I'm fixin' to get back to the VFR after a 3 year absence on a WeeStrom, an FZ1 and a Bandit 1250. So it's been a few years since I posted here on my favourite forum . . . (I see I've lost my post counts!)
Anyhow, I haven't seen a single reference here at VFRD about the Shinko tires (based on Yokohama molds and recipes). They are available for an amazing price - like $150/set delivered - and get quite favourable reviews. I put a set on my Bandit but sold it before having a chance to really test them out. I wonder if anyone has tried them on their VFR?
My "new to me" used VFR had them on when I bought it 5 years ago - I rode for about 5,000 km on them - they seemed ok - but miles apart from the Pilot Powers I now use.
I'm sure they are decent enough - just depends on how you intend to use them.
My local roads are largely chip/seal, very tough on tire wear. I am lucky to see 3500 kms on a sport tire or 5,000 kms on a sport-touring tire. I have the HF changer but by golly buying and changing tires gets real old at these rates. I am riding less aggressively now that I am an old man (at least that is the plan) so I am looking for something reasonably priced (you can't beat these prices) with long life . . . say, 6,000 kms? I don't think we all necessarily need a level of grip that wold have done an AMA racer proud 10 years ago. But I also don't want to be slip-sliding away on the dusty local roads, which are nicely challenging. Guess I'll just have to try them and see . . .
I'm not familiar with all of the their models, but have mounted and balanced a ton of Shinko's for people. Most of them taking it to the drag strip and avoiding curves at all costs.
With tires, I think you kind of get what you pay for.
They're like ice skates...just like dating that girl with the dagger tattoo on her boob, it's fun for a while but when it goes sideways it's going to take a while to recover...not speaking from personal experience of course .
[image: View Post]Paladin, on Apr 11 2009, 05:38 PM, said:
My local roads are largely chip/seal, very tough on tire wear. I am lucky to see 3500 kms on a sport tire or 5,000 kms on a sport-touring tire. I have the HF changer but by golly buying and changing tires gets real old at these rates. I am riding less aggressively now that I am an old man (at least that is the plan) so I am looking for something reasonably priced (you can't beat these prices) with long life . . . say, 6,000 kms? I don't think we all necessarily need a level of grip that wold have done an AMA racer proud 10 years ago. But I also don't want to be slip-sliding away on the dusty local roads, which are nicely challenging. Guess I'll just have to try them and see . . .
I have a 2003 CB919 and will be needing some new rubber soon. I have considered these but have not bought any yet. Let us know how you like them and if I buy any, I'll do the same. Since I commute 80 miles a day, they be just what I need. Thanks, JD
Despite the warnings, it seems that all of the reviews I've read from folks who've actually used them are surprisingly positive, with no horror stories.
I am spooning on a set of 003 Stealths for my next set. They are NOT as bad as most would have you believe. :rolleyes: I love how peeps will say they suck and never even ridden on them. :rolleyes: I don't like the 005 or the 009s, but the 003 Stealth is a very decent, sticky tire for the money. The mainstream rubber out there is not twice as good IMO(some cost twice as much). More than enough stick for the street. I've also run these at the drag strip on my dragbike and they are very tacky/sticky. Just because you drag, don't mean you can't do trackdays as well. ;) Mileage you are looking at sporty rubber mileage of 3-4k.
003s=sporty rubber (this also comes in an ultra soft compound)
005s/009s=sport touring rubber
If you are a conservative rider the 005 or 009 will be more than adequate.
[image: View Post]shrek, on Apr 11 2009, 05:44 PM, said:
They're like ice skates...just like dating that girl with the dagger tattoo on her boob, it's fun for a while but when it goes sideways it's going to take a while to recover...not speaking from personal experience of course .
In other words, look elsewhere for tires
Based on YOUR experience, you can't even qualify your statement. :blink:
Once my Conti Road Attacks wear out I'll be trying the Shinko Raven (009's). With my riding style (not aggressive) I wear my tires out in the centre so I suspect the Shinko Raven's are going to work fine for me. I also noticed that anyone who has actually used them seems to like them.
One of the latest ride reports on this guy's website used Shinko's on his VFR and appeared to like them, actually I think he replaced them with Shinko's when they wore out.
[image: View Post]1LuckyDude, on Apr 11 2009, 07:13 PM, said:
I am spooning on a set of 003 Stealths for my next set. They are NOT as bad as most would have you believe. :rolleyes: I love how peeps will say they suck and never even ridden on them. :rolleyes: I don't like the 005 or the 009s, but the 003 Stealth is a very decent, sticky tire for the money. The mainstream rubber out there is not twice as good IMO(some cost twice as much). More than enough stick for the street. I've also run these at the drag strip on my dragbike and they are very tacky/sticky. Just because you drag, don't mean you can't do trackdays as well. ;) Mileage you are looking at sporty rubber mileage of 3-4k.
