Crossbones rear tire replacement
Cruiser
Joined: Apr 2010
Posts: 180
Likes: 2
From: NW Arkansas
I'm on my 4th 200/55 17 tire on a 2010 Fat Boy. I don't ride hard and hardly any 2 up. I have a Michelin Commander II with 6K and its ready to be replaced. I've only got about 4K out of the Metzler's 880 so the Commander were a little better. I sure wish I could get 10K out of a tire and just don't see how some of these people claim to get that mileage.
I'm going to try a Dunlop 401 next since I think the American Elite is more for a heavy touring bike.
I'm going to try a Dunlop 401 next since I think the American Elite is more for a heavy touring bike.
Club Member
Joined: May 2007
Posts: 145,895
Likes: 821
From: 40 miles Northeast of Indy..
Well after 2500 miles the Commander II's are not wearing as I hoped or anywhere near what Michelin is claiming.
If they continue to wear at the same rate as the first 2500 then the rear will last about 8k and the front 10k..
On my first (4) rears (Stock Lops) 401's I changed all of them at 10 - 10.5).
And the (2) front Stock lop 402's went 20k with plenty of tread left.
Think I'll be looking at the E-3's next time.
.
NOT A MODERATOR
Joined: Jun 2009
Posts: 27,697
Likes: 23,281
From: Paradise
I got 8K out of my original factory bones tire. I thought that was bad. Bought a different Dunlop tire to replace it with. I got 3K out of that one. Went back to the stock tire for the 3rd tire.
Good luck.
PS: I don't hot rod around on my bike. I can't believe the horrible life span of tires..
Good luck.
PS: I don't hot rod around on my bike. I can't believe the horrible life span of tires..
Stellar HDF Member
Joined: Oct 2009
Posts: 2,054
Likes: 26
From: Florida
Excuse me for calling Bravo Sierra on your 12,000 mile rear tire claim but I am. There is no way your are getting that kind of mileage on a 200/55/17 Flstsb rear tire. Stock Dunlop 5700, metzler 880 4000 miles and cords were showing. Currently I have the Dunlop American elite with 5700 and tomorrow I am finally getting the michelin commander 2 put on. I doubt that it will do much better. My next bike will be a touring model simply for the fact that they get 15 to 20 thousand out of a rear. I ride every day to work and the money I save in gas does not make up for a new rear tire every 3 to 4 months.
For the rest of you who have asked certain questions rather than just coming out and calling me a liar, here are some notes on my riding habits:
Tire pressure: YES. I check it at least once a week and always maintain the stated 38 psi rear and 36 psi front. If I have a passenger I adjust it accordingly to 40 psi rear as stated in the manual. I do this not just because I know tire pressure can go down on its own, but also to see if I am losing pressure too quickly which may suggest damage or other issues. On average, my pressure is usually good. I'd say that I put in maybe less than a 1 psi into the tires on one out of every four or more checks.
Two Up: The majority of my riding is solo. I would guess that I only ride two up about 15% of the time. On the other hand, there was a season when I did about 50/50 between two up and solo but I still got the same life out of my tire that year. My passengers were usually my wife or daughter, both of which probably only weighed around 120-130 fully geared up.
Riding "Hard": Although the term "riding hard" can be very subjective, I believe that most of us are on the same page as to what that means. That said I DO NOT believe I ride hard. This means that I never do burn outs nor do I ever lock my tires and slide them on a stop. I don't shoot off the line from a dead stop or race around like an @$$hole. I pretty much ride my motorcycle the way I was instructed when I took the motorcycle safety course to get my endorsement. I am a defensive rider and I take note of all the roads' conditions that I ride on, making myself familiar where the lanes may be bad and what streets have more optimum riding conditions.
Daily Use: My motorcycle is my primary commuter (hence the need for a rear tire once a year). Until recently I was making three 168 mile round trips to work per week, using my car once a week to ease the wear and tear on my scoot and staying with friends near work once a week to eliminate one day of commuting. I recently got a new job and now my commute is much shorter but I still ride 54 miles one way. My schedule of riding is still pretty much as what I described above only I have to travel a little further to crash with my friends. All together, I'd say I am currently running just over 320 miles per week on my scoot.
Long Ride: Although I would very much like to go on long road trips, I have yet to set aside the time to do so. My longest trips have always been day trips in which I log around 500 miles at most.
