tires and trips

Based on tire experience--motor cycle/scooter since 1955 long trips.

Needing new tire on long trips can be expensive/pain in butt,, especial rear(which seem to wear out quicker than front).

I think starting trip on fresh tires, even if it seems expensive to take off not completely worn out tires....in North America SilverWing is now old/obsolete model---Honda dealers probably will not have tire in stock for SilverWing....just when you need it, only if their parts man is sharp can they get one quickly....but not cheaply. Something to think about. My experience, only HD or BMW dealer probably have tire in stock for what they sell. And to think scooters used to come with spare tire and wheel!!

Once I carried spare new rear tire with Burgman 400...not so easy----trip to AK---in MT rear about gone, found local all purpose dealer to change tire.....boss did it and it was done right, I was lucky! How many people carry spare exhaust gasket in case original get screwed up in taking muffler off? I did!

Recent trip to CA with new bike, rear tire had about 4,000 miles when I left, 4800 miles later it is still ok----should last to 10,000 total miles. saved me from needless worry, but did check everyday, realizing new tire not necessary and I would make it home. Delays can get very expensive!

So hope everybody rides long trips this year. Distances in North America are great---often not so in Europe, my longest trip in the more than 20 years I rode there was to the North Cap in Norway.

Being old no excuse---I am old...long trips make you tired, especially in cold/foul weather.....but making sleeping thru the nite without peeing a lot=benefit.

Best to do own tire work at home, holding costs down. For me "Ride On" works for balacing and retain balance thruout life of tire

Good info John, Thanks. Makes sense also.

John I learned a long time ago not to wait until I need a new tire to start looking for it. I always try to have a new front and rear on hand long before needed. Back when my bike tires required tubes it used to annoy me at the price of them. Thank goodness for tubeless tires. I use ebay frequently for tires and cannot seem to beat the price anywhere.

At home, I use local dealers for tires---as I would like them to stay in business.

I'm with you on that John.
It's all very well saving a few quid buying online, but all that means is when you really need one quickly there is nobody left in business to help.
Support you local businesses, in the long run it's a good investment.

It is inspiring for some , the amount of travel you do on 2 wheels John . My Pop's said "half the battle is getting started" . Good , safe tires I'm sure , play a big part of getting you and your pooch home safely . I do like to keep Our local business's going also . Most places will even price match if you ask , including Honda dealer/shop .

A large percentage of motorcycle tire sellers on ebay ARE the dealers. Next time you visit yours simply ask them and if they are selling tires on ebay, if so get their seller's name..........if not ask why not. If you can go into your local dealer and they actually HAVE tires in stock for a Silverwing then you are very lucky. Around here I got the same old story...we don't have any but we can order them for you. In this "computer age" more and more people shop online for everything. If you want your local dealer to stay in business perhaps you should advise them to step into the 21st century and sell online too. Just imagine the huge increase in sales along with the "walk in" business. All of the most successful people in the world do both.

I ordered my last set of tyres from the local Suzuki dealership a couple of miles from my home, and when they arrived I arranged a time to drop the scooter off and have them fitted. It was convenient, easy, and no different from getting car tyres fitted.

No faffing about buying tyres online and then having to be at home to sign for them for the courier. No messing about having to remove wheels, or exhausts. No having to buy and clutter up my garage with axle stands or other junk to support the Silver Wing with one or both wheels off. Or tyre bead breakers and other tyre changing equipment that you're had to buy, and hopefully know how to use.

So no carting new tyres and loose wheels along to a tyre fitter, cleaning out that Puncturesafe or other goo from inside the wheel rim like poopy from a baby's bottom. Or sweeping up the mess from those snake oil polystryrene balance beads.

Then of course you've wheels to balance when you finally got the new tyres on and seated the tyre bead,  so add weights to the cost. You might not have a torque wrench, or a Honda Service Manual to refer to for the tightening torque settings, so it'll be Searching or asking for that info on here. No old worn tyre(s) to dispose of either.

Finally it's basic common sense you don't go off on a long touring trip with badly worn tyres.

Scooter tires---retail/install much difference in US compared to UK where bikes/scooters are actually used as transportation.

Here scooters are considered toys, dealer really not familiar with working on them----SilverWing front easy to get off....but how much plastic will they break when they jack it up.

Rear is complicated if you have never done it before and even done before, time consuming. Only thing they can probably screw up is exhaust packing.

Balance---most shops on US cannot balance 13 inch rear wheel....and many do not consider balacing scooter tires important anyway.

Then there is choice of tires----and end what does it cost in US for two new tires, new valves, mayvbe balanced, installed with bike brought in? My estimate $400 or $500. So I do it myself, getting the exact tire I want and breaking no plastic. Four new tires, valves, balance, install for my Hyundai Genisis just cost
$500 done by Hyundai.

Good point about exhaust gasket. I'm having trouble finding U.S. online resource for this item. Maybe easier to order one from local Honda dealer. Seems like a not-too-expensive item.

Yes, rear tire replacement seems one PITA for Silver Wing.

Getting the rear wheel out the first time takes a while, but its no worse than some bikes. Just different. I accept your point that most bike mechanics aren't used to scooters, thats why I do the wheel off and on bit myself.
My usual preference is to call my local bike shop and get them to order my tyre of choise, then I take the wheel out and drive down for then to change the tyre.
I'm usually looking at £50 to 60 for the rear.
For the big bike I let them do the whole deal.

