Why not another TIRE Thread! :)

[Bonz]

How much harder is the rubber, based on a study done somewhere or in Shinko advertising?

[speedlimit85]

The really cheap ones are cheng shin tires.

[IanDMacDonald]

Shinko tires feel like they don't grip the road as well in rain. They are made of a hard rubber that can last longer.

The last Shinko tires I got gave me a slight shake in the front...could have had another cause, but I doubt it.

One of the MANY complaints of the 712's, that pushed me away from buying them. It's not just a few people, it's across many forums.

[Bonz]

Then let's be specific to WHICH tire, and not bash an entire brand with generalizations. 230's work well on the 80SG. Rain or shine.

[motoman]

The really cheap ones are cheng shin tires.

Have to agree. Tried a set of those 35ys. ago on my Venturer. Well, you definitely got what cha' paid for. They went out of round, wore more in one area on the circumference than the other, wore one side off the center more than other side, on and on for the bad. Bout 2,000mi. and they went to the trash. Put on a set of Dunlop E3's as they were just coming on the market then, and 17" for rear was no issue getting. In fact, back then, all manufacturer's tires were still the nice conventional size, not this 90 series of today. Back then, that first year of production, Dunlop guaranteed the rear E3 for 10,000mi. Well, that guarantee was abolished by Dunlop after first year of its production. Still was an awesome tire for the factory full dresser Venturer as it had a really high weight carrying payload rating. But Dunlop hasn't made it in a rear 17" for a few decades now.

[Bonz]

35 years ago? You're talking 1982. What does anything from 35 years ago have to do with a single tire we would put on our bikes today? Nada. Shinko tires are being made using Yokohama facilities. I am sure not all tires are made the same it's obvious we don't need to debate that. The fact is Shinko is not a bad or dangerous or otherwise faulty brand. Generalizations just don't work in this day and age based on my personal experience.

[motoman]

No generalization, just thought since that brand was brought up by Speed, would throw out a bit of history along with some history and use of the Dunlop E3's.
Other than that, tires are kinda like oil, as every one will give you a different personnel preference..

[Bonz]

Motoman, that is for sure about having our ideas and feelings about what works for us! You quoted and agreed about "The cheap ones are Cheng Shin tires", and say you tried a set 35 years ago. I was pointing out that is a long time ago and those tires would have nothing in common with a tire made today. Therefore using a 35 year old comparison can't paint a complete picture.

With that said, no need to talk motor oils. . We definitely know what we like and near as I can tell, every XS1100 that is still running started life using oil that pales to modern oil fit for use in a motorcycle in terms of protection and quality.
Same with tires, IMO.

[LakeOber]

I just got my Shinko 777's installed about 3 weeks ago. I haven't ridden my bike at all since they have been installed except to ride it home. Today I pushed it out of my shed to work on it. After I worked on it, I backed it back in to the shed but have to turn my handlebars sharp to get it back in the shed. I turned the handlebars sharp while backing it in, and the tire felt like it dug in to the rough uneven concrete pretty hard. After getting off the bike and coming back a few minutes later, I saw that my front tire was about half flat. I checked the ground, but there where no sharp objects. I pumped the tire back up to max psi and sprayed it down with soapy water, no leaks that I could see at all. I checked the tire again several hours later and it still looks fine. Could I maybe have broke the bead a bit when turning the tire while barely moving on the uneven concrete? If it doesn't get any lower, should I be fine to ride on it? Also, the warmest it has been since I got the tire installed is about 50 degrees. I sure hope I didn't mess my brand new tire up

[bikerphil]

Check the pressure with a gauge tonight and again in the AM. Did you spray soapy water on/around the valve stem?

[CJPetersen2000]

Might not have seated properly when it was installed or rim not cleaned enough to allow a proper seal causing a slow leak. Was a new valve stem installed?...old ones are prone to dry out. crack and can leak. Check the valve core to make sure its tight and doesnt leak. I prefer to check this by takin off cap and puting spit from my finger covering the hole. If it bubbles...it's leaking, replace it. Sounds like you had a slow leak and you might want to inform whoever changed it of your problem. I'm sure you didnt damage the tire turning the wheel it was probably allready low and these are heavy bikes that are hard to move with flat tires! Good luck I'm anxious to hear how the 777s work on your bike.

[LakeOber]

Thanks for the help guys. I had to leave for work so I didn't get a chance to spray around the valve stem and check for bubbles. I did look at the pressure though, and it appears to be holding still. Also, I checked the core quickly and that appeared fine as well. I have no idea if the shop used the old valve or if they installed a new one. I will have to check with them to verify it. I will check the valve stem tonight for leaks.

[dbbrian]

Tire Pressures

I recall my tires had pressure drop after the first ride and I was sure the installer screwed up something, but once I returned them to proper level they stayed.

I also noted how much the temperature of the day affects the tire pressures on the bike, and so I became quite religious about checking them before a ride.

So for me, after that initial apparent drop after installation, they hold the air fine.

[LakeOber]

I recall my tires had pressure drop after the first ride and I was sure the installer screwed up something, but once I returned them to proper level they stayed.

I also noted how much the temperature of the day affects the tire pressures on the bike, and so I became quite religious about checking them before a ride.

So for me, after that initial apparent drop after installation, they hold the air fine.

Turns out, this is exactly what it was. I think they were slowly deflating from the cold month we had and I just noticed them all the sudden. I filled up the front again and checked it 2 days later...same exact pressure. I also found that the rear tire had lost about 10psi (it wasn't as noticeable as the front). So looks like I'm good to go. Thanks for everyones input.

[3Phase]

LakeOber, it's easy to miss but if the tire isn't seated evenly around the rim then it can leak and it'll 'squirm' slightly as you ride, the tire won't run or wear evenly.

I found a tutorial with a picture of what in blazes I'm talking about over at motorcyclecruiser.com:-

15. Inflate the tire slowly, using no more than the recommended pressure. If you’re installing a new tire you may hear a “pop” as pressure forces the bead into place. Old tires may not seat as forcefully, so don’t be alarmed if yours gives you the silent treatment. Adjust pressure to the recommended setting and then locate the bead indicator on the tire. Some bead indicators are just a raised rubber strip, while others look like hash marks scribed into the tire. The indicator should be equidistant from the rim all the way around the wheel. If it isn’t, try adding air; you can go as high as 45 psi. If the tire still won’t seat correctly, release the air, lubricate the bead and try again. Once it’s seated, adjust pressure to the manufacturer’s recommendations.

Tire Changing 101
A How-To of Tire Changing
By Mark Zimmerman Photography by Mark Zimmerman June 2, 2016

If the bead line still doesn't line up all the way around, don't use a pointy metal thing to dig the bead out of the rim.

Let most of the air out of the tire, then carefully bounce it on the floor at the spot where the line is off.

A mallet can work too. Strike the tire at an angle to move the bead 'in' or 'out' of the rim until it's even all the way around. Don't put the wheel on the floor with the brake disk down and then beat on the tire, you'll mess up the disk.

If the bead is really stubborn and doesn't want to straighten up, let even more air out and then lean on the darn thing as you roll it back and forth on floor. No, I do not have any pictures of that procedure.