New Tire Blues: Stratoliner Version

[alanmcorcoran]

Not sure if this will be of any interest, but it seems like tires, and the search for them, is a perennial favorite...

I'm planning on an extended trip/tour when I get back to Anaheim about ten days from now. Not sure how far I'll be going but I figured somewhere between 1K-2K. So, I brought my beastie in to have the oil changed and get a few things checked and I asked the service guy if he thought I had 2K worth of tread left on my Dunlops. He took a look and said, "hard to tell, but I'd say more like 1K." I'd run them a few hundred miles here and there underinflated, plus I had 9K on them, and near as I can figure, 10K is about where things start to get interesting for a lot of MC tires. These are low profile tubeless.

Yamaha only recommends one pair of tires (Dunlops) for the Strat. Turns out, his supplier only sells the front size. The rear is apparently only available from Yamaha. Under the heading of "Things You Guys Probably Already Know" comes the fact that, if you get the tires from a distributor they are about half the price as what the MC manufacturer charges. And the rear is the expensive one. Anyway, he had some equivalently sized Bridgestones and he seemed both knowledgeable and trustworthy so I went with those. He mentioned the tread might feel a little different. I'm hoping it feels just like the Dunlops, cause they were pretty awesome while they lasted. I wasn't able to collect the bike back from Mission Motorsports before I had to fly out, so I won't get a chance to try them until a week from Friday.

[Water Warrior 2]

Just be careful the first few miles. You have to wear off the coating from the molding process. It can be very slippery especially on a wet surface. Bridgestone makes good tires so you will probably be very satisfied. I have found however that they need to be ridden to warm them up and then cooled off a couple times before the tires feel secure and grippy. This applies to the Bridgestone Battle Wings on my Vstrom. The rubber compound may or may not be the same but just a heads up for you Alan. Also just to add a bit off experience trivia. Whatever the manual says for tire pressure for 2 up riding(front and rear) just add a couple more PSI for better handling and tire life. This applies riding 2 up, loaded, or none of the above.

[alanmcorcoran]

Picked up the bike with the new tires today. Remembered Moedad's similar caution.

[Water Warrior 2]

Originally Posted by alanmcorcoran

Picked up the bike with the new tires today. Remembered Moedad's similar caution.

But did you check the pressures after you picked up the bike ?? Never trust the other guy's tire pressure guage or their idea of proper pressure.

[alanmcorcoran]

Checked in Oxnard 33 out of 36. Put in some. Didn't check the back one yet...

[Water Warrior 2]

Originally Posted by alanmcorcoran

Checked in Oxnard 33 out of 36. Put in some. Didn't check the back one yet...

Ah, you are learning. Repeat after me : $350, $350, $350, $350. :roll:

[alanmcorcoran]

Checked the back one in buellton Sunday morning (about 500 miles ago now...) it was a tad low. I topped it off and then some...

[mrlmd1]

The dealer doesn't care about selling you air, they just want to sell you more tires.

[alanmcorcoran]

I suppose I'll always find something to bitch about but it's a frigging trial to put air in the rear without taking the saddlebags off...

[Moedad]

Hey, Alan, you can see your tires in action at http://www.rockstorephotos.com/action_riding_photos.htm. In Paul's Snake Photos 8/14 am gallery, you and your Strat are images _DSC7290 & 91. I'm _DSC7289. Not sure how much they're asking if we want to purchase one.