I was at a safety course last weekend hosted by the local police. They mentioned they have tubeless run flat tires on their bikes that can run up to 50miles at 50mph with no air pressure. Does anyone know the details of what brand, cost, performance when inflated, etc are? My only fear in riding is having a front tire blow out on a slab doing 75. I can be more common in Arizona where it's 110deg.
Dunlop makes, or used to at least, a run-flat tire for Police bikes. It may have required a special rim, though.
For the rear, at least, you might want to look into a dark-side run-flat.
I was very happy with the Metzeler Tourance NEXT tires front and rear for street use. Just about perfect for me, ok for some gravel. It's a 95/5 street biased tire. I'm currently running the old standard Tourance 80/20 to explore more forest service roads.
I'll throw in some love for a Shinko 705. Good in gravel, good on pavement, I get about 5000 miles out of one (with a lot of two-up and loaded riding), and they're inexpensive. I like them better than the Battlewings I'm currently running on.
Back in the day, people would mix tires: a hard, long wearing Metzler on the rear and a softer Michelin Anakee on the front. The thinking was that both would wear out at the same time rather than the normal 2:1 ratio.
You weren't courting disaster. Those Experts you encountered are informed by what they have heard and read. I see so many riders out there who use track-day tires on every-man roads which are never swept on Sunday mornings. But that is a fashion born between the pages of motorcycle reviews written about a super bike ridden on a track in Spain on press day. Don't get me wrong, I like nice tires and I refresh them before the bitter end. But there is nothing wrong with mixing tires. Front and rear tires have different job descriptions. So the next time the experts challenge you just mention the fact that MotoGP bike commonly run with different tires front to back. //end rant//
I think you'll like them. They're a little more buzzy than something like a Battlewing because of the tread pattern, and they tend to fall into a turn more abruptly than other brands (though it may not be as noticeable since you won't have a 705 on the front).
I put a set on before a trip to Maine last year. All loaded two up riding on everything from dry concrete to wet dirt, and never had a single "oh crap" moment. I really like them. And being able to buy a set of them for what you pay for one tire from other brands is a nice incentive.
I have never had a bead come off the rim but I was driving on Interstate in Dayton, OH in heavy traffic. Guy on a bike passing everyone left lane ran over something that flattened both tires, rear bead came off. No idea how the guy kept control of the bike but he got it stopped still upright. As a long time rider, it was frightening to me, had to terrify him! Worst I have experienced is riding twisties in MO and picked up a 6" concrete screw, went in left side of tread and out the side wall, not repairable of course. Got stopped no problem.
I ran the Tourance Next F&R last year and loved them. I will be swapping them out for Mitas E07s for my Alaska Trip this summer, but will ride on the Next until then and when I get back.
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