sh!t tyres?

[disturbed]

my bike came with continental on the back. unsure of what sort, but they lock up and skid really easy and feel really unstable. im running 36psi on the back. i have the preload on the rear shock right up. am i doing something wrong. they look like these (on the right)

[klyong82]

my bike came with continental on the back. unsure of what sort, but they lock up and skid really easy and feel really unstable. im running 36psi on the back. i have the preload on the rear shock right up. am i doing something wrong. they look like these (on the right)

Those look like normal commuting tyre from COntinental TKV series. You need to get some sporty rubber for your VFR. Have you got the 18 inch or 17 inch rear? If 18 choices are limited but I am sure other KB members can help you.

[Cajun]

like anything there is only small bit of rubber between you riding and falling down, if you are not happy with them replace them.

There are good tires for smaller bikes biggest problem with the vfr400 is the 18 rim which makes tire chooses a little limiting but still tons of great sticky rubber for them.

[GaZBur]

...im running 36psi on the back. .

Untill you get new rubber - try running them at 32 psi hot. What does the pressure recommend on the tyre - its probably intended as a maximun and allows for 2 up riding. The pressure will increase possibly by 10% from cold to hot. 36 cold on a mid sized bike may be a bit hard for you unless of course you are a really lardy arse. Ooops, I mean of large stature!

[James Deuce]

TKV's are a really flat profile and running them at lower PSI ratings actually makes them feel worse. Don't ask me how I know, or why the drycleaner won't clean my trousers anymore.

[GaZBur]

TKV's are a really flat profile and running them at lower PSI ratings actually makes them feel worse. Don't ask me how I know, or why the drycleaner won't clean my trousers anymore.

But couldn't the problem be they are actually skipping on the road surface and the high pressures may be exacerbating the problem. I think it's worth at least a try dropping the pressure and seeing how they behave - but try very carefully! I have managed to run sports (crossply not radials) tyres below recommended in bad weather conditions and noticed improved grip.

[James Deuce]

Depends on the tyre. I find myself on the edge of TKVs well before any bike I've ridden has run out of ground clearance.

There's a lot of mythology around tyre pressures and I don;t think running htem at the manufacturers recommended pressures is going to make them "skip".

[hospitalfood]

what do you mean by you have your preload on the rear right up??? if you mean what I think change it now !! your bike should sag about 35mm at the rear when you get on it, and about the same at the front. if your rear preload is as hard as it will go it will cause you to skid/slide/lock-up etc.

[GaZBur]

...There's a lot of mythology around tyre pressures and I don;t think running htem at the manufacturers recommended pressures is going to make them "skip".

True - I think hospitalfood has probably got onto the real problem but if the manufacturers recommended is printed on the sidawall it probably allows for 2 up riding. I often run lower pressures on the back without drama - but the front is a different story.

[James Deuce]

Yes, I was thinking suspension rather than tyres too. Sometimes people think hard is the solution, when soft is where they should be.

Oo errr.

[disturbed]

cool thanks guys. will back the preload off the rear shock and see if it helps, will look at getting some new rubber in the near future though. what do people recommend best value for money....though i dont have alot of money lol

[Pancakes]

Reading that the "pre-load right up" caught my eye too. Pre-load is a way to adjust a spring to feel different from how it would normally so if running it right up is the best setting the spring is wrong? Also if anything has to be run right at the extremes of their settings it's a clue something is a bit funny. Try a middle-ish setting and see what happens. Why is it all the way out? Has it been tuned or you got it like that you your like me and you can't keep your hands to yourself?

[Robert Taylor]

what do you mean by you have your preload on the rear right up??? if you mean what I think change it now !! your bike should sag about 35mm at the rear when you get on it, and about the same at the front. if your rear preload is as hard as it will go it will cause you to skid/slide/lock-up etc.

Yes indeed the preload is an indication and the question must be asked why was it wound up so much in the first place? Is the spring unsuitable for rider stats etc? Is there a damping problem etc? Id hate to be a tyre manufacturer because they are so often blamed for problems actually created by bad suspension. It would be frightening to know how many ''claims'' have in effect been incorrectly paid out, and it matters not to many about the real reasons as long as they got paid out. With more and more suspension systems on oem bikes ''engineered by accountants'' this situation will worsen rather than improve