I have a 07 heritage classic...looking for replacement tires at 7,200 miles
suprise suprise!!!! Has anyone put Metzeler Tires on there bike and if so are you happy with them?

 

I have the ME880s on mine...no complaints....have about 9k on them now...still plenty of tread...only got 10k out of the stock dunlops.

 

+1 on the ME880's. Replaced them at 15K as a porcupine inserted some quills in the front tire. Go figure!!!

 

I need to replace my rear tire for the 3rd time. I wanted to go Metzler this time around but I don't need to replace the front yet and have heard conflicting stories about mix n matching tires. Any advice guys?
Thanks

 

MEtzlers will give you a different feel. They are softer (so they wear out quicker) but stick to the road much better, and also are more round makeing the bike fall into corners easier. I switched to metzlers and then back to dunlops(cause I had some sitting around) and I like the feel of the metzlers better but I like the look fo the Dunlop whitewalls. 6 of one half dozen of another. Also for longer tire life make sure to check your tire presssure weekly. I run 40f/42 rear in my Dunlops. Can't remember what I ran in the metzlers but it was a higher pressure than in the dunlops.

 

7200 miles??? You must beat that thing to death.... I own two Heritages and I have never gotten less than 12,000 miles on the rear and 22-24,000 on the front. My '03 has well over 65K miles on her and my '07 in now pushing 35K. I always run 40psi front and rear. I've never run anything other than Dunlops.

 

My choice is Avon Tyres. I just have been happy with them for years..
Better grip rain or shine than oem..

Avon used to make an Avon Elan, which I liked on my RK, they did away with it. Avon said too many complaints from the Gold wing guys saying they were noisey.. (go figure)..

Now the Venoms are fine with me..

 

Nope... I dont beat the thing to death!!! But I do ride it almost every day about 20 miles one way and a whole lot more than that on the week ends.

 

Checking your tire pressure is the single most important factor in tire life.
Then riding style of course, 2-up vs single, road contions etc...
I ran Metz. front and rear and was told (I should of checked sidewall) to run 40-42 PSI in both front and rear.... MY BAD.. I should of looked at the sidewall....Metz front says 42PSI MAX..Rear said 48PSI Max....so with me running 40-42 in both,,,,,checking pressure weekly...my rear Metz. started cupping really bad at 5K....I had to replace it. However.... the front Metz was where it was supposed to be on pressure,,and it's got 7,500K on it and looks brand new.
As far as mixing brands,,, not a problem as long as the bias is the same..
Radial/Radial etc. etc....
Hope this helps..and..........
Ride safe

 

I'm not sure where that idea started, but its a fallacy. The MAX pressure rating molded into the side of a tire is just that, the MAXIMUM continous operations pressure level for that particular tire and it has zip, zero, nada to do with the tire pressures that should be used in it for your particular bike. The factory sets the tire pressures for your bike during testing with a particular tire (OEM tire) and prints that in the owners manual.
A different brand or type of tire might get better overall wear and or performance at a completely different pressure level. But you have to determine that on your own. Fortunatly its usually in the same general neck of the woods as the OEM tire. But not always and even a couple of psi difference can make a big difference in how it handles.

There is also the road surface to consider. If the roads in your area are predominantly made of something like concrete and you like to ride hard into turns. Don't expect the tires to last anywhere near as long as the same bike, tire, and riding style combination will in an area where the roads are generally made of asphault.

Concrete or cement is like snadpaper by comparison and it will eat ANY kind or brand of tire much faster than the same brand on another bike that's ridden in an area where they don't use as much or cover over the concrete. Jack up the air temprature and start riding like a kid on a crotch rocket looking for a ticket and you can forget about the tires lasting very long at all.