003s=sporty rubber (this also comes in an ultra soft compound)
005s/009s=sport touring rubber
If you are a conservative rider the 005 or 009 will be more than adequate.
Good info! My wife works for a major tire manufacture and we nearly always buy that brand of tire. When the Koreans started importing tires everyone dogged them out. Include me in that as well. Long story short, I bought a set of 19" wheels on ebay and they came with new unheard of Korean tires. Hell, I can't even remember their name and they are on my car. I expected to get 20,000 miles out of them but they are no where worn and I have 20K on them now. Best of all, they stick like glue. There is an exit ramp I take every morning and with the 19" 'crappy' Korean tires, I go through there in 3rd gear at 50 mph and exit going into 5 gear at 65 mph. The Michelins I had on the car when I bought it new would only allow me to enter at 40-45 and exit at 50 mph.
Call me stupid but I have not found the magical tree with $100.00 bills begging me to pick them. That's the main reason I want to try them. If the 919 can handle them, I will probably try them on the VFR. :biggrin:
Can't speak to the Shinko's, but I have had Maxxis Supermaxx tires on several bikes and I've not had a problem. Of course I tend to ride like a wuss...5mph over the limit when the wife is following, a tad more if on my own and no 10k rpm corner exits. No track days or following BR around to report on a "real" workout, but they are available relatively cheeeep, last pretty long, and have enough traction for slo pokes in the wet, below freezing, and all other conditions I've tried.
[image: View Post]old450, on Apr 12 2009, 03:01 AM, said:
Where are you finding them for $150.00 delivered in Canada?
Actually I had them delivered last year to my hotel in Virginia . . . but with the low loonie this year and cross-border issues they would probably top $200 now. Still an amazing deal for decent rubber.
I have a set on my wifes bike (it can with them). They ****. What I mean is they are the most unimpressive tires I have used. I really think they are oval and not round. You can get Dulops, Pirellis and other for good prices on the web.
www.motorcycle-superstore.com got some Pirellis from them in the past. Great deal.
www.motoxoutlet.com I just got some Dunlops from there.
[image: View Post]ImLost, on Apr 12 2009, 08:18 AM, said:
I have a set on my wifes bike (it can with them). They SUCK. I really think they are oval and not round. You can get Dulops, Pirellis and other for good prices on the web.
www.motorcycle-superstore.com got some Pirellis from them in the past. Great deal.
www.motoxoutlet.com I just got some Dunlops from there.
Both places have great deals on quailty brand.
instead of just saying they suck...how about some actual qualification of that statement and expand on the oval, not round statement. And what does '(it can with them)? mean? :blink: Obviously, they are not oval, as your wife would not be able to ride on them. :blink: Which tires, what kind of use, what issues/problems? Are they old? Worn out? Details....
I spooned on a set of Shinko 005's about 1500 miles ago and I have no complaints so far. Well my only complaint would be the "NO HANDS" head shake between 45 and 55 mph. Just do not let go at this speed..... :rolleyes: . No hands at any other speed is very solid and smooth. Wind, rain, cold, warm, low speed, high speed, this is a very capable tire. My previous tires on the vfr have been the stock Bridgestone 020, Avon Storms, and Continential Road Attacks and in my opinion for the first 1500 miles out perform the 020's and Road Attacks. Be interesting what kind of mileage I get with 005's. I received between 7 and 8 thousand miles from each set of tire mentioned above. At a $160 a pair (ebay) I would give these tires a :fing02:n.
[image: View Post]Paladin, on Apr 12 2009, 06:33 AM, said:
[image: View Post]old450, on Apr 12 2009, 03:01 AM, said:
Where are you finding them for $150.00 delivered in Canada?
Actually I had them delivered last year to my hotel in Virginia . . . but with the low loonie this year and cross-border issues they would probably top $200 now. Still an amazing deal for decent rubber.
Tire prices in Canada are insane, and $200 for a set is a good price. If you go for them let us know what you think of them.
They are black and round and keep the wheels off the ground, I`ve inherited two sets on two different bikes over the years. Seemed hard to keep in balance. Replaced both sets on both bikes with something more costly. I question the quality control.
[image: View Post]VF1000RS, on Apr 12 2009, 10:53 AM, said:
They are black and round and keep the wheels off the ground, I`ve inherited two sets on two different bikes over the years. Seemed hard to keep in balance. Replaced both sets on both bikes with something more costly. I question the quality control.
How did they go out of balance? :blink: I've never had any tire go out of balance before. Lost wheel weights yes, but a tire just go out of balance? What happened?
