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Tire and rack suggestions needed!

8288 Views 19 Replies 11 Participants Last post by elime, Feb 6, 2011

Hobopoet

Discussion Starter · Dec 26, 2010

I've already decided to swap out the stock tires on my new 2010 TW for more conservative street-oriented rubber. I'm looking at the Bridgestone TW 203 and 204; Shinko also makes a street tire, the SR428. Any experience or insights about either of these?

I've also looked through the posts for a rear rack. Can the stock Yamaha rear rack be used with any of the soft saddle bag options available? I want to carry gear but I'm not going around the world. At this point, two or three day rides on the old mining roads in the San Juans in SW Colorado are all I envision.

Suggestions welcome...thanks!

1 - 20 of 20 Posts

qwerty

· #2 · Dec 27, 2010

Hobopoet said:
I've already decided to swap out the stock tires on my new 2010 TW for more conservative street-oriented rubber. I'm looking at the Bridgestone TW 203 and 204; Shinko also makes a street tire, the SR428. Any experience or insights about either of these?

I've also looked through the posts for a rear rack. Can the stock Yamaha rear rack be used with any of the soft saddle bag options available? I want to carry gear but I'm not going around the world. At this point, two or three day rides on the old mining roads in the San Juans in SW Colorado are all I envision.

Suggestions welcome...thanks!

The TW203/204 tire option will not perform well on the dirt mining roads. Can be done, but when the road surfuace is soft or muddy you'll be very limited. you'll be okay if you stick to the well-maintained roads, though.

The Yamaha rack is weak and small compared to the aftermarket racks like the Cycleracks.

slowpoke

· #3 · Dec 28, 2010

I HAD A CHANCE TO EXPERIENCE THE TW 203 AND 204 AND I WAS DISAPPOINTED WITH IT NOT JUST OFF-ROAD BUT WORST ON-ROAD. THESE TIRE COMBO MADE ME SLIP A FEW SCARY TIMES ON HARD SURFACE DOING A HARD TURN WHICH I HAVE DONE A MILLION TIMES ON THE STOCK TIRES WITHOUT ANY PROBLEMS. A LOT OF TW OWNERS WHO HAVE THESE TIRES SWORE IT MADE THE RIDE SMOOTHER AND EVEN FOR SOME INCREASED THEIR TOP SPEED. WELL I DONT SEE IT THAT WAY AT ALL, ON MY EXPERIENCE THE STOCKERS ARE WAY BETTER ON ROAD THAN THE TW203 AND 204. THE STOCK FRONT TIRES SUCK ON DIRT THOUGH. JUST MY 2 CENTS AND DONT WANT TO HURT ANYBODIES FEELINGS. OH IF ANYBODIES WONDERING I PUT 3K ON THE TW203/204, THE REAR TIRE IS WHAT SLIPS A LOT SPECIALLY ON WET(ASPHALT) OR FEW SMALL SAND PARTICLES(ON ASPHALT) OR EVEN PAINTED ASPHALT FOR THAT MATTER. I THINK THE STOCK TIRES WORKED BETTER ON CORNERING BECAUSE THE TIRE COMPOUND IS SOFTER AND JUST HAS THE RIGHT AMOUNT OF SPACING FOR WATER AND LOOSE SAND/ROCK PARTICLES ON ASPHALT..THIS IS MY HONEST EXPERIENCE, I CURRENTLY HAVE BIGHORN 2 AND A SEDONA DIRT TIRE IN THE FRONT. I HOPE THIS GIVES YOU A LITTLE PERSPECTIVE ON THESE TIRES. CHEERS

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qwerty

· #4 · Dec 28, 2010

How about losing the caps if you want anyone to read your posts?

slowpoke

· #5 · Dec 28, 2010

im sorry it bothered you qwerty, i will do as you ask. one thing i want to ask. i saw the option to make this letters bigger and i tried to click on 5 but nothing happened. i cant see very well.i will experiment with it.

Rohnsman

· #6 · Dec 28, 2010

Easy to make your letters bigger. Type the text first, then wipe through what you want bigger, click the Sizes pull down and pick one of the sizes. You will see the text you wiped through have (size="#") in front of it and (/size="#") after it (except the parentheses will be square brackets). What you are doing is inserting some HTML Code. When you post the message, you will see the text you selected it bigger. This is also how you can color text or apply different fonts. Like this --

This text is size 6, bold, in the Comic Sans Font, and Red.

There are all kinds of things you can do with the "Other Style" tools if you are so inclined. Below is horizonal rule

[hr]

This is a "Spoiler"

(A way to have a hidden message that people cannot see unless they click the button)

An acronymn (hover the term and see what it means)

[acronym='Parked Motorcycle Syndrome']PMS[/acronym]

The list of things you can do is pretty extensive if you know HTML, SQL, and all that other geeky stuff.

Larger text is among the easiest ones.

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thumper

· #7 · Dec 29, 2010

Truelight said:
Easy to make your letters bigger. Type the text first, then wipe through what you want bigger, click the Sizes pull down and pick one of the sizes. You will see the text you wiped through have (size="#") in front of it and (/size="#") after it (except the parentheses will be square brackets). What you are doing is inserting some HTML Code. When you post the message, you will see the text you selected it bigger. This is also how you can color text or apply different fonts. Like this --

This text is size 6, bold, in the Comic Sans Font, and Red.

There are all kinds of things you can do with the "Other Style" tools if you are so inclined. Below is horizonal rule

[hr]

This is a "Spoiler"

(A way to have a hidden message that people cannot see unless they click the button)

An acronymn (hover the term and see what it means)

[acronym='Parked Motorcycle Syndrome']PMS[/acronym]

The list of things you can do is pretty extensive if you know HTML, SQL, and all that other geeky stuff.

Larger text is among the easiest ones.

thumper

· #8 · Dec 29, 2010

3

Slowpoke, I'll have to be the odd duck here and dissagree with you about the TW203-204 tires on the street

I ran the stock knobbies on both my 2008 TW200's for about 4K miles each. They shook, vibrated, stepped out on sharp turns, and the famous death wing front tire washed out as everyone knows. I've now got about 6K on the TW203-204 tires and I'm not sure I'll ever go back

Most of my riding is two lane hwys, coastal roads and fireroads. I like to travel 200-300 miles a day when I ride.

The stock knobbies are a little better in the dirt, but I'm sure everyone on this forum will agree, both the stock knobbies and the street tires suck in greasy mud and deep sand! Sounds like you didn't adjust your air pressure accordingly.

When I first tried the street tires I ran 30 psi or close to it. Slippery as an eel on dirt roads for sure! I then went down to the recommended pressures for street use and I can scare myself touching both pegs down at anytime. I dropped down to 15-18 for dirt roads and like it much better. I can even flat track it around the dirt track much eaiser with the street tires than the knobbies.

The knobbies tend to grab and stand you up and ride straight when you want to turn. The front street tire grips pretty good flat tracking and the rear tires spins and steps out in total control and allows you to play scott parker

So I guess we can agree to dissagree on this one.

I think I'll try the Cheng shin knobbies next time I do dirt only. They are a little softer and have a little bit more aggressive pattern than the bridgestone factory knobbies.

Ride safe

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qwerty

· #9 · Dec 29, 2010

slowpoke, most operating systems have a control panel component that lets you adjust the size of all the fonts on your screen.

On my computer the path is Windows Icon/Control Panel/Appearance and/Personalization/Display/Make text and Other Items Larger or Smaller.

There is also a doodad called "Magnifier" that makes things bigger. Takes some getting used to, but it is sometimes a big help. You can find it by going to the Windows Icon/All Programs/Accessories/Ease of Access/Magnifier

These features certainly make using my computer more enjoyable. I hope they do the same for you.

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sinophilia

· #10 · Jan 6, 2011

I partially agree with slowpoke on Bridgestone TW203&204 tires, I like them because they produce less noise and vibration but the rear tire slides quite easily, and riding on dirty roads, wet leaves, gravel etc. can be scary. I don't think the bike would actually go down but the feeling is unpleasant. I've always thought this was due to my tires being very old - with so few T-Dubs around, it's hard to find brand new tires that weren't manufactured years ago.

On the contrary, my new VeeRubber (knobby) tires feel like chewing-gum and squeak on the floor just by moving the bike in the garage! I guess they won't last as long though... you can't have it all.

qwerty

· #11 · Jan 6, 2011

I've found that the TW34 outlasts the TW204, by about 2:1. However, the TW203 outlasts the TW32 by about 3:1. I can't tell much difference between the TW34 and TW204 on pavement as far as grip and cornering. The TW204 is significantly quieter, though. The TW32 sucks always and everywhere once it has a couple thousand miles (3000km), with the TW203 being a much better street tire and a plethora of other brands being better in the dirt, and a few being better both on pavement and in the dirt.