Bloody hell John, $4-500???? I didn't realise the exchange rate was that bad across the pond :-)

Here in Ocala FL, the Honda dealer put a pair of Michelin City Grips on mine for $120 complete!
That's total out the door price. They price-match any legit online price AND they install for free.

Better check if the city grips are the proper size----at least until recently Michelin did make proper sized City Grip for SilverWing---recent visit to their official site shows, still no correct sized pairing for SilverWing 600. SilverWing handles bad enough with proper sized/paired tires.

john grinsel wrote:

Better check if the city grips are the proper size----at least until recently Michelin did make proper sized City Grip for SilverWing---recent visit to their official site shows, still no correct sized pairing for SilverWing 600.   SilverWing handles bad enough with proper sized/paired tires.

I would also check the manufactured date. Maybe an old set? I agree with John, dealers do not stock a lot of parts for scooters. Here in Hawaii, takes a long time when ordering from the dealer. Unless you are willing to pay for special shipping, it may take a month or more. The only items they carry can also be used on motorcycles like oil, B-fluid, covers, etc. I got a quote for two tires once for $300, and that did not include balancing. I don't think that they balance scooter tires. I do all my tire work myself. Use a HF motorcycle tire changer. Try to place new tire as close to the balance point before seating the bead, use Ride-On after seating the tire.

The only size difference is the 70 aspect ratio on the front instead of the original 80, this is not something that has negatively affected the handling or ride, in fact these tires have out performed, in handling, ride and tread life, the original Bridgestone's, 4 sets of Power Pure, 2 sets of Shinko and now I'm on my second set of the City Grip.
And yes, they are new tires, ordered from the distributer specifically for me. It takes about 3-4 days.

In addition they are perfectly balanced from the manufacturer, no goop, no beads, no weights needed. This is at all speeds, from walking, to going much faster than you should.

On a side note, maybe the reason some here feel the SW handles badly is because they insist on using the OEM tires, ALL of the handling issues disappeared when I switched to the City Grips, including the infamous deceleration wobble from 35 to 25 mph, chasing tar snakes and front wheel braking skids.

I cannot believe tire "balanced from manufacturer" is matched to wheel that may not be balanced can end up a balanced unit. Something in the air in FL?

Sidewinder Pilot, How many miles did you get out of the Shinkos?

IICR, I was about 6k on the rear, I changed the front a couple thousand later. The second set I got rid of both at 5k as I had enough of the traction issues, plus the front started to wear poorly.

Sent from Topic'it App

Sidewinder Pilot, thank you for the info. I have a new set of Shinko's on mine right now, hardly any wear.
I guess I'd better start looking for replacements sooner than later.
Jay.

Bridgestone, Pirelli, Michelin.........all these are great name brands so it makes the experience of all you riders a little easier to choose one. I have been looking at the Michelin City Grips as well because of the cost aspect. Michelin has always been known for quality (but so have the others) and there are always "alternative sizes" that will work just fine as long as the difference in size is not great. Thanks for all of your experiences and for sharing.

The main point on tire selection is what's right for you and the way you ride.
Some of us live in hot and dry climate and some live in the cold and or rainy areas, or like me, in a hot and wet zone.

Also, some of us weigh what Honda engineers had in mind for average rider weight: 140lb
While, some of us weigh close to the max capacity, then load the trunk, bags and under-seat with groceries or gear for a weekend trip.

Many ride like their cup of coffee is sitting in the trunk and they don't want to spill it, and some ride like a 19 year old on a Ninja!

I had a 94 Honda Pacific Coast and needed new tires. Guy that did motorcycle repair got me some Kendo (sp) tires at a really good price. Only problem were they were one size wider. Since I had plenty of clearance we figured no problem. Well rode a bit and really liked the tires but took off one day and all of a sudden heard a load scape then bang. Seems the front fender was rubbing and wound up snatching off. Fortunately I did not wreck and wound up riding a long time without a front fender.

Honda recommended size best----they have already figured out the clearance problems. Never trust bike shops who deviate from standardd tire sizes. Could get you killed. Think if departed fender had jammed front wheel?

Whatever tyre make you choose, I would urge all of you to get rid of any purely plug - in inflation valve assys. you might have fitted and spend the extra few bucks it costs to have the type with a threaded portion and a nut on the inside / outside of the rim. In two separate occasions last year, on another Maxi I ride, first the front and then the rear wheel push - in assys separated causing - luckily - relatively slow deflations both times. I was only 50 - 60Ks from home each time but still had to phone 'De Man' and get flat - topped home ! The assys. were less than two years old and I suspect either they were of faulty manufacture or more likely damaged when being inserted through the hole in the rim.

I do not use the nut and screw valve stems---but on rear of scooter rim change out every other tire change....and this on new scooter. Older scooters probably really a must. Honda has 2 types available, high speed (high price) and regular (cheap) and have used both with no trouble...part of my plan to avoid walking.

On my recent tire change the front valve stem was fine, but the rear showed signs of cracking. The right-angle replacement from Honda cost me about $14! If I had planned ahead, I probably could have bought that somewhere else for a lot less $.

Jim Caudill wrote:

/snipped/ I probably could have bought that somewhere else for a lot less $.

Have a look on ebay your side of the pond bud, see if there is anything similar to ...  

https://tinyurl.com/y7gwrpcx

Just make sure you put some grease on the thread before fitting the cap as the alloy tends to corrode & the cap gets 'stuck', that or as I did, fit plastic caps

much better to get short straight rubber stem from Honda----gauges and air chuck fit on rear scooter wheel