[image: View Post]HispanicSlammer, on Apr 12 2009, 11:15 AM, said:
My buddy Craig had to get a shinko rear on his viffer last year on our trip home from Canada. Said it wore rather quickly
Which tire? If it was the 003, then yes it will wear quickly, more so if it was the ultrasoft. The 005 and 009 wear much better.
I've had sport-touring (don't remember 005 or 009) on my previous bike (Z750 - similar to VFR performance). Put 17000-18000Km (11000Mls) on the rear one and it was still OK to pass safety when I sold it this year. Can't complain at all...
Just spooned on a set of the Stealth 003's this morning (stock 3rd gen sizes). Went out for my normal warm-up/tire scuffing ride. I get to my "testing" area (about 2 miles away) and on my third pass I'm knee on the deck with no issues at all. My testing area consists of three 25mph back to back 90 degree corners with slightly varying radius, but normally taken at around 65mph or quicker. I then proceeded on to some tight cloverleafs near the bridges that cross the Red River here. 2nd gear knee on the deck the entire time around. Plenty of stick with plenty of feel. No slips, no moments, just solid grip. I was running with 36/38 psi
One thing I noticed, is that you do roll right to edge of the tire (on the rear) with a little more left on the front, but no where near on the edge of the tire. I'll have to keep an eye on that. It's more down to the profile of the tire is all. I'm not figuring on getting killer mileage, 3-4k is all I'm guessing. Time will tell. Going up to Arkansas next week for 4 days of strafing on the local backroads.
It's official...these tires suck. :rolleyes: Yes, you can buy other tires out there for twice as much, but you ain't getting twice the performance or stick. These are more than adequate for normal street riding and general hooligan antics IMO.
The 98 I bought came with an 003 rear. Only took the bike out twice for riding so far. The only thing I can mention is that they do feel different. Because the the profile of the tire is more oval than, say, egg, the turn-in feels different. They didn't feel like bad tires. Felt much stickier than the 220 on my 4th gen, but that's not saying much for most people.
The first set I tried was on my R6, I needed a cheap solution at the time ( I dont own a car, my only transportation for 4 years has been my bikes, my wife owns the autos!) Well that first set ruined the turn in and general handling of my R6.....My second experience with Stinkos was just this month..My brother bought a used bike that had them, its a CBR 1000f (anyone remember those??) Well I thought this bike is nice except you have to set up the line way way away from the apex and struggle to hold it....we changed the tires Yesterday to Dunlops (Im a Mich man, but the Duns are on sell at Cycle Gear) anyway the bike handles GREAT now with different shoes..completley changed my opinion of the bike...I will never use Stinkos for any bike I ride too hard... guess if you are a 1/4 mile rider of just meet up at the local club rider thier ok...By the way we looked at the front real close and it had wore very very wierd, like the center if the tire had shifted to one side and had sharpened off........I just changed my mind these tires are dangerous and I dont think anyone should use them until they get their quality control up to par...I will not be suprised if these tires dont hurt a few noobs.....IMHO...If you are having good luck with these tires...bless you and goodluck
[image: View Post]JJbigbird, on May 17 2009, 04:31 PM, said:
The first set I tried was on my R6, I needed a cheap solution at the time ( I dont own a car, my only transportation for 4 years has been my bikes, my wife owns the autos!) Well that first set ruined the turn in and general handling of my R6.....My second experience with Stinkos was just this month..My brother bought a used bike that had them, its a CBR 1000f (anyone remember those??) Well I thought this bike is nice except you have to set up the line way way away from the apex and struggle to hold it....we changed the tires Yesterday to Dunlops (Im a Mich man, but the Duns are on sell at Cycle Gear) anyway the bike handles GREAT now with different shoes..completley changed my opinion of the bike...I will never use Stinkos for any bike I ride too hard... guess if you are a 1/4 mile rider of just meet up at the local club rider thier ok...By the way we looked at the front real close and it had wore very very wierd, like the center if the tire had shifted to one side and had sharpened off........I just changed my mind these tires are dangerous and I dont think anyone should use them until they get their quality control up to par...I will not be suprised if these tires dont hurt a few noobs.....IMHO...If you are having good luck with these tires...bless you and goodluck
Well, putting these on a supersport bike and expecting supersport handling is :blink: You should have known that, and if you didn't, well.... :goofy: We are talking about VFR's here, not some lightweight, razor sharp handling supersports bikes. Your second experience is typical of any worn out tires needing to be changed on any bike. Since you didn't know the history of the tires or how they were ridden, that automatically means they are junk? That's absurd. This is exactly how urban myths keep getting populated. But my favorite is the quality control statement....how so? You didn't mention anything on it? I love the I ride to hard statement also.... :goofy: That's right up there with "I need a 1000 because I've gotten everything out of my 600". Yeah right.... :laugh: Unless you are some expert class racer, you ain't even close to finding the limits of a bike.
