Mixing Tires?

[creggur]

I've never done it, but I've got about 7,000 miles on my Conti Trail Attacks - was gonna give the Tourance Nexts a try - my front is about half-way done, but my rear is squared off badly. Taking a trip up to North Georgia in a couple of weeks to play in the curves for a week, and I don't want to do it on this rear tire, so...

Do I get the Tourance Next rear and run it with the Conti front?

Not be a cheap-ass and just get new tires for one of few weeks a year I really get to enjoy my bike on some curvy roads?

Also, one of the automotive techs that works for me (35 year Harley rider) offered to mount the tires for me, but when I asked him how he balances them said that he thinks balancing tires on a bike is not necessary and he hasn't done it in 30 years. I've always taken my tires to a bike shop to be mounted and balanced. Anybody running unbalanced tires as a common practice?

 

[jrb_nw]

Why not just get a new Trail Attack for the rear to match the half worn front? Change tires when the set is done. Of course if the front is more than half done, or cupping at all I would change out both. I like the feeling of new tires front and rear.

Also, I think you should always balance m/c tires. Adds to smoothness and longevity. Well worth it IMHO.

Sent from my DROID4 using Tapatalk 2

 

[scott123007]

LOL, now that is funny. A Harley rider that doesn't balance tires. Of course not, they don't ride fast enough to need it. On average, with a street bike, tire imbalance really starts to show up upwards of 60 mph.
As to running different tires, no problem.

 

[yz454]

I don,t balance. I spend to much time off road in the mud and crap.

 

[snakebitten]

I'm a notorious "tire mixer" on the Tenere.
(I do require balancing though)

But my mixtures are not street tire combos.
With a K60 front, I've had several different rears.

And with the Karoo3's I'm running now, the front is like brand new and the rear is 3\4's done.
So I will be trying a new Big Block on the rear in about 1000 miles.

I probably get away with this by dialing back my hooligan on tarmac. Although I doubt I could get any witnesses to agree.

 

[True Grip]

A week of curves I'd spring for a set. You'll enjoy yourself more.

 

[thfraser]

Mixing tires should be OK. There are some purists that advise against it.

As far as balancing, some say if you mount the tire correctly, you don't have to worry about it. I have a friend who rides a lot that doesn't balance his tires. I want my tires balanced. If you don't have the tools to balance the tires there are couple of alternatives that I know of.

Dynabeads - I have them in my K60's and I have a smooth ride. They seem to work for me. I know some Goldwing riders that claim that the beads provide some extra mileage out of the tires. One had dynabeads, the other one didn't and there was about a 20% difference in mileage.

Rideon - I never used this, but I have heard from a few folks that they like this for the auto-balancing, like the dynabeads, and the ability to act as a tire sealant in the case of a puncture.

I believe balancing or using some type of dynamic balancing solution is the way to go.

 

[creggur]

Went with the full set of Tourance Next and am gonna let the dealer mount and balance, and do a TB sync while they've got it.

Looking forward to some curvy roads on a freshly flashed, synced, treaded Tenere.

 

[Ramseybella]

I use a 140/80-18 Heidenau K60 on the rear and a 90/90-21 Shinko 705 on the front.

It works on and off road well.

 

[Kelvininin]

I have never had a problem mixing tires, and I use Dynabeads.

No had an issue.