Rear tire on front. Which one do we love/hate?

[Mr Whiskey]

I've been reading all the old post!
Just want the latest info before I pull the trigger.
ME 880 only got 8k this time!
(Yes, I let the pressure get too low. I'll watch it much closer this time.)
Cain't keep payin' $200+ for a new front every 8k to 10k.
Talk to me y'all. What goes well with a Michelin Riken Raptor 205/55/vr16 on a 2K/IS?
Need the extra tread up front for carvin' twisties here in E. Tn.
Thanks to any and all who'll help!
Peace, Whiskey.

[art]

I have a kenda cruiser 150-70-17 with 10000 miles on it.I'm going to replace it soon because I ride with some sport bike riders and beat the sh-t out of it.I put it on in april at a cost of $91.

[X Ring]

Warlock and I are running Avon AM-26 Roadriders in 130/90/17.  I love mine and bought it on his recommendation.

Marty

[old2soon]

I know you said rear tire on front.  Soooo i'll throw this out there anywho.  I currently have the Shinko S E 890 leadin the way on mine.  The only thing i can't relate to you is how the tire does in the rain.  We haven't had any rain.  It's as good in the dry as my Metz 880 was. I pray it's as good in the wet as my 880 was!!  B T W i got 14454 miles out of my Metz.  But it was run up around 60 P S I due to a faulty gauge that now resides-in pieces-in the local land fill. RIDE SAFE.

[Mr Whiskey]

Thanks Gents!
Direction of rotation, psi.?

[Fudd]

I tried a Kenda 150/70/17 at 40psi and reversed rotation and the tire failed on me at 16,000 miles.  The tire was nearly an inch and a half shorter than the 150/80 that it replaced.  That put the front axle 3/4ths" lower than stock, causing a big speedo error and put my pegs closer to the ground and the resulting premature scrapping in turns.

A friend noticed a big egg formed in the middle of the tread, and I had no choise but to replace it with a conventional E-3 (it's all I could find on the shelf).

Using a coin as a depth guage, it was ironic to note that the new E-3 came with less rubber than the 16k Kenda left that it was replacing.

When I wear out my E-3, I'll join X-ring & Warlock with a 130/90/17 rear on front mounted in reverse rotation.

[Mr Whiskey]

Thanks Fudd. I'm leaning more & more toward the Avon AM-26 Roadrider in 130/90/17.
I could live with the speedo error but not the loss of cornering ability on a 150/70/17.
I'd seen your pic of that goose egg. You dont think the reverse direction had anything to do with it do you?
Peace, Whiskey.

[olddog1946]

I am running a Dunlop D404, 130/90/17 with the tread reversed. I can say that I love it. It handles well in heavy rain and even in a snow storm I encountered on Snoqualmie pass.

[Fudd]

Thanks Fudd. I'm leaning more & more toward the Avon AM-26 Roadrider in 130/90/17.
I could live with the speedo error but not the loss of cornering ability on a 150/70/17.
I'd seen your pic of that goose egg. You dont think the reverse direction had anything to do with it do you?
Peace, Whiskey.

I went back to get the tire the following day from Cycle Gear to let my tire dealer neighbor cut it open for an "autopsy."  C G said they had already disposed of it.  It's hard to be certain, but I have no memory of hitting a bad chuck hole or anything leading to the failure.  I'd be scared to speculate as to whether or not the rotation had any bearing on it's failure either.

[Gear Jammer]

Warlock and I are running Avon AM-26 Roadriders in 130/90/17.  I love mine and bought it on his recommendation.

Marty

So did I,, 

[Mr Whiskey]

Thanks again Fudd. You're still confident enough to try the next one reversed so that says alot.
Olddog, the 404's are sure gettin' rave reviews for this application. I'm havin' trouble makin' up my "feeble".
Anybody tried the MICHELIN PILOT ACTIV 130/90-17 M/C 68V, REAR? Would sure be nice to have a set of Michelin's on.

I went to school with one of the guys at my local "stealer". He is a rider, & more importantly, a man with integrity. He wouldn't blow smoke just to try an sell me something. He's the reason I still do business there. Well, he told me this evening that they've been doing some testing with Bridgestone motorcycle rear bias plys on the front of the new trikes, mounted reverse, & getting some impressive mileage figures. 25k+! Did this because customers kept coming in & requesting this set up.
Seems to be catching on.

I don't wanna give up grip for mileage, but if I can mount almost twice the tread depth in the front, with a good sticker v rated tire, that handles well in the rain, for less money, I'd be crazy not to!
Thanks again to one and all.
Peace, Whiskey.

[X Ring]

Warlock's and my Avons are running reverse rotation.  No problems.

Marty

[Mr Whiskey]

Thanks X Ring. I like that tread pattern best & AMT's got it for $116.
Peace, Whiskey.

[Mr Whiskey]

Okay, thanks to all who responded and helped me make this decision!
Soooo, it's done.
Jus' ordered a Avon AM-26 Roadrider in 130/90/17 68V.
Welcome to the "Double Darkside".
New to this but here's my take on rotational direction anyway.
Gonna mount it in the recommended direction (with the arrow) because I want the most water evacuation possible. I think this tire must be able to handle the braking forces, since it would have to do so on the rear as well. I tend to down shift pretty hard, regularly.
As far as being designed for the thrust forces of the rear wheel, those are simply being eliminated since it wont be on the rear wheel.
Well, guess we'll see. Thanks again for all the help.
Peace, Whiskey.

[X Ring]

Go to this thread and look at the pics I posted in the 2nd post from the bottom and you'll see the front and rear tread run backwards from each other.

http://www.valkyrieforum.com/bbs/index.php/topic,44582.40.html

Marty

[Mr Whiskey]

Yes, looks just like the ME880 I've got on the front now, in the forward directional rotation (with the arrow).
I thought it strange that Metz front pattern has the tread oriented to center.
Actually made my brother take it off the tire machine and show me the arrow before I would let him mount it that way.
Peace, Whiskey.

[98valk]

conti-go 130/90-17  installed in reverse direction.

http://www.valkyrieforum.com/bbs/index.php/topic,12541.0.html

http://www.valkyrieforum.com/bbs/index.php/topic,975.msg13576.html#msg13