New Front Tire...

[ChipSTer]

I just got a new front tire (went with the OEM replacement) and now the bike handles differently... A lot differently... Before, I felt like I was a cowboy trying to wrestle a steer to the ground whenever I went around a curve... Now I have to be careful because the bike feels like it is falling... I'm confused as to what exactly has happened. Have I gone from a square profile tire to a round profile tire? That's what it feels like... I'm having to be WAY more gentle with my counter-steering... Otherwise stuff scrapes that shouldn't ought to be scraping... And it does startle me :eek:. I have to learn how to ride all over again... Woo Hoo!!!
:cool:

[ChipSTer]

Nope... Bridgestone to Bridgestone... Same exact tire... :confused:

[Bones]

Is it on backwards (i.e., mounted so it's rotating in the wrong direction)?

Was the tire pressure correct before and is it correct now?

How bad was the other tire worn? A new tire feels a lot different than an old one that's badly worn. I had that experience 3 days ago when I replaced tires that were trashed with new of the same brand/model. Night and day (for the better, in my case).

Some ideas, anyway.

[Blrfl]

I replaced my 'Stones at 11K with identical tires and found the same thing. There's just something about the way the centers go flat that makes the bike much harder to start leaning over.

--Mark

[ChipSTer]

I don't think the tire pressure was correct before.... AND the tire was WAY into the wear bars (8300+/- miles). The tech that did the R/R said it looked like I only had about 500 miles before it started showing cord... I don't think it is on backward... I watched the tech change it and he was pretty meticulous about how he was doing it... (I would be VERY surprised if it was back ward - but I'll check anyway)... Tire pressure now: 42psi - cold. Reminds me; I need to check the back tire... :rolleyes: I like the way it handles NOW much better... :D I just wanted to know I wasn't losing my mind...
:cool:

[Carl_T]

This falling into a turn is a designed in characteristic of the OEM Bridgestones when coupled with the ST. Actually it was one I was very, very, happy to get rid of (along with not quite enough ultimate grip) by going to Metzler Z6s when I had the ST. Others have been happy to get rid of it by going to Michelin Pilot Roads.

When the stock tire is heavily worn some of this characteristic disappears a bit. I'm sorry to hear you have purchased a new tire of the same make, since you are a sensitive enough rider to notice the difference. Metzlers or Michelins will give you both more ultimate grip, combined with more linear turn in characteristics. Next time around consider a switch in tire brand.

You could check the arrow on the tire, but it IS a characteristic of this tire on the ST.

Just on the absolute "not at all likely but wouldn't hurt to check" note, make sure the forks are going up and down freely and not binding since the axle was removed.

99 out of a hundred it's just the tire. It used to annoy me, I could use it accurately, but it was not what I wanted in a bikes turn in characteristics. You are more used to the bike now than you were and likely cornering a bit more aggressively than you did when it was brand new. Also you have the worn flatter spotted ones to go by this time around.

[tricky_micky]

Just had a new front tyre fitted!

Been riding O2O's on the bike since I purchased it, and heck, I have given these tyres some stick both on the ST1300 I have and also on the previous ST1100's.

I have tried so many different tyres on the bikes because I was asked to try different makes when I had the ST1100, they were free of course, so I have no obligation to any manufacturer.

All tyres have a different value. I liked the old Exedras because as a rider, you know the limitations. They are skimpish in the wet but will give you a high mileage, to me, that is important because of the training miles I cover.

Avons, Metz and the rest of them have all fall foul to different wear characteristis and so on.

I have always come back to Bridgestone o2o's.

I recently had to have a new front tyre fitted and of course, it was the O2O Bridgestone, the rear tyre had been replaced a few weeks previous and at this time was well run in.

The new tyre was fitted and I told the fitter I wanted 42 lbs psi in that tyre because mother Honda state that in the manual. I was questioned by the tyre fitter because on their charts it tells them to put 36 lbs psi in the front. I augueed with this guy and told him to put 42 lbs in the new front tyre.

Did he heck as like, he put what the chart told him to put in. I left there and rode home. The front end of the bike did not feel the same, it felt unstable and the steering felt all over the place. When I got home I sorted the pressure out and the day after I was on an advanced training course.

What a difference the tyre pressures make on this bike, after setting the pressures correct, and getting the first 100 miles in, they now perform second to none and my faith is restored.

When having new tyres fitted, when you leave the depot, the fist thing is to make sure the pressures are correct and then run the tyre in for about 100 miles before you go trust them. The bike felt like an *** until all of this was done, now I have my confidence back in my tyres.