Discovered Valkryie HUGE impediment....

[AdrianR]

The tires..

They suck..period...

Not enough tread...they suck in gravel and just discovered today...heat softened tar..

Almost lost it today in some sweepers in where cracks were filled with tar....softened by the July Sun...

How many tire selections are available? Any..??

I had Metzler ME880s on my Shadow and they were EXCELLENT in all conditions...

[Black Dog]

Heated Tar Snakes, when encountered by surprise, will push the 'pucker factor' off the charts, no matter what bike/tire ya run...

Black Dog

[hubcapsc]

I can report that my Michelin Pilot Road 4 on the back still looks
great with 2,000k on it... rides good too...

I don't know what to put on the front when the time comes...
maybe a 120... almost the only 130/19 in the universe is the
OEM one.... and there's a couple of bias-ply Shinkos...

-Mike

[BIG--T]

Heated Tar Snakes, when encountered by surprise, will push the 'pucker factor' off the charts, no matter what bike/tire ya run...

Black Dog

You are so right!! I about lost mine the same way in a sharp curve filled with these black demons and hit a big dip and talking about  a puckering factor, Wow! 

[eric in md]

no tar is going to go thru tar snakes..  on any bike any tar .. wait unless your in a car. no easy way but to slow down and look ahead they suck

[AdrianR]

no tar is going to go thru tar snakes..  on any bike any tar .. wait unless your in a car. no easy way but to slow down and look ahead they suck

You know my last bike with the Metzlers seemed to handle them better...  I'm going to try dropping the tire pressure by a pound or so when I ride on these hot summer days....

I am just going to have to wait until Metzler hopefully makes ME 880s for this bike...they truly are fantastic tires...they rocked on my last bike!

[Fla. Jim]

Seems like Honda has always picked the worse tire for whayever Valk incarnation you ride. The original valks 206's were horrible . Thank goodness  for car tires and reverse mounted rear bias as a fix.

[img]http://vrcc.photostash.com/vrcc_166/New%20tires%203-19-08.jpg[img]

[AdrianR]

Unfortunately Metzler makes only one tire that fits this thing...I think we should all send Metzler an email begging them to make a ME880 for this bike!

Those tires on this bike would be incredible....

[hubcapsc]

Unfortunately Metzler makes only one tire that fits this thing...I think we should all send Metzler an email begging them to make a ME880 for this bike!

Those tires on this bike would be incredible....

I think you probably need to give up on 880s... a non-low-profile
tire probably wouldn't fit under the front fender. I think we should all
send someone who makes good sportbike tires email and beg them
to make a 130/60 R19 radial...

-Mike

[goldstar903]

Per st2sam over at Valkyrie F6C Forum: Honda Parts House

http://www.cheapcycleparts.com/oemparts/p/honda/44711-mjr-672/tire-fr-130-60r19-m-c-61h-dunlop

$183.54

[ledany]

Changed the front tire last saturday (16 000 km) for a Dunlop 408 F (that fits some HD too). Drove 3500 km, mostly on dry highways, I think and hope it's better. My problem was mostly the rear one, really slippery on wet roads (still OK at 19,5' km though). I'll change for an Pirelli Angel GT (worked fine on my KTM SMT) or a Michelin PR4, if it's possible.

[Chadleys1]

I love the stock Dunlops.  More choices of course would be better than less, but I think y'all are short changing the stockers.

[goldstar903]

OK, OK, we believe you! You don't have to tell us twice! 

[AdrianR]

I love the stock Dunlops.  More choices of course would be better than less, but I think y'all are short changing the stockers.

Their great until you hit wet pavement, gravel or tar filled cracks on a hot day...Other tires I have experienced handled all the above in way better fashion...Good on drive pavement though....smooth...

[bradrcfii]

I had the rear tire slide out from me as well.  When I first got the bike, I decided to shop for the best tire I could buy and found only tires for the rear.  Someone sugegsted on the forum that having miss-matched tires is not a good thing so I stopped looking.  The dealer said Sportmax are great tires. 

Any comments on miss-matched tires?  Al ways want to learn what others are doing.

[hubcapsc]

I had the rear tire slide out from me as well.  When I first got the bike, I decided to shop for the best tire I could buy and found only tires for the rear.  Someone sugegsted on the forum that having miss-matched tires is not a good thing so I stopped looking.  The dealer said Sportmax are great tires. 

Any comments on miss-matched tires?  Al ways want to learn what others are doing.

Others are running car tires on the back and tractor tires mounted
inside out on the front. 

I wouldn't get worked up at all about a motorcycle with different
brands of motorcycle tires on it.

my 1800 Valkyrie has a pilot road 4 on the back and the OEM dunflop on the front.

-Mike

[bradrcfii]

I had the rear tire slide out from me as well.  When I first got the bike, I decided to shop for the best tire I could buy and found only tires for the rear.  Someone sugegsted on the forum that having miss-matched tires is not a good thing so I stopped looking.  The dealer said Sportmax are great tires.  

Any comments on miss-matched tires?  Al ways want to learn what others are doing.

Others are running car tires on the back and tractor tires mounted
inside out on the front.  

I wouldn't get worked up at all about a motorcycle with different
brands of motorcycle tires on it.

my 1800 Valkyrie has a pilot road 4 on the back and the OEM dunflop on the front.

-Mike

That is the tire I had chosen to put on the rear.  Are you running standard or the GT model?

