Price of a rear tyre.

[Chessecake94]

I went get a new rear tyre for my GPZ500 today (130/70/17). The cheapest tyre i've found thats isnt a crap non-branded chinese import off ebay , is £85 with £20 for fitting. When i replaced my rear tyre for my moped last year it was £15. I knew it would be more for the GPZ, but didnt expect to pay over £100 for one tyre, is this abnormally high, or is this how much everyone elses tyre cost to replace.

 

[CurlyBlakey]

Even tyres for the YBR are £60 a piece for decent michelins, for a larger size bike you're looking at paying at least £160+ for a full set, so £85 for one is just about right, remember also rear tyres are more expensive than fronts (they take more of the strain, are bigger etc)

 

[Chessecake94]

Thanks, just wanted to make sure I wasn't getting completely ripped off

 

[JollyRoger]

yeah over £100 is not getting ripped off. I used to get Maxxis sport tourer's / super sports and got them fitted for £115 by my local shop.

On a side note if you are looking for good value Maxxis have been fantastic for me in all conditions, all year round in the UK.

 

[carlsant1]

The last set of tyres i got for my Fazer before the crash cost £300 fitted (the fitting was free apparently)

 

[lauriejennifer]

I don't know about over there, but here in the US, tire prices have skyrocketed, due to the price of oil/petroleum. Our shop saw this price increase coming (dealer cost went up more than 30%), so we bought a bunch just before the increase and are still able to offer tires at the "old" prices. We're about 60% off of retail on most of our tires now.

Tire prices fluctuate like gas prices, and for the same reasons.

If you want a decent, inexpensive tire, consider the IRC Road Winners. They are the tire that comes stock on both the Ninja 250 and the KLX250sf here in the US. I have put over 30,000 miles (over a few pairs, obviously) on these tires and highly recommend them. They are a little bit harder compound than your usual sport tire, but this also means they last a bit longer. Under normal use, I was able to easly exceed 10,000 miles out of a rear tire. With track days, I was able to get generally 2 track days and about 7,000 city miles out of a pair. I was scraping peg at the track, so...

Here's the front tire after a track day session:

That's exactly what a sport tire is designed to do. I still got several more 1000 miles out of this tire.


However... I am now going through rear tires much faster. That is one of the "fun taxes" I am paying since going with the big bore kit. My gas mileage is also not nearly what it used to be... *shiftyeyes*

 

[AZZ3R]

I've just paid £285 for F&R tyres fitted to my SV. Continental Road Attack 2's

Look around for the best tyre, you want to find something with a decent tread pattern, Continental, Bridgestone, Maxxi's & Michelin usually make the best.

I would get a fresh pair or tyres rather than just one as you can run them untill your next time round and can change them together and then get a feel for a new pair or get a new pair of what you have just ran.

Gives you more of a choice in tyres and you'll know what one make feel like.

NEVER go with Metzlers. There cheap for a reason

 

[Chessecake94]

The front was new when I brought the bike, so I'll just get a rear this time and replace both next time.

 

[AZZ3R]

I went get a new rear tyre for my GPZ500 today (130/70/17).

130 is skinny for a rear tyre, my 125 had a 150.

 

[lauriejennifer]

I went get a new rear tyre for my GPZ500 today (130/70/17).

130 is skinny for a rear tyre, my 125 had a 150.

It's the stock size on both bikes I've had. Smaller is better for cornering and better for the rain.

 

[AZZ3R]

I went get a new rear tyre for my GPZ500 today (130/70/17).

130 is skinny for a rear tyre, my 125 had a 150.

It's the stock size on both bikes I've had. Smaller is better for cornering and better for the rain.

Smaller isn't better as most bikes wouldn't come with bigger tyres,

His tyres are

130cm wide 70 radial/ rotational and 17 means/ is read as a 'Z' rating for it being able to cope going over 140mph.

I'm on about the width of a tyre, I would rather run a larger/wider tyre than a smaller/ thinner one as I'd have more contact surface with the road.

 

[lauriejennifer]

Smaller isn't better as most bikes wouldn't come with bigger tyres,

His tyres are

130cm wide 70 radial/ rotational and 17 means/ is read as a 'Z' rating for it being able to cope going over 140mph.

I'm on about the width of a tyre, I would rather run a larger/wider tyre than a smaller/ thinner one as I'd have more contact surface with the road.

Bigger bikes run wider tires because they are heavier and because their size requires different steering geometry.

I know what a 130/70/17 is. I sell tires for a living, mate.

