Kawasaki Concours Forum
The C10, aka Kawasaki Concours - The Original => The Bike - C10 => Topic started by: Pfloydgad on October 05, 2011, 07:00:33 PM
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The skinny:
New in May, the above tire on the rr, 150/80x16
Now with 5600 miles, the center is rising. Can't seem to feel it, yet.
She rolls into and out of turns just fine, does great in the water, and have had a few cold morning rides, and seems just fine.
Air preasure checked before every ride, cold I keep at 38 or 39 PSI. I check mid ride, never seen anything over 42 PSI.
I can't remember this happening on any other tire I have had on her. I checked my notes, nothing like this.
Please look at the pics,m and if you are running these, are you seeing the same kind of tread wear ?
Like I said, no noticable handeling problems, yet. I just want to get this season done without having to change a rear skin.
Thanks for your input.
Ride safe all, and ATGATT please.
Greg
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I'm running Avons at the moment, and have a brand new AV46 that just arrived today for my next rear tire. I may be missing something in your photos, but it appears to be normal tire wear from here. 5600 miles is usually getting to the end for rear tires in my experience, particularly with Avons and other sport tires.
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Well...
5600 miles for my Connie is about half of what else I have run.
Examples: Pilot GT : 16500, Dunlop D401 Elite : 15700, and a Bridgestone BT
46 Battleax : 12600.
So , as you can see, I do pretty well with tires. So if all I'm going to get around 6k out of an Avon, guess what my next statement is?
Not upset with you Red, just new info about Avon.
Thanks, ride safe all.
Greg
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Yeah the Azaro is just not going to give you the mileage that you got out of the Pilot GT or Dunflop Elite for sure as those are pure mileage tires whereas the Azaro is considered to be as close to sport without going pure sport. Most all aggressive high mileage riders have long commented that that tire simply does not last a long time.
If you want long miles with good stick your going to have to consider a bias tire such as the Avon Venom AV42 it is a B as in belted tire so you will get radial like handling and it comes in both the 150 or 160 size.
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+1 on the Venoms. I tried the Avon and apart from the low mileage it also felt laterally unstable to me particularly in dirty air. The Pilot Road II and the Venom are my combo now and I really like them. Good wet grip and sticky enough for the way I ride (semi aggressive but I still have 1/4" chicken strips on the rear so not as aggressive as some I suppose). I really liked my Pilot GT rear and the Venom is just as good to me. I do have trouble keeping up with my bro on his Versys in the twisties, though I don't think that has anything to do with my rear tire......
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Over the many years I've run the Azaro rear, the best I've ever got was 6k and the worst a mere 4.4k.
The main problem I've always had is with the squaring off aspect but my current dual compound Azaro isn't showing any signs of this trait at 4k.
IMO, it's the price you pay for a sticky tire ;)
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I think I see on mine what you are seeing on yours, and agree it is not affecting my ride in any way.
So "we ride!" is my philosophy, and yes I will be going to the Venom next.
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Yeah the Azaro is just not going to give you the mileage that you got out of the Pilot GT or Dunflop Elite for sure as those are pure mileage tires whereas the Azaro is considered to be as close to sport without going pure sport. Most all aggressive high mileage riders have long commented that that tire simply does not last a long time.
If you want long miles with good stick your going to have to consider a bias tire such as the Avon Venom AV42 it is a B as in belted tire so you will get radial like handling and it comes in both the 150 or 160 size.
Tcro, is the Michelin Pilot Road 2 for the front a good match with the Venom AV42?
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Tcro, is the Michelin Pilot Road 2 for the front a good match with the Venom AV42?
I've no firsthand experience with the PRII but I've heard no complaint from at least one poster to this forum and in a visual comparison I see no reason that the two should not work good together. My biggest concern when mixing tires is to get a cold touring tire up front with a warm blooded sporty tire in the rear as that is not a good combo.
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Well the 42 might be the winter project this yr then. So I will run this darn thing till I can't get on the ice covered roads.
Thanks so much for the info, I really like the tire and its feel, but mileage is what I want now. And of course, I am a cheap a$$, and don't like spending for tires twice a yr. :o
Everyone please ride safe out there, and ATGATT.
Greg
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I have Michelin Pilot Road 2 radial front combined with a Michelin Commander belted bias rear. Combo works fine.
