Tires again SilverWing

Some SilverWing tire experience passed on:
#1 IRC front works best---I have had Bridgestone, Michelin and IRC. Michelin Power Pure SC---really screwed up low speed handling/feel for me--took off replaced with Honda recommended IRC.
#2 Michelin Power Pure Rear works best as it wears round not square and will go 10,000 miles plus. This tire, rear also works well with IRC on front. IRC rear wears square...and won't go 10,000 miles. Current Bridgestone Hoop at 5,000 miles has squared, does have effect on cornering feel....going to change on July before trip.In past I have had Bridgestone rear scooter tire failures on both Helix and Reflex OEM,so no fan of the brand---current got on, after big nail in other tire and only Bridgestone was available right now at Honda dealer.

I do own tire work, find I get near best price at local Honda dealer. Recent ordered IRC matched pair under Honda parts number---$150 for the pair---3 day delivery.

Knowing that matched IRC is what Honda has tested and recommeds, Michelin Power Pure rear is fine with me,too---experience with at least 2 on SilverWings, one on Burgman 400.

I am in the market for a new rear (maybe front too) and have the original 2009 Bridgstone Hoops on my swing at 14,000kms.
John if I am summarizing your post correctly the best combo in your opinion would be Michelin Power Pure on the rear and IRC on the front?

Yes I find as tires are replaced, IRC front "feels" good, Michelin wears round, lasts long time and "feel" is fine.....even at high miles

Last post, should have said, Michelin Rear wears etc,etc.

Thanks for the info John, I value your opinion given your scooter experience and many miles on the various brands of tires.

Going to check out the Michelin rear when my rear Pirelli wears out, Pirelli squares out.

Have a new Avon Cobra Stryke on front and just ordered a new rear to match,run Avon Cobras on my Harley and they are a great tyre for this bike used by lot of UK riders

john grinsel wrote:

Some SilverWing tire experience passed on:
#1 IRC front works best---I have had Bridgestone, Michelin and IRC.  Michelin Power Pure SC---really screwed up low speed handling/feel for me--took off replaced with Honda recommended IRC.
#2  Michelin Power Pure Rear works best as it wears round not square and will go 10,000 miles plus.  This tire, rear also works well with IRC on front. IRC rear wears square...and won't go 10,000 miles.  Current Bridgestone Hoop at 5,000 miles has squared, does have effect on cornering feel....going to change on July before trip.In past I have had Bridgestone rear scooter tire failures on both Helix and Reflex OEM,so no fan of the brand---current got on, after big nail in other tire and only Bridgestone was available right now at Honda dealer.

I do own tire work, find I get near best price at local Honda dealer.  Recent ordered IRC matched pair under Honda parts number---$150 for the pair---3 day delivery.

Knowing that matched IRC is what Honda has tested and recommeds,  Michelin Power Pure rear is fine with me,too---experience with at least 2 on SilverWings, one on Burgman 400.

how dose the IRC's compare to the metzeler's ?

Little experience with Metzeler over past 50 years on motorcycles, lived/rode over 20 years in Germany-I remember it took a lot of weight to balance Metzeler- no experience with them on scooter----but have had Pirelli Diablo on Burgman 400---some handling minus in wet. Pirelli/Metzeler same company.

I am on my 3rd or 4th set of Metzler tires. The rear will last a little less than 8,000 miles, but the grip and ride is excellent under all sorts of conditions. The original Hoops became cupped and didn't track nearly as well as the Metzlers.

over the years i have tried about all the tires on the market except metzeler , i did not like the diablo's on bike or scooter , i like calling them "flat masters ",  i was particularly fond of the IRC durotours on bikes  but they don't make them for scooters , the tire i have used the most is Dunlop , they wear quick , they are hard to get off and even harder to get on , but they tend to stay on even when low or flat at least long enough to get stopped or get it pumped back up , i have run over stuff in the road that would of flatted  others , they are tough and have the most plies of any scooter tire , 3 plies in the sidewall and 4 plies in the tread , i am not saying they are the best , cause they lack a lot to be desired , i am just saying that my experience with them is that they are tough .

I am thoroughly confused.

Honda and other manufactures state the tires recommended for a specific product. I know for a fact they do extensive testing not only to provide a good product but to limit their liability. They spend hundreds of hours testing the product in all weather, then there are the "experts" that can recommend a different product to others without the extensive testing afforded by the manufacturer.

I have never failed to be satisfied with a manufacturer's recommendation on anything they recommend or specify for their product. It may not be ideal for a specific application, however, i drive a motorcycle and other vehicles within their intended application.

Can you go to a manufacturer of a tire and have them provide you with their certification, or show they has been endorsed by the manufacturer on a specific product or model? I don't think you will obtain any response other it meets a general standard (minimim) set by the governing Federal authority of the country you are in.

For the sake of a few miles or a few $$ why would you possibly risk your life "experimenting" with an unknown and unproven tire!

Too me it defies all logic and common sense. It could be another loophole for insurance companies to possibly disqualify a claim based on "improper tires" remains a possibility.

Honda does not make money when they specify a specific tire to be used on the Silverwing!

New tires are a relatively small investment for peace of mind even before they hit the wear marks.

Bob

A manufacturer choses a tire based on two things, suitability for the application such as safety and durability, and, cost.

The tires that come on any vehicle, no mater how many wheels, are not exclusive to that vehicle and that vehicle is not exclusive to that brand of tire.

Tires are always a compromise between traction, durability and cost.
Each rider has their own priorities and requirements, sometimes it's ultimate cost per mile, sometimes it's ultimate traction at the extreme edge of operational limits and for others it's a combination of the above.

OEM tires are usually in the third category, but they are not necessarily the best or only choice.

My thoughts on MC tires are as follows. Honda has not made any design changes to the Silverwing yet MC tire manufacturers are constantly testing and making improvements and introducing new tires. The new tires may be an improvement to the OEM recommended tires years ago. We humans are always experimenting with new things. It is in our genes. My 2¢.

Based on ownership of 2 new Silverwings----2009 Bridgestone Hoop recommend tire on US models,2013 IRC.
I find scooter goes better with IRC, feels better.
Since I ride SilverWing as scooter and not as sub for real motorcycle--I find OEM IRC work fine as set, further IRC front works ok with Michelin Power Pure SC rear thru out its life. and Hoop rear (until it squares off at about 5,000 miles). My tire experieince---61 years of riding, over 1.5 million miles and probably up to 450 tires used up.

Does any MC tire manufacturer make radial tires for the Swing? It would have to be for the front and back wheels.

Why? Bike was designed for bias ply tires.

Perhaps i should have been more specific as I was more or less refering to "darkside" and experimenting with tires not specifically designed for mc.    

Yes it has been a long time since the sw was introduced but how much has tire technology changed?  I don't see manufacturers willing to invest in a lot of research based on such a small market segment (scooters).

John, are you saying the placard on the 2013 models says to use IRC?

I dont think cost is a high priority with any manufacturer over safety, performance, and market availability.  Tires can change the handling characteristics of a bike as we all know.

If something better comes along the manufacturer always superceeds the p/n with a new one or puts out a change notice if a part is no longer available. This would apply to tires as well as Honda.


Bob

Sticker on my leftover 2013 says IRC.

john grinsel wrote:

Why? Bike was designed for bias ply tires.

Well, some sizes of the Michelin Power Pure SC tires come in radials. Just in the sizes for the Swing.