tire help

[Isamemon]

1978 R-80/7 spoke wheels
on front has a metzler lasertech ( new)
rear is a conti-blitz, that looks ok, but the shop says its old, cracked and should go
shop recomended switching to a metzler me88 marathon
however it is slightly wider ( metric 120 vs 110) and needs a spacer, in stock, at BMW
they said this in no problem, stock the spacer for this purpose
I noticed that the lasertech has the exact size, but the shop said that Ill get better ride and life out of the marathon
the mechanic himself is running a laseertech marathon combo on his R100rs
has "snowflake ? " wheels but same size rubber, with the larger me88 on rear

thoughts and ideas please ?

[lkchris]

Get the right size.

Shop just wants to move product they've already bought--your best interest is secondary.

Oh, BTW, "right size" is 4.00X18. There is no metric equivalent.

[PHMarvin]

I agree with Kent on the point the shop wants to sell what they have in stock. I've had 7 different airheads and I've ridden hundreds of thousands of miles on 120/90H18 Conti K112 and Metz Me88 tires. I went to the 120/90 back in the '70's. I was getting maybe 5k-6k miles on the rear Conti 400x18. The dealer said the 120/90H18 would fit and asked if I'd like to try it. I did and I got over 8k miles on the tire. From then on, I used the 120/90H18 on my airheads - '76 R90/6, '77 R75/7, '81 R100RT and '84 R100RS. The '95 R100RT had the 120/90H18 as the OEM tire.

[Isamemon]

they have both, and maybe trying to push one over the other for sales

So, PHMarvin, did you have to use the spacer when you switched to the 120 size ? Sincew it looks like we ride, or you rode, similar bike

[PHMarvin]

Hi,
I don't know what spacer was in the bikes. I never knowingly changed to a wider spacer. I know this doesn't help much, but it's the truth! I would guess I had the standard (not the wider) spacer, because there were a total of 5 or 6 (I don't remember what tire I put on Harriet's R65) airheads involved.

[Isamemon]

thats fine
I appreciate the answer/help

[srb]

metzeler still makes the me77 rear tire that comes in 4.00x18

[Isamemon]

how true
Im just trying to figure out what is the best
and the 77's look fine
wonder what the perfomance difference is
they make the 400 in lazertech too,
my mechanic says its a performance thing
that the marathon 88 is the best metzler for the back
he stocks the lazertech and the 88
not like Im road racing anymore

[dlearl476]

I don't get this facination with obsolete technology. Just because your bike was made in the 70's doesn't mean you need to use 1970 tire technology on it. Tire materials and construction have come light years from ME77s or Marathons, you'd be amazed at what a pair of modern tires will do for your bike. Currently running Michelin Mac50/50e's and Pilot Roads on all my bikes 1970-1999.

[Braddog]

I've got an ME880, 120/90/18 on the rear, and a ME88 110/90/19 on the front of my R100RS. No worries at all. The Metzeler's are a little "hard", but then again, they also wear like iron.

My previous tires were ME77's in the "proper" size. Oh well, I like the tread pattern better on the 88/880 combo.

Not sure about any spacers, I had them put on at a shop.

[pmdave]

I've run the 120 size on my airheads. Yes, a spacer is required to set the rear wheel slightly farther to the left so the tire clears the swingarm. Actually, you just use a different seal ring that's slightly longer. Yes, you'll probably get slightly better mileage with the 120 width, because there's more rubber in the tread than the "old" 4:00x18.

And yes, wiggling the 120 tire past the brake shoes can be a bitch, because there's only enough space between the left side swingarm and the final drive for a 4:00 tire. There are two secrets:

1. Tie the centerstand off to the front wheel or header crossover, to help prevent pushing the bike off the centerstand while you're pushing and shoving on the 120 tire.

2. Slip some plastic sheeting between the tire and the brake shoes, to make it easier to wiggle the tire by. It also helps to reduce air pressure in the tire and then pump it up again after you get it into position. Cursing may or may not help. Before installing the wheel on the splines, be sure you havn't pushed the front brake shoe out of position.

pmdave

[pmdave]

Then again, I prefer Bridgestones.

pmdave

[jblamey]

According to Affordable Motorcycle Tires (website, store location Denver) where I just purchased a Metzeler 880 for the rear ($120 plus tax and $30 mounting), they said it was a good match to the Lasertech on the front that still has plenty of tread. They advised staying within brands at the very least because they were uncertain as to an improper match mixing brands. Old wives tales? I am still new at this thang, know a bit about car tires but motorcycle tires are new to me.

Jeff
bmwmoa126813

[willard]

Have not had good luck with lazertech....only about 6-7K miles before I had to replace (front and back). Still have lazer on front. Using Avon rear. Have about 5 K miles on rear - little wear....it's all in the compounds used - - i was told. bill/vermont

[35303]

I am getting good ride and handling from the Michelin Macadam 50 tires on a R100RT and plan to use the same as replacements.

[easter85]

I have a bike that is similar to yours. It is a 1978 R80/7 with spoke wheels; i.e. like bicycle spokes.

I have owned this bike since purchasing it new on Feb 9, 1979.

I run the 120/90B18 M/C 71H Metzler Marathon ME88's on the rear and they fit just fine without a spacer. I used to run the Metzler Marathon ME88's on the front; but Metzler no longer makes them. The size of the front tire is 100/90X19 M/C 57H.

Even though the Metzler tires are tubeless; when running any tire on the spoked rim; you must run a inner tube. I replace the tube every time I replace the tire.

