Another Can't find tires for my bike thread

[nautec]

I am now going through the troubles everyone else is having now. Can't find tires and tubes for this bike. So here is what I got so far.

JCWhitney has the Kenda K671 front (100/90/16) in stock since it has been mentioned before that this size fits without a hitch and a K671 Rear (130/90/15) in stock.

JCWhitney refuses to help me look for a tube because they claim that the tire is tubeless and a tube will not work. So I am at lost trying to find a right tube through JCWhitney.

BikeBandit has a Michelin 100/90/16 tube available but no 130/90/15 tube in stock.

JCWhitney sells the 16" rim strips but no 15" rim strips.

So my question are:

A) The Kenda K671 (100/90/16 & 130/90/15) should work right?
B) Where the heck can I find a 130/90/15 or MT90-15 inner tube?
C) Can I use a 16" rim strip on a 15" rim if trimmed down? I don't have any experience with rim strips.

Since this is my first bike and I noticed there are cracks in the sidewall and I have no experience with motorcycle tires, any help is appreciated. There is no Suzuki dealer in Tucson, AZ and all the local stores would have to order. Since the tire pair cost $102 and most dealers in town want to charge that for one tire, I am trying to order everything online. Thanks for the help!

[bonehead]

Try Bike Bandit or motorcycle-superstore. I just ordered a Dunlop GT-501 front, it came in 110-90-16. Tubes should not be that hard to find. I know lots on here change tube, rim ring and tire all at once, but I am a firm believer in "if it ain't broke, don't fix it." I just plan on changing the tires. If it needs something else I will go from there.

[nautec]

Whats everyone thought on running different front and rear tire models? For Bike Bandit, if I did the Dunlop GT-501, I would probably have to get the Dunlop D404 for the rears.

[GZ250]

My local dealer was selling me the same tires but I found them cheap at bike bandit. I also bought the tubes from them. I called them and the guy was very helpful in finding the right size and tube. Almost a year now and the are good in everything.

You can have different type/model of tires and its ok.


Shinko 230 Tourmaster (rear)
Continental Ultra TKV 11/12 (front)

[nautec]

Bike Bandit said they were on back order for Metzeler 130/90/15 tubes. That's what prompted me to find somewhere else to buy tubes. Come to think about it, do I really NEED to replace the tubes if they are 7 years old. Intuition says yes but, if it ain't broke...

[Easy Rider]

Whats everyone thought on running different front and rear tire models?

No problem. You will likely notice a difference in handling but that often happens just with a fresh set of the "same" tires.

You should be able to get tubes and rim strips through ANY non-HD dealer. The price can't be THAT much different.

When you get these tires, who is going to install them ?? If it's not you, then they might have tubes and rim strips too.

While it is not necessary to get new tubes, not having them on hand is a gamble. If one is damaged in removal, you might be without a ride for several days.

And, lastly, small cracks in the sidewalls, more or less uniformly distributed, are usually NOT a sign of a problem. If the tires are less than 5 years old, that alone is likely NOT a good reason to change them out. Random, deep cracks are quite another matter.

[nautec]

How about 7 years old with 5000 miles on them? I bought it used from some guy who put 4600 miles on them because he used it as a Circle K beer run instead of his Harley Softtail.

The fact that its 7 years old with still good amount of tread to pass and slight hairline cracks around the sidewall prompted me to start researching tires. Funny how bike parts can add up quickly. If I purchase tires and labor through my local shop, it would cost roughly $350 which would be 20% of the cost I paid for the bike :tongue:

[blaine]

With tires & tubes that old I would replace the tubes at the same time.Tubes that are 7 years old have done their job.I would also change the rim strips at the same time.Much less chance of having a flat in the future.

:2tup: :)

[bonehead]

With tires & tubes that old I would replace the tubes at the same time.Tubes that are 7 years old have done their job.I would also change the rim strips at the same time.Much less chance of having a flat in the future.

:2tup: :)
:plus1: Being 7 years old, I would change everything too. Also the tubes can really be any brand, just as long as they are m/c specific.

[dannylightning]

i like the kenda cruisers they were great on my gz. one of them was just a little bit bigger of a tire but man they felt good when i put them on.

[Sarris]

Post Re: Matched tires

Same here. I'm running a Pirelli Sport Demon in the front and a Pirelli Route in the rear.

Both are the manufacturers (edit: Suzuki) specified size.

From my previous post.

Good Luck, the correct sizes (all manufacturers) are getting tough to find.

[GTGZ]

JCWhitney refuses to help me look for a tube because they claim that the tire is tubeless and a tube will not work.

A "tubeless" tire is made for a wheel that has no spokes so no tube is needed. You can use a "tubeless" tire on a spoked wheel, you just need a rim strip and a tube :)

[dentheman]

JC Whitney has such high cred and has been around long enough to know that tubes (and tube rims) will work just fine with tubeless tires. Maybe you just got ahold of some newbie employee. Even on my mountain bike (bicycle) I have tubeless tires with tubes on tube rims because I could not find the tires I wanted in tube style. I put them on over 5 years ago and never had a problem.

[mrlmd1]

Tube sizes have to match the inner profile of the tire, the diameter of the round part of the tire itself, not the diameter or circumference of the tire on the wheel. I don't know if I am making myself clear, but there are two different diameters to consider in fitting a tube to a tire. If the tube's round diameter is too small for the tire it will be overinflated or overstretched to match up to the inner surface of the tire and may blow or leak, especially if you go over a big bump in the road - then you get a flat.
I went through this replacing inner tubes on a bike 3 times until I finally was able to find the correct size tube for the bike's tire. The inner tubes I originally bought were only 1/2" smaller in diameter than the proper size ones and they kept blowing for no apparent reason. So make sure the tube is the proper size, for example not all 26" diameter inner tubes will correctly fit a 26" bicycle tire, it depends on the inner diameter of the tire. Racing style tires are a smaller diameter than off road dirt-bike style tires and the tubes for the former will not work well in the latter. You probably could go with a tube slightly larger if it's not pinched inside the tire, but not a tube that's too small.

[emory70]

my 06 came with a dunlop d404 on the rear and a bridgestone battleax on the front. i would prefer to have the same on both ends, but when i looked around (i believe it was on j&p cycles site) the two brands didn't have comparable sizes front and rear. i guess more research is in order. but other than a funny looking mismatch, they work quite well, and i have been in some pretty nasty rain in the past week.

[bonehead]

Finally got mine on-dunlop 501 frt, 404 rear. rides great.