I've tried several brands over the past 30 years and the Dunlops have been about the best tires I've ever used, especially when racing. And the price isn't bad either. That's why Harley puts them on their new bikes... because they are excellent tires. Some of the other brands, like the Metzelers, are overpriced and don't perform any better than the Dunlops. I've always stayed away from Avons. They have always been know as the tire for those who can't afford the better ones.

 

I disagree about the Avons. I had one on the rear and it did not impress me. The Venom tread, or lack of tread, seems downright dangerous to me. And it's hard to tell when it's worn out because it's mostly bald to start with. Poco isn't loco when he says the Dunlop 491 is an excellent tire. I got over 20K on the rear the first time I bought one.

 

I agree... the K491 and K591 are excellent tires. Been using them for years. Long tread life and sticks good on the twisties.

 

STOP! the 404 is a cruiser tire and is made for lighter bikes. it does not carry the load range that the 402 carries. DO NOT INSTALL on a HD Touring bike.

 

I agree. The 404 is not the same tire as the 402. They do not wear as long, they are not made in the same country, and there are reasons that they are about 1/2 the price of the 402's.

Regards,

Bill

 

I checked with my cousin who works at the Dunlop plant in Tonawanda, NY. Here's a summery of the load ratings for the Dunlop D401, D402, and D404:

D404 130/90-16 rear tire max load 761 @ 41 psi
D402 MT90-16 rear tire max load 827 @ 40 psi
D401 130/90-16 rear tire max load 805 @41 psi

D404 100/90-19 front tire max load 507 @ 41 psi
D402 There is no 19 inch front tire available for comparison
D401 100/90-19 front tire max load 507 @ 41 psi

As you can see, in most cases, the load difference isn't enough to really matter, unless you have a habit of overloading your bike or if you are the typical morbidly overweight American. I'd have no problem using the D404 rear tire on a dresser. I'd just make sure I didn't overload the bike. Heck, the difference is only 66 lbs.... not enough to concern me. Actually, the D401 is a good compromise and still costs less than the D402. The load capacity isn't as important on the front tire, hence the same load ratings for the D401 and D404. They only make the D402 front tire in 16 and 21 inch models.

I've been using the D404 on dressers for quite a while with no trouble. I haven't noticed and significant difference in wear rate between all three, either. Tire wear is more dependent on riding style, so it's almost impossible to compare them. There are some race tires that do wear a lot more quickly, but that's the way they are designed.... soft and sticky.

If you want a tire that sticks to the road and has a decent wear rate, go with the K591. It's also V speed rated, whereas the others are H rated.

At the moment, on my Dyna, I have the D402 on the rear and the D404 on the front. My XLCH has GT501s (newer version of the K591) on both ends, but that's my main racing bike, so it's worth the extra cost.

Another interesting tidbit of information.... Dunlop is the ONLY manufacturer to produce motorcycle tires in the USA! The models listed above are not made in Japan, although some of the superbike tires are.

 

you say to try the 491 but I cant find it in a 130 size?

 

Try here: http://www.ronayers.com/main.cfm

 

you can run an under rated tire if you want. They don't do the rateings just for the joy of having something to do. The load range rateing is for the sidewalls of the tire. If it goes flat it doesn't fold up like a piece of tissue paper. Have a blow out with an under rated tire and tell us how you came out, if you can. I'll stick with tires that are rated for the bike I ride. Tires on a bike are something I'm not going to go cheap on. You only have two contact patches with the road. I want both.

 

Hate to disagree with you, but my wife's bike just recently had a 404 on it. Said right on the side "Made in Japan". Wish I had kept so I could post a pic.

As far as riding style making a difference, same rider, same bike, same roads, etc. 404=5,000 miles 402=10,500+.

Regards,

Bill