Equipment: My Crossbones is pretty well equipped and is far heavier than a stock Crossbones. Beside running large saddle bags from Iron Bags, a king size windshield, and two up seat and back rest with rack, my scoot is also quipped with a full Fatboy rear fender and full Heritage Springer front fender. Additionally I have the H-D Wide Beach Bars and risers which are FAR heavier than the stock mini apes as well as a Heritage Springer light bar with horn. I also have an engine guard and other odds and ends that add significantly to the weight of the bike. Below is a picture of how my scoot typically looks minus the two up seat and backrest.
My Size: I am a little on the bigger side weighing in at around 235. Fully geared for riding means I could probably add about 20 lbs to that. I'm not a real big, fat biker but I am no light weight either.
Riding Conditions: I ride year round here in Central Florida. The two extremes that I deal with are either excessive heat or torrential rains. I'm pretty lucky in that most of the roads I have to travel on with regularity are in pretty good condition.
I'm not the ONLY one: For F**Ks like TruckerXbones who want to talk out of their @$$; do a little more asking around the forums and you'll see that there are a number of others who are getting the same mileage as I am out of their stock Dunlops. I am not an anomaly and would venture to say that I am blessed with both a good sense of proper maintenance and riding habits as well as an area of the state that has good roads and weather conditions which help to extend the life of my tires. It seems that the same can be said for a number of other folks on these forums.
Did I miss anything? If so, just ask.
I am certainly not a person to ask for opinions on other tires. That's because I have yet to find a reason to try other tires. Based on the stated mileage that other riders get, I seem to be doing pretty good with stock Dunlop rubber. I can't make any claims on other attributes such as handling and such when compared to other tires since stock Dunlops is all I know. It's possible that other brands or models do those things much better. However, the way I ride means that LONGEVITY is of utmost importance. I feel perfectly safe on the stock Dunlops in any maneuver or situation so again, I have yet find a need to explore other options.
My indy just tried to sell me on some other brand of tire that he claims is getting other riders some 18k miles. I don't plan to switch just yet because my front tire is practically brand new with only 6100 miles on it and I don't want to change it out just to match tread patterns with the rear. However, if what he states is true about this other tire I may give it a shot once I reach a point where BOTH tires need to be replaced. That my not be any time soon since I got 34K out of my front without ever reaching the wear bars.
Ride Safe...and check your tire pressure often!!!
Elite HDF Member
Joined: May 2012
Posts: 3,747
Likes: 5
From: Central Cali
I agree on tire pressure. I have read many places that this is the #1 reason for excessive wear or lack of wear on tires. I check mine once a week also. Not just to try and maintain tire pressure and prevent wear but to also check for leaks and damage like Skeez stated.
Road Master
Joined: Dec 2010
Posts: 1,035
Likes: 14
From: Canadian in Germany
Well you are free to call what ever you want on my "claim" but that is what I get on my tires. I could go out of my way and have the shop guy who changes my tires come onto this thread and call you out for being an @$$hole and calling me a liar. He has logged the mileage on each tire change he has done for me and even he was amazed at the life I get out of my tires. He constantly asks me about my riding habits as well as the maintenance on my tires, asking specifically if I am pretty consistent about checking my tire pressure. I told him that my motorcycle is parked right next to my compressor in the garage and I check and regulate the pressure at least once a week. He hasn't actually stated it but I get the feeling that he finds this to be one of the bigger keys to the life I get out of my tires. Sorry about your $h!t luck with your tires TruckerXbones, but maybe it's Karma for being a d!*k...
For the rest of you who have asked certain questions rather than just coming out and calling me a liar, here are some notes on my riding habits:
Tire pressure: YES. I check it at least once a week and always maintain the stated 38 psi rear and 36 psi front. If I have a passenger I adjust it accordingly to 40 psi rear as stated in the manual. I do this not just because I know tire pressure can go down on its own, but also to see if I am losing pressure too quickly which may suggest damage or other issues. On average, my pressure is usually good. I'd say that I put in maybe less than a 1 psi into the tires on one out of every four or more checks.
Two Up: The majority of my riding is solo. I would guess that I only ride two up about 15% of the time. On the other hand, there was a season when I did about 50/50 between two up and solo but I still got the same life out of my tire that year. My passengers were usually my wife or daughter, both of which probably only weighed around 120-130 fully geared up.
