Best economical rear tire for mostly on road use?

[treybrad]

Here is the mileage I have gotten from the rear tires I have used so far...

For more data points, here are my tire records:

OEM Bridgestone BT-023 - 7,936 miles (admittedly could've done more miles, I just didn't like them )

PR3 Rear - 11,213 miles

PR3 Front - 15,467 miles

Pirelli Angel GT Rear - 6,849 miles

PR4 Rear - 10,680 miles

PR4 Front - 17,529 miles

Conti Motion Rear - 6,561 miles

trey

 

[turbodieseli4i6]

Here's my rear tire replacement list.
Bridgestone BT-023 - 11,584.
Michelin PR3- 10,716
Michelin PR4- 9,771
Michelin Commader 2 - 1,427 and counting.

 

[mreric]

seem like the conti motion tire is the tire to have if you are willing/able to change your own tire. they seem to wear out sooner then other tires your guys are reporting.

 

[netizen]

Fyi. Cupping is usually caused by under inflated tires.... Having said that under inflated is subject to your preference.... but lower pressures will cause cupping

 

[wickerman]

Well I bite the bullet and ordered a set of Michelin PR4s today. I figured steel belt showing through was a sign it was time.

 

[ddennis669]

Search for the Most Economical Tire Continues.

Fyi. Cupping is usually caused by under inflated tires.... Having said that under inflated is subject to your preference.... but lower pressures will cause cupping

Yeah I'm pretty familiar with it. My 250 Ninja would cup front tires at anything shy of 45 psi. I did manage 16,000 miles out of a front Avon Roadrider though, so I can get right every now and then.

I ran 42 psi consistently in the rear Conti as I had on the stock Metzler, a Full Bore, and 2 Shinko Ravens. Not enough air for my 230 pounds I guess on this tire. Might explain why the ride felt so delightful for 3000 miles. My front Conti Motion developed a leak so instead of replacing the rear with another Conti as I had plannned, I took them both off yesterday with 4886 miles and installed a pair of Shinko Advance 005s. Clearly the Contis are a tire that works very well for a lot of people. For me, they didn't significantly better than the other tires I have used, so off to try .......

SOME OTHER CHEAP TIRES
Almost as cheap as the Contis or Ravens, the Shinko Advance 005s cost $156 delivered. I ordered them from AmericanMotoTire.com in Tucson on Sunday night and they were on my front porch at 11 AM Tuesday.

They mounted and balanced up well. (Seated at 15 psi BTW. Is every one using No-Mar tire paste?) Put 300 miles on them Wednesday riding over to the Central Valley and back to the coast. 120 miles of highway mixed up with 180 miles of windy mountain roads. They felt good. Maybe not as responsive as the Contis, yet quicker and more supple than Ravens.

Shinko claims they are an intermediate tread. Will see how long these last.

 

[Beemerphile]

I think the cheapest tires are the ones that are most likely to keep me from scuffing up the shiny bits or testing my medical insurance. For me, that is looking like Pilot Road 4's. High mileage, but high cost. On dry streets I don't ride aggressively enough to tell the good ones apart, but I find a significant difference in the wet. The cost difference is only about $4 per month vs. inexpensive tires. I'll gladly pay it.

(and yes, I am a huge fan of No-Mar paste. My large bottle of RuGlyde hasn't been opened since)

 

[Olythom]

I have a set of RoadSmart II's out in the shop as my next set of tires. I got them at a decent price and their reviews (and design strategy / sales brochures) point towards high mileage. If the reviewers are right, they should turn out to be an economical commuter tire. My stock tires are just about done (4600 miles) so I will be starting a live tire test in the next couple of months.

Has anyone run them on an NC yet?

 

[Old Can Ride]

One of the features of being short, fat, and ugly is that I wear out any brand of rear tire at about 8,000 miles. Never found an answer to this problem. Price does not seem to distinguish one tire from the other, 8,000 miles and the rear tire is gone.

 

[Fuzzy]

One of the features of being short, fat, and ugly is that I wear out any brand of rear tire at about 8,000 miles. Never found an answer to this problem. Price does not seem to distinguish one tire from the other, 8,000 miles and the rear tire is gone.

Maybe it is the "ugly" part. I'm not short or fat and my tires don't last any longer.

