Can't search through 900 posts any more, and it's time to replace the Pilot GT on the rear of my 03.  Not a lot of choices with the 16 inch rear wheel.  There would have been so many more choices in a 17 inch.  Now I know why guys are changing to the Mean Streak rear wheel.

Anyway, I've run the Avon AV46 ST Rear Tire on both my Concours and my V65 Sabre.  Great tire, but not great mileage.  So I'm probably going to go with the Wing size rear again.   I think the perfect set up would be a Michelin Pilot Road 2 front and a GT rear, but the GT isn't going to happen any more.
 
So here's the choices:
Shinko 747 $121.85
http://www.chaparral-racing.com/Product/shinko-747-touringcruiser-radial-rear-tire/369-874136.aspx 

Avon Venom $160.88
http://www.chaparral-racing.com/Product/avon-am42-venom-bias-touringcruiser-rear-tire/330-5320.aspx

Shinko 757 $134.99  (they claim these tires are supposed to be available again and in stock 5/15/11
http://www.rockymountainatvmc.com/productDetail.do?navType=type&webTypeId=229&navTitle=Tires+and+Wheels&webCatId=8&keyword=shinko+757&prodFamilyId=29338

Any experiences with any of these?
Any other choices?
Sorry it's a tire thread.
Ned

I'm running Venom all the way.   My Connie totally loves them and I'm, running AVON Ultra II up front.  Handling and stability is great.

Cheers
Ron

Interesting about folks going to 17. I'm putting the final touches on an '83 gl1100 that my brother bought from SiSF, getting it ready for a ride to Minnesnowta. A lot of the banter at the time these came out was b*tching that Honda really should come out with a 16" wheel to replace the "oddball" 17" size. This one does have a 16(I think), earlier ones had 17.

I recently replaced my Pilot GT Rear with an Avon AM42 Venom (160/80-16).  The tire seems to hold the ground well, and leans a good deal easier than the GT rear did (I still have a GT on the front).  No complaints on the combo other than I had gotten very used to applying force on the handlebars when turning, now it's more of a gentle nudge.  I keep thinking I'm going to push the bike over to the ground when I turn now, but am getting used to it.

The bike flicks much easier now.  Not Azaro/Storm easy, and it doesn't feel like it's falling all the time (like I felt with the Stock Dunlop 700/701 combo), but definitely feels more maneuverable.

I'm weird, though.  I actually liked the feedback/extra force necessary with the GT rear, but refuse to go the ME880 route (due to that tire's reputation for poorer grip in cold/wet/in general)

Probably the best place to check for availability of sizes is bikebandit.com. You can choose rear/16"/size... and it will show you all the tires available. There were 25 different tires when I did this for the rear.

Thanks guys.  Your experiences are what I was looking for.  Think I'll go with the Avon.  I've run the Avon AV46  for years on my Sabre.   Avon on the rear, Michelin Pilot road on the front.  Thing handles like it was made in 2005 instead of 1985 clear up to 152 mph, 65,000 miles later.

I've discovered that the front tire is the culprit in determining how heavy a bike handles.  If you look at most of the top handling sport tourers out there, most of them run no bigger than 120's on the front.  Even the new BMW sixer runs a 120 front and a 190 rear.  That front tire makes 90% of the difference in how a bike handles. 

We also discovered last year when my brother's rear Avon became a may-pop slick 2000 miles from home that these bikes don't seem to notice whether there's a radial or a bias ply on the rear.  He couldn't tell any difference in handling with the radial front and bias rear, which was the only tire we could find (a Kenda at a Harley shop) in Sheridan, WY that would fit the thing.
 
So, since the GT rears are no longer available, I think the the combo I'm going to run (if that Pilot GT front ever wears out) is a Michelin Pilot Road III 110/80ZR-18
http://www.motorcycle-superstore.com/1/28/396/35276/ITEM/Michelin-Pilot-Road-3-Front-Tire.aspx?WT.ac=RichAutoComplete

and Avon Venom 160/80HB-16 rear.

Michelin Pilot Road III 110/80ZR-18
http://www.motorcycle-superstore.com/1/28/396/35276/ITEM/Michelin-Pilot-Road-3-Front-Tire.aspx?WT.ac=RichAutoComplete

and Avon Venom 160/80HB-16 rear.

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>...

I'm thinking along the same lines, I have one more set of GT's to mount up yet, will be looking at sometime next year, unless somebody local(300 miles) wants to make me an offer I can't refuse.

Nice to know that the Michelin PR3 is actually available in 110/80-18 in the States.

