But this is the thing that makes riding a nice motorcycle expensive. I get all excited when I'm at the pump and figure that I get 42 mpg two-up or 47 mpg one-up. That all goes right down the toilet when it's Tire Time. What's the bill going to be? $271.29, shipped, for a pair of nice Avon AV55/56 tires.
Here's a shot of the rear Avon AV56 tire:
My best local price for installing a pair of tires is $100. (assuming I just bring the bike in) If I take the wheels off and bring them in, installing the tires is only $50. However, I don't have the tools to remove the wheels, so that will take an investment. I haven't decided if I want to start getting tools together to do *everything* myself, removing the wheels myself, or just keep letting my local mechanic do it. I'm leaning toward removing the wheels myself, but letting the mechanic do the tire mounting & balancing. This way, I can save $50 every year and ensure that the final drive splines have fresh moly grease on them. This is also an outstanding time to check the brakes, which are probably getting a bit thin...
For the hell of it, I checked prices for a set of tires for my scooter: $79.30, shipped. I don't think I'll get 7500 miles out of a set of them, but who knows? That is for the continental Zippy 1 BW, size 3.5x10.
Here's a shot of the scooter tire I'll probably go with:
Where have I found to have the best prices for motorcycle/scooter tires? www.tiresunlimited.com Most tire places charge about the same for shipping, or the jack up their prices and offer "free shipping."
The FJR is also going to be due for a serious lube at the end of this season, which I may also leave to the mechanic or dealer. It is the 16,000 mile lube of the linkages for the rear suspension. Seeing as how I don't ride much in the rain or dusty environments, I'm considering putting this off, as I'm sure they'll charge about $500 for it. I'm going to look into the service manual and see what's involved. It can't be that hard...
More tire babble
I've tried several different brands of tires for my sport-touring bikes: Metzeler, Michelin, Dunlop, and Avon. My favorite by a mile is Avon. They outlast the others, and also grip tighter too. The only penalty is in the price, which is slightly higher than the others. Let me tell you, when you're leaned over, scraping pegs, you are glad you spent the money. Ditto when you need to swerve or stop suddenly, and the tires are at the edge of adhesion. If you haven't tried Avons yet, give them a go, and I bet you'll thank me later. ;)
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I had Conti Zippy 1's on my 150cc Derbi Boulevard scooter, and now have Michelin Pilot Sports on my Kymco Super 9.
ReplyDeleteI really like the M.P.S' better. They are definitely softer&stickier, so they won't last as long (I've got 3k on them on and they certainly don't look new anymore) but that is more than made up for by the absurd grrrrrip I get out them in both Wet&Dry.
The Zippy 1's were okay, but definitely harder/longer wearing. If you're trying to save $$ that would be a selling point. But I can see from this blog-post that (like me) your priorites are elsewhere.
FWIW, I've always thought Avons were some of the snazziest looking "buns" you can get as well...they just look the biz, and nobody seems to have even remotely the depth of tread they seem to have. All those U.K riders doin' their thing in the rain, it inspires confidence in the Avons.
ride well