Thanks,

[AdrianR]

I had the rear tire slide out from me as well.  When I first got the bike, I decided to shop for the best tire I could buy and found only tires for the rear.  Someone sugegsted on the forum that having miss-matched tires is not a good thing so I stopped looking.  The dealer said Sportmax are great tires.  

Any comments on miss-matched tires?  Al ways want to learn what others are doing.

Others are running car tires on the back and tractor tires mounted
inside out on the front.  

I wouldn't get worked up at all about a motorcycle with different
brands of motorcycle tires on it.

my 1800 Valkyrie has a pilot road 4 on the back and the OEM dunflop on the front.

-Mike

That is the tire I had chosen to put on the rear.  Are you running standard or the GT model?

Thanks,

GT model isn't available in the size you would need for the rear.  I may get one soon....I also have had the rear tire spin out on me a few times..nothing major or unsettling...but enough to get my attention.  The stock tires are smooth and handle well on dry, well maintained pavement...but other then that..the are suspect imo.

[Robert]

I will be ordering a GT today, read all the info call Micheline and they do not recommend any tires for the Valk but the GT is more in line with their design idea, "My interpretation"

[hubcapsc]

I have no idea. I just tried to stick my camera up under the bags to take a look... does
that logo mean anything?



-Mike "I'm real happy with this... whatever it is..."

[bradrcfii]

I had the rear tire slide out from me as well.  When I first got the bike, I decided to shop for the best tire I could buy and found only tires for the rear.  Someone sugegsted on the forum that having miss-matched tires is not a good thing so I stopped looking.  The dealer said Sportmax are great tires.  

Any comments on miss-matched tires?  Al ways want to learn what others are doing.

Others are running car tires on the back and tractor tires mounted
inside out on the front.  

I wouldn't get worked up at all about a motorcycle with different
brands of motorcycle tires on it.

my 1800 Valkyrie has a pilot road 4 on the back and the OEM dunflop on the front.

-Mike

That is the tire I had chosen to put on the rear.  Are you running standard or the GT model?

Thanks,

GT model isn't available in the size you would need for the rear.  I may get one soon....I also have had the rear tire spin out on me a few times..nothing major or unsettling...but enough to get my attention.  The stock tires are smooth and handle well on dry, well maintained pavement...but other then that..the are suspect imo.

Revzilla shows this size available for the GT model.  180/55ZR17 73W.  Is this the correct size?  I do not know what the "73W" means or "ZR17"  The bike calls for a "R17".

[hubcapsc]

I got mine in an emergency situation, on the road... lucky to get it...
it is a 190, all is fine... I think OEM is 180...

-Mike

[goldstar903]

180/55ZR17 73W where :

180= mm in diameter

55= aspect ratio (55% of 180mm = 99mm (3.9") Percentage of width of tire equals tire height from rim to ground.

Z= Speed rating (149+ mph) actually tested to 240+ mph Our bikes should have no problem!

R = Radial design

17= Rim diameter (17")

73W= Maximum load (805 lbs.)

[goldstar903]

hubcapsc,

Looks like a Michelin Pilot Power 2CT.

Logo is the Michelin Man!

[hubcapsc]

hubcapsc,

Looks like a Michelin Pilot Power 2CT.

Logo is the Michelin Man!

I recognize the Michelin Man 

It was that 2CT logo I didn't recognize... I left the store that
day thinking I had a Pilot Road 4... I guess I'm glad I didn't
leave on foot 

-Mike "I was 200 miles from home and it was raining..."

[AdrianR]

Plenty of back tire options but nothing for the front!   What a bummer!!!

I wonder how long we'll have to wait until there are some decent offerings???

[maddoggie501]

I hate to join in on tire bashing, but I just returned from a 1100 mile heavy rain ride.  The rear tire broke traction in 3rd gear and I didn't even have the throttle wide open.  It tried to wiggle me off, but I held on and rode through it.  Of course after that incident I lost any trust with the front tire going around turns.  I kept expecting a front end low slide.   

[dinosnake]

Well, as I'm going to add in the other tire thread, there is more to motorcycle tires than just size.  There is also profile, and here's where I think everyone's gripe is settled: the new Valk has 'triangular' profile tires (versus "round").  If you are sensitive enough you'll notice that the steering speeds up slightly at around 15-to-20 degrees lean; the bike wants to fall into the turn around that 15-degree point and then it stabilizes just after that point.  That's the sign of a pointed, 'triangular' tire profile and it's one of the secrets of the new Valk's light, reactive steering.

A different tire will bring a different profile and different handling characteristics, most likely adding weight and slowing down that almost sportbike-like steering.  But the triangular profile also puts less tread down in the wet - try reducing the tire pressure by a few pounds.

[maddoggie501]

Having experience road racing with AHRMA, I have lowered the tire pressures a few pounds from stock.   I hope they stick a little better.  However, I still plan on replacing The Dunlops with the Pilot Road 4's.  I know they stick real good, even in rain.  As you know the rear will be the same size, but the front is taller and narrower.  I'm aware of your concerns and I would expect some change in handling.  Perhaps for the better or worse.  I would be happy with not noticing any difference.  Maybe some one will make the change before me.  I have a little over 4000 miles on the stock tires now and they should last a couple thousand more. 

[maddoggie501]

Oh by the way.  I wouldn't hold my breath waiting for a matching size front tire from Michelin.  I don't believe enough Valks were sold to make it worth it.   Just a little sideline.  I have a 2015 Yamaha WR250R dual sport bike.  Its been made for many years.  The only company selling replacement tires in the stock size is Bridgestone.  I have run other size tires because I have no other choice, unless I want to stay with the Bridgestone Trail Wings.