Riding "Hard": Although the term "riding hard" can be very subjective, I believe that most of us are on the same page as to what that means. That said I DO NOT believe I ride hard. This means that I never do burn outs nor do I ever lock my tires and slide them on a stop. I don't shoot off the line from a dead stop or race around like an @$$hole. I pretty much ride my motorcycle the way I was instructed when I took the motorcycle safety course to get my endorsement. I am a defensive rider and I take note of all the roads' conditions that I ride on, making myself familiar where the lanes may be bad and what streets have more optimum riding conditions.
Daily Use: My motorcycle is my primary commuter (hence the need for a rear tire once a year). Until recently I was making three 168 mile round trips to work per week, using my car once a week to ease the wear and tear on my scoot and staying with friends near work once a week to eliminate one day of commuting. I recently got a new job and now my commute is much shorter but I still ride 54 miles one way. My schedule of riding is still pretty much as what I described above only I have to travel a little further to crash with my friends. All together, I'd say I am currently running just over 320 miles per week on my scoot.
Long Ride: Although I would very much like to go on long road trips, I have yet to set aside the time to do so. My longest trips have always been day trips in which I log around 500 miles at most.
Equipment: My Crossbones is pretty well equipped and is far heavier than a stock Crossbones. Beside running large saddle bags from Iron Bags, a king size windshield, and two up seat and back rest with rack, my scoot is also quipped with a full Fatboy rear fender and full Heritage Springer front fender. Additionally I have the H-D Wide Beach Bars and risers which are FAR heavier than the stock mini apes as well as a Heritage Springer light bar with horn. I also have an engine guard and other odds and ends that add significantly to the weight of the bike. Below is a picture of how my scoot typically looks minus the two up seat and backrest.
My Size: I am a little on the bigger side weighing in at around 235. Fully geared for riding means I could probably add about 20 lbs to that. I'm not a real big, fat biker but I am no light weight either.
Riding Conditions: I ride year round here in Central Florida. The two extremes that I deal with are either excessive heat or torrential rains. I'm pretty lucky in that most of the roads I have to travel on with regularity are in pretty good condition.
I'm not the ONLY one: For F**Ks like TruckerXbones who want to talk out of their @$$; do a little more asking around the forums and you'll see that there are a number of others who are getting the same mileage as I am out of their stock Dunlops. I am not an anomaly and would venture to say that I am blessed with both a good sense of proper maintenance and riding habits as well as an area of the state that has good roads and weather conditions which help to extend the life of my tires. It seems that the same can be said for a number of other folks on these forums.
Did I miss anything? If so, just ask.
I am certainly not a person to ask for opinions on other tires. That's because I have yet to find a reason to try other tires. Based on the stated mileage that other riders get, I seem to be doing pretty good with stock Dunlop rubber. I can't make any claims on other attributes such as handling and such when compared to other tires since stock Dunlops is all I know. It's possible that other brands or models do those things much better. However, the way I ride means that LONGEVITY is of utmost importance. I feel perfectly safe on the stock Dunlops in any maneuver or situation so again, I have yet find a need to explore other options.
My indy just tried to sell me on some other brand of tire that he claims is getting other riders some 18k miles. I don't plan to switch just yet because my front tire is practically brand new with only 6100 miles on it and I don't want to change it out just to match tread patterns with the rear. However, if what he states is true about this other tire I may give it a shot once I reach a point where BOTH tires need to be replaced. That my not be any time soon since I got 34K out of my front without ever reaching the wear bars.
Ride Safe...and check your tire pressure often!!!
For the rest of you who have asked certain questions rather than just coming out and calling me a liar, here are some notes on my riding habits:
Tire pressure: YES. I check it at least once a week and always maintain the stated 38 psi rear and 36 psi front. If I have a passenger I adjust it accordingly to 40 psi rear as stated in the manual. I do this not just because I know tire pressure can go down on its own, but also to see if I am losing pressure too quickly which may suggest damage or other issues. On average, my pressure is usually good. I'd say that I put in maybe less than a 1 psi into the tires on one out of every four or more checks.
Two Up: The majority of my riding is solo. I would guess that I only ride two up about 15% of the time. On the other hand, there was a season when I did about 50/50 between two up and solo but I still got the same life out of my tire that year. My passengers were usually my wife or daughter, both of which probably only weighed around 120-130 fully geared up.
