| Author | Message | ||
     Doz |
Sorry to start a tire thread, just looking for some alternatives to the D401 dunlops on my girlfriends bike. Any suggestions? The bike is a 2001 Dyna low rider and she has no problem grinding the pegs on turns. thanks for the input. | ||
| Pammy |
Does she have a problem cornering with the 401's? You could always go with the 501's for more grip and better wet riding. The mileage would be less(considerably) though. | ||
| Doz |
No problems with cornering but the rear is flattened from alot of highway miles, maybe I'll look into a dual compound type tire. Just a wierd wear pattern to see from someone that has no problems leaning it over. Otherwise no problems with the stockers. | ||
| Leftcoastal |
I always belittle and cajole all my H'D riding friends and acquaintances to switch to Metzlers. The ME880's on my RoadKing made it ride and handle like a different (MUCH better!) bike. The Dunflops might be better for mileage, not so much for stiction. AL | ||
| Krassh |
+1 on the ME880's. Went that route on my Ultra Classic and made a huge difference in the handling of the bike. Like night and day difference in handling. | ||
| Gearheaderiko |
Concur! Ditch the Dunlops. Metzler, Pirelli or Avons. | ||
| Dynasport |
I have had the ME880s and currently use Avon Venoms. The ME880s had better tread life. I think the Venoms may grip a bit better. Both are fine tires. | ||
| Pammy |
The only thing about the ME880's is I have seen way too many of them come apart. I hae never seen such damage to a Dunlop or an Avon. This is the type of damage we have seen (and worse) http://www.caputmundicrew.it/images/varie/DSCN1756 .JPG | ||
| Doz |
Wow Pammy, looks like someone did some off roading or something. BTW I'm looking for a set of laced wheels for this dyna low rider. 16" rear and a 19" front. So if anyone has some take off's let me know!! | ||
| Joe58 |
I replaced the K591 Dunlops on my 2000 FXD with the Screaming Eagle Dunlops GT502s. I've been very satisfied with their performance so far. They've been on the bike for 2 years. | ||
| Sarodude |
I'm wondering if another look at Doz's concerns isn't really in order. -Saro | ||
| Doz |
Say What Saro? Just looking for some input on a bike that I'm not familiar with. | ||
| Flyin_brian |
I've seen that same damage on ME880s before and from what I have heard, it is caused by improper inflation. The ME880 pressure chart is here: ME880****Solo****2 Up Light****2 Up Heavy Front*****38-40*****40-42*****40-42 Rear*****44-46*****46-48*****48-50 I am running my 4th set on this bike and the rear tire looks great still after 5K. I have a good friend who is running ME880s and I noticed his rear tire was cupping badly. I asked him about the pressure and he said he always runs 40. I got him to raise it to 50 and the cupping is going away. | ||
| Sarodude |
Doz- Just sayin' that your post is essentially asking for a longer wearing tire. I have an FXD with FXDX suspension - so it gets put pretty far on its side. The pegs are ground SHARP. I ran a k591 front ONCE. It is MUCH MUCH softer than the D401. My commute actually consists of about 25% twisties. So even though the front tire is completely scrubbed (not just feathered on the edges - but SCRUBBED) and the rear tire has about 1/4 inch of lightly feathered tread (I think the stock 150 rear may be too wide on my 2002), I STILL predominantly wear down the center of the rear. The front wears a bit more evenly - with the tread between 25% to 75% away from center getting the brunt of the wear (nearly flat / triangular), then the center, then the very edge. Anyway, everyone is talking about how to make the bike handle better. You seem to be more concerned about center tire wear. I'm just sayin' that there may not be much you can do about center wear. With the FXDX suspension and the increased lean angle over the stock FXD (and certainly more than the FXDL), I've only once felt the front end start to run a little wide with the 401 - and that was on a tire FAAAAAAR past its prime. The point here is that a softer tire on an FXDL is pretty much a waste. Unless you're (or she's) an aggressive trail braker, it's just wasted rubber - even if its on the side. And as far as the D401 sucking...... The only other tire I've tried on the FXD / FXDX is the K591. Tough comparison since it was going from a very tired tire (D401 with a wear altered profile) to a brand new tire (isn't it always? and isn't that a point to consider?) but my "ignorance is bliss" attitude doesn't understand everyone's outright hatred of the Dun(f/s)lops. If they were THAT bad, believe me when I tell ya that my scoot has enough hard miles on it that I woulda found out the hard, painful, and expensive way by now. One more thing... When speaking of "handling", what are we really talking about, anyway? Grip? Stability? Tip in? Dunno what I'm saying anymore. Time to go... -Saro | ||
| Pammy |
Flyin', though I agree whole heartedly on the importance of the proper inflation...the penalty for a lackadaisical attitude toward motorcycle maintenance should not equal death and/or dismemberment. And what if you are in the middle of a long trip and you get a nail in the tire. Say just after you have gotten gas and done a once over and gotten back on the road not intending to stop for another 200 miles. What about then? I hate to sound like a harpy or a chicken little, but I wouldn't chance it. The ironic thing is the "go to" guy for these tires here in North America has been my friend since I was 19 years old....and I still wouldn't use them. Sorry for the lecture. I am not going to say that I don't mean to sway anyones opinion, but in truth I do. ME880's (in my opinion) are dangerous to the point that the hazard overshadows the good points that the tire may have. "Yeah, these baby's rode smooth...well, uh, er, at least til they came apart..." No Thanks. Anyway, Dunlop makes the new Elite 3 that fit most Harleys and they aresaid to be much better in the rain, which is the only complaint I have heard against the 401's. Now I have given my ".25" (inflation, you know) do with it what you will.  | ||
