Replacement Tyres

Hi, I know this has been covered but the last post seems to have been last year. Anyone any updated recommendations for tyres for the Swing? Mine's a 2010, currently still on the factory fits of Bridgestone Hoops which I think are fine in the dry and just ok in the wet.

Also, can anyone provide instructions as to removing the rear wheel? I don't have a manual but pretty competent DIY mechanic.

cheers

Check out the link in the fifth post in this thread bud ..... https://www.silverwing600.com/t6482-da-blingmeister-with-a-tool-question-rear-rim-removal?highlight=rear+wheel+removal

Dramhunter wrote:

Also, can anyone provide instructions as to removing the rear wheel? I don't have a manual but pretty competent DIY mechanic.

cheers

You're probably overqualified.   Seriously using the procedure referenced by The Bern, I was able to do it. Therefore it should be easy for anyone with any ability.  

Thanks guys, missed seeing that post. Must get a 27mm socket then.

Cheers

Damhunter, i have tried Metzelers, Perelli Diablo's and Mitchelin tyres, i have gone back to Bridgestones. In my opinion, they are the best tyre for all year round performance and wear.  

FWIW, if you can raise the swing above an open area (I have a removable panel on my motorcycle lift under the rear tire), you can work the rear tire out without removing the muffler. You have to play with it a bit to do it and won't be able to do it if your swing is just on the ground instead of raised.

Wow, this is an old thread.

I've been using Bridgestone Hoops but I recently saw a SW with a Pirelli rear tyre which had a much better looking tread pattern across the tyre. On my recent MOT the guy told me that my rear tyre was looking a bit worn, it's not that old!

The Bridgestone seems to wear in the middle, leaving an almost new tread on the outsides. Now I'm not a throttle-heavy rider and I'm wondering if a Pirelli rear tyre might do a better job?

The Bridgestone Hoop on the front seems to last forever but I'm thinking of using a Pirelli on the rear. The tread pattern seems much more 'useful' along the centre of the tyre with a much more complex tread pattern.

Is it wise to use different types back and front?

Is it wise to use different types back and front? <<>> TYPES, to me mean radial or bias, different brands and thread styling never made a difference to me or others that I know that have done it.

Interesting point oldwingguy. What appealed to me about the Pirelli was the amount of tread pattern across the centre of the tyre. Does this provide better water dispersal and longer life?

The centre of the Bridgestone Hoop doesn't seem to provide much water dispersal. It's almost like a 'slick' before the edges wear out ????

I don't know what 'bias' means. I'm guessing the Hoops are radial.

Loosebearing

this is an old thread, tyres create as much debate as oil (not going there) but think you'll find all modern scooter tyres are radial.

As for mixing brands I can see no reason not to but remember different makes dispel water beads in different ways (within reason)

Bridgestone hoops I think are the best for the S'wing but also my dealers only seem able to get them at fair price.

Most seem to think hoops last up to 10K but I find the rear gets skittish after 5K so would look to change every 6K.

If yours are balding in the middle are they overinflated (usual reason) I certainly find the wear fairly even

My 2013 Swing still has the original IRC tires with 15k miles. I need to have them replaced soon. I have a new set waiting in my storage. Won't be riding for a while. Will probably replace them next summer.

For me, in use in about 7 or 8 new scooters since 1990----never had good luck with Bridgestone, either quick wear/wearing square or in case of Helix (Fusion) in Japan tire fell apart after long high speed toll road---with new Reflex 3 rear failures in US---Bridgestone did pay for replacement tires or sent them to me.

Back to SilverWing---2 new ones and over 90,000 miles---Rear, Michelin Power Pure SC, these wore round, lasted up to 10,000 miles or so. Front, SilverWing was never tire fussy for me, SilverWing tires are Bias ply from maker Honda.

I don't know what 'bias' means. I'm guessing the Hoops are radial. Usually the tire has the word radial on the sidewall. The two types made by the same mfg. may look alike and THAT can be a problem.

A radial tire is constructed with steel belts of the tire running at a 90 degree angle of the tread center line.
A bias ply tire is constructed with nylon belts of the tire running at a 30-45 degree angle of the tread center line.

