearance are intended to go on sidecar outfits or on bikes ridden by the wearers of tweed jackets with suede wear patches.

My remaining  choices are Michelin, Bridgestone or Avons, of which only the Avon Road riders are immediately available.

Actually things like Shinko and Kenda are also available, but I want to ride the bike, not merely protect teh rims in storage.

So. Who has experience with Avon roadriders? I really want to hear from you.

[Lucky_Lou]

I have just had a bad experience with Avon on my ex "K" which included a "Tarmac Slide" turns out the rear tyre was defective with less than 500 miles on it, in farness to Avon I got a full refund but was still well out of pocket due to the damage to the bike.
I have been running Michelin MT 45,s on the R65 without any issues.
Lou
Avon side wall...............

[Motu]

I've just worn out a Shinko 712 at 8,000km....although it still on, it's coming on winter so is just at the right spot.   I was hoping for more mileage, but that's pretty good by my standards, I'll try the 230 next, it's their touring tyre and more expensive.   No problems with grip or handling....and of course I used it on gravel, and was very surprised with the grip there too.

[NC Steve]

I have a new pair of Bridgestone Spitfires ready to put on my '82 R65. I've used these on 2 other R65s, a K75, as well as 2 Guzzis, and have always been very happy with their longevity, performance and price. Bridgestone's BT-45 are also a good tire, but I prefer the Spitfire. Often, the big distributors will have the Bridgestones on sale as well. I love working with RevZilla, personally

[k_enn]

I currently have the Metzler Lasertecs.  This is my first set of them, and I am satisfied with how they are holidng up and how they ride.  They are pretty good on rain gooves and steel decking, and about the same as most on the normal asphalt.  The compound is harder than the old Continentals that I used to like, which explains the lousy mileage I got out of the Continentals.
  

[Justin B.]

I have had good luck with Michelin Macadam 50 tires on my airheads.  I had liked Dunlop in the past but the last set on my Oilhead came apart...  The front did the same thing about 3k miles earlier...

[wilcom]

I have had good luck with Michelin Macadam 50 tires on my airheads.

+1 on the Macadam's. They came on a R65 I bought and were the best handling, cornering stable set of tires I have ridden on. I went Shinko(2 for under a $100 delivered) on my other bike as I was too broke to go with the good stuff. But those Macadam's really felt good.

[Luca]

I've been very happy with the Spitfires I put on my bike.  Having the wider front rim I'm running a 100/90 fore and a 110/90 aft.

I think you can find the actual sizes of the tires somewhere on the internet.  A nominal 120/90 Bridgestone Spitfire is wider than a nominal 120/90 Bridgestone Battlax

The closer sizes might improve things a bit for me, but they track great over grooved pavement, tar snakes, cracks in the road, etc.  Wet performance isn't bad.

Probably have somewhere around 6k on them.  The front still has a long life ahead of it.  Rear is starting to flatten out, but still has plenty of tread.

[montmil]

Spits on my '81 R65 and '78 R100S.  Will put Spitfires on the '83 when it's time to re-tire. [smiley=thumbup.gif]

[Bengt_Phorqs]

Ditto on the Spitfires.  Good handling and affordable.  Suggest you also replace the tubes at the same time and maybe save one as a spare.

[Bob_Roller]

I've been using Metzeler tires on my '81 R65, since 1986 .

ME33/ME99, now Lazertec series.

All around good tire, stick like velcro, in this desert heat during the ' hot season ' !!!

Don't get too much wet riding conditions here, the few downpours that I have been in, no issues with the tires at all .


I get about 8-10,000 miles, 13,000-16,000 km on the rear and 12-13,000 miles, 20-21,000 km on the front  .

They are getting a bit on the pricey side the last set that I got a few years ago .

[wa1udg]

I've just worn out a Shinko 712 at 8,000km....although it still on, it's coming on winter so is just at the right spot.   I was hoping for more mileage, but that's pretty good by my standards, I'll try the 230 next, it's their touring tyre and more expensive.   No problems with grip or handling....and of course I used it on gravel, and was very surprised with the grip there too.

 I use the same Shinkos and they're fine unless you're worried about what "other people" might say about what belongs on a BMW.

[Semper Gumby]

Love me the Michelin Pilot Activ now that the Macadam is no longer available.

4.00H18 rear and a a 100/90-18 front on the K100RS 2.5" front rim.

 

The front is half worn at 15000 miles but it is a mid year 2011 tire so its time.  I think Ive got about 12000 on the back tire.  It is also a mid year 2011 tire.  I've been waiting for the tread cord to appear but I may just replace it sooner.

[Motu]

I got 11,000km out of the Shinko 712, now I'm on 110's. These are a really great tyre, I'm impressed. They call them a Sports Master Pro, the rear seems a flatter profile to the 712, which had huge chicken strips, I can get the 110 rear down to the edge.  The front is rounder, I can get nowhere near the edge....the front is also pretty soft, a thumbnail leaves an impression for several minutes.

Here is the rear - it has numbers 1 to 3 on the edge, no need to measure your chicken strips, the reference numbers are right there.  Virgin tyre on a wet day, so only down to No2 here.



This is the front compared to the 100/90 Spitfire, you can see the dual compound S11 wears nasty later in life, very triangular with the sides worn down, and the harder centre part with more tread.  The S11 is a very wide tyre, I had no problems with it, but the Shinko 110 is a much sharper handling tyre.