| Gearheaderiko |
50psi seems insanely high (except maybe if you're really loaded up). Are those pressures from Metzler? (I have to ask as I cant imagine what pressures that high would feel like on my Softail) | ||
| Doz |
Saro: My main concern is with the seemingly odd wear pattern, sort of what a dual compound tire would rectify. Just a scary thought of tipping in from a flat-centered tire and the abrupt change in handling- doesn't look safe to me at all. The last thing I want to do is to be scraping my loved one's skin off the pavement. | ||
| Gentleman_jon |
I would be the very last person on God's green Earth to disagree with Pammy on matters concerning the Harley Davidson motorcycle. However................  I switched from Dunlop K591's to Metzler 880's shortly after buying my modified FXDX, due to an imprudent manoeuvre in conjunction with an Aprillia Mille, that resulted in an unplanned dismount. I found the Metzlers to be a world of improvement. They steered infinitely better, and have excellent grip on wet or dry roads. Of course they were new, and I must admit that I adjusted the suspension at the same time by measurement instead of according to the Harley recommended settings, which I found to be much too soft for any kind of spirited riding. I am wondering if the problems that Pammy noted with the Metzlers might be, as Brian suggests, related to tire pressures. Harley recommends 30 lb.s front and 36lb.s rear for solo riding with Dunlop tires. Metzler recommends 38 lb.s front and 44 lb.s rear for the ME 880 on a Harley Dyna for solo riding. Therefore it is not hard to imagine that if someone inflated the Metzlers according to the Harley spec.s, (not something that Harley recommends), and then was less than scrupulous about checking tire pressures, that that person could be riding on VERY seriously under inflated tires. Under inflation causes tires to get hot, and that can lead to delamination. I actually had a very, very under inflated car tire catch fire on me. ( I was driving on the beach, and could not properly re-inflate before driving on the road). Case in point: When I took delivery of my FXDX it had 25lbs in the front, 15 in the rear. Talk about weird handling! Just my .02¢ The Ohlins Steering damper seems to help a bit too.  | ||
| Pammy |
Wow, do I come off as a know it all? If so, I sincerely apologize. It is not my intention at all. It's just all I do and I am happy to help where I can. Or that's what I try to do anyway...  Metzler claims that the delamination is indeed directly attributed to inflation specs. 50lbs is the high side of Metzlers recommendation. What I am saying is that a tire self destructing as in the illustration is abnormal unless the tire is run so near flat that it would be impossible for you not to notice. I, on occasion, will travel 500 miles or so in an afternoon. I usually do about 220 miles in a stretch. I don't stop to check my tires. If I get a nail in my tire during my 220 mile stretch, I am comforted in the thought that my tire will not come apart as a result of losing 7 or 8 lbs of air. I agree that they do handle well. They work great in the rain...the delamination and total break down of the structure of the tire for being slightly under Metzlers (inflated, no pun intended)specs is unexceptable in my book. Firestone and Ford didn't get away with that defense and neither should Metzler. Again, if I come off as a blow hard, I'm sorry. It's hard to add tone and attitude on the internet. | ||
| Gentleman_jon |
No offense intended, of course, Pammy. I just meant that on the all too few occasions we have talked, you have been extremely knowledgeable about all matters Harley, and extraordinarily generous in sharing the information, for which I am extremely grateful. All the more so, because until two years ago, I had not owned a Harley, and therefore knew practically nothing at all about them. You properly diagnosed a failed quad seal from a distance of 2000 miles, when I had never even heard of them. PS: I will definitely keep a watchful eye on my tire pressures from now on, that's for sure. (Message edited by gentleman_jon on February 19, 2009) | ||
| Doz |
How about the pirelli Night Dragon's, anyone ever use these? The term they use to describe these are "performance cruiser". Probably softer than the stockers but I'd be willing to give em a try. | ||
| Pammy |
Thanks for that. I remember you. I am happy that , that worked out for you. I probably talked your head off. Ha Ha I just never know when I am being too pushy. I have just seen so many failures with these ME880's. I am very passionate about it. Pirelli/Metzler make a good product, generally speaking. (Just not the ME880's) As far as tires go, you can ask 20 different people for an opinion and get 20 very different answers. Riding style, weight, temperature, terrain, etc...,absolutely temper all opinions. I only interjected my thoughts due to the damage I have seen. What good is experience if you don't utilize it, right? | ||
| Superglide |
Out of 3 sets of tires on my fxdx (dunlop/stockers, m880's, avon venom) I prefer the venom's hands down and no questions... |