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I have Avon Azaro tires
Bought them knowing that grip, not mileage, is my number one priority for tires (on my bikes and my Miata)
I'm very happy with them
Only you know your priorities, every tire is a compromise, just pick your criteria and ride within the limits that imposes
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I am more interested in mileage than gription. Thanks for the tips. I never realized you could combine a radial front with a belted rear.
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I am more interested in mileage than gription. Thanks for the tips. I never realized you could combine a radial front with a belted rear.
Our fear of mixing radials with bias tires really grew from the early days of radial car tires when the two did not mix together very well; but with todays quality tire build it really is no where near the issue. My brother was a big fan of the bias ME33 Laser front tire with a radial rear on his BMW RT's and that really is considered the no-no direction. Radial fronts usually work well with a good quality bias rear tire. To which if the tire is listed as BELTED it has the same general construction as a steel 'belted" radial except it is belted with nylon or rayon.
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Interesting info Tony. Thanks.
Where is a good place online to buy tires? Considering reputation, price, shipping, etc. Thanks!
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Interesting info Tony. Thanks.
Where is a good place online to buy tires? Considering reputation, price, shipping, etc. Thanks!
Honestly I always start with eBay..... Lots of small brick & motor stores looking to make an honest buck or two can be found on eBay. After that I check Google and old favs like South West Moto, Motorcycle Superstore.
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http://www.chaparral-racing.com/Product/avon-av46-st-rear-tire/330-5468.aspx (http://www.chaparral-racing.com/Product/avon-av46-st-rear-tire/330-5468.aspx)
Best prices I've found, free shipping over $149, so if you don't need a front tire too, order an additional $10 item you may or may not need and save the shipping....
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Had an AV46 rear in the stock size delivered today for 130.99 including shipping from Rocky Mountain ATV/MC. Got it in three days.
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Had my AV-46 rear delivered yesterday, $131 total, from Jake Wilson,
http://www.jakewilson.com (http://www.jakewilson.com)
Delivered in 6 days, including a weekend, they note they have more than 5 in stock
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I got my tires. From 2 different vendors. The front, Pilot Road 2, I got via Amazon.
For the rear, I ordered a Michelin Commander (belted) from Latus Harley in Gladstone OR.
(the reason from a HD dealer is that the Commander is made for HD's. Or was anyway.)
They sent me a Michelin Scorcher "31" instead. I will be talking to the parts guy tomorrow to find out what they did.
Maybe Mich superseded the Commander with the Scorcher 31.
It has Mich's and HD's logos etched in the sidewall. That's fine, I don't mind. I think it's kind of funny.
On the sticker on the tire and my packing slip, the Scorcher 31 p/n (not the tire number) seems to be the same as the Commander p/n that I ordered from their website.
I cannot seem to find info online that tells me if the Scorcher is radial or belted. Can you tell from the tire number? It is 150/80B16. If it was a Radial, wouldn't the tire number have an "R" in it? It also says "77H REINF" on the sidewall etching
Long story short, shall I go ahead and use it? I read one poster on some HD site that he got 12k+ on it. So as far as mileage goes, it seems similar or hopefully the same as the Commander. Oh, also, the tread pattern looks very similar. Not exactly, but very close.
edit.... duh! "B" must mean belted! Is that right?
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IIRC, the Scorcher 31 is belted and the latest Scorcher 11 is radial. Don't quote me on this one though :-\.
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I was told by the HD dealer that the Michelin Scorcher 31 is the same tire as the Commander. Michelob just changed the name.
Did I say Michelob? I am having a Golden Draft Light now. ha
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I have Avon Azaro tires
Bought them knowing that grip, not mileage, is my number one priority for tires (on my bikes and my Miata)
I'm very happy with them
Only you know your priorities, every tire is a compromise, just pick your criteria and ride within the limits that imposes
+1. I would rather have the grip and pay for tires more often. I have a Vstar cruiser and the tires are one of my biggest complaint. No tire that fits it feels sticky enough to me to feel comfortable riding aggresively at all. Makes for a boring ride most of the time. I even looked for ST tires that would fit it and it wasn't happening. SO I too will take the grip over mileaage.
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Had an AV46 rear in the stock size delivered today for 130.99 including shipping from Rocky Mountain ATV/MC. Got it in three days.
+1 on Rocky Mountain ATV/MC. They had the best price, delivery, and customer service.
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I found a Mich Commander on eBay for $100 yesterday. I bought it. It was too good of a deal to pass on. So now I have 2 new rears, supposedly the same tire (Scorcher and Commander).
I'll be able to put them side by side and see how they line up when the Commander comes in the mail.