Tire wear

[Gilly]

Any problem anyone can think of that would cause rather fast front tire wear on my K75? I brought the wheel in to have the tire replaced in 2006, so there is no mileage on the service order, but I am guessing I do about 3000 to 4000 a year, so maybe 6000-8000 miles on this tire. And actually, looking at that figure it might even be a bit high, I haven't had a lot of time for longer trips lately but commutes and short joy rides, not even what you would call a day trip.
Tire is a Metzeler, what used to be called a Lazer, now "Lazertek" or however they spell it. Nothing really outstanding about the wear, choppiness or anything unusual, just down to the wear bars already...
Gilly

[BuddingGeezer]

Lazertecs don't last long. i have heard of as little as 3000 miles and shot.

Ralph Sims

[Gilly]

Thanks Ralph, at least i know someone else has had this happen, I'm used to getting good service out of Metzelers. I have a Marathon rear tire, got a suggestion for what to use? Do they have a non radial Marathon front that will fit a K75? I thought they had dropped that tire (something about a tire plant burning down. Every time I need a BMW tire a Metzeler plant burns to the ground somewhere. I need a tire, Metzeler BEWARE!!!!)
Gilly

[motoedde]

I'm presuming you're running a Metz ME88 Marathon on the rear currently.

You can couple that with a Metz ME 880 on the front.

[BuddingGeezer]

I rum Metzler ME 880 bias on K100LT. Same size front. I have 11,000+ miles on the set and they still look great. Front tire has some cupping but other than tread whine when cornering is still smooth as silk. I figure to get another 4 or 5K out of them, maybe more.

Ralph Sims

[Gilly]

Thanks guys. I'll go back to a Marathon front. Yes I think that is correct, ME88 on the rear, coupled with a Lazerwhatever on the front. Last (prior to this tire) Lazer lasted a goodly amount of time. I had troubles with the Marathon front prior to the Lazers due to cupping, but I think the 880 is different than the prior Marathon fronts that I had a number of years ago.
Gilly

[johnpeter]

I have a '91 K75S with Bridgestone BT45 bias front 100/90x18, rear bias 130/90x17 running 36#f 'n 40#r. They had 2k on them when I bought the bike and I have put another 4k on them. Wear is quite good, they look to be about 65% worn.
Front has the typical feathering. Meh!

A guy that sells used K bike parts 'n rides alot just PMed me today, at my request, and suggested using these at my next tire change... http://two-wheels.michelin.com/2w/front/affich.jsp?codeRubrique=2092004104059&codePage=2092004104059_10092004111900&lang=EN He claims 10 to 12k and does not ride like Granny. ;) They are good wet weather tires.

I have been to Metzler's site and the sizing recommendation chart is a no-go but the sizing chart at Dunlop and Bridgestone does come up.(legal issues I'm sure)

Point: Never go to the extreme large size for rim width! I know first hand that handling will deteriorate.

I do believe that Metzler offers the 880 in bias for the front 100/90x18, iirc, it is H rated. So go with it.
Someone installed a 3 spoke rear wheel on my K75S that is 3" wide(stock spec is 2.75"), this means that I will be able to fit a Metzler 880 140/80x17 to the rear. This is the smallest rear 880 and I do believe it can be had as a bias ply. The best rear wheel width for this tire is 3.5". The smallest is 2.75" but I would not fit a 140/80 to a 2.75" rim. Your rear rim is 2.75" wide or so the specs say. It should have the numbers molded into the rim, probably on one of the Y spokes.

I like Metzler for some reason, no even all that sure why.:p

[Gilly]

Talked to dealer last night (Art Mischler from Mischlers HD/BMW for anyone local, at the "Steak and Lube" bike night last night), and he insists I have a good set up.
A friend of mine who is a HD service manager thinks I might have gotten a tire with alot of "shelf miles" on it and this tire is a fluke. Previous Lazer I don't really remember the exact miles I got on that, but sure wasn't the lousy miles I got outta this one!
So, I might just give the Lazer another shot. The rear Marathon was put on within a month of this Lazer and has miles and miles of meat left on it.
Need to get my clutch cable replaced before worrying too much about it.
Thanks again all.
Gilly

[motoedde]

Talked to dealer last night (Art Mischler from Mischlers HD/BMW for anyone local, at the "Steak and Lube" bike night last night), and he insists I have a good set up.
A friend of mine who is a HD service manager thinks I might have gotten a tire with alot of "shelf miles" on it and this tire is a fluke. Previous Lazer I don't really remember the exact miles I got on that, but sure wasn't the lousy miles I got outta this one!
So, I might just give the Lazer another shot. The rear Marathon was put on within a month of this Lazer and has miles and miles of meat left on it.
Need to get my clutch cable replaced before worrying too much about it.
Thanks again all.
Gilly

One way to tell the shelf miles is to look on the tire itself.

