> Another question about tires.... I'm trying to choose between the K591's > & the Avon Super Venoms. From what I've heard, they both seem to be > good choices for the V-Max, but are the Avons worth the extra $40 or so > for the pair? The Avons corner better, the 591s have better straight-line traction. They both work about the same in the rain, and both look like they last about the same mileage, so it's up to you. I personally like the Avon better, but most Maxers would probably be happy with the 591rear at a much better price. However, don't put a 591 on the front, they steer too heavily. Bridgestone BT17 and Metzeler ME33 both work better, the BT17 having more traction but also wears out faster. I haven't tried the Avon front yet, but will soon. - - Mike Sayers - - Raleigh, NC ------------------ Dunlop 591 160/80V15 Michelin Tarmac 170/80H15 Pirelli Route MT66 170/80H15 All three barely clear the swingarm, all three are about the same price, all three work well. The Dunlop is slightly smaller diameter, and looks very fat, but doesn't last quite as long as the other two. Not all 170/80's will fit, so stick to the above. Check out my tire page: http://www.mindspring.com/~vmax-faq/vmaxtire.htm - -Mike Sayers-90 Yamaha Vmax-Smithfield NC-VMOA Thug #234 - -Vmax list admin-AMA #694085-DoD #2026 vmax@tridod.org -------------- > Discussion... is it true that.fat tires look great but may contribute to > handling woes???...although Roy R., has nothing but good things to say > re his 180 Max conversion. Maybe up to 180 is okay.. Any others out > there have comments on the handling effects of a wide tire?? I know the dreaded 80 mph cornering weave is almost completely gone from my Max with a Michelin Macadam 50 on the back, which is narrow, but does it a little more with the Super Venom or 591 which are both wider. I think this is because the wider tire puts more stress on the swingarm & frame during cornering than the narrower one. Going to a radial probably reduces the stress too. ----------------- Last night I attended the monthly meeting of the local vintage motorcycle club and the top dog for Dunlop Tire (Canadian motorcycle division) was there fielding questions. The following is my foggy interpretation of some of the questions asked. He started by stating that Dunlop are the only manufacturer of motorcycle tires in N.America with a plant in Buffalo,NY. They have 100% of the OEM market in the US (i.e.. Honda in Maryland and of course Harley). Worldwide they are number 1 in motorcycle tire sales. Tubes in Tubeless Tires: all Dunlop tires for tubeless applications are also suitable for tubes and this is worded on the sidewall. Some manufacturers tubeless tires are not properly finished inside and will chafe against the tube causing it to fail. If a tire says on the sidewall "for tubeless rims only" do not use it with a tube without consulting the manufacturer first. K591's: I asked him how the Aeromax D103 compared to the 591's. My ST came equipped with the 103's and I switched to 591's ever since. He said the 591 is a better tire as it has seen continuous development since 1989. It is the best bias ply tire they have developed. The Aeromax is older technology. Fans of the 591 will be disappointed to hear it will be discontinued in 99. Dunlop do not make production runs longer than 10 years. He went on to explain why. The date of a tire can be read by the serial number which always starts with DOT and ends with 3 digits. For example a s/n ending with 345 means the date of manufacture is the 34th week in 1995. If production runs were allowed to continue longer than 10 years it would be difficult to tell if a tire were 1 yr old or 11. I believe this dating system is only valid in N.America. A replacement state of the art bias ply tire is due for release. Dynos: his opinion is that a single run for a hp measurement is harmless. Repeated runs for tuning purposes will heat the tire similar to racing conditions. Anytime the tire is over heated the oils within the tire are brought to the surface causing the tire to dry out and fail prematurely. He recommended mounting an old tire if you're planning extended time on the dyno. Armourall on Sidewalls: this is a no-no. It draws the tire's oils out and causes cracking. Nothing at all is best. Lifespan: tire manufacturers warn against using any tire older than 7 years. There are 2 things that happen to old tires. The most obvious is sidewall cracking. Even if no cracks are found the older tire has most likely started to dry out and harden. Grip is severely compromised. Storage: the best conditions for storage are cool and dark, a wine cellar was mentioned. Keep away from ozone producing sources like electric motors. Freezing temps are OK. Saving squared tires: He said there's nothing you can do. MCN have demonstrated good results with a rasp. He's selling tires so believe what you want. ----------------- Subject: Re: Vmax Tires In a message dated 2/7/99 8:55:21 PM Pacific Standard Time, hofstr19@idt.net writes: << Can any one give me some advice on what is the largest size rear tire that will fit a stock swing arm and stock rim on 95 vmax, preferably a dunlop . I have been running a 491 on the rear 150-90-15 but would like to go to a wider tire if it will fit , any suggestions would be appreciated George #-198 >> Hey George....I run a 160/80 K591 dunlop on mine and love it ---it feels great and hooks up a lot harder than the 150/90 K591 i had on it before. Vmaxfreak@aol.com---Rod ----------------- > Can any one give me some advice on what is the largest size rear tire > that will fit a stock > swing arm and stock rim on 95 vmax, preferably a dunlop . I have been > running a 491 on the rear 150-90-15 but would like to go to a wider > tire if it will fit , any suggestions would be appreciated > George > #-198 Dunlop K591: 150/90/15 or 160/80/15 will fit. Also Dunlop K555 (H rated) 160/80/15 or 170/80/15 (I have that on my bike) You MUST deflate the tire to be able to slip it, inside the swing arm (170/80/15) Good Luck Mario --------------------- "Bob Huber" wrote. > Can anyone tell me what the widest rear tire size that will fit on the max > without mod to the swingarm.As far as I can tell a 160 seems to be about it. G'day Bob, I seem to reply to this question more than any other. I wonder what that means? Yes, a 160 will fit easy. But you can also run a 170 if you don't mind running an "H" rated tire. I presently run a Pirelli MT66 Route, 170/80-15. It fits with no mods to the swing arm. It's an all round good tire Metzeler also has a 170, ME88, but is much larger and will not fit without mods to the swing arm and possibly even shaving the tire. Good luck. Jean(John)Dupuis "MAXGT" VMOA#425 '93 Vmax,'94 ZX11 ----------- > need some help on tires: I have a 97 vmax which is due for its > first rear tire, bike has 7,200 kms on it. my dealer says you can`t > fit a bigger tire on it. They are wrong. All 160s will fit, and most 170s except the Metzeler ME- 88. Recently someone reported the ME-880 does fit. The K591 is probably the best bargain, if you want more tread life you could go with a K555 or the ME-880 in a 170/80, or many others. I have a (mostly) complete tire list at: http://www.mindspring.com/~vmax-faq/vmaxtire.htm ----------- From: Scott Hallmark To: V-Max@sayegh.org Subject: Re: worn tire Message-ID: <4.1.19990702181109.00985c80@mail.earthlink.net> FYI, I have an ME-880 on mine now and I love it. I had in the past ran ML2 +'s. They gave me long tread wear but had a serious flat spot after ~ 3500-4000 miles. Then I went to the Avon Super Venom and couldn't stand it. It flat spotted after 1500 miles and really made high speed cornering a task. So I shod the Avon and picked up a ME-880 after it was suggested to me by the boys at the shop. So far the tire has been very grippy considering what it was built for. Cost less than the ML2+ and way cheaper than the Avon.