Don't mix radial and bias. Nobody makes a radial rear 150/70/13. Front MAYBE 120/80/14.
Pirelli makes 3 different types for SW. All bias. Diablo Rosso newest. Rear is a dual compound center is a harder rubber and sides softer this helps it last longer.

Diablo is a older design been around awhile I think there going away. Middle of tire no tread.

Angel is another newer one maybe the one you saw tread is across center of tire. They make a rear tire in SW size but no front 120/80-14 strange. I've used Angel tires on other bikes before OK tire.
Angel name has been around a few years just not in scooter sizes.

Radial tires are generally more expensive than the older bias design. Dunlop makes a bias Elite-3 and a radial Elite-3 for the Goldwing. These should not be mixed. I had the radials on mine and they last a long time, over 15K on the rear one! Never done that with a bike before.

Not sure on the Silver Wing as I use the stock IRC's (on 2nd set)and am very happy with them.

Not to fan the flames of controversy but... On my '03 Silverwing, I ran a 165/70R-13 Sumitomo radial car tire on the rear. It lasted over 40,000 miles until I retired it (no pun intended) because the corners were wearing a bit. The tread depth had another 20K miles still remaining though.

If Sumitomo still made that tire size I'd have one one my current Silverwing.

So yes, you can mix radial & bias ply tires.

Re Pirelli tires; Pirellis are excellent and about half the price of Hoops. Great traction especially in the wet, but expect to replace the rear tire ~8000 miles.

Tim

Thanks everybody for your input. I told you it was a minefield, yes, a bit like the 'oil' topic ! Anyhow, I think I'll check out the Pirelli for the rear. We're going to Southampton next week for a few days and I reckon it's gonna be wet and it got me thinking about my borderline Hoop on the rear. No time to change it now.

I'll do some research on a replacement rear when we get back.

BTW, Cosmic_Jumper, how did you go round corners with a car tyre on your SW?.... Upright?

Loosebearing wrote:

BTW, Cosmic_Jumper, how did you go round corners with a car tyre on your SW?.... Upright?

Radial car tires have more flexible side walls than do bias ply tires. So when cornering the car tire contact patch stays flat on the road surface and the side wall flexes & squishes.

It takes a bit of getting use to when switching from a MC tire to a radial CT. But that difference in feel is somewhat like riding an underinflated MC tire over tar snakes. Sometimes too it can take a bit more concentration (wrong word) to put the bike into a turn, mainly because the bike wants to stay straight upright. But you soon come to terms with that and become one with the ride. It's the same as coming to terms with the quirks & nuances of any bike.

I really appreciated my time with the Sumitomo radial tire and wish they were still available.

Here is a link to Bandito2's informative piece of Darksiding: http://mcdarksiders.forumotion.com/t7188-for-maxi-scooters-the-darkside-according-to-bandito2-part-1-2

Tim

Dramhunter wrote:

Hi, I know this has been covered but the last post seems to have been last year. Anyone any updated recommendations for tyres for the Swing? Mine's a 2010, currently still on the factory fits of Bridgestone Hoops which I think are fine in the dry and just ok in the wet.

Also, can anyone provide instructions as to removing the rear wheel? I don't have a manual but pretty competent DIY mechanic.

cheers

there is an excellent video on youtube that shows the steps involved.

be sure you have a torque wrench available when reinstalling.  the 27mm socket is 1/2" drive and uses a big 'ole torquer..  I used 1/4" drive sockets for everything else.

remember the muffler attaches to the rear of the muffler mount (reminds me I need to properly reinstall mine!!)

I will ditto everything mentioned by bandito about using a car tire. I have about 250 miles on my darkside and his observations are spot on.
Ed

As pointed out before, Dark side is ideal for you American folk but out of the question in UK.

It invalidates insurances (Which you wouldn't get in the first case- but would love somebody to try) stopped by LEO fined and bike prohibited.

It was hard enough "sanding" the rear wheel only writing on the Suzuki RV125 to do the fat front conversion (which made the bike corner like a punctured space hopper

Well, a can of worms for sure. Cosmic_Jumper, I read the 'Dark Side' write up...fascinating and certainly food for thought. I think I'll stick with the Hoops for now. As for removing and replacing the rear wheel, it's a sinch. As stated above, check out the you tube videos.