 

[TCRider]

I'm currently running a set of Shinko 009 tires front and rear. I only have about 500 miles on them but they sure feel good. Anxious to see how they last.

 

[JimbosToys]

I am doing something wrong. My front Conti is going strong, but I am only getting 3-4000 on my rear(s). I am not a hard rider, only 170#, but occasionally load with a rear passenger (130#) and 20-50# of luggage. Unintentionally went to cords once. Center wears out and squares off. Try to keep pressure at 40-42 psi.
Bad luck? Bad tires? Fat ***?!

 

[rippin209]

I am doing something wrong. My front Conti is going strong, but I am only getting 3-4000 on my rear(s). I am not a hard rider, only 170#, but occasionally load with a rear passenger (130#) and 20-50# of luggage. Unintentionally went to cords once. Center wears out and squares off. Try to keep pressure at 40-42 psi.
Bad luck? Bad tires? Fat ***?!

I just bought another Michelin pilot road 4. The last one had over 12,000 miles on it, that's by far the least I've gotten out of one of those, previously I've gotten between 17,500 and 22,000 miles from them. I don't use my rear brake unless emergency braking and I with 230lb dressed in gear, I also have my wife on the back sometimes but not often, also keeping my air pressure between 40-42psi
That Michelin is a street only tire although I've taken it on logging roads and such. To give you an idea of how aggressive my riding must have been the last 6 months (12,000 miles or so) I had installed a set of semi sintered brake pads on the front that I completely used up in 9,000 miles
EBC Brakes FA196 Disc Brake Pad Set Amazon.com: EBC Brakes FA196 Disc Brake Pad Set: Automotive
P.S. I wouldn't recommend the brake pads

 

[JimbosToys]

Here is the mileage I have gotten from the rear tires I have used so far. A lot of the use on these tires was a daily highway commute and a couple long tours. I know a lot of people get better mileage than I do, but this would be a way you might be able to compare different tires. All of these were worn the Tread Wear Indicators.

Stock Metzler, 5206 miles
Full Bore M-1, 4818 miles
Shinko Raven #1, 9212 miles
Shinko Raven #2, 7210 miles (used for a coast to coast ride two up)
Conti Motion, 4412 miles to date. Based on measured tread I expect it to last about 5500 miles.

The Metzler worked well but with the short life I couldn't justify the high replacement cost so I tired the Full Bore which was the cheapest tire AmericanMotoTire.com had at the time. A nice ride and handling but short life.

Searching for longer life I tried the Ravens. They wore well but have a wider, flatter profile and a harder rubber so they handle slower.

I really liked the way the Conti handled. However, by 3000 miles it had squared off and began to "cup". I'm going try a second one hoping the last wasn't normal.

Ddennis669 - I need a new rear and disappointed with my Continental Morions. How's your Raven/Continental comparison going?
Jim

 

[mreric]

i have been pretty happy with the rear conti motion.

pretty cheap. the ride is pretty good. but i think i will only get about 10-12k out of them.

as for the front conti motion i have to return it due a defect, it created a crazy wobble at around 35mph when slowing down. got a Michelin pilot in the front now.

 

[JimbosToys]

Fyi - apparently American Motor Tire doesn't have our rear Conti Motion on its site now? Whazzup?

 

[Grey1one]

Weird, they have 150 & 170 but 160 is missing.

 

[Heavy-H]

I had to go to Dennis Kirk last rear tire... AMT didn't show it...

 

[SergeantChuck]

I know there are a lot of Conti Motion fans but I am not one of them. I'm on my first set and I just don't like them. I have about 4K on the front and 2K on the rear so not a lot of miles yet but I'll be going back to the PR4s. I've lost traction twice on wet roads at speeds and places that have never been a problem in the past. It could be my imagination but my ride now feels much more rough. Like more of the roads impurities are making its way through the bike and handle bars.

Obviously, everyone has there own option and should make there own determination. I personally will be going back to the PR4. Some don't like that tire for reasons other than the cost so it is a matter of taste. I still plan to report on mileage. I always got 14K out of a PR4. We'll see how the Conti compares.

 

[Jguarfn28]

I just got my second rear Shinko 705 because they hold the road in a dry gravelly climate like NM. It's lasted over 10k for me.


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