ST1100 Tires Again

[blc]

Interested in thoughts on good value for the money.

Currently I run 120/70/17 and 170/60/17 Michelin Road 5's. Ride well but the mileage is horrible. Just 7k and the front is a slick, the rear isn't much better. I do not ride 2-up, generally light load but do ride the N GA mountains most of the time.

What do you guys like for ride and mileage and cost?

Brian

 

[Larry Fine]

Isn't the front an 18" diameter?

I'm a fan of Bridgestone T31 and T32 tires.

 

[Erdoc48]

Michelins are nice riding tires but expensive- in general I get only ~ 8-9K out of a set of tires no matter what I use (and usually change them when the tread is at 1-2/32 or so- I don’t run them down to slicks or until the cords are showing). In the past, I’ve used Pirelli Angel GTs and Metzeler Z8’s. On the 94, I’m currently running Shinkos (I believe a Verge up front and a Raven in the back)- those are cheap tires (I think I got the set for ~ $130 on sale)- downside is that they seemed to require more weights to balance, but they do handle well and have very good grip).

I guess the upside of a more frequent tire swap is you get to see your splines more frequently for re-greasing and maybe change the O rings in the rear if they’re due.

 

[ST1100Y]

I'm a fan of Bridgestone T31 and T32 tires.

Yep, the GT version would be my choice as well for an ABS-II/CBS...

 

[blc]

Isn't the front an 18" diameter?

I'm a fan of Bridgestone T31 and T32 tires.

Yes - Fat Fingers. Thx

 

[PmodelinUS]

Your milage seems pretty much the norm on here. I am running Dunlop Road 3's which I so far have anjoyed and the price is definatley nice, however finding them can take some looking. Milage is always an issue on tires hence the darkside riders

 

[blc]

I ran the Pirelli Angel GT's and ran to 10k and REALLY liked those tires. Problem is they do not have the rear size anymore.

 

[blc]

Isn't the front an 18" diameter?

I'm a fan of Bridgestone T31 and T32 tires.

What mileage are you seeing from a set?

 

[blc]

Michelins are nice riding tires but expensive- in general I get only ~ 8-9K out of a set of tires no matter what I use (and usually change them when the tread is at 1-2/32 or so- I don’t run them down to slicks or until the cords are showing). In the past, I’ve used Pirelli Angel GTs and Metzeler Z8’s. On the 94, I’m currently running Shinkos (I believe a Verge up front and a Raven in the back)- those are cheap tires (I think I got the set for ~ $130 on sale)- downside is that they seemed to require more weights to balance, but they do handle well and have very good grip).

I guess the upside of a more frequent tire swap is you get to see your splines more frequently for re-greasing and maybe change the O rings in the rear if they’re due.

What Pirelli then Metz and now Shinko? Price / mileage /other?

 

[Larry Fine]

What mileage are you seeing from a set?

I'm not a high-mileage rider; both of my 1100s' tires are still like new.

 

[Erdoc48]

What Pirelli then Metz and now Shinko? Price / mileage /other?

I’ve used all 3 in the past (and a few sets of each) so in general I go with what’s on sale- I’m a milder rider so I don’t need race tires, just something that will work well for my needs and the occasion when I get stuck riding in the rain. Mileage generally ~ 9K miles if I wear them more fully (as I said, if they’re at minimum tread or mileage, I swap them- 8K is about how far I will run them)

 

[rogo]

I do not ride 2-up, generally light load but do ride the N GA mountains most of the time.

What do you guys like for ride and mileage and cost?

Brian

N GA eats tires for sure. I came close to 7k on a set of Road 5 GTs once.

 

[Uncle Phil]

BT020 Bias on the back, BT3X (flavor of the day) Radial on rhe front.

 

[NobodySpecial]

I haven't found a tire I like better than the Dunlop Roadsmart IV's. Currently at 5,000 miles with approx 2/3 of the to-the-wear-bar tread used. Estimated mileage for me is 7,700 to the wear bars. Based on the other tires I've had on the bike with similiar usage patterns, that is a considerable improvement (I'm averaging 5,500 miles prior to these). I've run:
- Pirelli Angel GT: sticks fine, but not a fan of the last 1/3 of the tire's life. Cupped pretty bad.
- Shinko Verge: had a bad tire (out of round). Didn't like 'em when I had 'em.
- Continental RoadAttack 3: good tire right up to the end, but when they are done the remaining thickness (or lack thereof) is scary! Also it started cracking after a year.
- Dunlop Roadsmart III. I've had (3) sets. Second favorite when it comes to value, third favorite when price is no object.
- Bridgestone T32GT: stiff tire. Not as good of a ride as the Dunlops, but stick just as good. Second favorite "overall", but given that they are price-comparable to the RS4....
- Dunlop Roadsmart IV: current tire. Very happy with it. Very even wearing (most even-wearing tire I've had so far).

I happen to have a set of Metzeler MEZ8 to install. When I ran them on other bikes, they were fine. They are 1.5-2 generations old by now, but I got them for 240 shipped after rebate. I strongly suspect they'll be like the Pirelli Angel GTs. If I knew then (when I purchased them) what I know now, I'd have spent the money on Dunlop Roadsmart IV's.

My riding style, roads, and preferences are not yours but I hope this data is useful.

 

[diferg]

There must be a design flaw in the Honda ST series motorcycles! They ALWAYS need tires. I think I will go ride to see if I can figure it out.

 

[Erdoc48]

There must be a design flaw in the Honda ST series motorcycles! They ALWAYS need tires. I think I will go ride to see if I can figure it out.

Not a design flaw, just fat bikes! I wonder how fast GW tires wear, as that’s a much heavier bike (prior to the most current generation). I figure a set will last me 2 full years of riding at 4K per year.

 

[DannoXYZ]

I got over 14K-miles from Kenda K678 Big Block Paver on my VFR. So looking forward to at least 10K-miles on ST next.

 

[Beeflips]

Right now I am easily over 12,000 on my Dunlop roadsmart 3's, but I'll be replacing them by fall or spring.
Most of my ride is curvy backroads, but I do ride 2 up with my girlfriend quite often. I think I'll stick with the roadsmart's and will look at the IV's.

 

[Ned in Utah]

I've tried about everything on the rims of my V65 Sabre, Concours and now Vger my ST. It's getting harder to find tires that fit the older bikes. After another extensive search, and a couple of misfires, I've finally settled on a Bridgestone Battlax BT45R 110-80/18 on the front. Yes it's designated a “rear” tire. But it's the right size. I mounted it like the arrow shows even though some guys said to mount it backwards and it's been awesome for 11,900 miles. Lots of tread and handles just fine in the mountains where I ride 100% of the time, dry or wet. It'll easily out last two rear tires. I fully expect to get another 5 or 6K+ out of it, so it'll last as long as the rear which is a Bridgestone Battlax T32R 160-70/17 that has about 3000 miles on it now.

 

[Larry Fine]

Yes it's designated a “rear” tire. But it's the right size. I mounted it like the arrow shows even though some guys said to mount it backwards and it's been awesome for 11,900 miles.

Every 'universal' bike tire I have seen shows opposite front vs rear rotation. To wit: