Strom tires (not the same question again, I promise) - Page 2 - Stromtrooper Forum : Suzuki V-Strom Motorcycle Forums

BlueLghtning · #11 01-26-2012, 03:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Judd

Are there any others that have decided that mixing and matching different fronts and rears fits their needs. I ran alot of tires on the DL650 and I've settled on three combo depending on my needs at the time.

Playing around the house {dirt road fun} and for trips under around 4-5K miles- Kenda Big Block front with a Shinko 705 on the rear.

Trips that will inevitably end up on dirt roads but will be under 10K miles- Shinko 705s front and rear. To get that sorta mileage out the rear I have to be very easy on throttle {both accel. and decel. in addition to keeping speeds under 80mph} and I have to run crazy high rear pressures {around 50psi}.

Trips that will be over 10K miles will get a Shinko 705 front and a car tire on the rear. To tell the truth, the car tire really surprised me. I figured I would hate it but would "grin and bear it" for the mileage. No,,,,, the thing actually handles and has great traction on road and if you don't ever do any dirt stuff, it's the perfect rear tire for commuting and even playing in the twisties when running around 20psi. Only drawback on tarmac is the extra reciprocating mass hurting acceleration and the unsprung weight hurting composure at the ragged edge of handling while on rough pavement.

Where the car tire does sorta suck is off road handling {not traction,,, those are two different things though some confuse them alot}. The huge, flat profile catches every rock and rut and it disrupts the ride. Ever had a car with huge front and rear tires? If so, you are used to the term "trammeling" in which large tires hunt and find wear ruts and grooving in the road. Well, the car tire hunts and finds ruts and rock whether you want to find them or not. And like on tarmac, the extra unsprung mass hurts damping when you get into washboard but it's worse because the washboard on dirt roads is usually alot worse than on tarmac. Now, on smoothish dirt and gravel, not bad at all and I think iit may give better traction than a 705 or even the Big Block.

BTW,,,,, has anyone ever run a Shinko 705 front completely out?

I do alot of trips and anytime I start a longish trip I like to start it on new tires front and rear. The most I have put on a front 705 has been around 15K miles and it still had plenty of tread. That tire had a 10K mile trip it pumped up "hard as a rock" for most of the trip along with about 5K miles of playing around the house in various states of inflation ranging from around 20psi when playing on dirt up to around 35 or so normally. So far,,,,, the 705 has been my favorite front by far. Long life, decent traction off road combined with decent traction on road too.

Now if Shinko {or someone, anyone} would just make a Big Block/TKC type rear that would go at least 4K miles {that isn't scarce as hen's teeth and doesn't cost an arm and a leg}.

Hey Judd, you know when I sold Kim my 07 DL650, he kept running the 705's and that original front had 24-25k miles by the time he pulled it off. It still had tread and wasn't nearly dead, but it had been on there so long, he wanted to put a fresh tire on it. That was one of the original bias ply ones too. I know Sarah's 705 front has over 10k on it and you can't even tell. I think mine is getting close and still plenty of tread and life left. I definitely think a 705 front and CT rear could get you some crazy long mileage and decent traction on most things except maybe mud.

I'm surprised the car tire doesn't handle better off road? You think its because your car tire you are running is more sport oriented tire? I think Randyo and who ever else is running that winter tire up in the North with some pretty good lugs on the side is actually reporting some pretty good off-road traction? But of course, we all play on different types of roads in different parts of the US.

Before I switched to the Shinko's my favorite combo was a Anakee front and a Tourance Rear. The Anakee didn't cup as easy as the Tourance and didn't have that "numb" feeling at the end of its life. I've got Anakee's on the bike right now, but only because I got sweet deal on a used set and still had a used rear I needed to run out.

randyo · #12 01-26-2012, 03:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BlueLghtning

r could get you some crazy long mileage and decent traction on most things except maybe mud.

I'm surprised the car tire doesn't handle better off road? You think its because your car tire you are running is more sport oriented tire? I think Randyo and who ever else is running that winter tire up in the North with some pretty good lugs on the side is actually reporting some pretty good off-road traction? But of course, we all play on different types of roads in different parts of the US.

