[deadheadawakened]

So, I'm reading a ton of different things on here about different tires and how amazing all of them are and blah blah blah, but I've got the plain old Bridgestone Trailwing's on my Wee and they've been amazing! Wondering how anything could possibly be better??? I used to put 500+ miles per week through the winding mountain roads of Washington State while putting the pegs as close to the ground as I could (ground em a few times, hehe) and they NEVER slipped - rain or shine! I don't ride like that anymore, and live in Arizona now, so don't have to worry about the rain. Wellllll, for the most part anyways. ALL of my driving is (and will continue to be) 100% Street.

Current set:
110/80R19 Trailwing 101
150/70R17M/C Trailwing 152

I've got 10,257 miles on the set and the back tire is hardly looking used, but the front is done for - almost bald!


Basically, what I am trying to do is have someone convince me why NOT to just purchase a new Bridgestone Trailwing front tire... I have yet to find any complaints about these and really just want to find something that might even last longer????

 

[chirosyd]

OEM tires

I have 6000 on my 2011 Wee, and have found the tires to be great. Used them rain or shine, street and some hard packed dirt roads, and have found NOTHING to complain about. Unless there are tires out there much cheaper with the same quality, I would definitely purchase the stock tires. :thumbup:

 

[sakebato]

You probably won't find anything to complain about until you try a better tire.
I was content till I tried something different. Now I wouldn't go back.

 

[deadheadawakened]

...Unless there are tires out there much cheaper with the same quality, I would definitely purchase the stock tires. :thumbup:

That's what I'm hoping someone here can offer me!

You probably won't find anything to complain about until you try a better tire.
I was content till I tried something different. Now I wouldn't go back.

...sooooo, what was it that changed your mind??? haha, DETAILS please!!

 

[bizob]

The problem with the trailwings is that towards the end of their life the tire's behavior becomes very unpredictable compared to the previous miles you've put on them. They're good tires until they start to go, but when they do they're downright scary in some conditions. Mine started getting unpredictable (spinning up the rear unexpectedly in the wet, locking the front unexpectedly in the dry etc.) at about 9k with about 2.5-3mm worth of tread left. I thought they had at least 2k more in them, but they just got weird on me. Replaced with tourances and found them to be better in every way. YMMV Some people never have a problem with them.

 

[deadheadawakened]

Mine started getting unpredictable (spinning up the rear unexpectedly in the wet, locking the front unexpectedly in the dry etc.) at about 9k with about 2.5-3mm worth of tread left. I thought they had at least 2k more in them, but they just got weird on me.

Yikes, so far so good with mine.

Replaced with tourances and found them to be better in every way. YMMV Some people never have a problem with them.

How many miles have you put on the Tourances so far?

 

[U.P.Strom]

So, I'm reading a ton of different things on here about different tires and how amazing all of them are and blah blah blah, but I've got the plain old Bridgestone Trailwing's on my Wee and they've been amazing! Wondering how anything could possibly be better??? I used to put 500+ miles per week through the winding mountain roads of Washington State while putting the pegs as close to the ground as I could (ground em a few times, hehe) and they NEVER slipped - rain or shine! I don't ride like that anymore, and live in Arizona now, so don't have to worry about the rain. Wellllll, for the most part anyways. ALL of my driving is (and will continue to be) 100% Street.

Current set:
110/80R19 Trailwing 101
150/70R17M/C Trailwing 152

I've got 10,257 miles on the set and the back tire is hardly looking used, but the front is done for - almost bald!


Basically, what I am trying to do is have someone convince me why NOT to just purchase a new Bridgestone Trailwing front tire... I have yet to find any complaints about these and really just want to find something that might even last longer????

I have often wondered this myself. My experience with the stock tires was very much like yours with great performance in every condtion. My wee always has felt steady as a rock weather its scraping the ocassional peg or high speed super slab runs. Most guys compair worn out tires to new ones and obviously they will feel different.

 

[farmerlou]

Stock Tires

This is not the first time on this forum that I have heard of someone getting more mileage out of their rear tire than they did out of their front tire. This has never happened to me. I would like to hear someone explain how this can happen.

I changed from the stock tires to the Tourance and find that for the price increase of the Tourance over the Bridgestones I get about the same mileage per dollar spent. I do save on not having to pay for as many tire changes using the Tourance since they last longer for me than the Bridgestone. A longer lasting tire may also be of benefit if I was to go on a long trip.

 

[deadheadawakened]

Most guys compair worn out tires to new ones and obviously they will feel different.

EXATCLY!!! Thank you for making me feel like I'm not the only one that feels that way, haha!

...I would like to hear someone explain how this can happen.

I'll look it up later today, but hopefully someone else can explain it first??? My guess would be dry steering??? Ya know, turning the handlebars while not moving, causing tiny amounts of scraping on the tire... But I'm not really buying into that too much, just an idea off the top of my head.


I'm supposed to be doing my homework (accounting/economics) and trying to find reasons to procrastinate...

Thanks for the input guys!

 

[bizob]

I have about 9.5k on my tourances right now with quite a bit more tread depth left than the trailwings at less mileage. I wear my front and rear evenly FWIW. The tourances are just plain stickier or softer new or old than the trailwings in my experience and so far are more predictable and longer lasting. I expect at least 2k more out of these tires, probably more. Not advocating a particular tire or anything, just offering my experience with what I've used. Looking at battlewings next since the price is right and have mostly favorable reviews.

 

[garandman]

I've been using Tourances for several years, including a few track days.

When I switched to Conti Road Attack 2's, I dropped my lap times 2 seconds.

