Tread for the cruiser?

[Papa Bear]

After recently purchasing my first Boulevard, :woohoo: C90T, and after doing a couple of decent days rides, Iv decided that I dont like my back tyre. It has a 180/70 15 Bridgestone White Wall........ so my question is, what do think is the best tyre you have found for the C90's ?? Im not really into high speed but do enjoy cornering. :scooter:

[Doug]

I don't believe anyone else other than Bridgestone make a white wall Tyre the same size for the rear. Some of the overseas Boulevard Sites mention about using a White Wall Dunlop but they are slightly narrower and taller than the standard OEM Tyre.
I too don't like my rear Tyre - bit slippery in the wet for my liking.

[9rider]

If you don't mind loosing the white wall, Metzler do good tyres for cruisers

[The Lone Rider]

Metz Marathon ME880 hands down are the best cruiser tyres for anything not a chopper style or wide arse.

They come in profiles better suited for cruisers, and a compound combination that lets you maintain an upright position with comfort and little wear, and extremely excellent softer compound on the outer tread pattern that grips to the extreme. The treat pattern is also excellent at dispersing water.

I have gotten a consistent 20,000K out of a front tire if they are ME880s, and a bit more over 10,000K for the rear. By comparison, a set of Bridgestones lasted me less than half that, and they were no where near as steady leaning and in the wet.

Read cruiser magazines, the top dogs are metz for non wide arse and avon for wide

[Jerry74]

Metzeler ME880 are the best I have run, my harley handles and can keep up ( sort of) with a ZX 6R, dunlops and bridgestones are horse shit compared to the metzelers
Pirelli are worth a look too.

[Gone Burger]

I've only got the M50 - but definately agree with above few posts. Metz ME880. Fantasitc tyre, gives you plenty of confidence in a corner knowing it's going to stick beautifully in a corner, and get you smootly out of one.

[bluebird]

Metz Marathon ME880 hands down are the best cruiser tyres for anything not a chopper style or wide arse.

They come in profiles better suited for cruisers, and a compound combination that lets you maintain an upright position with comfort and little wear, and extremely excellent softer compound on the outer tread pattern that grips to the extreme. The treat pattern is also excellent at dispersing water.

I have gotten a consistent 20,000K out of a front tire if they are ME880s, and a bit more over 10,000K for the rear. By comparison, a set of Bridgestones lasted me less than half that, and they were no where near as steady leaning and in the wet.

Read cruiser magazines, the top dogs are metz for non wide arse and avon for wide

That is my experience too, the Metz 880 made a huge difference to my S50, and the Avon Cobra is great on the M109.

[Festo]

I have the C50 and recently changed the rear to an avon venom and it proved its worth coming back to Aucks in wind driven rain from Masterton wings over wairarapa sunday before last. Swung it around plenty in the wet and stuck like shit to a blanket. Just been in to drury performance and had the front matched with the same tyre as about to hit the S.I. roads. Had the standard issue of IRC tyres on before this and managed 16k on the rear and 21k on the front.

[blgdave]

Just dug up this old thread to ask if people are of the same opinions on C90 tyres??

My bike has a mixed bag of IRC GS23 (all black) on the back and Bridgestone G703 (white wall) on the front.

I have only ridden the bike over about 180 ks so far but most of that was on damp roads and through the twisties of the Brynderwyns and SH1 between Auckland and Whangarei. Not used to Cruiser bikes as yet but I was not fully confident in the feeling from the rear tyre? There is heaps of tread on it and I was not pushing hard. Maybe its just me getting used to the bike and teh fact that it was wet? Or is it the tyre itself??

What are peoples experiences of the IRC GS23?

Are folks still saying a better option would be to swap for a Me880?

What about a matched G703/702 for the back??

Last one... What are your thoughts on mixing tyre manufacturers and patterns front and back on these bikes??

Chers all

Dave...

[blgdave]

Going to chance a few runs and see how I get on. Then go for 880 if I still feel the same. Still after anyones personal input if any?

Cheers...

[skippa1]

I didnt like the Avons or Dunlop Elite 3's. Neither have inspired confidence in the wet. I have a matched pair of Pirelli Night Dragons and like them a lot.

[skinman]

I had the same feeling from the previous rear on my bike. put on a metzler. sticks good now, even feels controlled crossing white lines (wet), slips but regrips nicely not a nasty snap.

[hellokitty]

I had the same feeling from the previous rear on my bike. put on a metzler. sticks good now, even feels controlled crossing white lines (wet), slips but regrips nicely not a nasty snap.

I have Metzlers as well (on the Harley)- I chose sticky over hard-wearing cos as the tyre shop guys said "you seem to like your corners, look the tyres are worn right to the edge"
I rode to and from Warkworth (via the old roads) on brand new tyres in torrential rain and not once did I feel nervous, or feel the bike slide.