For a pavement only TW, the 203/204 combo rocks. For the dirt, look elsewhere. Unfortunately, I believe the only rear knobby option we have in the U. S. of A. is the TW34. I think the only other rear tire options we have are the 204 and the Shinko SR428. I think Europe has those 3 options, plus tires from Dunlop (K180, kind of looks like a flattrack tire), VeeRubber (VRM275, similar to TW34), Cheng Shin (C914, similar to early TW MX-style rear), and Michelin Sirac (similar to TW204). I'd like to try the VRM275 and C914 because they are cheaper than a TW34, but we don't get them here.

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elime

· #12 · Jan 16, 2011

Has anyone tried using a 14" car tire? I have heard of it being done. I figure maybe something like a snow tire and then rounding off the sharp shoulders / edges that a car tire has. Maybe making some kind of tire lathe by mounting the tire on the bike and letting the engine turn the tire and some how cutting off the sharp edges. With a car tire I bet the mileage would be astronomical. I just wonder what the traction would be like on the curves.

phelonius

· #13 · Jan 16, 2011

A car tire would work great if you have a sidecar attached. Can't say much for it as a two wheeler.

Phelonius

lizrdbrth

· #14 · Jan 16, 2011

Tony said:
Has anyone tried using a 14" car tire? I have heard of it being done. I figure maybe something like a snow tire and then rounding off the sharp shoulders / edges that a car tire has. Maybe making some kind of tire lathe by mounting the tire on the bike and letting the engine turn the tire and some how cutting off the sharp edges. With a car tire I bet the mileage would be astronomical. I just wonder what the traction would be like on the curves.

Back in the bias ply days tire lathes were standard equipment in gas stations and tire shops. Probably would be hard to find one nowadays, but your idea isn't totally off the wall. They were used to true the face of a tire, but one could also be used to round one off.

(Also back in the day)) a lot of guys would lace a 15" rear rim on their ridiculous choppers which would allow them to run the cheap and available Volkswagen tire. Seemed like a good idea at first, but as the body count increased it kinda fell out of favor.

Squared off automotive tires "climb" themselves when cornering, drastically and unpredictably altering trail mid-corner. Muey Malo on two wheels.

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qwerty

· #15 · Jan 17, 2011

lizrdbrth said:
Back in the bias ply days tire lathes were standard equipment in gas stations and tire shops. Probably would be hard to find one nowadays, but your idea isn't totally off the wall. They were used to true the face of a tire, but one could also be used to round one off.

(Also back in the day)) a lot of guys would lace a 15" rear rim on their ridiculous choppers which would allow them to run the cheap and available Volkswagen tire. Seemed like a good idea at first, but as the body count increased it kinda fell out of favor.

Squared off automotive tires "climb" themselves when cornering, drastically and unpredictably altering trail mid-corner. Muey Malo on two wheels.

Those old choppers ran 5.30-15 bias ply Volkswgon tires. Newer tires are radial and have much more flexible sidewalls. Many big touring and cruiser bikes run on car tires these days--they are heavy enough to flex the radial sidewalls and take some of that drastic trail change out of the tire. I don't know if a TW would be heavy enough.

lizrdbrth

· #16 · Jan 26, 2011

If I speak against something, I've generally tried it myself.

This is a Maxxis D.O.T.-legal tire, caged to keep it from blowing my head off, after a full week in the desert sun @ 110 PSI, deflated, relubed and re-inflated daily in an effort to stretch the bead. Note the distance between the rim and the "B" in "BIGHORN" vs. the letters in "MAXXIS". This tire is in no danger of seating before it explodes, nor were the two much lighter street tires I tried back when I was gunna build a "Frank Colver" style trike.

There is no forcing cone on our rims. The I.D. of a 14" automotive tire is smaller than that of a 14" bike tire. Automotive tire beads are more rigid and immoveable. Additionally their tire faces remain totally square, even at 110 PSI.

Querty, I've Darksided a few bikes in my time, but as you pointed out, we just don't have the weight. The TW rim's safety bead seems even harder to slip past than other rims. Combine the seating issues with the squared off tread and the fact that most of them weigh close to 30 pounds, I found it to be wasted energy with these particular bikes.