A lot of guys come in and think they want to get a wider tire, using the logic you do above. "Why not squeeze a 150 on there? It's wider, so it will be better, right? More contact patch, more stability, all the bigger bikes have them..."

Wrong, wrong, wrong. "Squeezing" it on is exactly what you would be doing. Unless you are also buying new wheels, you are in fact folding that tire over more to fit on the rim designed to take a narrower tire. You lose contact patch. Also, bigger bikes are designed from the start to handle with the size tire they are. When you go changing tire sizes, you will affect handling.

A narrower tire allows for better flickability, faster turning radius, and will perform better in the wet.

 

[lauriejennifer]

... Okay, sorry that came out so harsh. :-(

I shouldn't take my frustrations out on you. I just have to deal with this question all the time.

 

[AZZ3R]

"Why not squeeze a 150 on there? It's wider, so it will be better, right? More contact patch, more stability, all the bigger bikes have them..."

Factory fitted, My Rs125 comes with a 150/60/17, & By the sounds of what Cheesecake said his Factory fitted rear is, 130/70/17. I never said anything along the lines of squeezing anything on, I wouldn't try it, I abide by what the manufacture states, otherwise why would they put that tyre on if it was capable of running bigger?

A narrower tire allows for better flickability, faster turning radius, and will perform better in the wet.

I still stand by my orignal quote from expericance.

Going from my 50 which ran a
100/60/17 - Front
130/60/17 - Rear
To now riding my 650
120/60/17 - Front
160/60/17 - Rear

I feel more confident now when leaning in wet, snow or dry compared to then.
Personal experiance.

 

[superwaldo92]

No i think your wrong with the 50cc line my moped could handle anything i thrown at it and handles a hell of a lot better then my 125 and probably anything above that. also why would you even attempt to lean in the snow?

 

[lauriejennifer]

"Why not squeeze a 150 on there? It's wider, so it will be better, right? More contact patch, more stability, all the bigger bikes have them..."

Factory fitted, My Rs125 comes with a 150/60/17, & By the sounds of what Cheesecake said his Factory fitted rear is, 130/70/17. I never said anything along the lines of squeezing anything on, I wouldn't try it, I abide by what the manufacture states, otherwise why would they put that tyre on if it was capable of running bigger?

A narrower tire allows for better flickability, faster turning radius, and will perform better in the wet.

I still stand by my orignal quote from expericance.

Going from my 50 which ran a
100/60/17 - Front
130/60/17 - Rear
To now riding my 650
120/60/17 - Front
160/60/17 - Rear

I feel more confident now when leaning in wet, snow or dry compared to then.
Personal experiance.

Two different bikes, plus you gained more experience as a rider. Your 650 is also designed to accept that wider tire (assuming you are running stock size). What I am talking about is forcing a wider tire *above stock size* onto a bike.

Why do they put smaller tires on smaller bikes? Because we all know the best part about small bikes is how flickable they are in the corners. Their agility is the only thing they really have going for them.

 

[gpzDave]

Oh dear oh dear oh dear, tyre threads always end up the same way on every forum, tears, blood, violence...

Engine oil threads are almost as bad :?

 

[Chessecake94]

Sorry AZZ3R, but i think i might side with LJ considering she sells tyres

 

[Daffee]

Don't get unmatching tyres, thats bad if the front and rear of the bike get differant amounts of grip.

 

[AZZ3R]

Two different bikes, plus you gained more experience as a rider. Your 650 is also designed to accept that wider tire (assuming you are running stock size). What I am talking about is forcing a wider tire *above stock size* onto a bike.

Why do they put smaller tires on smaller bikes? Because we all know the best part about small bikes is how flickable they are in the corners. Their agility is the only thing they really have going for them.

I really don't think your getting it, I never said anything about flickability,in my orignal post, to many people on on to many fourms get it wrong. & then jump to a conclusion and start arguing the fact they know more than others.

I was shocked that he had a 500 with a 130 rear tyre and my 125 had a 150.

1. I never said anything along the lines of squeezing a bigger tyre on a smaller wheel.
2. I never said anything about flickability or rain riding.
3. I never argued the fact that there different bikes I know the difference.

So why you brought these into it I don't know.

And as I've said before I am going off personal experiance, nothing to do with what you think with regards to "flickability". Also a bigger tyre would grip better when braking so for saftey reasons I would still choose a bigger tyre than a smaller tyre.

Also Daffee is right & has just back my theory of buying a set of tyres over just one tyre.

& Cheesecake would would you prefer your scooter tyres over your GPZ tyres? & what do you feel more confident on ?