Lets say that I want a general purpose tire....

[sparkfly88]

Ive got over 4k on my shinkos now, and the rear is getting lower than I'd like it to be in the center.

I like general purpose and I see the Shinko 705 fits the bill. And to be honest, I almost put it on before buying what I have now.

Being that it is a tube type tire...I guess I need a tube....and a rim rubber strip?

[650mark]

general purpose tire...

fwiw, I have Dunlop d404's on my '80 special. I get about 8-9,000 miles out of a pair and I've had them on everything from an xs400 to a gl1200. i'm a conservative rider, mostly dry riding but an occasional rain downpour, and I've never had a moments concern with these tires. cost about $250/pair installed. they may not be a great tire for an aggressive rider but they make a good commuter tire. I've run them tubeless on all the bikes except the cb55k(had tubes and rim strips).

[sparkfly88]

But I need some occasional non pavement traction...

I think the 404 has a bible written from it somewhere, that tire has quite a following

[trbig]

You don't say which Shinko you have on there, but a lot of people use the Shinko 712. I've gone through a bunch of them and usually get in the 5k mile range with them from a rear and double that for a front, but you sure can't beat the price. A little higher mileage when it's cooler, a little less in summer. Plus, I've never had a single problem with them in any weather condition and have been the best I've used in rain. I haven't heard many great things about their 777 or Tourmasters though.

@ Mark.. I'm just astounded at your D404 results. Several people I know have used them, including me, and I've not heard of anyone getting over 2500 miles on a rear tire. Ivan had one wear through the chords and develop a leak at 1500 miles. I rate them personally as the 2nd worst tire I've ever used.. with the Bridgestone Battle Axe being the worst. The HANDLING of the 404 wasn't bad, but it just wears out like pencil eraser.

[sparkfly88]

I have the 712 as per my signature.

I have nothing but praise for them, but its getting a little slippery in the center, I'd say its down to 3-4 32nds...

The front doesnt look like its worn at all...which is also a 712

[trbig]

So nothing but praise for them and they're the cheapest rear tire you can buy... What was the question again?

[sparkfly88]

I need a better tire with tread blocks...for a little offroad...

[Sylvester]

@ Mark.. I'm just astounded at your D404 results. Several people I know have used them, including me, and I've not heard of anyone getting over 2500 miles on a rear tire. Ivan had one wear through the chords and develop a leak at 1500 miles. I rate them personally as the 2nd worst tire I've ever used.. with the Bridgestone Battle Axe being the worst. The HANDLING of the 404 wasn't bad, but it just wears out like pencil eraser.[/QUOTE]

I hear the same thing from the VentureRiders forum about D404 tires, but I have run them for over 150,000 miles on my 02 Venture and always get
9-10,000 miles on the rear and 15k on the front.

[fredintoon]

- - - Being that it is a tube type tire...I guess I need a tube....and a rim rubber strip?

Hi sparkfly,
I'm totally sold on tubeless tires but if you insist on leaping back into the past,
a rim strip is used to stop a wire wheel's spoke nipples from chafing holes in the inner tube so no, you don't need one on a cast wheel.
There's also the hassle of installing tire retaining clips (if indeed you decide to fit them, I gave up on using the bastards decades ago.)

[trbig]

Uhhhu huhhu huhuh.. Fred said nipples chafing.. uhuh huhhh.

Sylvester.. I don't know what to say except good for you guys?? If I could get anywhere NEAR that kind of mileage out of them for the price they are, I'd run them too. I just... can't. And nobody I've ridden with can either?

[650mark]

wow, I can't imagine going "off road" on an xs1100 regardless of the type of tires on it. "you're a braver man than me, gunga dinh"
my xs is about all I can handle even under the best of road or terrain conditions and I avoid dirt or gravel roads as much as I can. I have a 500 mile ride through death valley coming up in march(third time) and a small part of the route is on a VERY unmaintained gravel road and i'm usually one of the last in line going the slowest possible speed so I don't fall over. I hate it when that happens! as for getting very low mileage from the Dunlop d404's i'm sure those riders are much more aggressive( read that as "faster") than I am. I've tried several other brands of tires over the last 30 years but the dunlops have always worked as well or better for me than most, even the real expensive ones. I usually stick with what works best. I guess that's why I've had so many yamahas over the years

[sparkfly88]

I've already ridden Excelsior on gravel, shell, and grass areas...

Just not dirt.......yet.

[fredintoon]

Uhhhu huhhu huhuh.. Fred said nipples chafing.. uhuh huhhh.

Hi Tod,
I very carefully typed spoke nipples
There's an easy way to tell the difference between spoke nipples and the other ones.
Gawd, I hate the taste of brass.

[Rasputin]

wow, I can't imagine going "off road" on an xs1100 regardless of the type of tires on it. "you're a braver man than me, gunga dinh"
my xs is about all I can handle even under the best of road or terrain conditions and I avoid dirt or gravel roads as much as I can. I have a 500 mile ride through death valley coming up in march(third time) and a small part of the route is on a VERY unmaintained gravel road and i'm usually one of the last in line going the slowest possible speed so I don't fall over. I hate it when that happens! as for getting very low mileage from the Dunlop d404's i'm sure those riders are much more aggressive( read that as "faster") than I am. I've tried several other brands of tires over the last 30 years but the dunlops have always worked as well or better for me than most, even the real expensive ones. I usually stick with what works best. I guess that's why I've had so many yamahas over the years

In my younger years I have has guys mounted on 750 Honda's that could make me eat dust on my dirt bike. It was a hard pill to swallow but that is what they were used to riding on, in gravel road Saskatchewan. Point is that if you know how to ride the bike on the surface given, you will know how to ride it to the ends of the earth.

[sparkfly88]

So according to the Interwebs.......a 5.10-17 is the same as 130-90-17 for the rear tire....


yes?