Riding "Hard": Although the term "riding hard" can be very subjective, I believe that most of us are on the same page as to what that means. That said I DO NOT believe I ride hard. This means that I never do burn outs nor do I ever lock my tires and slide them on a stop. I don't shoot off the line from a dead stop or race around like an @$$hole. I pretty much ride my motorcycle the way I was instructed when I took the motorcycle safety course to get my endorsement. I am a defensive rider and I take note of all the roads' conditions that I ride on, making myself familiar where the lanes may be bad and what streets have more optimum riding conditions.
Daily Use: My motorcycle is my primary commuter (hence the need for a rear tire once a year). Until recently I was making three 168 mile round trips to work per week, using my car once a week to ease the wear and tear on my scoot and staying with friends near work once a week to eliminate one day of commuting. I recently got a new job and now my commute is much shorter but I still ride 54 miles one way. My schedule of riding is still pretty much as what I described above only I have to travel a little further to crash with my friends. All together, I'd say I am currently running just over 320 miles per week on my scoot.
Long Ride: Although I would very much like to go on long road trips, I have yet to set aside the time to do so. My longest trips have always been day trips in which I log around 500 miles at most.
Equipment: My Crossbones is pretty well equipped and is far heavier than a stock Crossbones. Beside running large saddle bags from Iron Bags, a king size windshield, and two up seat and back rest with rack, my scoot is also quipped with a full Fatboy rear fender and full Heritage Springer front fender. Additionally I have the H-D Wide Beach Bars and risers which are FAR heavier than the stock mini apes as well as a Heritage Springer light bar with horn. I also have an engine guard and other odds and ends that add significantly to the weight of the bike. Below is a picture of how my scoot typically looks minus the two up seat and backrest.
My Size: I am a little on the bigger side weighing in at around 235. Fully geared for riding means I could probably add about 20 lbs to that. I'm not a real big, fat biker but I am no light weight either.
Riding Conditions: I ride year round here in Central Florida. The two extremes that I deal with are either excessive heat or torrential rains. I'm pretty lucky in that most of the roads I have to travel on with regularity are in pretty good condition.
I'm not the ONLY one: For F**Ks like TruckerXbones who want to talk out of their @$$; do a little more asking around the forums and you'll see that there are a number of others who are getting the same mileage as I am out of their stock Dunlops. I am not an anomaly and would venture to say that I am blessed with both a good sense of proper maintenance and riding habits as well as an area of the state that has good roads and weather conditions which help to extend the life of my tires. It seems that the same can be said for a number of other folks on these forums.
Did I miss anything? If so, just ask.
I am certainly not a person to ask for opinions on other tires. That's because I have yet to find a reason to try other tires. Based on the stated mileage that other riders get, I seem to be doing pretty good with stock Dunlop rubber. I can't make any claims on other attributes such as handling and such when compared to other tires since stock Dunlops is all I know. It's possible that other brands or models do those things much better. However, the way I ride means that LONGEVITY is of utmost importance. I feel perfectly safe on the stock Dunlops in any maneuver or situation so again, I have yet find a need to explore other options.
My indy just tried to sell me on some other brand of tire that he claims is getting other riders some 18k miles. I don't plan to switch just yet because my front tire is practically brand new with only 6100 miles on it and I don't want to change it out just to match tread patterns with the rear. However, if what he states is true about this other tire I may give it a shot once I reach a point where BOTH tires need to be replaced. That my not be any time soon since I got 34K out of my front without ever reaching the wear bars.
Ride Safe...and check your tire pressure often!!!
Road Master
Joined: Aug 2012
Posts: 784
Likes: 12
From: Texas
Thanks for taking the time and doing an in depth on what you do.
I'll bet my issue is air pressure. Was talking to another guy today who told me to drop the pressure and i would get much better life just air it back up for 2 up riding.
I've been running 42 back 36 front cold what the bike calls for.....
I too check my pressure religiously and ride "virtually" every day.
Similar riding style ~ no burnouts or sliding stops.
But i cant lie when on the open freeway my right hand gravitates toward 80+ sometimes.
Thanks again for taking the time i don't ever plan on getting rid of this bike so if i can get better tire life i want to.
I'll bet my issue is air pressure. Was talking to another guy today who told me to drop the pressure and i would get much better life just air it back up for 2 up riding.
I've been running 42 back 36 front cold what the bike calls for.....
I too check my pressure religiously and ride "virtually" every day.
