tires?

I have a 1982 XJ650J Maxim and it needs new tires...
Looks like Yamaha sent these out with Bridgestones - but it has Avon Roadrunners on it. I just got the bike and it isn't rideable (yet).

Any suggestions or feedback on what tires have worked well for you guys?

Thanks!

 

There will be alot of suggestions.

I'm in the GT501 camp. However, the metzlers and avons have a pretty good following.

I did not find the kenda challengers (657?) were a particularily good match for the bike, but are an econo choice that is out there. The profile of the tire isn't a perfect match, nor is the rubber stellar. It is a safe tire for leisure cruising.

BT45 was on mine when I brought it. I didn't mind it and never pushed it hard enough to really know it.

The GT501 I found to be a very sticky tire with good wet traction. I think I got about 15,000km on a rear tire once.

 

any reviews of Cheng Shin? They seem to be the cheapest - and sometimes that's not a reflection of quality... (sometimes..)

 

I've not heard much about them... the little I have heard is that they are cheap. I haven't heard them recommended if that says anything.

What type of riding do you do?

 

General - non aggressive. Just around town sort of thing...

 

You could probably use next to anything... just look at the price differential and if it isn't much pick the better tire. You'll have it for 2-3 years most likely.

 

link for a while back http://xjbikes.com/Forums/viewtopic/t=2 ... unlop.html

 

I too can use search... on archives!

http://xjbikes.com/archive_forum/t578.htm

http://xjbikes.com/archive_forum/t430.htm

http://xjbikes.com/archive_forum/t130.htm

 

I have a set of Bridgestone Spitfires on my Seca now, switching from the Chen Shin Barracudas last spring. The Barracudas were cheap which is why I originally bought them and for a cheap tire they worked ok. The main problems that I ran into is that they wore out fast, I don't think I got 5,000 miles on before the rear needed to be replaced, and they were not very good in the rain (of course what tire is?). Last spring I switched over to the Spitfires and I am happy with them. I have put 12,000 miles on the front without a problem and replaced the rear at 8,000ish (could have gone 10k but I picked up a nail). They do feel better in the rain then the Barracudas but there is still room for improvement.

Keep in mind that I don't ride very aggressive so I am not a good judge of tire performance. I would say if you only ride a dry 2,000 miles a year without going too aggressive then the Chen Shins work ok, any more then that and I would find something else.

 

With the right rain tires it is scary how fast you can actually go in the rain.

Note - the right tires, and the right place...

 

hmmm - its looking like the tires are the inexpensive part. One shop here charges double their shop rate of $75/hr to mount tires that they didn't sell you...
And I don't have any experience with mounting tubeless tires...

 

Mounting tubeless tires is easy if you know how.

Tools and tire mounting lube will cost ~$30.00.

edit- skinnier wheels like the XJ bikes have are a bit harder to deal with than newer bikes' wide ones, but it's still no biggie.

 

Woot,
"I did not find the kenda challengers (657?) were a particularily good match for the bike, but are an econo choice that is out there. The profile of the tire isn't a perfect match, nor is the rubber stellar. It is a safe tire for leisure cruising."

could you expand on this a little bit, since i've got them on a xj750j and a kz550a. at the time price was the main factor and since i know squat about
bike tires, round, black and no holes was all i was looking for

 

I wrote that quite awhile ago... probably 2001?

What I mean is that although the tire is a 130 width, it was a very wide 130. The shape of the tire could have been more distorted than they meant, or it could just have been the profile it should be.

The tire was essentially too rounded. The outside edge of that tire was unreachable. I'm not saying this as a squid measuring how hard a lean angle they took, but rather stating that the tire was overly rounded making the contact unnecessarily narrow for any one particular lean angle.

It also meant that you rode on the center part of the tire more than they had intended. You'll notice that the outside tread pattern has alot of depth. Even if it was a really nice soft compound out there you won't be able to wear it off... however the center can be hard as a rock, but you'll still wear it out.

I think the tires low mileage was the direct result of wearing the middle of the tire out - and not that whole tire had been used up.

Aside from the wear and contact patch issue, this also means that it changes the fall in of the bike. It would lean in very quickly as it fell off the edge essentially. It would also hunt more in a corner as a result ( the rear pogo effect of overly soft springs changing the geometry of the bike was emphasized due to the roundness of the tires profile).

All in all I'm been overly harsh perhaps. It was a cheap tire and it performed well in that regard.

However, a few tire choices later and I had the GT501. Not to rave too much but it to me I felt the shape of the tire was much better suited. I have used the entire surface of the tire and never felt that the tire was in trouble. I did not scrape hard parts when I had the tire at the edge, so you do loose that warning... if you just rough it up a bit I'm sure you could get it to scrape if that was your goal It has a nice tread pattern which made it perform well in the rain. I can't compare it to the metzler or avons (one of which is supposed to be a great rain tire IIRC). I also felt that the tire lasted quite well. I think mine lasted about 15,000km of fairly spirited riding and several long highway trips.

Just my notes... I'm sure others will chime in and contest a few points, or maybe even agree with some others.

Tires are a bit like religion... not everyone sees it the same way and I've seen it get pretty heated. I can only say what I've felt... and can't really comment on the other tires that will receive praise. I just found something that really worked for me and didn't change.

 

FWIW, a poster on another site, who has made his living as a motorcycle journalist, says he was shocked to find out how well a set of cheap Cheng Shin tires worked on his 1200 Bandit. He has been riding, racing and writing about motorcycles for over 30 years.

 

I just got my bike last Sept. Boy did it need tires. After listening to all the feedback I elected to put on a set of Chen-Shin Barracudas. I mounted them myself.

My first surprise was how easily they balanced. The rear tire got one 1/4 oz weight. I put 1/4 oz on the front but found it was better balanced unweighted so I pulled the weight off.

I put 2K fair weather miles on them before the weather shut me down. I've leaned until my boot edges hit pavement without a problem. I did have a minor incident with some sand at a sidestreet intersection at low speed with a lot of lean, but recovered nicely.

If you are even minimally skilled with a wrench you should be able to mount and balance your own. There are pics and descriptions in my gallery about how I did it (which I heavily stole ideas from another site which someone had linked here).

If you decide to do your own, shoot me a PM and I'll send you some wheel weights. The box I got from JC Whitney has a several lifetime supply.

 

I've had lousy experiences with both my car and motorcycle Cheng Shins. Won't recommend them. Spend the extra 20 bones and get a tire that won't go out of balance on you.
IMHO, Dunlops are an excellent choice, I love my 491 Elite II's.

 

MiCarl does make a good point though - my experience with the Kenda challenger was specific to the xj650. On a different bike it could easily behave very differently, if for example the rim was designed for a larger 130 width tire.

 

woot
thanks for the insight
oh yea while i'am at it, thanks for Sidney Crosby too

 

I had a chen shin on the rear of my xj550 when I got it. It was horrible in the rain. I put a set of Michelin Macadams on it, and I couldnt be happier. I dont worry about driving thru the rain at 65 anymore. Great grip, great wear, not too expensive either.

 

IMHO, if a person were to skimp and save, tires wouldn't be the place to do it.

You only have 2, all I know is that I personally can't afford to loose 1.

Life is good, especially when I am physicaly able to ride!
1 wreck could change all that!

 

Glad I found this thread before I ordered the Cheng Shins. I'm going from Metzelers and don't want to move a step backwards! I'm somewhat of an aggressive rider and want tires that'll stick well in the corners... (my "chicken strips" are not all that wide). If anyone else has any input on tires before I pull the trigger I'd appreciate it (Seca 550R)