 

[Chuck in Indiana]

Looking at battlewings next since the price is right

I changed from the original Trailwings to Battlewings. My first use was a trip to western MT for the ADVrider West Fest Rally in mid-July. I was heavily loaded, the temps were sometimes very hot and, naturally, the speeds were higher than normal. In 5300 miles, I used 2/3 of the tread depth on the rear tire. I'm expecting that it only has another 2500 miles in it before change. The front still looks pretty good.

Your experience may vary but for that kind of riding, I probably should have been burning up a Trailwing instead of the higher priced Battlewing.

 

[mcdstrom]

My first strom came with the stock trailwings. Wore them out at about 10,000 (cupping on the front was a problem) and tried Tourances. Definitely lasted longer than the trailwings going until 26000. Saw some good reports on the Battle Wings and decided to save some money with them. Only have 4000 miles on them and they look great. I won't know how long they will last since I'm selling that bike.

When the Trailwings on the newer 09 strom wear out, I'll probably try the Battle Wings again.

 

[rdguy]

Well, it's only a single data point, but...

I was in Goose Bay this August, during the two weeks when everybody on the planet wrecked on the TLH. Older fellow (even older than me!) from Ontario rolls up on his Vee, having ridden from Blanc Sablon. On Trail Wings. He didn't seem to have had any issues.

Me? Heidenau Scouts, and a very cautious use of the throttle.

Glenn

I have 6000 on my 2011 Wee, and have found the tires to be great. Used them rain or shine, street and some hard packed dirt roads, and have found NOTHING to complain about. Unless there are tires out there much cheaper with the same quality, I would definitely purchase the stock tires. :thumbup:

 

[khager]

My original TW front lasted about 15K miles and had a lot of uneven wear, I didn't care for the tread pattern at all. The rear TW lasted about 10K miles, but the last 3K miles were leaving me with stains in my pants. The BW's were much better here more predictable down to the end of the tread life, and more even wear, but about the same life 10K. I had BT021 and a BT023 rear which both lasted about 12K miles instead of 10K more money though, but they also stick better on the street and stick good to the end of tread life. Also the BT023 doesn't get near as squared off as the others, much better wear in the center. Now my PR is the best front tire I have ever had it sticks like glue even in the rain, and has the most even tread wear out of all the front tires I have tried TW, BW, and PR, and it has 20K on it with still quite a bit of tread where as the others only lasted 15K. I have another PR in my garage now for the front as soon as this one wears out and I am going to try a PR2 on the rear. I would also like to know how you wear out your front faster than your rear. Are you doing a lot of stoppies? LOL

 

[The Golden Monkey]

I found both the Michelin Pilot Road 2 and the Continental Trail Attack to provide (I think) better traction than the OEM Trailwings, and definitely better feel and predictability, especially near the limits. With the Trailwings I never felt as confident leaning the bike over, because I couldn't tell when they were close to losing traction.

I did get more miles from the Trailwings, though the front started cupping long before the tread was worn down.

 

[deadheadawakened]

My original TW front lasted about 15K miles and had a lot of uneven wear, I didn't care for the tread pattern at all. The rear TW lasted about 10K miles, but the last 3K miles were leaving me with stains in my pants. The BW's were much better here more predictable down to the end of the tread life, and more even wear, but about the same life 10K. I had BT021 and a BT023 rear which both lasted about 12K miles instead of 10K more money though, but they also stick better on the street and stick good to the end of tread life. Also the BT023 doesn't get near as squared off as the others, much better wear in the center. Now my PR is the best front tire I have ever had it sticks like glue even in the rain, and has the most even tread wear out of all the front tires I have tried TW, BW, and PR, and it has 20K on it with still quite a bit of tread where as the others only lasted 15K. I have another PR in my garage now for the front as soon as this one wears out and I am going to try a PR2 on the rear. I would also like to know how you wear out your front faster than your rear.

I found both the Michelin Pilot Road 2 and the Continental Trail Attack to provide (I think) better traction than the OEM Trailwings, and definitely better feel and predictability, especially near the limits. With the Trailwings I never felt as confident leaning the bike over, because I couldn't tell when they were close to losing traction.

I did get more miles from the Trailwings, though the front started cupping long before the tread was worn down.

Hmmm, might have a winner here. I think I'm going to go with a PR after reading this - Thanks guys!

Are you doing a lot of stoppies? LOL

Haha, NOPE! :green_lol: Actually, I can't figure out why this is.... Everyone else on here seems to be quite the opposite of me... Any other ideas why the front tire would wear so much faster???

 

[MaineMan]

Funny you should be mentioning tires. I have put 6-7K total miles on my Wee, I replaced the stock rear tire with a Michelin Pilot Road 3 a few months ago, then just got the front tire replaced yesterday. I didn't notice much difference on the rear tire replacement, but after getting my bike back yesterday, I felt much more confident in turns, it was like it was riding on a rail compared to the front tire that was just replaced (which still had rubber, but was close to the wear indicator). It seemed less mushy in comparison, and seemed easier to lean into a turn.

Maybe this is the difference between end of life and a new tire, but it was more difference than I thought I would even notice.

Mike

 

[RichDesmond]

...Maybe this is the difference between end of life and a new tire, but it was more difference than I thought I would even notice.

Mike

This is a lot of it. Big difference between worn out tires and new ones.

I'm a little odd I guess, in that I thought the stock TWs were fine, but hated the Tourances. For the kind of riding I do on the Strom pure street tires are the way to go, and my next set will be the PR3s.

 

[deadheadawakened]

Thank you everyone!

Okay folks, I've decided to go with the PR2! They just seems like the perfect tire for my style and needs. Once again, thank you so much - see ya around the forum!:mrgreen: