radial tires???

[rev79xs11]

Is it possible to switch to radial tires? I've been told absolutely not by one of my friends who hada few bikes but wondered why?



REV79xsll

[TADracer]

The suspension and frame/fork geometry on these machines are not designed for a radial tire. Radials usually have higher speed ratings and sidewalls are not as tall. A radial may work but it is not worth a compromise in safety to try. One thing is for sure, definately do not mix them!

[pggg]

They only make radials over 150 size on the rear, 120 or over up front. You can have a radial at the back and ply up front, no trouble there.

[HobbyMan]

I would not put radials on a motorcycle for the same reason that I do not tow a lot with them. Go out to your car and push on it sideways and look how much the wheel slides sideways back and forth when the tread is still stationary. That is dangerous on a motorcycle. Bias Ply tires have criss crossing wires to make them rigid. On some bikes it isn't as important as ours. My family used to trailer a lot and with radial tires your trailer starts to sway every chance it gets. When that happens it makes the vehicle oscillate with the trailer amplfying the amount of sway creating scary situations. With bias ply tires and sway bars, you and your load will travel straight down the highway with no probs. Long story short, radials don't have the sideways support.

[pggg]

What a load of BS Hob, you're sayin' radial motorcycle tyres are just decoration?

[Dragonrider]

The thing about radials, is they're designed for rotating. Sound silly, yes? But you can't look at a radial at rest and determine footprint, sidewall stiffness etc.

Every part of the tire is designed to be optimal when rotating. They "throw" their tread to the ground, resulting in much larger contact patches than bias ply...some tires by more than 50%.

The forces exerted by spinning change the dynamics of the sidewall. Everything about the tire changes when it's moving.

Yes, you can put radials on a bike, if they make them in your sizes. You will notice an immediate improvement in handling and braking.

I don't recommend mixing them with bias ply, though I've no problem mixing brands.

[prometheus578]

'Nothing irks me more than having to agree with Hobbyman."

Thus speaks Dunlop:

""Bias and radial tires have significantly different dynamic properties. They deflect differently, create different cornering forces, have different damping characteristics, as well as other differences. In order for radial tires to be introduced into the two-wheel market, it was necessary to change certain characteristics of the motorcycle. The introduction of the radial tire led to such things as modified frames, new steering geometries and suspensions. Therefore, it is recommended that a motorcycle be used with the type of tire construction that it came with originally. If a change is to be made, then it should only be done if the motorcycle or tire manufacturer has approved the change. Above all, do not mix bias ply and radial tires on the same motorcycle unless it is with the approval of the motorcycle or tire manufacturer. ""

Run what the bike designer and tire manufacturers recommend... unless you feel that you know more than they do, then you'll do what you want, anyway.

[acof911]

how about the Dunlop Elite 3?

from the Dunlop web site -

The bias-ply Elite 3 features a tire profile modeled after the shape of modern radial-construction tires and shares many of the same benefits.

I am into my second season on a set of these and I like 'em pretty much. Smooth in the twistys and good tread wear so far.

Andy

Elite 3 page

[pggg]

Thus speaks Dunlop:

... Therefore, it is recommended that a motorcycle be used with the type of tire construction that it came with originally. If a change is to be made, then it should only be done if the motorcycle or tire manufacturer has approved the change. Above all, do not mix bias ply and radial tires on the same motorcycle unless it is with the approval of the motorcycle or tire manufacturer. ""

BOLLOCKS!! Old musclebikes handle radials fine, better handling, longer lasting, check out the old post-classic track bikes. Also, I've been running a 110 metzeler crossply up front combined with a 160 Michelin radial at the back for thousands of miles on my own XS, let 'Mr Dunlop' come ride my XS thru the twisties for a day - THEN let's see what 'Mr Dunlop' has to say...

[cajun31]

Put on it what it was designed for

Gentlemen, there is nothing wrong with agreeing to disagree. Just my 2 cents worth I agree with Hobbyman and Prom. Our bikes were designed to run with ply tires and that is all I will put on mine. If radials work for you more power to you. I just like a stiffer sidewall for safety's sake.

[pggg]

Again you can't get radials for your XS11 rims, radials are low-profile and wide, they've barely got sidewalls and are stiffer than the crossplys

[HobbyMan]

Here is the deal. Our tires have a large side wall area and they are very narrow. YOu need bias ply for the stability. Fat tires that have no sidwall don't need bias ply.
Sorry if you are confused about this Pggg but I specifically said
"On some bikes it isn't as important as ours." THere are radial motorcycle tires out there.

[XSrunner]

New tyres

HI GUYS I know we all hate talking about this but I need to buy a new set last set was Metzlers grip was good in wet milage ok 5000miles( rear) I was wondering has anyone tried these http://www.pirelli.com/tyre/ww/en/mo...t/fitment.html PERELLI SPORTS DEMONS ON THERE STANDARD .THANKS .....

[motoman]

HI GUYS I know we all hate talking about this but I need to buy a new set last set was Metzlers grip was good in wet milage ok 5000miles( rear) I was wondering has anyone tried these http://www.pirelli.com/tyre/ww/en/mo...t/fitment.html PERELLI SPORTS DEMONS ON THERE STANDARD .THANKS .....

No I haven't, but whatever your choice your gonna find none are gonna wear like they did 10yrs. ago. The softer compound used on the sides is now used on the center and an even softer compond is used on the sides than previous years. You'll find depending on your riding style and type of pavement you normally run on, that the 5K your getting on the rear now is likely not gonna change much with tire brand, unless of course you choose to use a fairly hard compound like the Metz 88, but it gives up some cornering adhesion for some extended mileage. Just like the different bikes, tires don't fill the best of both worlds. BTW, all those previous threads about not using radials on our 11's is total BS.Just an example, my 20yr.old Honda ST1100 didn't come with radials but 98% of ST riders use radial wrapped tires on the old ST's and of course the new ones. They DO eliminate feeling all the little grooves specially the grooved concrete roads with absolutely no wiggle. Correct sizing makes it nearly impossible to come up with the correct size for both ends of the scoot. On a bike, trying to mix them with bias-ply gives a wierd handleing with one leading more or trailing more, and they do tend to show cupping on both ends of bike, but the response from radial design is better. Lot of choices out there though and not so much with the 17" wheel as opposed to the 16" rear.

[XS1100 Newbie]

Just my two cents, but if someone finds, and wants to try radials, go for it. As for me i will stick with what the bike calls for. Besides, when i have been looking, i have not seen any of the sport radials that are rated heavy enough for these bikes.