[GrayWolf]

problem with big V's is the torque pulses which can rip a rear tyre to pieces quite rapidly, A dual compound rear will give you wear (centre) and grip (edges) but even though it will wear faster I still keep to a more sporting compound tyre on the front... doesnt have to be THE stickiest, but stickier than the back... rear slips can be recovered,,,, front slips usually end in grief.

Personal use at present.. bridgestone dual compound tour rear... sport (standard type) front.
Also think of the weight of your machine.. sports tyres are designed for modern lightweight sprotbikes.... (190kg) not 240kg+ which also starts leading into carcass deforming etc on bends.

[blgdave]

Anyone running IRC rear tyre like mine? I think I have convinced myself its going to slip now and so dont have confidence in it. So I ride like a nancy! Is this in my mind as it really has not let go at all. I just feel like it might??

Cheers all

[GrayWolf]

Anyone running IRC rear tyre like mine? I think I have convinced myself its going to slip now and so dont have confidence in it. So I ride like a nancy! Is this in my mind as it really has not let go at all. I just feel like it might??

Cheers all

TSS used to supply IRC tyres, I used them on the front of my FJ1200, then the supply 'dried up'?? So if you have them on your bike, they are a damn good tyre IMO unless you are really going 10/10th's all the time.

[blgdave]

Maybe its just me then?

[munster]

Anyone running IRC rear tyre like mine? I think I have convinced myself its going to slip now and so dont have confidence in it. So I ride like a nancy! Is this in my mind as it really has not let go at all. I just feel like it might?? Cheers all
My Boulevard had the factory fitted IRC when I got it. Have upgraded to better tyres now. Not the most expensive, but still way better then IRC's in my opinion.

http://www.cycletreads.co.nz/products/560-full_bore_usa_road/4533-full_bore_tour_king_road_tyre.aspx

Had them on a year now and 5000 km's, love them.

[blgdave]

That tread pattern looks familiar? Cheers for the link, I will look into them also.

Going to give the IRC a run out this weekend and if still not happy its coming off. Heaps of tread so will just sell it on to someone that feels better with them. I reckon once convinced it will be in my head, so best to swap them out anyway.

From a tarts point of view, I lik ethe look of white walls against a black bike. So may be limited on choice at th end of the day.

Cheers

[The Lone Rider]

I find the IIRC need a bit more to scrub in.

Once scrubbed they are ok. Not outstanding, but ok.

I had some Dunlops and Bridgestones once... cant remember which models, or which did what, but neither lasted long and one also was slippery as shit.

[duckonin]

[QUOTE=blgdave;1130353617 I think I have convinced myself its going to slip now and so dont have confidence in it. So I ride like a nancy!

Cheers all[/QUOTE]

Stay riding like a 'nancy' that way your bike has a better chance of staying on it's feet and you not becoming an ACC statistic. Give it heaps on the straight aways slow up on the corners.:msn-wink:

[Flip]

I am very pleased with the Conti Milestones at the moment. I think that my scoot is actually a bit heavy for them, but they grip well. The scoot had dunlops on it from new, I didn't like them at all.

[blgdave]

Had a bit of a run out yesterday in the sun and gained a bit more confidence. I was not pushing hard and dont want to, hence buying a cruiser. But I did actually manage to grind the left foot peg on one corner, going pretty slow as well.

I am not after racing about, but just want to keep at a constant speed when out on the roads. I feel crap having to slow down on corners and cars catching up with me, then feeling in the way. I just want to go along at a steady rate of 100 k and be confident at that speed throught the bends. Possibly previous rides were down to being a bit damp in places?

Basically, not given up on the tyre just yet!

Cheers

[duckonin]

Had a bit of a run out yesterday in the sun and gained a bit more confidence. I was not pushing hard and dont want to, hence buying a cruiser. But I did actually manage to grind the left foot peg on one corner, going pretty slow as well.

I am not after racing about, but just want to keep at a constant speed when out on the roads. I feel crap having to slow down on corners and cars catching up with me, then feeling in the way. I just want to go along at a steady rate of 100 k and be confident at that speed throught the bends. Possibly previous rides were down to being a bit damp in places?

Basically, not given up on the tyre just yet!

Cheers

From your post, it may pay to take your bike to a race track and learn a bit about it's habits.

[blgdave]

No, no. My point is just to get used to the feel of the cruiser as its all new to me. Pegs actually went down easy today and I jumped a mile! Must just be real low to the ground. I want to keep slow, but 100k is actually slow at only 62mph. I have race cars with roll cages for going fast! I just want to feel safe but not unecessarily too slow.

Cheers

[iYRe]

I had an ME880 on my intruder, but now I am running Pirelli Night Dragons.. they are quite nice, but I dont know if they are "better" than the ME880