Vredestein Hypertrac All Season Tire

[jodog]

After my first ride the the north of my state, 195 miles and half of it in the dark, I'm very pleased with the car tire.
Thank you, @970mike !!

If you wouldn't mind, could you go for a longer ride and tell us how much tread is left at 30,000?

 

[Sadlsor]

If you wouldn't mind, could you go for a longer ride and tell us how much tread is left at 30,000?

Why certainly, I will.
Between my daily commutes and around-the-state jobs, I'll try to make time for a "real" ride.
It will take me somewhat longer than your IBR buddies, but I'll get there.
Remember, too, that many or most of the miles will be pulling a Bushtec Roadstar, so most riders, including @970mike here, will get more miles from the same tire, than I will.

 

[Da Bear]

I live in the Great North Wet, I want to know how it handles rain. For all the talk about tires, some of us tend to forget that one of the main functions is to pump water off the pavement, away from itself...

 

[Sadlsor]

Today will be our first wet ride. It's stopped raining for now, but the streets are REALLY wet.
But there sure seems to be a lot of rubber on the ground when I'm turning. It's not hard, it doesn't take "more effort" so far as I can tell, and after these few days of riding, I really don't feel like I have to think about it any more.
I'll EDIT and update in about 45 minutes once we get home...
EDIT: it had quit raining by the time I left work, but the streets were still wet. No drama, no slippage in turns or upon braking.
Bottom line -- it's more comfy over bumps for sure, it inspires confidence in corners, and if additional effort is required to tip into a turn, I honestly can't tell. It also holds my set lean with no additional correction.
For this bike, and for pulling my trailer, I really don't see going back to motorcycle tires out back. And note I still have my Michelin Pilot up front, so I can't yet speak to replacing it with an MC rear, as many do.
I won't be going Dark on my GSA, though. Not that I can foresee at this point.

 

[Andrew Shadow]

I live in the Great North Wet, I want to know how it handles rain. For all the talk about tires, some of us tend to forget that one of the main functions is to pump water off the pavement, away from itself...

I would think that most car tires vastly outperform motorcycle tires insofar as water evacuation goes. That would not be be a big concern for me if I was considering going dark.

 

[jodog]

Remember, too, that many or most of the miles will be pulling a Bushtec Roadstar, so most riders, including @970mike here, will get more miles from the same tire, than I will.

Unless you have a couple hundred pounds in that trailer it isn't going to matter.

 

[Sadlsor]

Unless you have a couple hundred pounds in that trailer it isn't going to matter.

I initially thought that way, too... the first indicator of the difference a trailer makes, was the marked decrease in gas mileage.
From pre-trailer 42mpg, to a current average of 32 to 34mpg.
The trailer is not heavy, and my pup only weighs 90lbs.
And the last few hundred miles on my last rear tire seemed to evaporate almost overnight.
But we shall see in 20- to 30k more miles, won't we?

 

[DannoXYZ]

Weight only matters in accelerating and going up-hill. One you're up to speed, weight doesn't matter any more. Aero-drag probably contributes more to extra load than anything else.

 

[jodog]

I initially thought that way, too... the first indicator of the difference a trailer makes, was the marked decrease in gas mileage.
From pre-trailer 42mpg, to a current average of 32 to 34mpg.
The trailer is not heavy, and my pup only weighs 90lbs.
And the last few hundred miles on my last rear tire seemed to evaporate almost overnight.
But we shall see in 20- to 30k more miles, won't we?

I don't know what a trailer does to MPG, but in terms of overall lifespan the trailer isn't going to shorten the length of the car tire nearly as much as the bike tire. I've never had any car tire get less than 30K miles. The Bridgestone DriveGuard RF tire got 36k+. And I changed them before they were completely done.

 

[970mike]

Just over 900 miles on this tire now and I like it.

 

[Da Bear]

I'll get one next spring. I was going to pull the trigger on it today; however my phone took a face plant from 5 feet up. There goes tire money...

