Tires That Fit - The List

[Dallara]

Re: Tires available in Super10 sizes, a comprehensive list

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How's this for a Metzler Z6...

That was near new tire (less than 500 miles) on my ol' BMW R1150R, and from a ride up in the Texas Hill Country back in 2006. It was properly inflated, etc., and had no punctures or other damage from outside sources. Though it's my bike I actually wasn't riding it at the time (I was on my '06 FJR1300). I had brought the bike to this organized ride I used to throw as a spare. A riding buddy of mine had his Triumph Triple act up so he was on the Beemer. I was riding along with him, and the tire showed no signs of distress until Paul just pulled over. He said it just started handling goofy as all get out, and so he pulled over to see what the hell was wrong. When he first pulled off the road the tire looked completely normal, but as it quickly cooled it did what you see in the picture... Literally deforming before our eyes as we were getting the cameras out.

The bead never completely popped off the rim, and after the tire cooled we re-aired it, and it *looked* fairly normal. Still noticeably *lumpy*, but rideable. After much discussion between a bunch of us the decision was made to actually ride it back to the motel, which fortunately was only a few miles away. Paul rode the bike back (I volunteered, since the bike was mine, but he insisted) at about 20 - 30 MPH all the way, with me following right behind to watch for any oddities. He said it rode like a vibrator all the way back, but it got him there safely.

Once I was back home I took the wheel and tire back to my dealer buddy where I bought and had it mounted. Once Metzler saw the pictures like the one above they *INSTANTLY* warrantied the tire, sent me a new one, and paid for all shipping, installation, etc. And they wanted the tire back, sending a call tag, etc. to have it shipped back them ASAP. They promised to let me know the findings of their analysis and give me an explanation of what happened, but they never did.

I always wondered if they wanted the tire back so they could really examine and analyze the failure or whether they simply wanted to abscond with the evidence so there could be nothing out there that might foster a lawsuit or bad publicity.

Just goes to show you even a brand new tire can go wonky, and I thought you guys would enjoy the pic...

Back to your regularly scheduled programming! ::025::

Dallara




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[20valves]

Re: Tires available in Super10 sizes, a comprehensive list

That is the craziest tire failure I've ever seen. ???

 

[Dallara]

Re: Tires available in Super10 sizes, a comprehensive list

That is the craziest tire failure I've ever seen. ???

Yeah, it was for me, too. That was the 2nd Metzler Z6 on that bike (it came with Z4's, IIRC), and I ran the Z6 they replaced it with until it wore out. After that, though, I mounted up some different skins!

Dallara



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[viewdvb]

Re: Tires available in Super10 sizes, a comprehensive list

Thanks for the input guys. To avoid misunderstanding, I wasn't asking for tread in the centre. If the manufacturer deems it OK to do without - so be it. Racing slicks used to have small circular dimples in my day to determine how worn they were and that's what I was asking for. Just 2 or 3 around the circumference would do. There is NO OTHER SAFE WAY to determine how much rubber is left and I sure as hell wouldn't wait for a change in rubber quality/appearance just before it reaches the cords. This is no small thing as you really do need to know what sort of mileage is left before you set off on a longish one.
Regarding the deflated Z6, I have had two Dunlops deflate without a puncture because there was a moulding fault that left an air passage from the inside to just below the new outer surface. When enough rubber was worn off, down they went. Unlike Metzler, Dunlop tried every excuse to avoid replacing the tyres despite one of their major distributors stating enequivocally that there was a defect but they finally capitulated in each case. The second time was a little easier because now they looking at a second identical defect that kind of proved the point.

 

[Dallara]

Re: Tires available in Super10 sizes, a comprehensive list

...Regarding the deflated Z6, I have had two Dunlops deflate without a puncture because there was a moulding fault that left an air passage from the inside to just below the new outer surface. When enough rubber was worn off, down they went. Unlike Metzler, Dunlop tried every excuse to avoid replacing the tyres despite one of their major distributors stating enequivocally that there was a defect but they finally capitulated in each case. The second time was a little easier because now they looking at a second identical defect that kind of proved the point.

Funny you mention that...

A mechanic at the shop where I bought the tires and had 'em mounted - a guy by the way I've known since 1972, and is one of the best wrenches I know, and we used to race against each other - told me that he had never seen at contort itself into a weird shapes like the Z6 in the pic, but he did tell me he had seen a couple of new tires go south really quick like that. One of them he said when they pulled off the rim you could easily seen how literally the rubber surface area of the tire had become detached from the carcass body, but it had dumped the air quickly. Regarding my Z6 he postulated that perhaps something similar had happened in just a small area, allowing the tire to leak down enough to start handling squirrelly, then as the air went down the tire got really, really hot... which made the deformation worse... which further increased the heat... etc. Sort of getting itself into a "runaway" situation.

He further figured it had gotten so hot that when it was stopped and began to cool quickly that's what caused it to twist itself into such a bizarre shape.

We had no evidence that's what happened, but it sounded like as good a theory as any to me.

Dallara



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[Jap_STi_3]

Re: Tires available in Super10 sizes, a comprehensive list

Help Guy's I need some tyres that can cope with the snow and 50/50 on off road as have some fun rides coming up that the Anakees can't deal with.

 

[Jap_STi_3]

Re: Tires available in Super10 sizes, a comprehensive list

Well being the impatient git I am, I have ordered Continental TKC80's being fitted Thursday ::008::

Anyone using / used them and any feedback much appreciated ::021::

 

[greg the pole]

Re: Tires available in Super10 sizes, a comprehensive list

Mitas Dakar.
No center strip unlike the k60, better life, and cheaper.
it's my next set of tires


http://www.mx1canada.com/mitas-adventure-and-safari-tires/

 

[EricV]

Re: Tires available in Super10 sizes, a comprehensive list

Mitas Dakar.
No center strip unlike the k60, better life, and cheaper.
it's my next set of tires


http://www.mx1canada.com/mitas-adventure-and-safari-tires/

Interesting, please define better life. Road/dirt percentage, your reference for the Mitas. These have been hard to get in the US, so not a lot of info available.

