Dunlop D404 vs E3

[YoungPUP]

Time for a new front tire. I'm running a new-ish(4k miles) E3 on the rear. The bike currently has a D404 showing wear bars on the front. I'd like to keep the same brand front-rear, but am open to other suggestions of tires from dunlop if ya'll know of something better. So do I go back to the 404 or match out the E3?

[Steve K (IA)]

I've been real happy with the E3's on my I/S.  On my second set.   

[scarylarry]

like my e3 front...rear?

[PhredValk]

I had E3s on her when I bought her, and the front had a wobble at speeds over 35 that I didn't like. It may have been due to wear, I don't know. I put a D404 on the front last spring when I installed the CT, and can ride for miles without touching the bars (I don't as a rule, just a test for stability). The E3s were replaced at over 20K miles, so they wear well. The D404 has 13K miles and shows no real wear so far (and it was $117. delivered).
Fred.

[Hoser]

+1 on the D404, I get 20k on the front, 20k on the rear American elite.    Hoser

[98valk]

installed an E-3 while I still had a metz on the front, after about 1k miles, put a conti-go rear on the front. together the handling is fantastic.

pics here on my bike
http://www.valkyrieforum.com/bbs/index.php/topic,12541.40.html

[YoungPUP]

Ok, I read through all 3 pages of the rear on the front post and all I took away from it is a headache, and a slight understanding that there is no rear tire that closely matches our front, and that a rear must be run backwards. Right? So is there a benefit to running a rear on the front? Other than a deeper tread depth. I don't get the benefits of it.

[Ricky-D]

No,,, you just about summed it up.

Extra miles due to more rubber in the tread.

***

[bigdog99]

you can put the bias back tire on the front, you get more tread, you also save a lot of money with bias.
6000 miles and counting.

[YoungPUP]

Can you run Bias on the front with Radial on the rear? Always thought you couldnt mix and match?

[bigdog99]

i have a Hankook CT on the back. short of pushing it down to make the corners, i love the set up.
not sure what the bias/radial thing does.

[Bone]

My 98 Tourer has a front D404 (3rd one) and the rear is the GYTT. Rode it cross country twice and I have no complaints. I keep a record of my maintenance and the front tires have been changed at 17K to 23K. I believe the 17k was early but I wanted to do the tire change at home before a long trip.
My riding style is pretty calm as we age that happens.

[Hoser]

Ok, I read through all 3 pages of the rear on the front post and all I took away from it is a headache, and a slight understanding that there is no rear tire that closely matches our front, and that a rear must be run backwards. Right? So is there a benefit to running a rear on the front? Other than a deeper tread depth. I don't get the benefits of it.

My D404 is a 150/80B/17 Front tire.  Can't match up no better than that .  Rear is a 180/65B/16 dunny. I got 20K out of them on my last set.  Needless to say I have another set on it now.  Hoser  

[RudyF6]

Can you run Bias on the front with Radial on the rear? Always thought you couldnt mix and match?

I've always run matched radial M/C tires, not sure what mixing them would do. My only experience mixing bias/radials was on a car one time - drove like it was hinged in the middle and felt unstable at any speeds over about 45. IMHO, wouldn't do it.

[Bone]

The following is from the Dunlop Motorcycle Tire site. CT's were not mentioned.

Bias and radial tires have significantly different dynamic properties. They deflect differently, create different cornering forces, have different damping characteristics, as well as other differences. In order for radial tires to be introduced into the two-wheel market, it was necessary to change certain characteristics of the motorcycle. The introduction of the radial tire led to such things as modified frames, new steering geometries and suspensions. Therefore, it is recommended that a motorcycle be used with the type of tire construction that it came with originally. If a change is to be made, then it should only be done if the motorcycle or tire manufacturer has approved the change. Above all, do not mix bias ply and radial tires on the same motorcycle unless it is with the approval of the motorcycle or tire manufacturer.

[Ricky-D]

Using experience from driving an automobile and applying that to riding a motorcycle doesn't work when discussing mixing tire type (radial/bias).

The main reason being that the tires are used differently. Leaning on a motorcycle vs flat rolling on a car.

There have been a few threads regarding this very subject on this forum.

The consensus was: Mixing tire types made no noticeable difference when applying to a motorcycle.

As a side note, tire manufacturers and automobile manufacturers while recommending not to mix tire types, do not forbid the mixing but say: If you do mix tire types, put the radials on the rear.  Reason being that radials grab the road with a firmer grasp, and can outperform the bias tires on the rear causing them to slip on the pavement.

***

[RudyF6]

The following is from the Dunlop Motorcycle Tire site. CT's were not mentioned.

Bias and radial tires have significantly different dynamic properties. They deflect differently, create different cornering forces, have different damping characteristics, as well as other differences. *snip*

Good enough for me not to mix 'em! 

[98valk]

The following is from the Dunlop Motorcycle Tire site. CT's were not mentioned.

Bias and radial tires have significantly different dynamic properties. They deflect differently, create different cornering forces, have different damping characteristics, as well as other differences. *snip*

Good enough for me not to mix 'em! 

for a cruiser, bias front and radial rear is fine but not the other way. aggressive sport bike riding and race track same type front and rear.
u do know that over the yrs there have been bikes from the factory with a bias on the front and a radial on the rear. BMW and yamaha come to mind.
corporations have to say whatever due to the lawyers, and sue crazy idiots.

[Hoser]

Hay Bone, your CT is a radial, and the D404 front is bias.  How does that count in not mixing tires?  If we can mix a CT rear and a MT front, I sure ain't  gonna worry about mixing a MT front bias and a MT radial in back.  I have done it myself, and see no difference.  I think we have proven that CT and MT mix also. Only difference I can tell is the bias mc tire oulasts the  radial mc tire and costs less. Hoser 

[Bone]

I was just showing him what the manufactures tell us. They may be correct but I don't push the tires to the limit. They have to protect the public and instead of spelling out every possible exception it's best to choose the safest direction for the consumer.
I never encourage any one to try the CT or a extended front suspension I ran for several years on another brand of motorcycle.

[MarkT]

As I said above - I run a Cobra 200 RADIAL on the rear, and a K491 Dunlop rear BIAS on the front.  Many thousands of miles.  Handling is excellent.  So is tire life in the front - at the current wear rate, it will last over 50k before it's bald - if I ran all the rubber off it.  Handling? - I'll bet I can stay with nearly any Valk rider in the twisties - with a possible couple exceptions, like if Yellow Wolf were to ride a Valk. And that ain't the tires, he's an outstanding rider.