When I got my '06 Super Glide last year it came with a brand new Dunlop D404 on the front. Didn't think anything of it until it's now because it's time to replace the rear. I went to Dunlop's website to look for the recomended matching rear tire only to find out that they strongly advise against using a D404 on the front of a Harley.
I sent them an email asking why, and they responded the same way, and suggested the D401 tire is the only approved front tire for a Harley. The D404 is recomended for the metric crusiers, dosen't have the Harley logo and there are some differences in it's construction.
I understand Dunlop probably has to pay big money for the rights to put the HD name on it's tire, and recomending any other tire for an HD isn't going to help pay that licensing fee.... but that sounds like a conspiracy-nut's answer, so I'll pass on that.
I've been riding the D404 front for a while now with no issues, but Dunlop has me spooked now -- like this tire is some ticking time bomb just waiting to blow off the rim at speed one of these days.
Anybody else running the D404 front tire on their Dyna?




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What is the weight rating for your tire?

 

Hard to say if it's a commercial issue or a performance issue. Being that it's the front, I wouldn't push your luck.

 

I noticed you did not give a reason for not using the D404, assuming Dunlop did not give you a reason.
You should call them on phone and put them in the spotlight and ask the question again. Im sure Im not the only one wondering now.

 

The dunlop series 404 was a Harley tire earlier on, they came on the 07 Ultra classic.
The 404 is a good safe tire but low mileage can be expected on the rear.
It is a commercial issue, not a safety issue. If it was a safety issue they would take it off the market. If it isn't safe for a HD it isn't safe for a metric.
Front tire 404 is a good choice as far as I am concerned. I got 32,000 miles on my first front tire on my 07 Ultra but could only get 8-9,000 on the rear. The 401 is HD's new tire that is marked with HD on it. That is the bottom line.
There are better rear tiers than the 404.

 

I would get michelins, best tires ever IMO

 

Fron the Dunlop website:

The D404 front ( not recomended ) has a weight rating of 507 @ 41psi

The D401 front ( recomended )has a weight rating of 507 @ 41psi



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That is good information. Thanks.
I was thinking the same thing... if it isn't safe for an HD, how could it be safe for a metric? Can't just be a weight issue, the metrics aren't exactly lightweight either.
Also, and especially, you got 32,000 miles on an Ultra with a D404 front. Damn. That should settle it right there, although a very different sized tire from the Dyna.
I wonder if the original tire WAS a D404 for my '06 SG, and the dealer just replaced it with the same before selling it. I figured it was a cheaper tire and that's why they choose it. But it could have been an oem replacement.

I was going to just go with the K591 rear, by the way, it seems to be the best match for the front and I'm kinda OCD about matching tires on bikes... which is why I looked at Dunlop's website in the first place.

I just hate to believe it's a marketing thing by Dunlop.
I explained to them that the D404 front I had was like new still and I didn't want to pull it off for no reason.

From their email to me:
"The recommended tires for your Dyna Super Glide are D401 front and K591 rear.

While the physical dimensions of a D404 and D401 are very similar to one another, they have very real differences in construction, performance and grip.

We strongly recommend the use of the Dunlop D401 & K591 in order to achieve the proper performance and handling for this vehicle.

The Dunlop D404 will NOT handle properly and will wear out prematurely if/when used on this vehicle."


So... wtf?? I HAVE to know if the D404 was an OEM tire for a Dyna in '06 so I can call bulls**t on them.

Anyone know?



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