 

[greg the pole]

Re: Tires available in Super10 sizes, a comprehensive list

i have not used the mitas yet, but the tread pattern looks like it would be better off road.
my % is 60 on road, 40 off.
I'm expecting to get 13km out of the k60, something closer to 15-17km out of the rear would be really good.
and better wet grip

 

[EricV]

Re: Tires available in Super10 sizes, a comprehensive list

i have not used the mitas yet, but the tread pattern looks like it would be better off road.
my % is 60 on road, 40 off.
I'm expecting to get 13km out of the k60, something closer to 15-17km out of the rear would be really good.
and better wet grip

Let me re-phrase; Why do you think the Mitas will offer you better tread life than the K60? I'm getting 19km out of the K60 rears with a higher percentage of pavement. Do you dig in the dirt a lot or cover really rocky terrain?

 

[greg the pole]

Re: Tires available in Super10 sizes, a comprehensive list

i'm at about 60% road, 40% off road. The majority gravel, some river washings thrown in. Very little technical trails due to the sheer size of the bike.
I'm happy with my k60, but i'm also happy about a different 50/50 tire.
With my riding I doubt I will get 15xxxkm out of the rear, time will tell.
the tenere is the slowest bike in the garage, but I don't putter around on it.
I pulled my shinko rear with about 7500km on the back and it was done. Granted it's not the same quality as the k60.
The biggest problem we face up here is a lack of selection, and pricing for the k60. The best deal I found locally was for a pair of k60 for $330 all in.

 

[Checkswrecks]

Re: Tires available in Super10 sizes, a comprehensive list

K60s went up in price and that's the going number at this point (+/-)

 

[liguorien]

Re: Tires available in Super10 sizes, a comprehensive list

I've been rolling on a set of K-60 for about 5000 Km now....
But I'm looking at geting something a bit more off road oriented that i can put on to start/finnish the season.

I'm thinking something like a set of Pirelli Scorpion Rally, Or a set of Kenda big blocks.
The Kenda are about 35$ cheaper then the pirelli.

Anyone can tell me what sort of tire life (depending on terrain) they've been geting on a set of those ?
Thanks

 

[eemsreno]

Re: Tires available in Super10 sizes, a comprehensive list

I run K60s now and my last one got 14,000 miles.[rear]
The rear Big Block I ran got 3,000 and was shot.
That said I just loved the Big Block, It was great on road and off, I would run them always if they would last longer.

 

[EricV]

Re: Tires available in Super10 sizes, a comprehensive list

I guess that's part of the equation, time. The time it takes you to wear out a set of tires is going to impact your willingness to spend the money on tires that have a given tread life. I've been riding 30-40k miles a year over the last few years, with a lot of pavement. So for me, a set of tires every 3-4 months with K60s. I could not afford rubber if I was running Kenda Big Blocks and swapping tires every 3k miles or so. I go on longer rides than that, but those rides mostly don't need big blocks either, so for me that's the big value in the K60s beyond them just lasting, they hold up to pavement use too while still giving me much better off pavement traction than anything else I've tried so far. I love the grin I get when I'm in the middle of a long pavement ride and end up on a dirt road, flogging the bike up a hill in TCS2 and have total confidence with the K60s. ::26::

 

[snakebitten]

Tires available in Super10 sizes, a comprehensive list

I guess that's part of the equation, time. The time it takes you to wear out a set of tires is going to impact your willingness to spend the money on tires that have a given tread life. I've been riding 30-40k miles a year over the last few years, with a lot of pavement. So for me, a set of tires every 3-4 months with K60s. I could not afford rubber if I was running Kenda Big Blocks and swapping tires every 3k miles or so. I go on longer rides than that, but those rides mostly don't need big blocks either, so for me that's the big value in the K60s beyond them just lasting, they hold up to pavement use too while still giving me much better off pavement traction than anything else I've tried so far. I love the grin I get when I'm in the middle of a long pavement ride and end up on a dirt road, flogging the bike up a hill in TCS2 and have total confidence with the K60s. ::26::

One of the best K60 explanations I've heard

 

[liguorien]

Re: Tires available in Super10 sizes, a comprehensive list

::026::
Don't get me wrong, I really love my K-60.
I'm simply trying to find a set a bit more agressive for the greasy stuff...
And, during the summer, I'm gonna put back my K-60 beacause tey work great in the dry stuff....

 

[snakebitten]

Tires available in Super10 sizes, a comprehensive list

::026::
Don't get me wrong, I really love my K-60.
I'm simply trying to find a set a bit more agressive for the greasy stuff...
And, during the summer, I'm gonna put back my K-60 beacause tey work great in the dry stuff....

Totally understand.
If I was 90/10 the other way around, I would get the biggest knurliest knobbiest tires I could squeeze on those spokes.

 

[EricV]

Re: Tires available in Super10 sizes, a comprehensive list

::026::
Don't get me wrong, I really love my K-60.
I'm simply trying to find a set a bit more agressive for the greasy stuff...
And, during the summer, I'm gonna put back my K-60 beacause tey work great in the dry stuff....

So do you think the 3k life of the Kenda Big Blocks would meet your needs for the wet season?

This also goes back to the Mitas, with them not having the center rib, they are supposed to bite better, but I haven't seen any reports of what kind of tread life they offer.