OTP (England), it's not available according to Michelin, http://www.michelin.co.uk/motorcycles/michelin-pilot-road-3#tab-tyres-sizes. Click on "view all available sizes" to see the sizes, all 17" fronts but only one 18" and that's a rear tire. 

The PR2 though is available in this size http://www.michelin.co.uk/motorcycles/michelin-pilot-road-2#tab-tyres-sizes 

At the expense of sounding stupid and getting greif from everyone, what wrong with the Oem ones that are for the bike. I had put Avon on my sportster once and while they had great grip they didn't last no time and went back to stock Dunlops. Not trying to start anything just wondering why everyone seems to tell the difference.

I'm weird, though.  I actually liked the feedback/extra force necessary with the GT rear...

+1

I have been running a Mich Commander for a rear tire for 12000 plus miles and it still looks new,no complaints.

At the expense of sounding stupid and getting greif from everyone, what wrong with the Oem ones that are for the bike. I had put Avon on my sportster once and while they had great grip they didn't last no time and went back to stock Dunlops. Not trying to start anything just wondering why everyone seems to tell the difference.

The stock OEM Dunlops are not very good tires.  When they are new they aren't bad, but the front has a tendency to start cupping about half way through what should be their life spans.  Most guys have tries lots of different things to stop the cupping, air pressure and such, but it doesn't seem to help much.  As the cupping progresses, you can really feel, and hear it, when ever the bike is rolled over in a curve.  I don't know if it's dangerous or not, but it is unnerving to hear that sound that sounds sort of like you are riding on the rumble strips of the road.

The two main things riders look for are handling and mileage or a combination of the two.  So it depends on the type of riding you do.  If you scrape the pegs in the corners, most guys are running the Avon radials.  If you regularly put on 600 miles a day, the guys go for the Michelin Pilot GT's which are no longer available.  So we're trying to come up with an alternative for the GT's, cause the stock Dunlops don't fit either parameter very well.     

try finding tires worth using to put on a KZ1000Ltd....if you want to say scarce....

Just another quick commentary on the Stock Dunlops...

Do you REALLY want to leave the tires from the lowest bidder on your bike?!?


When I went from the Dunlops to the Pilot GT's, I immediately picked up about 10-15 mph in the corners, simply because they felt more solid.  I'm running a mismatched combo now (Pilot GT front/Avon Venom rear), which still feels more solid than the Dunlop 700/701's did...

Also, I do NOT miss the centerline groove.  having the tire tracking rain grooves, cracks in roads, etc. is something that always weirded me out.  Pilot GTs, Avon AM41, and some other tires do away with these.

That being said, the OEM Dunlops are usually reasonably priced, but I think there are equally good deals on some other tires out there.  And a lot of us here do get that tires are a personal preference, so if you really LIKE the OEM Dunlops, that's your call!  Some of us just won't understand why...

How do the Dunlop Roadsmart tires compare?

Stay away from the shinko 757.  I put it on the front last fall and while coming home from work the front end started to shake.  I got into the garage and checked the front wheel.  A big bubble was sticking out of the tire.  I just put avon on the back and I will put one on the front next tuesday.  Don't buy shinko!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I got a Roadsmart front and I am liking it for grip and lean especially after a Metzler. But I do not have enough miles on it to say otherwise. There doesn't seem to be a Roadsmart rear match that I can find, so I will probably try a Venom rear.

MOB,

I have 3 Kawasakis, the 75 Z1 likes Metzlers, will they work on your LTD model?

Quick update on my Venom rear.

This tire seems a litte more cold blooded than the Pilot GT rear was.  The GT's seemed to respond well down below 40 degrees.  The Venom feels less grippy at these temperatures.

Once I hit 55+ degrees outside, the tire seems to perform better.  Dunno if that's due to the sidewall loosening up in warmer temps or whatever, but that's what I've been noticing.  At 65 degrees, I have no reservations at all about pushing the corners at speed, but at colder temps the feedback doesn't feel right so I back off.

This could also be the GT front, but since I wasn't having the issue before, and the only thing I've changed is the AM42 Venom rear, I'm more inclined to believe it's the rear that's having the issue.

I still miss that planted feeling from the GT rear, but I'm finally getting used to the Venom.  Still happy with my purchase!

Stay away from the shinko 757.  I put it on the front last fall and while coming home from work the front end started to shake.  I got into the garage and checked the front wheel.  A big bubble was sticking out of the tire.  I just put avon on the back and I will put one on the front next tuesday.  Don't buy shinko!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I have a Shinko 757 on the front that has been just fine.  About 8k miles on it.  I have been keeping an eye on it since the reports of problems surfaced.  Shinko now has a new version of it that is supposed to be available soon.  Every manufacturer has had occasional problems with tires.