We're off for a trip tomorrow for a couple of days and expecting rain, just hope the rear Hoop holds out. It will be a steady ride. The trees are shedding their leaves in these high winds so got to be extra careful.

My main concern is finding totally waterproof gloves without using handlebar muffs....oops, another can of worms?

Keep a close eye on the tyre as the last bit of tread can disappear very quickly as I found out in the Black Forest! A good way to get dry hands is the Rain off lobster claw over mitts, mine did me very well in New Zealand so I brought them back to UK .

I also have a Rain-Off lobster claws, and a pair of their 1 plus 3 finger rain gloves too.

Aerostich has three finger over mitts that do not leak---available in long or short cuffs. Really work, I use them in real dry cold, too with insulated ski gloves underneath.

Dry or cold hands can be real problem----maybe I will try heated grips on the future.

Even though I've had heated grips fitted to last three maxi scooters and also had them on a few BMW's in my biking days, I've never really been that impressed by the performance of heated grips, and the latest ones fitted to Honda and Yamaha maxi scooters are more than £200 a set. They add nothing to the resale value of the scooter either.

I now think they're more of a placebo than an efficient way of keeping your hands warm. Thick glove palms or foam grips stop heat getting through to your palms, and even turned up full they're only warming the palms of your hands. The windchill on the backs of your gloves rapidly disperses their efficiency, especially if your screen doesn't block the wind and cold onto them.

I've tried various handlebar muffs and they're a bit of a faff too. They're OK for short rides, and I've never bought into this 'wearing summer gloves and my hands are toasty warm' nonsense. Try a night ride over the Pennines at night in Autumn or Winter when the temperature plummets and see if that theory holds up. Muffs can also foul switches and brake levers, and with a crowded left handlebar switch set up you and winter gloved hands you end up pressing the horn instead of indicators.

As I already have a Keis heated jacket, I bought a pair of their heated inner gloves last winter which I can connect to the jacket or use on their own. I haven't used them yet, mainly because I have winter gloves and lobster claw mitts, and I've usually done riding for the day when my extremities start feeling the cold.

How about just wearing snowmobiler gloves, worked for me when I rode cold weather.

I have two pairs of gloves, one a Bilt mesh leather pair for most of the year (warm riding) and a pair of BMW kevlar gloves for winter use. I have ridden down to 30 degrees F and the insulated kevlar gloves do fine and I don't have to plug them in LOL Being realistic, I am sure most of us just choose to use a cage when cold weather hits...

Afternoon,
On my Silverwing it came with Bridgestone, they are one of the best on the market. I had parelli installed one time that was enough, in my experience they were softer, picked up screws & nails bits of glass.
Plus the wore out fairly quick.

Regards Sean

Yes, the Pirelli's do wear quicker than Bridgestones, but the Perielli's are "stickier" and are highly regarded for use in wet conditions. While Bridgestones are an excellent tire, Pirelli's are also about half the price of Bridgestones. My 2¢

Tim

I no longer have a Silver Wing, but Pirelli Diablo are the OE tyres on my 2018 Honda Forza 300 and so far I'm impressed with them, especially as Pirelli is a tyre brand I've never used before and tended to overlook when looking for replacement tyres.

I've no idea of the wear rate as a lot depends on under or over inflation, road surface abrasion, acceleration, etc. What other riders say in forum posts about tyres isn't much help either as they either rave or rant about specific brands.

As the Forza weighs a lot less than the twin cylinder Silver Wing, I'm expecting a few thousand more miles per tyre.

Over the years I have tried whatever is available - mostly Mitchelin & Pirellis. I am currently riding on an original Bridgestone which the bike came out with in 2011. My impression is that the Pirelli is the most sticky but wears out soonest and punctures easily. The Bridgestone lasts longer but becomes squirrelly once you have done 5000km's and wears flatest in the middle. (Hard to turn).
The Mitchelin Power Pure is my tyre of choice. Readily available (although a bit more expensive) lasts up to 15000kms and wears rounder than the rest so the ride feels the same up to the end.

agree on Power Pure SC on rear----wears round, so handling stays same thruout its life. 10,000 miles or a little more is what I got out of them.