I don't believe there's a tire company out there with more experience in providing racing tires for motorcycles. Especially in Europe where those boys go around corners with their shoulders dragging the pavement.

Maybe the engineers at Michelin designed those annoying detents on the side for water evacuation or for improved grip. Who knows? Michelin just started offering tires in the sizes needed for Harleys in 2007. I would guess that, in the USA, Harley is the dominant bike on the road, so for Michelin to screw the pooch on its first shot at trying to capture the HD market just doesn't make sense to me.

But like any other company, Michelin is going to keep the 'whys' and 'hows' of their design features close to the vest. I strongly suspect that little buzz noise is there for a reason. I also suspect that if Michelin doesn't design that buzz out of its Scorcher tires soon, they take it very seriously.

A little reminiscing: Back in the mid 70s, I was busting tires for Sears part time. Needed the money. That's who made Michelin famous in this country -- Sears. Sears had Michelin make a tire for them in a tread pattern that Sears designed. A lot of people scoffed at Sears because those tires were seriously getting as much as a 100,000 miles on them before needing replaced. Not often, but it happened. The new Sears/Michelin radial also replaced the need for snow tires up North. I bet a lot of you good folks that live up North don't even know what snow tires are anymore. Sears' competitors figured that Sears would put themselves out of business selling a tire that lasted so long and performed so well in all climates.

Not.

Michelin tried to buy the tread design from Sears but Sears told them to take a hike.

Anyway, Michelin brought us from the Stone Age of tires into the modern era. I'm old enough to remember the Goodyear Polyglas bias belted tires. What incredible junk. And the Firestone Redline tires too. More junk. I also remember getting caught in an early snow storm or two with those sorry-assed tires. Unreal, unbelievable dangerous.

Point being, Michelin engineers don't play. Those are some serious boys and girls and I really don't think they'd design something into a tire that they didn't feel was necessary.

But then again, they are French.

 

That's what I was thinking...but posted that I hadn't noticed it because I may not understand what to expect or what folks are feeling. Who knows, maybe mine just doesn't have the issue mentioned.

 

I assume you have the Scorcher 31s on yours. Unless you bought it overseas and they put a different tire on it.

Also, it is more noticeable at slower speeds. And on roads not made of recycled kimchi and bulgogi.

Getting hungry now.

 

Bought it here in Land of the not Quite Right, but it's a U.S. spec model with Scorcher 31 tires front and back.

Kimchee and Bulgogi are a regular part of my diet. lol

 

Love Bulgogi but Kimchee kicks my butt. Even the milder kind.

There was a Korean place I visited once in a while when I was overseas and the they served the Bulgogi with what looked like an upside-down collander over some sterno and a cupped kinda dish under it to catch the seasoning sauce. You cooked it yourself.

Kicked. Butt. Good stuff.


There were troops in that particular area from the White Horse Division. The locals were scared to death of them. Even Americans didn't mess with them. Tough troops, good troops.

Sometimes I laugh to myself when I hear that insane Nork midget threaten S Korea. He's never met the White Horse or the Tiger Divisions.

 

What about Bridgestone-Firestone? Every time they put a product in car racing they run the other competitors out. They did it to Goodyear in Indy and Champ cars and Michelin in F1. I suspect that they would do the same in NASCAR if Goodyear didn't have a exclusive contract. Competition seems to increase R&D and is usually is good for the consumer.

 

I have the Scorchers on my '10 Streetbob.I never noticed this buzzing. Will have to check this out on my next ride.

 

The F1 'league' went to a single-supplier formula and Bridgestone simply out-bid Michelin. Same with the IRL. Bridgestone is leaving F1 and Michelin may be back next year. Who knows? But Michelin will get some pay-back if they do come back.

Indy? What is that? I know there used to be a race in Indianapolis but I haven't payed much attention (neither have too many others) to it since the IRL rolled over and spread its legs for GM. GM couldn't win there. Couldn't compete. Ford, Mercedes and Guido's auto shop were wiping the floor with them so GM did what it always does -- It gamed the system.

Not knocking Bridgestone, but Michelin's history and track record is unmatched.

 

The "buzz" is like a vibration in the front wheel when cornering at slow speed. I rode a '09 FXDC with the Dunlops and my '10 FXDC with the Scorchers and there is definitely that buzz. These Michekins are made in Spain, but, regardless I'll take the Dunlops over Michelin anyday. I run Dunlops on my car and the last set were quiet, handled very well and lasted 60K miles.

 

Ditto! (except the Streetbob part)