 

[Walleye]

I live in the Great North Wet, I want to know how it handles rain. For all the talk about tires, some of us tend to forget that one of the main functions is to pump water off the pavement, away from itself...

AA wet traction rating, highest available.

 

[Sadlsor]

Yesterday I rode another 200 miles on highway, and went from 28 to 30psi, and couldn't feel the difference.
Coming home, there's an interstate merge / interchange I59 East to I459 South, that I usually take at 60-70mph. It's a nice sweeper, not real tight but a real curve of about a quarter mile or so.
I was just "feeling it", not really looking at the speedo, and watching cars to gauge my speed. In the middle of the curve, and at a decent lean angle, passing cars on their left, I just happened to glance at the GPS, which is just barely below my line of sight... I was doing 80 (GPS indicated, not speedometer) and the bike felt as if it was on rails. No mid-corner corrections, no throttle adjustment, just choose my line and roll through it.
This tire lets me hold a cornering line like never before, and is stable as a big rock buried in a hillside.
Nary a twitch or a wiggle, no shiver, no shudder... just a smooth trip and a little nudge to straighten up at the end.
I'm getting more and more impressed with this tire.
Might have to caution myself to not get TOO confident, and do something stupid as a result.

 

[970mike]

Here is a 5000 mile update on this tire. I have found this to be the best handling dark-side tire that I have used so far and I have tried several brands.

This tire has no slow speed bad habits like the others have when going slow over uneven road surfaces. The traction is fantastic on a wet road, I was riding with two others whose bikes slipped on a wet twisty road and they were running Bridgstone and Michelin motorcycle tires.

The tire wear looks good so far and only time will tell how many miles I will get out of it.

I have put this tire through the paces of some very twisty roads now and have full confidence in it. This tire works just as good as my 2012 ST1300 with PR5s on it, I can not tell any difference.

I will post more on this tire as time and mile go up.

 

[Sadlsor]

I have the same review, with just over half those miles. Can't see any wear - none! - and that's even after rolling on it flat for about an eighth of a mile. (Bad valve stem, not an actual tire problem.)
After putting the BT46 rear, on the front this week, the only difference I've found is that I have to put the tire on AFTER I refit the front fender.
The V- rear is stable and predictable, and my only concern is, they'll discontinue this tire before I wear it out.
And this is the only darkside tire I've ever tried.
It's like one of my virtual adventure bike coaches tells us... if you're not sure what line to take through some sketchy hill or trail, invite your buddy to go first.
I'm glad I listened to @970mike !!

 

[SMSW]

I won't be going Dark on my GSA, though. Not that I can foresee at this point.

From the pictures @970mike posted, the tread looks like a 70/30 adventure tire. You might consider it, unless you need a very aggressive knobby.

 

[Obo]

@970mike so how does the Vredestein compare to the BF Goodrich G Force comp2 A?S+ you were riding on?

The BFG is less expensive for me and easier to get up here.

 

[Josh_ST]

At @970mike and @Sadlsor recommendation, I bought one of these from Tire Rack a month or so ago. And thanks to the No Mar I bought from @dlare, it'll be on the STeed come spring as my rear is worn out.

 

[Sadlsor]

At @970mike and @Sadlsor recommendation, I bought one of these from Tire Rack a month or so ago. And thanks to the No Mar I bought from @dlare, it'll be on the STeed come spring as my rear is worn out.

I've used the No Mar many times, although I've never owned one.
Even with my friend - who has changed many more tires than i - doing most of the work, both of us struggled for nearly an hour trying to get the second bead on my ST1300 rim, and ended up taking it to a car tire shop who put it on for ten bucks.
Hope you have better luck, or better outcome.

 

[Obo]

Even with my friend - who has changed many more tires than i - doing most of the work, both of us struggled for nearly an hour trying to get the second bead on my ST1300 rim, and ended up taking it to a car tire shop who put it on for ten bucks.
Hope you have better luck, or better outcome.

I'll find out sooner-ish myself. Just ordered the BFGoodrich - g-Force COMP-2 A/S PLUS for the rear.