I've seen many different brands wear just as you described with a wear groove just off center. Usually due to a heavy bike, crowned roads and lots of straight up riding. Nothing new.
Clarify how these could hurt a few noobs? Any tire can get a noob hurt. What exactly do you mean?
BTW....I just have a peeve with people just putting stuff out there with nothing to back it up. There are lots of people out there that can save themselves a bunch of money but are afraid to due to peoples off the wall opinions. Not everyone rides the same and don't know any better. Just have to be careful of what you are putting out there.
'noobs' aren't going to get hurt because their tire isn't good enough, they're going to get hurt either because of someone else's fault or because they're riding beyond their skill or doing something stupid.
I've tried the Shinko Advance and they're great but I just prefer the Pilot Powers for the way I ride(Short trips to the mountains). I know several guys that run the Ravens and have never had a single issue. In fact my regular riding bud has used up several down to the cords since he commutes a lot. I've also seen him drag a knee with those tires. If I commuted all the time I'd definitely use them.
I have a brand new Shinko front tire (don't know which type...it came with the bike) on the Rebel 250 I bought for my lady. I haven't noticed any riding issues with it and since it is her first bike I have made sure there are no safety issues so she can focus on riding. As for wear and tear? Time will tell.
I wouldn't allow the elitest tire opinions to sway what I felt I needed to run. I prefer to make my own trials, and run what I am comfortable with. If a tire is actively dangerous it won't be approved for road use, right? Working in retail I know how much of the markup is in the name, and how much is in the actual manufacturing.
[image: View Post]1LuckyDude, on May 18 2009, 01:57 PM, said:
[image: View Post]JJbigbird, on May 17 2009, 04:31 PM, said:
The first set I tried was on my R6, I needed a cheap solution at the time ( I dont own a car, my only transportation for 4 years has been my bikes, my wife owns the autos!) Well that first set ruined the turn in and general handling of my R6.....My second experience with Stinkos was just this month..My brother bought a used bike that had them, its a CBR 1000f (anyone remember those??) Well I thought this bike is nice except you have to set up the line way way away from the apex and struggle to hold it....we changed the tires Yesterday to Dunlops (Im a Mich man, but the Duns are on sell at Cycle Gear) anyway the bike handles GREAT now with different shoes..completley changed my opinion of the bike...I will never use Stinkos for any bike I ride too hard... guess if you are a 1/4 mile rider of just meet up at the local club rider thier ok...By the way we looked at the front real close and it had wore very very wierd, like the center if the tire had shifted to one side and had sharpened off........I just changed my mind these tires are dangerous and I dont think anyone should use them until they get their quality control up to par...I will not be suprised if these tires dont hurt a few noobs.....IMHO...If you are having good luck with these tires...bless you and goodluck
Well, putting these on a supersport bike and expecting supersport handling is :blink: You should have known that, and if you didn't, well.... :goofy: We are talking about VFR's here, not some lightweight, razor sharp handling supersports bikes. Your second experience is typical of any worn out tires needing to be changed on any bike. Since you didn't know the history of the tires or how they were ridden, that automatically means they are junk? That's absurd. This is exactly how urban myths keep getting populated. But my favorite is the quality control statement....how so? You didn't mention anything on it? I love the I ride to hard statement also.... :goofy: That's right up there with "I need a 1000 because I've gotten everything out of my 600". Yeah right.... :laugh: Unless you are some expert class racer, you ain't even close to finding the limits of a bike.
I've seen many different brands wear just as you described with a wear groove just off center. Usually due to a heavy bike, crowned roads and lots of straight up riding. Nothing new.
Clarify how these could hurt a few noobs? Any tire can get a noob hurt. What exactly do you mean?
BTW....I just have a peeve with people just putting stuff out there with nothing to back it up. There are lots of people out there that can save themselves a bunch of money but are afraid to due to peoples off the wall opinions. Not everyone rides the same and don't know any better. Just have to be careful of what you are putting out there.
