Any tires that are good for street and trail?

[Rich82GS750TZ]

I'm embarrassed to say exactly how old my tires are but the rear is ready to be replaced (down to the wear bar), and the front looks good but is old enough that I know I need to replace it. I will take it to a guy that can probably get me just about anything, and I'll ask his opinions as well. I'm running Duro's now because that's what the Suzuki shop put on last time I needed tires and the price was good. I like to ride the packed gravel/dirt forest roads in my area just about as much as I ride on the street. Since the bike is now running reliably (knock on wood) and I ride a lot more, I actually care what tires I get. There probably isn't a reasonably priced tire that does will on both, but maybe there's a happy medium? Don't want to break the bank. So does anyone have a recommendation? I realize this is a bit like asking what kind of oil should I run and am likely to get a lot of opinions, possibly some strong ones. Whatcha got? Thanks

 

[BigD_83]

I don't know what's out there, but whatever the wee-Strom rider I met on the Dempster Highway a couple of weeks ago was running should be taken off your hit list. He'd had four flats in three days. I regret not asking what he was using, but I had my own flat to worry about at the time.

 

[salty_monk]

The Shinko 705's are a good tyre & cheap for what they are. Learn how to fit them yourself though as you'll probably only get 5k out of them.

https://www.shinkotireusa.com/product/705-series-tire/211929

 

[alke46]

True, what ^^^^^ said. Tires are not that hard to change and if you are going to be riding much, well, you just should do your own. I should add that if you have a place where you can actually do your own.

 

[tom203]

I find the tread pattern on the shinko 712 rear works nicely in the soft stuff-good bite. Lasts about 4K for me

 

[Rich82GS750TZ]

I have the space and I used to change my own dirt bike tires when I was a kid so I might just do it myself. Do I need anything special, good set of tire irons?

 

[tom203]

You'll have no problem..3 tire irons, plastic rim protectors . Having a lovely assistant makes it easier!

have a look at bwringer's balancing rig....I use a variation

http://members.dslextreme.com/users/bikecliff/images/tire_info.html#A04

 

[Rich82GS750TZ]

Thanks tom. lots of great info there. Once I decide on tires, I'll have to weigh what my guy's gonna charge me to mount and balance vs. me liking to do things myself, but having to buy some new tools + my time.

 

[Admiral Beez]

I find the tread pattern on the shinko 712 rear works nicely in the soft stuff-good bite. Lasts about 4K for me

I have Shinko 712 on my 82 GS650G and I’m not liking their wet weather traction whatsoever.

On my 1969 Triumph 500 twin I ran Dunlop K70s and they were great in all weather and soft earth, plus grippy on the fast and dry twisties. IDK if the K70 would look right on my GS.

https://www.dunlopmotorcycletires.com/tire-line/k70/

Edit, Dunlop site says no. But this model looks good from the weather https://www.dunlopmotorcycletires.com/tire-line/d404/

 

[cowboyup3371]

What do you not like about the Shinkos? Are you still trying to run at speeds on wet roads that you would ride on dry? I personally think they are still very good on wet

 

[LAB3]

Last year I put Kenda K761's on my bike, the rear went 6500 miles before hitting the chicken strips. They did well enough but sucked on wet pavement. This winter I went with the Shinko 705 on the back and just recently swapped it out with 9k miles, probably could have gotten another thousand out of it. Now I'm running Shinko 777 front and back and to tell you the truth I see little difference between those and the dual sport tires running on gravel and hard packed dirt. Dual sport tires are attractive price wise but for just a tad more money the 777 is the hands down winner on pavement. If you're not going to attempt any serious off roading and just want to run dirt every now and again go with the 777, is you do want to get serious go with the 705. Either way avoid the Kendas, granted they're dirt cheap but the 705 is only 5-10 bucks more and does a much better job on the pavement.

 

[bwringer]

What do you not like about the Shinkos? Are you still trying to run at speeds on wet roads that you would ride on dry? I personally think they are still very good on wet

Same. I've pushed the Shinko 712s pretty hard in the wet (I have witnesses -- we had quite a few wet roads at the last Brown County rally), and they work perfectly fine.

I mean, no, they don't work all that well in mud and dirt, nor would I ever expect them to. But wet pavement is no problem at all.


Anyway, the Shinko 705 is a damn fine tire -- I've run several sets on my KLR650 and V-Strom. I normally run knobbier tires on the KLR nowadays (currently loving the Karoo 3), but the 705 gives you some portion of off-pavement ability, and has excellent manners and stick in the wet and the dry on pavement.

 

[bwringer]

Last year I put Kenda K761's on my bike, the rear went 6500 miles before hitting the chicken strips. They did well enough but sucked on wet pavement. This winter I went with the Shinko 705 on the back and just recently swapped it out with 9k miles, probably could have gotten another thousand out of it. Now I'm running Shinko 777 front and back and to tell you the truth I see little difference between those and the dual sport tires running on gravel and hard packed dirt. Dual sport tires are attractive price wise but for just a tad more money the 777 is the hands down winner on pavement. If you're not going to attempt any serious off roading and just want to run dirt every now and again go with the 777, is you do want to get serious go with the 705. Either way avoid the Kendas, granted they're dirt cheap but the 705 is only 5-10 bucks more and does a much better job on the pavement.

Agreed. I learned a while back that Kendas are truly awful in the wet. There really are no bad motorcycle tires nowadays... except Kenda.

 

[salty_monk]

705's look like this on a GS:

 

[Rich82GS750TZ]

Thanks all. I’m at Boy Scout camp in the Poconos all week and will look at all the info when I get back and decide which way to go. All the input is extremely welcome and helpful.

 

[Admiral Beez]

What do you not like about the Shinkos? Are you still trying to run at speeds on wet roads that you would ride on dry? I personally think they are still very good on wet

For me it's their traction over wet streetcar tracks and road plates. On my old Triumph with Dunlop K70s I could turn at a reasonable 15-20 kph over a wet rail and the bike didn't care, but on the Suzuki with the Shinkos it feels like it's going to lose the rear end if I approach a rail at anything above walking speed. Mind you, it might just be a function of the much wider tire, and the slicker profile of street tire vs. the Dunlop K70, so perhaps any tire would have the same issue. Here in Toronto we have streetcars everywhere so you need to be able to cross the tracks without slowing too much.

Here's the Dunlop K-70.

 

[cowboyup3371]

I think just by looking at the tread pattern on that Dunlop you'll find that problem with any tire that looks like the Shinkos. From what I read about the K70, it seems to be more of a dual-sport type tire than a straight street tire. I could see why you think you'd have better grip with it in some situations.

Whatever works for you is more important than any suggestions given

 

[Admiral Beez]

I think just by looking at the tread pattern on that Dunlop you'll find that problem with any tire that looks like the Shinkos.

I think you’re right. Looking at the site https://www.shinkotireusa.com/products I think I may have been more accustomed to the Classic 240.

The ads of the time show an OEM tire that’s closer to the Dunlop K-70 look.

Here’s a period shot of a bike like mine, GS650G. I wonder what these tires are.

Perhaps the Dunlop 404?

 

[Grimly]

As far as I recall, the factory bikes came fitted with Japanese Rubber Corp tyres and most European riders were glad to ditch them and fit something decent.
The JRCs were fine in the dry but less so in the wet. Probably the compounds used weren't really all that well suited to European roads, especially all year around.
Fitting a set of Dunlop K404s is likely a upgrade from them anyway.

 

[cowboyup3371]

If you don't like the Shinkos when they get wet you'll despise the 404s when they get old. They turn very very evil when it's time to change them out.