Similar riding style ~ no burnouts or sliding stops.
But i cant lie when on the open freeway my right hand gravitates toward 80+ sometimes.
Thanks again for taking the time i don't ever plan on getting rid of this bike so if i can get better tire life i want to.
Well you are free to call what ever you want on my "claim" but that is what I get on my tires. I could go out of my way and have the shop guy who changes my tires come onto this thread and call you out for being an @$$hole and calling me a liar. He has logged the mileage on each tire change he has done for me and even he was amazed at the life I get out of my tires. He constantly asks me about my riding habits as well as the maintenance on my tires, asking specifically if I am pretty consistent about checking my tire pressure. I told him that my motorcycle is parked right next to my compressor in the garage and I check and regulate the pressure at least once a week. He hasn't actually stated it but I get the feeling that he finds this to be one of the bigger keys to the life I get out of my tires. Sorry about your $h!t luck with your tires TruckerXbones, but maybe it's Karma for being a d!*k...
For the rest of you who have asked certain questions rather than just coming out and calling me a liar, here are some notes on my riding habits:
Tire pressure: YES. I check it at least once a week and always maintain the stated 38 psi rear and 36 psi front. If I have a passenger I adjust it accordingly to 40 psi rear as stated in the manual. I do this not just because I know tire pressure can go down on its own, but also to see if I am losing pressure too quickly which may suggest damage or other issues. On average, my pressure is usually good. I'd say that I put in maybe less than a 1 psi into the tires on one out of every four or more checks.
Two Up: The majority of my riding is solo. I would guess that I only ride two up about 15% of the time. On the other hand, there was a season when I did about 50/50 between two up and solo but I still got the same life out of my tire that year. My passengers were usually my wife or daughter, both of which probably only weighed around 120-130 fully geared up.
Riding "Hard": Although the term "riding hard" can be very subjective, I believe that most of us are on the same page as to what that means. That said I DO NOT believe I ride hard. This means that I never do burn outs nor do I ever lock my tires and slide them on a stop. I don't shoot off the line from a dead stop or race around like an @$$hole. I pretty much ride my motorcycle the way I was instructed when I took the motorcycle safety course to get my endorsement. I am a defensive rider and I take note of all the roads' conditions that I ride on, making myself familiar where the lanes may be bad and what streets have more optimum riding conditions.
Daily Use: My motorcycle is my primary commuter (hence the need for a rear tire once a year). Until recently I was making three 168 mile round trips to work per week, using my car once a week to ease the wear and tear on my scoot and staying with friends near work once a week to eliminate one day of commuting. I recently got a new job and now my commute is much shorter but I still ride 54 miles one way. My schedule of riding is still pretty much as what I described above only I have to travel a little further to crash with my friends. All together, I'd say I am currently running just over 320 miles per week on my scoot.
Long Ride: Although I would very much like to go on long road trips, I have yet to set aside the time to do so. My longest trips have always been day trips in which I log around 500 miles at most.
Equipment: My Crossbones is pretty well equipped and is far heavier than a stock Crossbones. Beside running large saddle bags from Iron Bags, a king size windshield, and two up seat and back rest with rack, my scoot is also quipped with a full Fatboy rear fender and full Heritage Springer front fender. Additionally I have the H-D Wide Beach Bars and risers which are FAR heavier than the stock mini apes as well as a Heritage Springer light bar with horn. I also have an engine guard and other odds and ends that add significantly to the weight of the bike. Below is a picture of how my scoot typically looks minus the two up seat and backrest.
My Size: I am a little on the bigger side weighing in at around 235. Fully geared for riding means I could probably add about 20 lbs to that. I'm not a real big, fat biker but I am no light weight either.
Riding Conditions: I ride year round here in Central Florida. The two extremes that I deal with are either excessive heat or torrential rains. I'm pretty lucky in that most of the roads I have to travel on with regularity are in pretty good condition.
I'm not the ONLY one: For F**Ks like TruckerXbones who want to talk out of their @$$; do a little more asking around the forums and you'll see that there are a number of others who are getting the same mileage as I am out of their stock Dunlops. I am not an anomaly and would venture to say that I am blessed with both a good sense of proper maintenance and riding habits as well as an area of the state that has good roads and weather conditions which help to extend the life of my tires. It seems that the same can be said for a number of other folks on these forums.
Did I miss anything? If so, just ask.