OK I'll try to give you alittle more "backed up info" But I will not argue with you about the tires I said this was MY Opinion from MY Experience, if you love the tires by all means enjoy......You state we are talking about a VFR not a SS bike, come on are you sayng a VFR is a slug in the handling department???? Anyway arent there Stinkos for SS bikes or are all the Ads in the back of Sport Rider Mag and others that sell the tires not listing them there because they arent designed (in theory) for performance IE And I quote "003 Stealth Z-rated Suburb Tire for SportBikes" thats listed on the Ad for Stinkos in the every mag I got??? The tire we changed out WAS NOT in the wear bars.....I have never seen a tire sharpen or point itself to one side in any case, if you have maybe you shouldnt use those...thats the quality control issue I am stating...some tires maybe not all are sliding by quality control......As far as the ride hard statement, I cant internet race you and I wouldnt race you period, and I dont think or know I am faster than you..I dont care...Im just stating that I feel I ride harder than say a 3 year rider..maybe?? How can a tire hurt a new rider, well with all the other techniques bieng new to a new rider.a tire that takes extreme shapes with no reason other than Quality bieng an issue I guess it would be kinda extra dangerous to a newbie..maybe??? But really calm down love your tire if you like, the poster asked for opinions, I have first hand with 2 sets I gave my OPINION...as with all opinions take them with a grain of salt and move on with your own....urban myths end when urban truths are set free.... Oh and I need a VFR because I couldnt extract all of my r6s abilities..... Ride any tire you want, just dont expect me to do the same....Ride Safe...PEACE :biggrin:
[image: View Post]JJbigbird, on May 18 2009, 10:12 PM, said:
Anyway arent there Stinkos for SS bikes or are all the Ads in the back of Sport Rider Mag and others that sell the tires not listing them there because they arent designed (in theory) for performance IE And I quote "003 Stealth Z-rated Suburb Tire for SportBikes" thats listed on the Ad for Stinkos in the every mag I got???
"Suburb" tire ? Hurts my brain just trying to decipher this.
[image: View Post]SAFE-T, on May 20 2009, 12:34 AM, said:
[image: View Post]JJbigbird, on May 18 2009, 10:12 PM, said:
Anyway arent there Stinkos for SS bikes or are all the Ads in the back of Sport Rider Mag and others that sell the tires not listing them there because they arent designed (in theory) for performance IE And I quote "003 Stealth Z-rated Suburb Tire for SportBikes" thats listed on the Ad for Stinkos in the every mag I got???
"Suburb" tire ? Hurts my brain just trying to decipher this.
Ouch, I live in the Suburbs, and....oh....I just can't think anymore!
I had Shinkos on the red 4th Gen and there were no "issues" with them at all, despite what my local tyre Nazis said. Before they closed down the motorcycle tyre part of their business, Yokahama were making some excellent tyres including very good racing tyres so I wouldn't be concerned at all.
I just got a set on my 95 ZX11 which eats all major makers of tire for breakfast. I have to say that so far, they see as good as the Pirellis and the Michelins I've had on but it is a bit early to say too much. I've read a lot of posts here and other places and have found that the folks that tried them, liked them. The other folks won't try them so they stick (no pun intended) to their Name-Brand of choice. I've been trying to find a tire that will last a bit longer than the parade of tires I've had on my bike and based on all the feedback I saw, these are worth a try. If I ever do actually detect a difference in sticktion between these and the other guys, that would be food for though but I'm thinking probably not. I have noticed a fair bit of flak from folks that are loyal to their tire flavor when these are brought up but since they have never even rode a bike with them on, they have no frame of reference. Anyway, ride what you like and be safe.
What is the price diff. between Shinkos and say Michelins? Is it like $200 for a set of Shinkos vs. $360 for a set of Michelins?
That's a $160 difference. Depending on one's riding style, Shinkos may actually make sense.
I'll make'em my next set for 2 reasons:
1 - I mostly commute and it doesn't matter much to me how good the tire is. I'd rather flatten the middle of a cheaper tire.
2 - To make the name brand MFGs lower their prices. I believe that mot. tires are rediculosly overpriced for the amount of use they provide.
I just rode the shinko 009's in the worst rain we've seen around here lately. Plus, they were still pretty new and the roads had been dry so it was the worst for slickness. They did great..no problems and felt as good as the other name-brand tires I have used in the rain. So far, they feel good in the corners and I have hopes they will wear well as time goes on. If they keep doing well, they may be my tire of choice from now on since they are very affordable (250 a set -installed)
[image: View Post]gooch, on Jun 6 2009, 01:05 AM, said:
I just rode the shinko 009's in the worst rain we've seen around here lately. Plus, they were still pretty new and the roads had been dry so it was the worst for slickness. They did great..no problems and felt as good as the other name-brand tires I have used in the rain. So far, they feel good in the corners and I have hopes they will wear well as time goes on. If they keep doing well, they may be my tire of choice from now on since they are very affordable (250 a set -installed)
Good report. I have been putting off buying a new set for my 919 because I want to try the Shinko brand but have mostly used Metzlers over the years and cant't decide. Your reply and others have me made want to try them just as an experiment. As soon as I do, I will post up. Thanks, JD
Guys ,
This is an interesting thread to me...I was around when Yokahoma was the mfg for the most of what is being sold as a shinko.
