Elite 3 is dead long live the new Elite 3

STArnie13

R.I.P. - 2020/07/03
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Joined
Dec 8, 2004
Messages
324
Location
Wichita, Ks
Today I had my Elite 3 bias front tire replaced after 18,200 miles. I got an Elite 3 radial this time. I will be on a trip with it next week so I should have a good chance to compare them. Hopefully the new one lasts as long as the old one.
 
Joined
Feb 17, 2007
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3,106
Location
Millgrove, ON, Canada
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2016 Versys 1000
STOC #
6627
Longevity they have. Had them on my Wing, and they're OK if you're very careful in the rain. Dunlops tend to have harder rubber compounds (last longer) that aren't that good in the rain once they are partially worn. Same goes for Metzeler ME880's, but the Z6's stick very nicely (at the expense of mileage). For my riding style, I won't use Dunlops. I prefer grip over longevity, but if they work for you that's great.
 
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STArnie13

R.I.P. - 2020/07/03
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Joined
Dec 8, 2004
Messages
324
Location
Wichita, Ks
After a nineteen hundred mile trip through New Mexico and Texas the radial does seem to turn a bit quicker than the bias did. It also seems a bit noisier although it isn't as noisy as my front 880 was. I hit no rain but I expect that the radial is at least as good in the rain as the bias was which did fine in lots of rain. It will be a while to be able to tell how far it will go but it looks to be doing good so far.
 
Joined
Sep 23, 2011
Messages
24
Location
S. New Jersey
Bike
2002 ST1100
I've started looking for tires for my 1100 and liked the Elite 3s I had on my Concours. I have a 300 mile a week commute that is mostly interstate and need a long lasting tire.

I was wondering what size you are using since I see they don't have the stock size. I don't want to run into a clearance problems.

Thanks
 
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STArnie13

R.I.P. - 2020/07/03
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Joined
Dec 8, 2004
Messages
324
Location
Wichita, Ks
I don't think the Elite will fit on the 1100. It works fine on the 1300. For my 1100's I use the Bridgestone Exedra front in the stock size. I get 16-18,000 miles out of them. They are a bias tire. I have never run a radial on the 1100's so I can't say how long radials should last.
 
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STArnie13

R.I.P. - 2020/07/03
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Joined
Dec 8, 2004
Messages
324
Location
Wichita, Ks
With over 14,000 miles on the Elite 3 on my 03 it looks good for mayby another couple thousand. It is wearing more on the left but not cupping. It has worked well enough that my 09 just got an Elite 3 to replace the stock front tire.

I have had a Pilot Road 2 on the back of the 03 for 8,400 miles. It has worked very well with the Elite 3 in rain and on very curvy roads. It looks to have a good number of miles left so I just had the rear stock tire replaced on the 09 with a PR2. When the 03 needs tires it will get the same combo unless something new comes along that sounds good.
 
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STArnie13

R.I.P. - 2020/07/03
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Joined
Dec 8, 2004
Messages
324
Location
Wichita, Ks
I brought the 09 home today in a snow storm. It wasn't thick on the streets but snow covered the dirt road by my house. Both the new Elite 3 and PR2 worked well.
 
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