I am certainly not a person to ask for opinions on other tires. That's because I have yet to find a reason to try other tires. Based on the stated mileage that other riders get, I seem to be doing pretty good with stock Dunlop rubber. I can't make any claims on other attributes such as handling and such when compared to other tires since stock Dunlops is all I know. It's possible that other brands or models do those things much better. However, the way I ride means that LONGEVITY is of utmost importance. I feel perfectly safe on the stock Dunlops in any maneuver or situation so again, I have yet find a need to explore other options.
My indy just tried to sell me on some other brand of tire that he claims is getting other riders some 18k miles. I don't plan to switch just yet because my front tire is practically brand new with only 6100 miles on it and I don't want to change it out just to match tread patterns with the rear. However, if what he states is true about this other tire I may give it a shot once I reach a point where BOTH tires need to be replaced. That my not be any time soon since I got 34K out of my front without ever reaching the wear bars.
Ride Safe...and check your tire pressure often!!!
For the rest of you who have asked certain questions rather than just coming out and calling me a liar, here are some notes on my riding habits:
Tire pressure: YES. I check it at least once a week and always maintain the stated 38 psi rear and 36 psi front. If I have a passenger I adjust it accordingly to 40 psi rear as stated in the manual. I do this not just because I know tire pressure can go down on its own, but also to see if I am losing pressure too quickly which may suggest damage or other issues. On average, my pressure is usually good. I'd say that I put in maybe less than a 1 psi into the tires on one out of every four or more checks.
Two Up: The majority of my riding is solo. I would guess that I only ride two up about 15% of the time. On the other hand, there was a season when I did about 50/50 between two up and solo but I still got the same life out of my tire that year. My passengers were usually my wife or daughter, both of which probably only weighed around 120-130 fully geared up.
Riding "Hard": Although the term "riding hard" can be very subjective, I believe that most of us are on the same page as to what that means. That said I DO NOT believe I ride hard. This means that I never do burn outs nor do I ever lock my tires and slide them on a stop. I don't shoot off the line from a dead stop or race around like an @$$hole. I pretty much ride my motorcycle the way I was instructed when I took the motorcycle safety course to get my endorsement. I am a defensive rider and I take note of all the roads' conditions that I ride on, making myself familiar where the lanes may be bad and what streets have more optimum riding conditions.
Daily Use: My motorcycle is my primary commuter (hence the need for a rear tire once a year). Until recently I was making three 168 mile round trips to work per week, using my car once a week to ease the wear and tear on my scoot and staying with friends near work once a week to eliminate one day of commuting. I recently got a new job and now my commute is much shorter but I still ride 54 miles one way. My schedule of riding is still pretty much as what I described above only I have to travel a little further to crash with my friends. All together, I'd say I am currently running just over 320 miles per week on my scoot.
Long Ride: Although I would very much like to go on long road trips, I have yet to set aside the time to do so. My longest trips have always been day trips in which I log around 500 miles at most.
Equipment: My Crossbones is pretty well equipped and is far heavier than a stock Crossbones. Beside running large saddle bags from Iron Bags, a king size windshield, and two up seat and back rest with rack, my scoot is also quipped with a full Fatboy rear fender and full Heritage Springer front fender. Additionally I have the H-D Wide Beach Bars and risers which are FAR heavier than the stock mini apes as well as a Heritage Springer light bar with horn. I also have an engine guard and other odds and ends that add significantly to the weight of the bike. Below is a picture of how my scoot typically looks minus the two up seat and backrest.
My Size: I am a little on the bigger side weighing in at around 235. Fully geared for riding means I could probably add about 20 lbs to that. I'm not a real big, fat biker but I am no light weight either.
Riding Conditions: I ride year round here in Central Florida. The two extremes that I deal with are either excessive heat or torrential rains. I'm pretty lucky in that most of the roads I have to travel on with regularity are in pretty good condition.
I'm not the ONLY one: For F**Ks like TruckerXbones who want to talk out of their @$$; do a little more asking around the forums and you'll see that there are a number of others who are getting the same mileage as I am out of their stock Dunlops. I am not an anomaly and would venture to say that I am blessed with both a good sense of proper maintenance and riding habits as well as an area of the state that has good roads and weather conditions which help to extend the life of my tires. It seems that the same can be said for a number of other folks on these forums.
Did I miss anything? If so, just ask.