The Yokas were fine tires and I kept our racer {at the time} for the Dealership I worked at all he needed. Over on another boars GSresopurces a great place for old school GS model Suzis....there, a cheng shin or a nang kang is as good or better than them high priced B/Stone S11s or a high priced Dunlop......Guys ,You GET what you pay for....I'll wager no person here bought an interceptor because he{or she....don't want to offend...too much} they wanted to ride a lesser bike.....
I hate that quality tires cost 2-300. for a pair......you can search around and find bargains...it wasn't too long ago Cycle Gear had Pirelli sets to fit a VFR for less than $200. As the old Cajun cook Justin Wilson said "some folks say drink red wine with this and white wine with that...I say drink the knid of wine you like" For me a set of Pirellis would be good or a set of BT016s would be AOK......motorcycle superstore is doing a sale right now some serious deals on tires....less thsn $300 an many lines.....just think of your investment...is a possible tire failre and the implications of it worth that much? NAh I didn't think so....I'll run a brand name not some wanna be trie company.....These bikes are sport bikes make no false conclusions about what Interceptors are and they deserve better....and drink the kinds wine you like....
Rodm850g
Everyone has a different opinion as to what tire is best, what exhaust sounds best, what oil is best, etc. Nothing wrong with establishing your own opinion on a less priced tire as more often than not the "general" opinion is more urban myth than actual experience. The old "he said, she said" crap just doesn't work any more with today's technology. So far that new Shinko front tire is holding up quite well on my girl's Rebel and she has been putting it through the paces with practicing emergency stops, cornering, low speed steering, etc. Hasn't even begun to wear off the "whiskers" yet. I say if you have the money and want a name brand, great! If this economy is putting a bit of a pinch on your pocket book and still want to keep the VFR on the road and buy Shinkos, great!
Frankly, this thread is to contribute to recent experiences with Shinkos. Let's let it stay there and leave well enough alone. ;)
So far, I'm about 1000miles into the shinko 009's and they have been (for me) as good as any other rubber I have put on that bike (ZX11). The broke in well and continue to run nice. I agree with the other posts about tire preference-if you want to stick with the big guys, that is perfectly cool of course. For me, and the riding I do (mostly daily commuting with trips sprinkled in) they seem to be fine. I'm just tired (no pun intended, really) of folks bashing things they haven't tried or just because its mob mentality. Mainly, I wanted to see if anyone here had used these and what they thought of them. Now I'm one of the guys that has and can give at least my experiences with them. They feel competent in corners-as much as any of the other parade of tires I have ran. I don't drag knees through them though since I like to try to keep the shiny side up while having fun. If your looking for a good commuter tire and don't want to break the bank, these are worth a try. If I can get decent miles from them, they may be my tire of choice from here on out. Thanks everyone for the advice and input- it really has helped me and I'm sure others.
I have spent the last 20 years working for conti tire and one thing I can tell you is there is a big difference in the tire manufactures.The tire machines that put the components i.e. tread,sidewall ect. really effect the end result.The mixing process differ and Michelin has the best,the bottom line when you buy a Michelin it's a more consistent period.
In a car tire it might pay to opt for an off brand but a MC you only have two,when you factor the cost of a off it's worth some extra dollars.The hospital bill along would buy a life time of tires.
A friend of mine had a set on a gixxer 1000 that he takes to the drag strip. He was constantly doing burnouts tires showed suprisingly little wear ( hard rubber i guess ) he took them off after about 1500 miles due to sliding in corners. He rides hard and the bike has huge power but this may not be noticible with the VFR
[image: View Post]1LuckyDude, on May 16 2009, 02:45 PM, said:
Just spooned on a set of the Stealth 003's this morning (stock 3rd gen sizes). Went out for my normal warm-up/tire scuffing ride. I get to my "testing" area (about 2 miles away) and on my third pass I'm knee on the deck with no issues at all. My testing area consists of three 25mph back to back 90 degree corners with slightly varying radius, but normally taken at around 65mph or quicker. I then proceeded on to some tight cloverleafs near the bridges that cross the Red River here. 2nd gear knee on the deck the entire time around. Plenty of stick with plenty of feel. No slips, no moments, just solid grip. I was running with 36/38 psi
One thing I noticed, is that you do roll right to edge of the tire (on the rear) with a little more left on the front, but no where near on the edge of the tire. I'll have to keep an eye on that. It's more down to the profile of the tire is all. I'm not figuring on getting killer mileage, 3-4k is all I'm guessing. Time will tell. Going up to Arkansas next week for 4 days of strafing on the local backroads.
It's official...these tires suck. :rolleyes: Yes, you can buy other tires out there for twice as much, but you ain't getting twice the performance or stick. These are more than adequate for normal street riding and general hooligan antics IMO.
Damn, you ARE 1LuckyDude. We can't seem make that work here in the land of the square tires. No corners to strafe, you see. Alright boys, BACK to the cloverleafs!
