SuzukiSavage.com - Time for new tires

rpgpgmr

Senior Member

Offline

Posts: 270
Huntington, WV
Gender: male

Time for new tires
05/01/08 at 20:56:10

Just checked my tread and I'm overdue for tires. Front is supposed to be no less than 1.6mm (I'm at .9mm), back is supposed to be 2mm (I'm at 1.3mm). Been looking at Dunlop D404 and the Metzeler ME880. The Metzeler's seem to be a better tire, but I don't know? I only got 7,000 miles on my IRC factory tires (actually 6,000 cause I'm pretty long overdue) so I want tires that will go a little further.

I'm not looking to do any modifications to accomodate a larger tire. Not to start any huge debates, but what's the best tire that fits the Savage/S40?

Back to top

2005 Suzuki Boulevard S40
2007 Yamaha V-Star Classic

IP Logged

Reelthing Serious Thumper Alliance Member Offline Fish or ride that is the question Posts: 5397 Houston,Tx Gender:	Re: Time for new tires Reply #1 - 05/02/08 at 05:29:52 Don't know about the Dunlops - but the ME880's work very well - stick to road proper wet or dry and will roll for a long time - likely 3 times as long as the IRCs - They're on the '95 Savage, on the Guzzi, and will be on the '02 Savage hotrod shortly.
Back to top	IP Logged

rpgpgmr

Senior Member

Offline

Posts: 270
Huntington, WV
Gender: male

Re: Time for new tires
Reply #2 - 05/02/08 at 11:02:48

Been reading reviews and the Dunlops are getting very bad ones. Apparently they come standard on several bikes and, like the IRCs, they don't last very long or handle very well in wet weather. The ME880s are a little more costly than most brands, but like someone else on here said, tires are not the place to be cheap. The Metzelers are the highest rated tire on the Internet every place I looked today. Think that's what I'm ordering.

Back to top

2005 Suzuki Boulevard S40
2007 Yamaha V-Star Classic

IP Logged

verslagen1 YaBB Moderator ModSquad Offline Where there's a will, I want to be in it. Posts: 29042 L.A. California Gender:	Re: Time for new tires Reply #3 - 05/02/08 at 11:16:03 Where'd you find the reviews? For my own experience, D404's came on the bike. I put 8k on them before I replaced them. They had alittle more than half the tread when I got them. Don't do much wet riding ( it never rains in Calif. )
Back to top	Versey's Place Tech Section Index IP Logged

rpgpgmr Senior Member Offline Posts: 270 Huntington, WV Gender:	Re: Time for new tires Reply #4 - 05/02/08 at 11:25:05 www.motorcycletirereviews.com www.motorcycle.com www.consumersearch.com Several others from Google and Yahoo searches...I spent way too much time on that today. Maybe the wet riding is the common denominator here. I gotta get to California someday. I love WV roads, but Cali is a place I have to ride before I die.
Back to top	2005 Suzuki Boulevard S40 2007 Yamaha V-Star Classic IP Logged

youzguyz Serious Thumper Offline Posts: 2559 San Antonio, Texas Gender:	Re: Time for new tires Reply #5 - 05/02/08 at 12:02:15 I put 404s on my bike shortly after I got it.. say 4,500 miles. I'm at 17,800 now and about ready for new tires. Pretty good run. Then again, I just ride a lot, not a lot of crazy. However, I will probably go with the Metzeler ME880s this time around, as I hear they hold the road better.
Back to top	2002 - Silver (Thumper) 2000 - Green (Mad Hamish) Most motorcycle problems are caused by the nut between the seat and the handlebars. Make sure yours isn't too tight or too loose. IP Logged

rpgpgmr

Senior Member

Offline

Posts: 270
Huntington, WV
Gender: male

Re: Time for new tires
Reply #6 - 05/02/08 at 12:18:14

I wouldn't say that I ride crazy, but I just learned to ride a year ago today. A lot of unnecessary braking, learning to shift, turn, and of course the several times laying it down. I've come a long way and I've beat the heck out of my tires--7,000 miles for a first year of riding is a lot I think. For this second year I want to start with the best tire I can get and so far all signs point to the ME880s.

