R80RT Tire Mis-matched

[73516]

Greetings,

Acquiring an R80RT (87) mounted on the front is a Michelin Activ on the rear is a Michelin Macadam. Is there any concern handling or otherwise in the mixed set? The tires have more than adequate life left.

Thanks

73516

[20774]

They are both bias ply tires...shouldn't be a problem. I've never had the same manufacturer tire on the front and rear at the same time on my /7. It's not a problem as long as the tire is the right size for the application and you're not using the tire for something it wasn't meant for. Ride on...

[DakotaMike]

Agreed. I have been running different tires for a while, works just fine.

[toooldtocare]

I think the only people that tell you that it is not ok, are the folks at the dealership trying to sell you two tires. I have done it for years.

[ISAMEMON]

so reading this, I often wondered about metzler and radials

for example a combo that is/was often popular on the BMW bikes is the metzler lasertec in the front and a mtzler ME880 marathon on the rear

however, the laswertec is listed as a bias ply and the me 880 a radial ply

[20774]

Are you sure about the ME880 tire for an Airhead? The sizes are not at all correct for the bike. One of BMWs latest service bulletins shows Metzeler tires ME55 for the rear, not anything like the ME880.

Generally, I've heard to not mix bias ply tires and radial tires.

[NICKRIDES]

73516
Your lucky to start out with 2 good tires!
Make sure you put enough air in them, modern tires need more PSI than what is posted on the sticker on the bike.
You may want to start with 32-34 in the front and 34-37 in the back; play with the air pressures, and see how it works for you.
Nick Kennedy

[ISAMEMON]

Are you sure about the ME880 tire for an Airhead? The sizes are not at all correct for the bike. One of BMWs latest service bulletins shows Metzeler tires ME55 for the rear, not anything like the ME880.

Generally, I've heard to not mix bias ply tires and radial tires.

Ill have to hunt for a link , I thought it was common and on the old airheads you had to use a spacer on the axel for the tire to clear, it was a 120x?
that is what was on my old airhead, a 78. that combo

[Darryl Cainey]

Yes, you can run a 120/90 18 rear tire but you will have to deflate it to install as well as use a spacer.

This can be a giant pita on a trip if you get a flat.

Proper size is a 4:00 x 18

You can run a 110/90 18 but you may have centerstand issues because of the metric profile, these are what I run.

[20774]

Ill have to hunt for a link , I thought it was common and on the old airheads you had to use a spacer on the axel for the tire to clear, it was a 120x?
that is what was on my old airhead, a 78. that combo

Was it the ME88? Snowbum mentions that tire in Section 5 on this page:

http://bmwmotorcycletech.info/section5.htm

[osbornk]

73516
Your lucky to start out with 2 good tires!
Make sure you put enough air in them, modern tires need more PSI than what is posted on the sticker on the bike.
You may want to start with 32-34 in the front and 34-37 in the back; play with the air pressures, and see how it works for you.
Nick Kennedy

My 86 R80RT calls for 36 in the front and 42 in the rear. I have always run that pressure and it has worked well for me. I generally ride crooked mountain roads and the sides get most of the wear.

[Darryl Cainey]

You must go by the Tire manufacturers reccomendation not the bike.

Can't stress this enough!

[ISAMEMON]

so reading this, I often wondered about metzler and radials

for example a combo that is/was often popular on the BMW bikes is the metzler lasertec in the front and a mtzler ME880 marathon on the rear

however, the laswertec is listed as a bias ply and the me 880 a radial ply

correction, it was a me 88 not an 880

[DakotaMike]

My 86 R80RT calls for 36 in the front and 42 in the rear. I have always run that pressure and it has worked well for me. I generally ride crooked mountain roads and the sides get most of the wear.

Yeah, go ahead, rub it in for us who live in the land of straight as far as the eye can see!