10,000 mile rear tire?

[advd]

at 6,000 miles, my stock Bridgestone is just about shot.

98% of my riding is street, with the occasional gravel road, and 85% is twisty country roads around the PNW.

I'd really like to find a tire that can be ridden corner to corner, but that lasts 10,000 miles as I can't afford to swap 'em out several times a year.

Any suggestions?

Thanks,

Dave

 

[Swagger]

M8 ... there's no such thing .... not really. Most tires will be squared off and rubbish after 6,000 max. I had a set of Battle Wings up to 4,500 and they became too squirelly in tight corners

 

[MIKE R]

Usually get about 8k out of the rear Metzler Tourance (NOT EXP!) on my 1150GS. I've had these tyres on the S10 for just over 6k, and it looks like I'll be getting similar mileage to the BM. This is all on road riding and on the S10 includes a 3750m ride down to Bosnia from the UK and 1759 around Scotland avoiding motorways and using back roads where ever possible.

In the final analysis, however, I suppose it all depends on how you use your right wrist! ::001:: > ::26::

Mike

 

[sail2xxs]

Dave,

I've had extremely good mileage out of the Heidenau K-60s I use on my S10. The current set has 22k miles on it, and is nowhere near the wear bars. The last set went over 25k miles. They work fine on the street. If you don't want a knobby tread at all, I've had good luck with the Metzler ME880s in the past on my V-Strom. Over 12k miles on the set when I traded the bike, and I think they would easily have gone at least 18k.

Chris

 

[Don in Lodi]

K60. It may not look it, but it does real well on pavememnt, stays hooked up clear to the pegs, awesome on dirt, and will last longer than 10,000 miles. I'm #300, done mostly street, but when I need some off road, I'll spend hours and miles doing it. The rear is still showing a fair amount of tread at ten kay +, two, maybe 3/32". If you can ignore the knobby vibes and howl, it is the perfect tire. ::008::

 

[advd]

Thanks gents, this is a great forum to be sure.

The K60's really last that long? Wow!

Are you buying them from Jaxon?

I don't mind the knob at all, as long as I can still corner aggressively with them. Do they vibrate a bunch more? That center "rib" looks like it would keep the vibes down. It is a nice looking tire.

 

[~TABASCO~]

I currently have about 10,600 on my first set... Still going !

 

[Don in Lodi]

Thanks gents, this is a great forum to be sure.

The K60's really last that long? Wow!

Are you buying them from Jaxon?

I don't mind the knob at all, as long as I can still corner aggressively with them. Do they vibrate a bunch more? That center "rib" looks like it would keep the vibes down. It is a nice looking tire.

Jaxon sold me mine. A 'bunch more' is so subjective. Compared to a true knobby, no. Compared to a new ME880, hell yes. (I too recommend the ME880) New vs new anything, yes. But I do have to say it seems to cycle as it wears. They were not bad new, got worse, howled like crazy, on the verge of tossing them loud, then the last thousand or so they've gotten quiet, vib-y, but quiet.

 

[thfraser]

I have 5k on mine and I have tons and tons of tread left. They have a couple of vibration points. They have a little road vibration omewhere around 22 to 25 MPH and at 5 MPH and less.

When I first got mine, I thought that the were terrible, the ride was not good and it had a vibration to it. I believe the had a flat spot that I had to work out of them as they are a hard tire. I ended up putting about 500 miles on them and they smoothed out significantly during that time. I'm very happy with them now.

 

[Mikef5000]

Too many variables.

If you're light, on good roads, and easy on the throttle, there are tons of 10k+ mile tires available. If you're heavy handed, carry a lot of weight (2-up/luggage/whatever), or have rough asphalt, then it may be impossible.

For pavement only, I'd go with Pilot Road 3's.
For mixed riding, the K60's can't be beat, although I don't love them. They don't feel great on pavement, although in the dry they can be pushed hard. Wet pavement they are just about dangerous though.

For reference though... I got 10,500 miles out of the factory Battlewings, and the front and rear wore out at about the same rates.
My K60's are NOT going to make it to the 10k mile mark. Well, the rear's not, but the front will easily last through another rear. But I ride the piss out of them, constantly spinning up the rear off pavement, and on wet pavement.

 

[markjenn]

You can't talk about absolute mileages with tire brands/models (too many variables beyond the tire) but if I were buying a mainstream dual-sport tire for my S10 and mileage is a priority, I'd get Tourances (not EXP). Based on what I've seen/heard, they should do 50% or so better than Bridgestones. Very good tires, just wish they were cheaper.

- Mark

 

[MikeBear]

::026:: on PR3s. Got rear PR3 sitting in the garage waiting for front one(revzilla is out of stock on them)
I hear people get 8-14k on them, so I guess I will get more.

 

[MrTwisty]

::026:: on PR3s. Got rear PR3 sitting in the garage waiting for front one(revzilla is out of stock on them)
I hear people get 8-14k on them, so I guess I will get more.

I got about 4K out of PR3's on my FJR, but I'm kinda hard on tires.

 

[EricV]

Ya think? Most people get well over 8k out of those, if not 10k+ ;D

I got nearly 12k from my first set of K60s, but more like 8k from the second set, mostly because their first 2k was at triple digit NV speeds over corse roads at higher temps.

There are some more street oriented options that might or might not suit your needs. PR2 rear, PR3 front is one, Avon Storm 2 rear, Avon Azaro front is another. (neither the Storm2 or the Azaro are offered in both front and rear sizes, but both are very proven Sport-Touring rubber)

As has been said, a lot of tire wear is in the wrist. If you're an aggressive throttle guy, the tires will wear faster. If you ride The Pace, the tires will last longer, and most won't be able to keep up with you in the twisties.

Typically Tourances last longer than the EXP version, (as Mark said). Anakee2s have a good rep on the 1200GS bikes, but I haven't tried them. My wife gets a very consistent 11k from her Conti Trail Attacks, but on a 650GS and she is not an aggressive rider, at all. But she rides 98% pavement too. They do square off, but do quite well in the handling and wet until fully worn.

 

[RED CAT]

Michlin Anakee 2s. Get 12,000kms of aggresiveness out of them.Most aggresive Street Tire for gravel roads. Like them better than Tourances. Rear Tourances wear Flat in the middle over time. The Anakees do not. The front Tourances wobble at slow speed with no hands steering when a little worn. The Anakees do not. IMHO. ::001::

 

[Boondocker]

You guys are hard on tires. Abrasive road surfaces? Aggressive throttle?
I got 12,000 miles, down to the wear bars, on the OEM Battlewings, including about 2,000 miles 2-up, fully loaded in the southwest summer.
What's my secret?


I keep them inflated to max pressure and ride like an old lady. ::021::

 

[Don in Lodi]

8200 out of my rear EXP. I too have wondered what all y'all are doing to this poor machine of ours. It's not a crotch rocket...

 

[tomatocity]

8500 miles on the stock BW "E" load rated rear tire. 4500 miles on a BW with no displayed load rating. Currently have K60's front and rear.

 

[Curt]

Got 4000 from a set of K60's. Found out that wheelie attempts cause the rubber to slough right off. As it does so, it feels like it's slipping on an oily surface.

 

[MikeBear]

I got about 4K out of PR3's on my FJR, but I'm kinda hard on tires.

PR3trails is harder tire, so you should get more out of them.