Back to top

2005 Suzuki Boulevard S40
2007 Yamaha V-Star Classic

IP Logged

steely

Senior Member

Offline

Posts: 325
Tulsa, Oklahoma
Gender: male

Re: Time for new tires
Reply #7 - 05/02/08 at 19:43:15

I have never tried the Metzler's myself but have always heard that they were a very good tire. I use the Cheng Shin Hi-Max on both of my bikes. They wear well and grip well. I don't ride excessively crazily, but I do regularly scrape pegs on both bikes. The continuous center groove is about the best thing I have found for rain riding.

Back to top

1999 Suzuki Savage

IP Logged

NikoruWiriamu

YaBB Newbies

Offline

Posts: 43
Auburndale, Florida
Gender: female

Re: Time for new tires
Reply #8 - 05/04/08 at 10:18:17

I've always used ME880s..and I realized that I was changing my tires a lot. MEs are a much softer tire, although they are a great brand and much more expensive. This last time I had my tire changed, I decided to go with a Dunlop. The Dunlop is cheaper, and is lasting longer than the Metzler that I had. Sometimes it's about the brand, but like I said, the ME was way more soft, so I was changing it more frequently than other tires. I've put over 35k miles on my baby, and within the past year or two I've replaced the front and rear tire twice already.
Happy

Back to top

IP Logged

Yonuh Adisi FSO Serious Thumper Offline Savage Jedi (Knight) Posts: 3622 Pilot Valley NV, aka Tatooine Gender:	Re: Time for new tires Reply #9 - 05/04/08 at 10:22:32 I'm running Cheng Shin Barracudas on the FireLizard and they seem to be holding up pretty well so far.
Back to top	Check out Flight of Destiny http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00H9130XC IP Logged

rpgpgmr Senior Member Offline Posts: 270 Huntington, WV Gender:	Re: Time for new tires Reply #10 - 05/04/08 at 10:41:50 Hmmm, that's not good. The ME's are A LOT more expensive than the Dunlops and if they're not A LOT better than I'm not gonna pay the difference. Not to mention Dennis Kirk and the local dealer are out of stock for the Savage right now so I have no idea how long I'd be waiting. Now I'm leaning back toward the Dunlops.
Back to top	2005 Suzuki Boulevard S40 2007 Yamaha V-Star Classic IP Logged

NikoruWiriamu

YaBB Newbies

Offline

Posts: 43
Auburndale, Florida
Gender: female

Re: Time for new tires
Reply #11 - 05/04/08 at 11:01:36

rpgpgmr wrote on 05/04/08 at 10:41:50:

Hmmm, that's not good. The ME's are A LOT more expensive than the Dunlops and if they're not A LOT better than I'm not gonna pay the difference. Not to mention Dennis Kirk and the local dealer are out of stock for the Savage right now so I have no idea how long I'd be waiting. Now I'm leaning back toward the Dunlops. Sad

Sometimes it's all about personal preference. I chose to buy the Metzlers until I realized how often I was changing them. I really thought something might have been wrong (until I did my research), but it was just because they were so soft. Great tires, but they don't last as long as the Dunlop. I don't like paying $120+ for them anymore. To me, there isn't much of a difference in the two besides the price, and the longevity of their life span. Then again, I ride my bike usually a little over 40 miles a day, and often going on long rides, 1-200 miles, on the weekends. Wink

Back to top

IP Logged

bill67 Serious Thumper Offline old tired Posts: 8517 genoa city wisconsin Gender:	Re: Time for new tires Reply #12 - 05/04/08 at 11:30:12 Niko what miles did you get on all your tires since you bought the bike?
Back to top	william h krumpen IP Logged

verslagen1 YaBB Moderator ModSquad Offline Where there's a will, I want to be in it. Posts: 29042 L.A. California Gender:	Re: Time for new tires Reply #13 - 05/04/08 at 12:03:54 Mine came with a half worn Dunlop and I put about 9k on it before I changed it for $68 plus labor, tube etc. Now I'm guessing that I should get at least 15k out of it. You've changed twice in 35k, so you're getting about the same for twice as much.
Back to top	Versey's Place Tech Section Index IP Logged

NikoruWiriamu YaBB Newbies Offline Posts: 43 Auburndale, Florida Gender:	Re: Time for new tires Reply #14 - 05/04/08 at 12:10:46 No, I changed the tires twice since I got it at 26k miles..and it now has 36-37k miles. So, I'm definitely not getting that many miles on the tires.
Back to top	IP Logged