I haven't run a set yet, but I would consider buying them. Everything I've heard from people that have actually used them is mostly positive. I hear better things about Shinko than I hear about Dunlop.
All those who are trying these tires please makes sure you post your ride reports ie: wear, grip, noise etc....I really would like to see if anyone else has the same issues I ran into with the last set...I hope it was a fluke and these are a viable option, no one likes to spend so much $$ when it comes time to spoon tires....A private cycle shop near my home sells Shinkos and is the only brand they carry, out of his own words he told me these tires were no for those who look for twisty roads...but he did say that he runs them on his Busa (which he drag races) and alot of those who drag race buy them from him...so it would sound as they would be great commuter tires or drag strip shoes....anyways post up your reviews
[image: View Post]motogpfan, on Jun 16 2009, 06:18 PM, said:
I have spent the last 20 years working for conti tire and one thing I can tell you is there is a big difference in the tire manufactures.The tire machines that put the components i.e. tread,sidewall ect. really effect the end result.The mixing process differ and Michelin has the best,the bottom line when you buy a Michelin it's a more consistent period.
In a car tire it might pay to opt for an off brand but a MC you only have two,when you factor the cost of a off it's worth some extra dollars.The hospital bill along would buy a life time of tires.
Regards,
Mike
So I shouldn't buy Conti's anymore? :huh:
[image: View Post]vanion2, on Jun 17 2009, 09:28 AM, said:
[image: View Post]motogpfan, on Jun 16 2009, 06:18 PM, said:
I have spent the last 20 years working for conti tire and one thing I can tell you is there is a big difference in the tire manufactures.The tire machines that put the components i.e. tread,sidewall ect. really effect the end result.The mixing process differ and Michelin has the best,the bottom line when you buy a Michelin it's a more consistent period.
In a car tire it might pay to opt for an off brand but a MC you only have two,when you factor the cost of a off it's worth some extra dollars.The hospital bill along would buy a life time of tires.
Regards,
Mike
So I shouldn't buy Conti's anymore? :huh:
:goofy:
I don't like I said one accident on the bike can add up real fast,cars tires what the heck I run conti.I get them for around $45 per tire as a retired employee. :rolleyes:
[image: View Post]motogpfan, on Jun 17 2009, 07:56 AM, said:
I don't like I said one accident on the bike can add up real fast,cars tires what the heck I run conti.I get them for around $45 per tire as a retired employee. :rolleyes:
Just teasing. I love Conti tires. Running the Sport Attack front/Road Attack rear combo right now. You need to hook a brother up with deals like that! ;)
Shinko 009 Ravens are great tires. I have been using them on my 97 VFR and love them. They are profiled right, give great feedback and offer a good service life. They can be had at Chaparral right now for $151 delivered. (120/70 and 170/60) I just got my next set yesterday at that price.
[image: View Post]panamawing, on Apr 12 2009, 09:46 AM, said:
I spooned on a set of Shinko 005's about 1500 miles ago and I have no complaints so far. Well my only complaint would be the "NO HANDS" head shake between 45 and 55 mph. Just do not let go at this speed..... :rolleyes: . No hands at any other speed is very solid and smooth. Wind, rain, cold, warm, low speed, high speed, this is a very capable tire. My previous tires on the vfr have been the stock Bridgestone 020, Avon Storms, and Continential Road Attacks and in my opinion for the first 1500 miles out perform the 020's and Road Attacks. Be interesting what kind of mileage I get with 005's. I received between 7 and 8 thousand miles from each set of tire mentioned above. At a $160 a pair (ebay) I would give these tires a :fing02:n.
After 5,000 miles, I have dismounted the 005s. I still believe these are very capable tire, especially for $160 a pair. The rear was not quite to the wear bars, and the front really showed no signs of wear. What I could not deal with anymore was "NO HANDS" decelerating head shake at 45 mph or so, otherwise and at any other speed these tires were rock solid. Note my previous Conti Road Attacks had a slight head shake at the same speed. Maybe I just got a bad tire, I balanced and rebalanced with no change......anyway for a $130 more a set, I spooned on a Pilot Road 2 for the rear and a Pilot Power for the front and guess what, NO HEAD SHAKE, none what so ever! Seems I do alot of riding at that 45 mph range, (turns, slowing down, in town, etc.) and the michelins for the first 100 miles seem worth the extra $.
the ravens on my zx are still going strong- at least as good as any other big name tires I have tried. They seem to be good tires for the money so far. I still say you have to ride w hat you like and trust but they are serving me well imho and I would buy another set when it comes time.
You might also look at the Tomohawk tires through ceebailey.com.A couple of guys that I sold some luggage to said they wore real well and performed great.They are also very cheap.
