Shinko Raven review (rear tire only)

[Jeremy Mitchell]

I finished off my Shinko this weekend on a 1200+ mile trip to NW Illinois and back.  Final mileage was between 4900 and 5000 miles, so I got just a little more less out of the Shinko than the PR2 that it replaced.  It didn't exhibit the severe left side shoulder wear of the PR2, I think most of that is due to the Raven being a single compound tire.  I didn't spend nearly enough time running twisty roads, most of my time was commuting back and forth to work.  But I really liked how the Raven handled through the life of the tire.  It didn't get nearly as squirrelly as the PR2 when it was ready to be replaced.  Paired with the PR2 front I was pleasantly surprised at how well a $107 tire performed.  I am gonna try the 190/55/17 PR2 for my next tire, but that doesn't mean I didn't like the Raven.............. just that it wasn't perfect and I want to give the taller profile PR2 a shot. 

Edit: I just looked at my notebook and I actually got 6200 miles out of my PR2, the last 1500 were pretty nerve racking.

[Guinness]

Jeremy, thanks for the review.  After reading some favorable reviews on this forum, and the fact that the Raven is a single compound tire, I have a front and rear sitting in my garage waiting to replace my PR2's.  I never ran dual-compound tires on a bike until the Connie.  I can say that I'm not a big fan.  The sides seem to go away quickly and leave a sharp transition area from center to side.  Like you said, it can get very squirrely in the transition.  Thanks again for the feedback.

[Gearhead82]

I had cords exposed on my Raven rear tire on my '07 FZ1 after 4200 miles.  This was the tire I taught myself how to wheelie on though, so it had a pretty tough life.  The front tire on the other hand looked like it would have lasted 20k miles!

[Jeremy Mitchell]

I had cords exposed on my Raven rear tire on my '07 FZ1 after 4200 miles.  This was the tire I taught myself how to wheelie on though, so it had a pretty tough life.  The front tire on the other hand looked like it would have lasted 20k miles!

The front tire could probably last forever if it never touches the ground.   

The tire isn't to the cords yet, but it is into the wear bar indicators.  I might use it to get to work a couple times this week while I am waiting for my PR2 to be delivered.

[COGnosticat0r]

I have 1860 miles on my Raven and there is 3mm of tread left to the wear bar.  I will be lucky to get 4500 miles out of it.  I got 6k out of the Angel ST.  I am not sure what I will try next, I am done with the Shinko though, as I only got 2950 out of the 011 Verge

[S.Ga.Rider]

My 009 has about 3k miles on it and I dont see it making it much farther. Maybe another 1-2k. I thought I would have gotten a lot more out of it. I have a bridgestone 023 on the way to replace it with.

[stevewfl]

i suspect it won't extreme turn as well as the dual compound motorcycle tires?

[Jeremy Mitchell]

i suspect it won't extreme turn as well as the dual compound motorcycle tires?

I honestly noticed a small difference coming out of corners.  I never had a problem in the corner, but I had to be just a little more judicious with the throttle on exit.  I only felt the rear step out a couple times, but that was enough to get me to modify the way I was riding.  Don't get me wrong the tire was pretty good, just not excellent.  But what do you expect for $107.  I think the tire is worth it and I'm sure that there are plenty of C14 riders that don't regularly scrape pegs and they would be perfectly happy with a Raven.  But just like everything else there are tradeoffs.