I am certainly not a person to ask for opinions on other tires. That's because I have yet to find a reason to try other tires. Based on the stated mileage that other riders get, I seem to be doing pretty good with stock Dunlop rubber. I can't make any claims on other attributes such as handling and such when compared to other tires since stock Dunlops is all I know. It's possible that other brands or models do those things much better. However, the way I ride means that LONGEVITY is of utmost importance. I feel perfectly safe on the stock Dunlops in any maneuver or situation so again, I have yet find a need to explore other options.
My indy just tried to sell me on some other brand of tire that he claims is getting other riders some 18k miles. I don't plan to switch just yet because my front tire is practically brand new with only 6100 miles on it and I don't want to change it out just to match tread patterns with the rear. However, if what he states is true about this other tire I may give it a shot once I reach a point where BOTH tires need to be replaced. That my not be any time soon since I got 34K out of my front without ever reaching the wear bars.
Ride Safe...and check your tire pressure often!!!
Stellar HDF Member
Joined: Oct 2009
Posts: 2,054
Likes: 26
From: Florida
Thanks for taking the time and doing an in depth on what you do.
I'll bet my issue is air pressure. Was talking to another guy today who told me to drop the pressure and i would get much better life just air it back up for 2 up riding.
I've been running 42 back 36 front cold what the bike calls for.....
I too check my pressure religiously and ride "virtually" every day.
Similar riding style ~ no burnouts or sliding stops.
But i cant lie when on the open freeway my right hand gravitates toward 80+ sometimes.
Thanks again for taking the time i don't ever plan on getting rid of this bike so if i can get better tire life i want to.
I'll bet my issue is air pressure. Was talking to another guy today who told me to drop the pressure and i would get much better life just air it back up for 2 up riding.
I've been running 42 back 36 front cold what the bike calls for.....
I too check my pressure religiously and ride "virtually" every day.
Similar riding style ~ no burnouts or sliding stops.
But i cant lie when on the open freeway my right hand gravitates toward 80+ sometimes.
Thanks again for taking the time i don't ever plan on getting rid of this bike so if i can get better tire life i want to.
If I can, I'll get the brand and model of tire that my indy wanted to sell me in case you want to give it a shot. He is very adamant about how well other customers are doing with it.
As for getting up to 80+ mph; That shouldn't be too bad. At least not based on my experience. The majority of my daily commute is on the interstate where the speed limit is 70 with a 10 mile home stretch of 65 mph. My rule of thumb for speed on the interstate is "given optimal riding conditions, 10 miles over the speed limit". That means that I run at 80 mph pretty regularly. These keeps me at a pretty good pace with traffic and law enforcement around here doesn't seem to have any problem with those speeds.
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Cruiser
Joined: Jun 2012
Posts: 232
Likes: 33
From: Ruffsdale
Hahaha... I haven't checked this thread for a while. Didn't Think my comment would elicit such a response. Glad i didn't use the phrase "your mama". I was more or less just asking a question. Sorry that I second guessed the king of all Harleys skeezmachine. I have come to find out that if you live in states where you drive on predominantly concrete instead of asphalt your tires last a lot longer. In western Pennsylvania everyone I know gets about 5000 max (most alot less) out of their rear tire, doesn't matter the bike doesn't matter the size. So if you're getting high mileage out of your rear tire, it doesn't mean your a Harley expert, it means you live on concrete !! I'm sure skeezmachine will come back and confront me and tell me he lives in an asphalt plant.
What got that response from his was the fact you pretty much called him a liar. He never claimed to be an expert, just outlined the things he does that he feels extends the life of his tires. You kind of came off as a douche and this last post just compounded that. He did mention that he lives in an area with decent road surfaces, but that can't be the ONLY contributing factor to the extended mileage he is getting.
There are times when many of the folks who post on here could fall victim to a jerk saying they are an "expert" like in your childish rant. The biggest reason folks come on here is to get help on things related to their Harley. If you went around and posted in every thread someone offered help, and made similar posts, you would be a really busy dude. Next time instead of calling "bravo sierra" just post the mileage your getting.
There are times when many of the folks who post on here could fall victim to a jerk saying they are an "expert" like in your childish rant. The biggest reason folks come on here is to get help on things related to their Harley. If you went around and posted in every thread someone offered help, and made similar posts, you would be a really busy dude. Next time instead of calling "bravo sierra" just post the mileage your getting.