I have tried a Tomahawk rear and found it to be the scariest tire I have ever ridden on. It performed poorly on dry pavement and was totally useless on anything wet. I was glad when it wore out at 2500 miles. (less than 1/3 what I get with my usual tires) These are retread tires, by the way. I would avoid them.
My Tomahawks lasted 15,000 km - most of it two-up at the speed limit at a brisk pace and I rode them almost to the edge of the tire - so I guess YMMV. Only rode them in the rain a few times and wasn't trying to test their limits of adhesion - supposed to be the same rubber compound as the D208.
[image: View Post]1LuckyDude, on May 16 2009, 01:45 PM, said:
Just spooned on a set of the Stealth 003's this morning (stock 3rd gen sizes). Went out for my normal warm-up/tire scuffing ride. I get to my "testing" area (about 2 miles away) and on my third pass I'm knee on the deck with no issues at all. My testing area consists of three 25mph back to back 90 degree corners with slightly varying radius, but normally taken at around 65mph or quicker. I then proceeded on to some tight cloverleafs near the bridges that cross the Red River here. 2nd gear knee on the deck the entire time around. Plenty of stick with plenty of feel. No slips, no moments, just solid grip. I was running with 36/38 psi
One thing I noticed, is that you do roll right to edge of the tire (on the rear) with a little more left on the front, but no where near on the edge of the tire. I'll have to keep an eye on that. It's more down to the profile of the tire is all. I'm not figuring on getting killer mileage, 3-4k is all I'm guessing. Time will tell. Going up to Arkansas next week for 4 days of strafing on the local backroads.
It's official...these tires suck. :rolleyes: Yes, you can buy other tires out there for twice as much, but you ain't getting twice the performance or stick. These are more than adequate for normal street riding and general hooligan antics IMO.
I bought this VFR off of Jon and it still has the 003's on it. He had put 1500 miles on them, and I have another 700 miles on them this last w/e. I am impressed with the tires. The 003's are still probably 500-1000 miles from the wear bars, so I might look into the 009's for the next set.
Oh, and I know Jon (1luckydude) personally and I ride with him a few times a year in Northern Arkansas during our ZRXOA rallies, and he does take it to the limit, sliding knee pucks and all. So for sure, the 003's STICK on a 93 VFR.
[image: View Post]vfroforient, on Aug 12 2009, 04:35 PM, said:
You might also look at the Tomohawk tires through ceebailey.com.A couple of guys that I sold some luggage to said they wore real well and performed great.They are also very cheap.
Tomahawk tires are RETREAD tires. They are heavy compared to virgin tires.
As for stick, I have never tried them, but one of our newer group riders a few years ago bought them and used them up. He was always riding sweep. Never had any slip issues or wrecks, but was always at the back. After he used the Tomahawks up, he bought some name-brand shoes and instantly was riding up at the front of the groups with the fast riders. He stated that the better tires were what changed him into a more confident rider.
Take that as you will, I am just relaying info as I know it from him, not a first hand riding experience.
I just put on a set of Shinko 005s on my 2003 non-ABS. I've never ridden a sport bike before this so I didn't want to spend extra money on expensive sticky tires since I'd only be using the first few thousand miles to get used to riding a bike like this. Took the wheels to a shop and got them mounted and balanced for $200 OTD.
Well, I ended up getting used to it sooner than I anticipated :wheel: :rolleyes: and have had no problems with peg-scraping turns or even handling on wet pavement.
Coming from the cruiser world I'm not very familiar with the treads on sportbike tires, but I do like that these don't have a single groove running along the center of the tire, but rather alternating angled cuts -- those straight grooves usually help the bike catch cuts in the pavement/low spots between lanes/etc and hurt handling. The front Dunlop on my VTX has that center groove and it seems like it actually searches out the ruts to get stuck in.
For the kind of riding I will be doing on the VFR (very sporty weekend riding, but not REALLY pushing it) these tires seem fantastic. The only aspect yet to be factored into my positive reaction to them is the speed of wear -- still yet to be determined as I've only got maybe 500 miles on them.
I have Shinko Ravens on my '00. Although I'm not a very aggressive rider(I live in Florida for goodness sake) I like them, and probably will get another set when these wear out.
Thought I'd bring this one back to life than to make a new one.
My rear is worn down and my front is kinda almost worn down. I really don't want to put expensive/ "high" quality tires on when winter is right around the corner. I dont want the winter wearing new tires. So, I thought I'd give Shinko a try. I'm not really worried about tire life, more on the soft / faster warm ups. What would be a soft "street" tire from shinko?
I was looking at the Stealths and like them. The only concern is they dont look like they'll do well when the elements start falling from the sky. I ride in any weather and always seem to get caught in crap weather when I leave town.
End of thread · 66 posts recoveredWayback Machine snapshot 7 Jan 2011