.

my General Altimax Arctic goes well in mud, better than any bike tires I've ever ran

parently you didn't get the jest of Judd's post

don't confuse handling with traction, the car tire gets phenominal traction off road, almost too good, the problem is its wider and doesn't fit in the common single track rut , the tire catches the edge of the rut or a rock that only catches the edge of the tire, makes your back end squirm/bounce around a bit

low speed handling makes you wonder why yer runnin a car tire, soon as you get any speed everything changes

BlueLghtning · #13 01-26-2012, 03:54 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by randyo

my General Altimax Arctic goes well in mud, better than any bike tires I've ever ran

parently you didn't get the jest of Judd's post

don't confuse handling with traction, the car tire gets phenominal traction off road, almost too good, the problem is its wider and doesn't fit in the common single track rut , the tire catches the edge of the rut or a rock that only catches the edge of the tire, makes your back end squirm/bounce around a bit

low speed handling makes you wonder why yer runnin a car tire, soon as you get any speed everything changes

Ah that makes more sense, thanks! I totally missed that when Judd even mentioned the differences. LOL. I rarely take the Strom on an Single track as you are asking for a nightmare if you lose it off to the side of the trail, but wider double track and forest service roads is usually where i go play. Increased traction would definitely be welcome and I understand about the handling now.

Judd · #14 01-27-2012, 04:58 AM

Yep,,,,,, Randyo hit the nail on the head. Traction with the car tire, even my sport oriented tire is fine, but that huge width seriously sucks in rough stuff even when aired down to as low as 15psi {worsens with higher PSI}. As you know, I don't do single track on the DL but I do like playing around on terrian that is a challenge. Have you ever rode the backside of Trey Mountain just north of Helen? Or maybe 28/2 Nimberwill into Old Bucktown {actually, they recently ruined that section by grading it but it used to be fun}, or from there up the backside of Amicolola Falls? They are all forestry service roads but are rarely maintained and sorta rough and challenging on this size bike. Rocks, and ruts from the 4x4s playing and such. Not a challenge on a DRZ or even a DR650 but a serious challenge on a DL and the water breaks on Trey are downright fun.

In that type terrian, the car tire sucks because it's constantly upsetting the bike basically finding and reacting to every largish rock and rut it can possibly find. Now, on the fairly groomed dirt roads like 42, 28 and the part of Trey that parallels 75 the car tire does fine. Maybe better than the 705 possibly, for sure it was better than the Tourance.

I really wish I could find a smaller width car tire to run, especially something like a 175-185 width with a aspect ratio in the 55 range. While I'm dreaming, could I find this in a high void tread type winter/snow tire?

Damn Dan,,,, I'm going off the deep end man. I've gone from dreaming about perfect motorcycle tires to where now I'm dreaming of better car tires to put on the back of the Wee Turd!

randyo · #15 01-27-2012, 11:26 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Judd

Damn Dan,,,, I'm going off the deep end man. I've gone from dreaming about perfect motorcycle tires to where now I'm dreaming of better car tires to put on the back of the Wee Turd!

don't feel lonely, I'm thinkin my next tire will be a studded Nokian Hakkapelliitta

p10dc · #16 01-28-2012, 06:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Judd

Trips that will be over 10K miles will get a Shinko 705 front and a car tire on the rear. To tell the truth, the car tire really surprised me. I figured I would hate it but would "grin and bear it" for the mileage. No,,,,, the thing actually handles and has great traction on road and if you don't ever do any dirt stuff, it's the perfect rear tire for commuting and even playing in the twisties when running around 20psi.:

Judd, i have never heard before about using a car tire on a Strom, could you tell me what kind? If you have a pic even better.

Judd · #17 01-29-2012, 04:21 AM

I bought a Falken something or another. It's a 205/50/17 and I bought because that's what I found nearby for cheap. I would recommend something else as it has a very pronunced rim protector molded into the bead and it makes mounting the tire a bear to do. I wanted to make sure it would even work and figured I at least had a possibility of returning it if I couldn't get it mounted up. I got it mounted and learned a pretty cool trick to make life alot easier but now with some experience, I think I would get a winter/snow tire. Might cost more but it should give better traction off road due to the tread design.

I think RandyO has done just that and I actually read through his posts before trying mine.

Pics-

I was honestly surprised by how good it worked. Like I said, I don't care for how it handles really rough stuff but if your DL rarely hits the rough stuff, I can't see a better option unless you really rail the corners alot and if that's the case, Pilot Powers would be more in line then.

richw · #18 01-29-2012, 09:22 AM

Tire thread alert

I won't be going darkside but

I will be replacing Anakee 2 rear with A pilot road 2 while keeping Anakee 2 front.

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