There should be DOT stamped on the tire somewhere...when you find it, look for a 4 digit code within a circle...the first two digits represent the week of manufacturing, and the last two digits represent the year of manufacture.

http://www.ibmwr.org/otech/tire.html

[Paul_F]

I usually run Metelzers Marathons. However, I had need of a rear tire on the road last fall and the Lazertech was the only one available. I usually get 13,000 miles or more from a rear Marathon. The Lasertech lasted only 5,600 miles.

[BuddingGeezer]

If I was a dealer, I would want every one to buy Lazertecs over ME880s. I'm going to sell a lot more of them.

Ralph Sims

[Gilly]

Well, I was having the problem with the Marathon up front getting choppy, so that's still in the back of my mind too. The previous Lazer lasted just fine, the one on the bike now I don't know why it lasted only a couple years. Hell, maybe I put more miles on it than I thought. I saved $$$ by taking just the wheel in, but I am lousy on keeping records so i don't have the mileage written down on what the mileage was, but I do know it was 2 summers ago. BUT at least it's not getting choppy, nice even wear.

[jcridge]

Any problem anyone can think of that would cause rather fast front tire wear on my K75? I brought the wheel in to have the tire replaced in 2006, so there is no mileage on the service order, but I am guessing I do about 3000 to 4000 a year, so maybe 6000-8000 miles on this tire. And actually, looking at that figure it might even be a bit high, I haven't had a lot of time for longer trips lately but commutes and short joy rides, not even what you would call a day trip.
Tire is a Metzeler, what used to be called a Lazer, now "Lazertek" or however they spell it. Nothing really outstanding about the wear, choppiness or anything unusual, just down to the wear bars already...
Gilly

I have LaserTec's on my K75 and the rear is about gone...6000 mile. The front looks good still, maybe another 4-5000. They are great handling tires but I would like to get more then 4 months out of a tire. I just bought a 880 for the rear and will do the same on the front.
My wife has Dunlop 205 radials on her K75 and doesn't really have enough miles to say how they will wear, but they out handle the LaserTec's without question. Anyone wear out or have experience with the 205 radials.

[GregFeeler]

I have LaserTec's on my K75 and the rear is about gone...6000 mile. The front looks good still, maybe another 4-5000. They are great handling tires but I would like to get more then 4 months out of a tire. I just bought a 880 for the rear and will do the same on the front.
My wife has Dunlop 205 radials on her K75 and doesn't really have enough miles to say how they will wear, but they out handle the LaserTec's without question. Anyone wear out or have experience with the 205 radials.

I have about 2,300 miles on a set of the D205's on my K75S and so far they look like they have worn very little. I'm going to be putting another 2,000 miles on them going to & from Gillette, so will have a very good idea of wear rate by then. However, I've used most of the other bias tire alternatives on this bike, and considering how the D205 radials transform the handling, I think I'd keep running them either way. :D

[jcridge]

I have about 2,300 miles on a set of the D205's on my K75S and so far they look like they have worn very little. I'm going to be putting another 2,000 miles on them going to & from Gillette, so will have a very good idea of wear rate by then. However, I've used most of the other bias tire alternatives on this bike, and considering how the D205 radials transform the handling, I think I'd keep running them either way. :D

Perfect....Please post your results upon return. I'm figuring on wearing the front Lasertec and the rear 880 out at about the same time, so that would be a perfect time to go radial. Hopefully my wife will have more miles on her K75 to give us a comparasions with the 205's.

[GregFeeler]

Perfect....Please post your results upon return. I'm figuring on wearing the front Lasertec and the rear 880 out at about the same time, so that would be a perfect time to go radial. Hopefully my wife will have more miles on her K75 to give us a comparasions with the 205's.

Will do.

[98lee]

One of the reasons that the Lasertecs don't last as long as the Me 88/880s is that the tread depth is less.

The front Lasertec starts out with 11/64" tread depth while the front Me 880 starts at 14/64".

The rear Lasertec starts at 19/64" while the Me 88 rear starts at 21/64".

Other than milage, I have been very pleased with the Lasertecs, but have not tried anything else.


:dance :dance :dance

[GregFeeler]

One of the reasons that the Lasertecs don't last as long as the Me 88/880s is that the tread depth is less.

The front Lasertec starts out with 11/64" tread depth while the front Me 880 starts at 14/64".

The rear Lasertec starts at 19/64" while the Me 88 rear starts at 21/64".

Other than milage, I have been very pleased with the Lasertecs, but have not tried anything else.


:dance :dance :dance


I really like trying new tires. I've found that as good as a given tire may be, that on a particular bike I might find something which I think complements it better. Like trying all the flavors in the ice cream store. :lol

[cruise_carter]

I have had very good luck with the Lasertecs, very good mileage (current set have 3000 km on them and very little wear) and very good traction wet or dry.

I have found tires wear differently (sometimes remarkably) on different bikes.
880's on a Goldwing were horrible wearing, 880's on my HD Road Glide seemed to last forever.

Tire sizes are limited on older bikes (87 K100RS) but might try a set of Avon tires for next set.

Dale

[BuddingGeezer]

This may be helpful. http://www.rattlebars.com/valkfaq/tirewear/

Ralph Sims