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WOW New Tires

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mattmuir

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Just picked up the bike today after having new Metzler's put on the front and back...880's. It's a whole new world. When I got the bike in May the tires had 8200 mi on the OEM tires, 2000 Ultra. In fairness I had no idea how the bike should ride and was told the rear tire was squared but had a few thousand more miles on it. I put 2000 mi on it and the wear bars showed. It needed inspected so I had them put two new on. It felt like a nimble lighter bike on the way home. No more tar snake wobble or groove hunting. If I would have known the difference I would have done this in June. I almost lean too much now:D
 
New tires are sweet! Metzlers are good but so are the OEM Harley Dunlops I have tried both and I like the Harley Dunlops 402s.
 
99rkc said:
New tires are sweet! Metzlers are good but so are the OEM Harley Dunlops I have tried both and I like the Harley Dunlops 402s.
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Yeah no slam on Dunlops meant. I asked the shop owner what tires he puts on most bikes. His comment was that prior to the Dunlop strike he did 100% OEM. Durring the strike he was able to get Metzlers and many of the riders never looked back. They are on his bike so I decided to give them a whirl. I am sure the Dunlops are just as good,just different.
 
Metzler tires and good and Dunlop tires are also very good. The reason is many riders run the their tires to or beyond the tread wear indicators or less than 1/16". Less tread means more rubber contact, but less side by side resistance to absorb the tendancy to squirm at speed or get slippery in the wet. :11:

That difference has probably lot more due to the improvement (feel) between overly worn out and the fresh rubber compound and full tread profile (just don't push that new rubber too far until you get about 100 miles or so) this is to ensure the compound has heated enough to cure the surface, they can be quite slippery (tires composition is basically a petroleum (read oil) based rubber compound. :s
 
A new set of tyres will always feel really good in comparison with the old worn out ones
Ensure you take it easy on the new tyres for at least 100 miles to allow them to settle in and keep a close eye on the pressures for a few weeks

Brian
 
The best part of new tires is going around corners after scuffing in tread. It like a new bike all over again. So effortless to ride..
 
mattmuir said:
In fairness I had no idea how the bike should ride
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Oh, boy, I'm sure glad you wrote that! Now I don't feel so bad!

I just got a new rear tire earlier this year. When I drove it on some rain grooves, on a section I ride every day, the bike started dancing around and didn't hold a line as is routine.

My old tire was so bad that it had been slipping, and now that I had tread I was actually sticking to the road!
 
Labor day weekend the local Harley shop had buy one get one free I was going to change this winter I changed my mind did it right then What a difference it felt like a new bike would have liked to have a hundred miles on it befor the rain but took it easy it was good Russ
 
The Tourist said:
Oh, boy, I'm sure glad you wrote that! Now I don't feel so bad!

I just got a new rear tire earlier this year. When I drove it on some rain grooves, on a section I ride every day, the bike started dancing around and didn't hold a line as is routine.

My old tire was so bad that it had been slipping, and now that I had tread I was actually sticking to the road!
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Tourist, what you experienced with rain grooves is related to the new tread pattern, and here is where I like the new OEM Dunlops...the ribbed pattern does not give the "wandering" feel nearly as much as the new Metzlers, although spirited rides in the twisties with new Metzlers felt more solid than the Dunlops ...JMHO! :s
 
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