MC Tire.

[TXFireman07b]

I bought my Valk with a MC tire on it 3 years ago. I rode it with it on there for a couple thousand miles. I also had a front tire on it that tended to bounce on corners so I never got to experience the full effect of a good MC tire on the corners. I went to the dark side about 23k miles ago. same tire. now i am thinking about trying a Mc tire again to see how much different it corners. I was wondering... I have a Mettzler me 880 Front tire on there now. I was wondering if anyone has any suggestions for a good rear tire. I do think the benefits of the CT outweigh the MT but I am going to the BBB Rally in Sept and wanted to see how much different it will ride. Any suggestions?
Steve

[BuzzKill]

I used Avon Cobras before I went DS myself.  I liked it, but it tended to get some cupping.  I think running it at the max PSI helped, but the damage was already done.  I still use a Avon Cobra on front with no problems but I run 42 PSI in it.  I'm pretty sure I have over 10k on it with several thousand to go. 

As far as rear, if you like the concept of DS, I might suggest the Falken Ziex 512.  I rode a few blocks on someone else's last week or so, and it seemed alot more like a MC tire than aCT like my Goodyear TT.  Several people have switched to it and love it.  Here's a thread on it.  I'm sure there's more on the other forums as well.  http://www.valkyrieforum.com/bbs/index.php/topic,43918.0.html

[Jess from VA]

If you've got the dough, a Metz rear goes nicely with the Metz front.  Best MC tires I've ever run...they just don't last very long.  Keep the pressures up for best longevity (44-5 psi rear/43-4 front).

http://www.hondadirectlineofshadyside.com/stores/product.asp?pid=490&str=2&ID=467885592

[Houdini]

Keep the pressures up for best longevity (44-5 psi rear/43-4 front).

  ???

The higher the pressure, the smaller the contact patch, the faster the wear.  Around 40 psi will last longer and ride smoother.

As far as rear, if you like the concept of DS, I might suggest the Falken Ziex 512

+++++++++  Fat like a car tire but rides more like a bike tire.  1/3 the cost and twice the wear, what's not to love?

[LemonDrop]

When working at the International Bike Show a couple of years ago, I was talking with the Avon Tire representative.  He told me to keep 42 pounds front and back.

[f-Stop]

I would go with the tire manufacturer's recommendation on proper inflation...those numbers will most likely be different than what Honda recommends.  I found that out the hard way with my first Dunlop E3 on the rear.  It started cupping at 6,000 miles with Honda's 36 psi recommendation!  My current E3 has over 16,000 miles with no cupping running at Dunlop's recommendation of 41 psi.

Now...on my wife's bike -- an '03 VT1100 Shadow -- I run Metzelers.  They recommend anywhere from 40-50 psi on their rear ME 880's.  I run 46 psi in the rear and have had no cupping nor abnormal wear so far (around 6,000 miles).  They even say that insufficient tire pressure will cause "accelerated tire wear, increased fuel consumption, less control and the possibilities for tire failure"...wow!

Anyway, good luck!  There is no "right" or "wrong" on tire selection.  Everyone will have their own opinion on what tire, what tread, what pressure, etc., but your opinion is the only one that counts!

 

[Sergeant D]

To paraphrase f-Stop, opinions are like assholes, everybody has one.  Can't speak definitively on the Valkyrie yet, but on my last ride, I switched to Pirelli's on my 1100 Virago.  That was the best tire I ever used on any bike...ever.  Wore great and stuck like glue.  I will put Pirelli's on the Valk at the next replacement which is coming up soon and see how it fares.

[RainMaker]

To get back to your question, I ran Avon Cobras on the rear before darksiding.  I would go back to that if I ever become a Jedi Knight again.

[Hoser]

I use bias tires from Dunlop, I found that they will give me 20k, and feel no difference in the handling and ride from the various radial tires that are oem.  Below are pics of them new and after 20k.  Hoser


 

[Disco]

+++++++++  Fat like a car tire but rides more like a bike tire.  1/3 the cost and twice the wear, what's not to love?

+1!