Here are my results as posted in my motorcycles log book:

The original "rear" tire was a Continental and it was replaced on 7/23/1980 at 7,141 miles and it was wornout. I had one flat on this tire. It was a soft and squirrelly tire without much load carrying capacity.

The original Continental "front" tire was replaced at 18,400 miles on 8/12/1983.

Here is the history of the rest of the FRONT Tires which were all Metzlers.
The 2nd Front Tire a Metzler ME88 was installed on 8/12/1983 at 18,400 miles. I replaced this front tire on 4/30/1992 at 32,109 miles because it was nearly 10 years old. It had delivered 13,709 miles and still looked good.

The 3rd Front Tire a Metzler ME880 Marathon was installed on 4/30/92 at 32,109 miles on the odometer and was replaced on 4/30/2000 at 43,300 due to being almost 8 years old. It still looked good. It was delivered 11,191 trouble free miles.

The 4th Front Tire a Metzler ME880 Marathon was installed on 4/30/2000 at 43,300 miles and it was 61,001 miles on 4/18/2004 after delivering 17,701 miles. This tire took me from Texas all across Canada and back in the summer of 2001. This tire still had a lot of life left but I replaced it in 2004 because I took a 2 month trip to Alaska from Texas and back a distance of over 10,000 miles and I didn't want to have to change it along the way.

The 5th Front Tire a Metzler ME880 Marathon was installed on 4/18/2004 at 61,001 miles and at this moment has 15,247 miles on it and it looks very good. I wish I knew how to post a photo of it. I was going to ride this tire from Texas to the Vermont National but several family items came up so I didn't get to go.



The "REAR TIRE" history is as follows:

The first rear tire was replaced with another Continental at 7,141 miles as noted above on 7/23/80.

The First Metzler ME88 Marathon Rear Tire I installed on 8/01/1987 at 25,319 miles. This tire was replace with an identical Metzler in January 1996 at 37,800 miles due to age. It was almost 10 years old and went 12,481 miles.

The 2nd REAR tire a Metzler ME88 Marathon was installed in January 1996 at 37,800. This tire was replaced on 5/08/01 at 5 and 1/2 years of age at an odometer reading of 43,575 miles to get ready for a trip to Canada from Texas in the summer of 2001. This tire had 5,775 miles when replaced and was no where near worn out; but, I was worried about it making the entire trip.

Rear Tire #3 was an identical Metzler ME88 Marathon installed on 05/08/01 at 43,575 miles and it was replaced after a trip to Canada from Texas and a trip to Big Bend National Park on 2/17/02 at 54,800 miles. This rear tire had over 11,000 miles on it and nearly wornout. Almost down to the wear band.

Rear Tire #4 was an identical Metzler and it was installed on 2/17/02 at 54,800 miles. This tire was replaced on 4/24/04 at 61,001 miles to get ready for the trip to Alaska in the summer of 2004 and it was nowhere near worn out at 6,301 miles of use.

Rear Tire #5 was an identical Metzler ME88 Marathon and it was installed on 4/24/04 at 61,001 miles. This tire was replaced at 73,060 miles on 12/29/04. It had been to Alaska and the Yukon and back from Texas and had 12,059 miles on it when replaced. It was time to replace it due to wear.

Rear Metzler Tire #6 is now on the bike and the odometer reads 76,348 miles so it has a long way to go.

I would like to say a few things about the Metzler ME88 Marathon tires.

#1. I have never had a flat on a Metzler Marathon.

#2. I never balance them when I install them. Just line up the red dot with the valve stem. I have never developed any unusual wear patterns such as cupping or balance problems.

#3 They are very stiff and a little hard to mount; but well worth the effort.

#4. The will really carry a load. Compare the load carrying ability with any other tire.

I have other motorcycles also including a Moto Guzzi and a Ninja. I run Metzler tires on the also; but not Marathons.

I find the Metzlers have a very good feel along with a very good wear life. All Metzler tires are hand made one at a time.

I think they are great tires and well worth the extra $$$.

[Isamemon]

thanks
I have not replaced the rear yet
it has a conti blitz, less then 3k on it
just got he bike, but that is what the owner says is on it
the mechanic says it is 4 years old ( according to dot numbers???)
the bike at times feels a little loose, espeically 2 up
the conti has plenty of tread life left, but I don tknow if the wiggle is shocks or the tire, as swing arm and all are tight, just did all the wheel bearings and seals, new pads and shoes too
and
new lazer in the front
sounds like the rear is on this wintes list of "tune up" items

[easter85]

If your bike still has the original factory shocks the bike will definitely not handle well 2 up. I remember taking a trip on mine in 1981 with my wife and it wasn't a pleasant ride. I replaced the rear shocks and springs with KONI's back then and still use them today. They no longer offer KONI's but IKON is supposed to be a KONI replica. There are several good brands of shocks availble for your bike.

Also if you are running the original front springs they are also to soft. I replaced mine with S&W's about the same time as I did the rear.

Be sure to check the load rating on the tires you have and carry enough air in them to support the two up load without exceeding the maximun tire pressure the tire will carry.

The date of the manufacturing of your tire can be easily determined. Look on your tire and find the word "DOT". At the end of the letters and numbers following the word "DOT" you will find 4 single diget numbers. For example 2103. This is the date the tire was manufactured. The first two numbers (21) are the week of the year the tire was manufactured. The second two numbers (03) are the year the tire was manufactured. This holds true for car and truck tires also. It is a good way to find out how long the new tires you are buying have been laying around.

Yes, be sure to check your steering head and swingarm for looseness. Also pull on the spokes and make sure none of them are loose also. If you don't know anything about mechanics; I would suggest you get someone who does to check your bike over for loose items.