KymcoForum.com
Scooters - 125 to 300 => Downtown 300 => Topic started by: Syl on April 07, 2011, 02:13:00 PM
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Checked the tire make today after talk about tire's on here. I have front and back Maxxis Tire's.... Opinion's??
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Usually not that great.. the ones I tried anyways.
Even some for bicycles.. ;D
They'll probably be great up to about 4000 miles.. then turn to plastic.
I'd look for replacement tires ASAP.
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That is bizarre! What are the numbers on them, Syl? Mine are Kendaâ„¢.
I've use Maxis before, but on a motorcycle (A step up from my beloved Cheng Shins LOL!) - They seemed pretty respectable to me.
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Who makes the best tire? Most grip? Longest lasting? ???
Sorry for all the ?'s. NEWB just getting back into the sport.
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I am going to guess the tires put on the bike will vary based on what country the bike is being shipped to. Whisper is in the US and it would require US DOT tire. Syl is in Europe if I remember correctly.
Best tire? It's like your best OIL question, the answer will vary based on the user and their personal preferences and experiences.. In other words, it's debatable and you will get 2,000 opinions.
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I am still of course on the stock tires. I am waiting to see what kind of wear they provide. I have mainly only ridden in the dry but so far traction seems more than adaquate..............
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JUst picked mine up at noon today, been raining all day. Handled well on the hi way when I went home but no wind today. Tomorrow we will have more rain and winds off the front corner the same as I had trouble with Monday on my S 125. Could only get 70 to 80 K against it. Be interesting to see how this one handles the wind on these tires. I had really good luck with Avon Viper strike tires on the S125 and if these on the DT300i slip I will change them right a way.
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I would be interested if we can get 130/80 14's as this would make the speedo more accurate, a look on the internet though doesn't seem to show any............
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Who makes the best tire? Most grip? Longest lasting? ???
Michelin City Grip is the most popular choice among scooter riders these days,
but you're probably aware that you can't have grip AND have them last long.
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Michelin City Grip is the most popular choice among scooter riders these days,
but you're probably aware that you can't have grip AND have them last long.
Always a compromise, softer rubber for better grip and low mileage or hard rubber for better mileage but low grip. One of the reasons people Darkside their bikes, not that I am advocating doing so. You would think the tire manufacturers would be able to hybrid car and motorcycle tech though for a rear tire that lasts a bit longer for cruisers. Then make matching front tire set.............
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Always a compromise, softer rubber for better grip and low mileage or hard rubber for better mileage but low grip.
I am afraid this way of thinking is completely incorrect.
Tire wear is one thing and compound hardness is completely another.
All combinations are possible, but claiming that softer rubber by default easily wears is downright incorrect.
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I am afraid this way of thinking is completely incorrect.
Tire wear is one thing and compound hardness is completely another.
All combinations are possible, but claiming that softer rubber by default easily wears is downright incorrect.
Softer rubber by default will ware out faster than a harder compound, all else being equal, but there are other factors involved as well. Every tire may have it's own compound, ply, side wall, and tread designs along other mitigating factors. General rule of thumb is the stickier the tire the faster ware but as technology improves so does longevity. So a tire with a 10 year old design may not last as long as a better traction tire that was put out more recently.
Unlike car tires it is tough to tell what life you can expect. We can really only rely on each other to post their experiences so that we may hopefully make a better educated decision on the next set of tires.
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Softer rubber by default will ware out faster than a harder compound, all else being equal, but there are other factors involved as well. Every tire may have it's own compound, ply, side wall, and tread designs along other mitigating factors. General rule of thumb is the stickier the tire the faster ware but as technology improves so does longevity. So a tire with a 10 year old design may not last as long as a better traction tire that was put out more recently.
Unlike car tires it is tough to tell what life you can expect. We can really only rely on each other to post their experiences so that we may hopefully make a better educated decision on the next set of tires.
Personally, I would never have the same set of tires for longer than 13-14.000 kms, not because they lose thread, but they lose SHAPE.
Also, I always change tires in pairs.
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I agree with the pairs, you should match the tires. I have always done the same with my cages too, all four at once. It is even more important here. Safety over an exrta $100 or so is not worth it.
My motorcycle tires never seemd to shape or flatten out, then again I guess that is style and terrain as I did little flat line travel over distances. I have never seen a scooter though that didn't do this to the rear especially. If and when I end up with that I'll be in your group..............
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http://motorcyclesafetynews.com/?p=1406 (http://motorcyclesafetynews.com/?p=1406)
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http://motorcyclesafetynews.com/?p=1406 (http://motorcyclesafetynews.com/?p=1406)
Those are the Pilot Road 3, a dual compound tire. Is there a michelin dual compound radial for our scoots?
Edit these are only 17" and 18", I was so hyped with card in hand, would have loved these for the bike........ :(
http://www.michelin-pilot-road-3.com/en/dimensions.php (http://www.michelin-pilot-road-3.com/en/dimensions.php)
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I'm not sure if you are aware of this...but the Downtown 300i has the same tire size as the Honda Silver Wing, Yamaha Majesty, and the '07 and newer Suzuki Burgman 400. I read that the 300i has a front tire of 120/80 - 14 and the rear tire of 150/70 - 13. If this is true than it has the same size tires as the above bikes.
I have the Silver Wing and bought it new in March of 07 and am on my 4th set of tires, so I thought I would share the kinds of tires I have had. The OEM tires were Bridgestone Hoops, then I had 2 sets of Pirelli Diablo's, and now I have Metzlers on it. The Hoops probably last a couple of thousand longer and were good tires. The Diablo's gave me 10,000 miles each and are better, IMO, than the Hoops. They seemed to be stickier on the pavement and smoother too. The Metzlers I think are as good or slightly better than the Diablo's. I only have about 4,000 miles on the Metzlers now so I don't know how long they will last but if they last as long as the Diablo's I will probably go with the Metzlers again. The 3 are very good tires and there isn't a big difference between them, but the difference is noticeable.
I'm only writing this since the 300i is a new bike and not too many have probably changed their tires. If I can get 10,000 miles with these tires I would think the 300i should get at least that or even more since it is a lighter bike. I'm not sure what the OEM tire KYMCO puts on the 300i but you should consider the above tires when you change yours. It seems the Diablo's and Metzlers are cheaper than the Hoops, which is strange, since I think the other 2 are better. The more I read about the 300i the more I like it. I had the Reflex but it just was under powered for the bay area here. It seems the 300i really can get uup and go.
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Thanks, you have the tire sizes down. If I can get 10,000 miles per tire I'd be happy...............