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ronnydog

· #17 · Jan 27, 2011

slowpoke said:
I HAD A CHANCE TO EXPERIENCE THE TW 203 AND 204 AND I WAS DISAPPOINTED WITH IT NOT JUST OFF-ROAD BUT WORST ON-ROAD. THESE TIRE COMBO MADE ME SLIP A FEW SCARY TIMES ON HARD SURFACE DOING A HARD TURN WHICH I HAVE DONE A MILLION TIMES ON THE STOCK TIRES WITHOUT ANY PROBLEMS. A LOT OF TW OWNERS WHO HAVE THESE TIRES SWORE IT MADE THE RIDE SMOOTHER AND EVEN FOR SOME INCREASED THEIR TOP SPEED. WELL I DONT SEE IT THAT WAY AT ALL, ON MY EXPERIENCE THE STOCKERS ARE WAY BETTER ON ROAD THAN THE TW203 AND 204. THE STOCK FRONT TIRES SUCK ON DIRT THOUGH. JUST MY 2 CENTS AND DONT WANT TO HURT ANYBODIES FEELINGS. OH IF ANYBODIES WONDERING I PUT 3K ON THE TW203/204, THE REAR TIRE IS WHAT SLIPS A LOT SPECIALLY ON WET(ASPHALT) OR FEW SMALL SAND PARTICLES(ON ASPHALT) OR EVEN PAINTED ASPHALT FOR THAT MATTER. I THINK THE STOCK TIRES WORKED BETTER ON CORNERING BECAUSE THE TIRE COMPOUND IS SOFTER AND JUST HAS THE RIGHT AMOUNT OF SPACING FOR WATER AND LOOSE SAND/ROCK PARTICLES ON ASPHALT..THIS IS MY HONEST EXPERIENCE, I CURRENTLY HAVE BIGHORN 2 AND A SEDONA DIRT TIRE IN THE FRONT. I HOPE THIS GIVES YOU A LITTLE PERSPECTIVE ON THESE TIRES. CHEERS

Try Siping your tires.

Ronnydog

lizrdbrth

· #18 · Jan 29, 2011

Tony,

This is how an automotive tire mounted on a TW behaves when cornering. This bike is only leaning on the kickstand, rather than in a hard corner. The height from the ground on the daylight side is 2 1/2", so if you split the difference down its center axis the bike has lifted 1 1/4" inches at the rear at this point, changing the steering head angle up front almost instantly as it leaned. The contact patch has gone south and you're left hanging on the edge rubber during braking. Motorcycle tires have a round profile to negate this, and ATV tires tend to assume some semblence of an arc when mounted on our narrower rims, depending on the tire. They're also made from a softer and stickier compound than most automotive tires, so riding them on edge isn't nearly as tractionless.

Theoretically these tires would have a tread life 4 times the lifespan of the average TW, but their added "beef" makes them stiff, and airing down has far less effect than it does with either an ATV tire or a stock knobbie (This tire is at 8 PSI). It also weighs 13 pounds more than the stock knobbie, and nearly 6 more than a Bighorn2 ATV tire of the same size, and will rob power accordingly:

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FnMag

· #19 · Feb 4, 2011

I have the Shinko 428 up front and the factory knobby on the back. I like the street tire much better, cut way down on vibration I was getting through the bars. I have not changed the rear yet becuase when I purchased the bike, the rear tire only had a few hundred off road only miles on it. Although, I do want to change it as soon as possible and hope to get it done when I have my forks rebuilt in a week or so..

elime

· #20 · Feb 6, 2011

lizrdbrth said:
Tony,

This is how an automotive tire mounted on a TW behaves when cornering. This bike is only leaning on the kickstand, rather than in a hard corner. The height from the ground on the daylight side is 2 1/2", so if you split the difference down its center axis the bike has lifted 1 1/4" inches at the rear at this point, changing the steering head angle up front almost instantly as it leaned. The contact patch has gone south and you're left hanging on the edge rubber during braking. Motorcycle tires have a round profile to negate this, and ATV tires tend to assume some semblence of an arc when mounted on our narrower rims, depending on the tire. They're also made from a softer and stickier compound than most automotive tires, so riding them on edge isn't nearly as tractionless.

Theoretically these tires would have a tread life 4 times the lifespan of the average TW, but their added "beef" makes them stiff, and airing down has far less effect than it does with either an ATV tire or a stock knobbie (This tire is at 8 PSI). It also weighs 13 pounds more than the stock knobbie, and nearly 6 more than a Bighorn2 ATV tire of the same size, and will rob power accordingly:

That tire sure looks cool! Really aggressive looking. Ready for business.

What I was thinking if the corners could be rounded off it might make a motorcycle tire. If the outer row of knobs could be made about half as high as they are now with a rounded contour or profile. Maybe it wouldn't be perfect but it might be use able. And the way I thought about doing it is lift the back wheel, start the engine so the tire spins and use it like a lathe. The bike would have to be tied down tightly and some kind of rest and cutting tool would have to be fashioned but I think it is doable (and probably crazy and dangerous too).

Anyway, just a thought.

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