After 6477 miles the Metzler MEZ4s that came on the bike needed to be replaced. The rear was down to the wear bar in the middle, and while I probably could have gotten some more miles out of the front, I have a 1300+ mile trip coming up and decided I wanted fresh rubber. I'm also of the school of thought that likes to replace all the tires at the same time.
First, a bit about myself. I'm 47, about 170 - 175 pounds, and am an average rider. Never in my life have a put a knee down, and scraping a peg feeler is only done by accident. I crashed in '05 and spent two weeks in hospital. I found out that crashing hurts, and don't have any desire to try it again. As a result, I ride well within my limits, and nowhere near the limits of modern motorcycles or tires. I do not do track days. I use the bike for day rides and solo touring.
I was looking for a tire that would last a good long time, and give me decent grip in wet or dry.
I turned to VFRD to find out what most folks were using. The Pilot Road 2 and RoadSmart were highly recommended. Then I came across this brand called Shinko. Lots of negative comments about the Shinko brand on the internet. As a software engineer, I tend to analyze the information I'm given pretty scrupulously. As I started to analyze the complaints a pattern formed. They seemed like they could be grouped into two categories:
1. People who had never used the tires themselves. This group seemed like they were either brand snobs or wanted to parrot what the cool kids were saying.
2. People who had used the Shinko race (003 Stealth) or slicks.
Like most tire companies, Shinko offers a number of different models. The models that were of the most interest to me were the 005 Advance (sport) and 009 Raven (sport touring). So with more than just a brand name to search on, back to Google I went. I discovered that the 005 and 009 actually had pretty decent reviews.
I decided that the 009 Raven was the tire for me. The price was certainly attractive at ~$160 delivered for front and rear, compared to ~$260 for the RoadSmart or ~$320 for the Pilot Road 2. Unlike so many others, I'm lucky and still have a job, but that's not an excuse to spend money foolishly. I like to buy good quality, but I also recognize that you don't always have to spend top dollar to get good quality. I often purchase house brand merchandise, generic drugs, and refurbished electronics and those purchases have all worked out well for me over the years.
I ordered them from Chaparral on a Friday night and they were at my front door the following Wednesday.
I'm interested. I'm in the midst of a 10,000 kilometre journey and will need a new set of tires along the way. I'd give them a try if you think they are decent.
I've always had good milage with Mich pilot roads, but a hole in it made me give it up early. But here's a picture of what it got milage wise be fore I got the hole.(5200 miles with a couple to go)[image: Posted Image] DSC00174.JPG
Part of the reason people say to avoid Shinko is that they used to be awful and had nothing good. Perhaps they still are awful, or perhaps they have improved. But with something as important as your tires, I wouldn't be betting my life on it.
The tires Shinko now make is (mostly) old Yokohama moulds but Shinko text on the sides. Dont know about rubber thro.
There is a now model (dont know numbers) that has a tread patern that looks like Michelins pilot sport.
A local gas station, that actually sells nearly anything, has them in stock, sure feels soft and sticky but not that mutch tread depth... Keep us posted what you like.
Keny said it. Shinko bought out Yokohama's motorcycle tire department.
The tires they are making now are indeed Yokohamas, at least as far as carcass and tread pattern.
The only problem is that the tire technology used is probably about 10 years out of date.
Quote
In 1998 the Shinko Group purchased the motorcycle tire technology and molds from Yokohama Rubber Co., and began production of these products under the Shinko Tire brand. With manufacturing based in South Korea and design based in Japan, the company has seamlessly combined Japanese engineering and design principles with South Korean production and quality control standards. Today Shinko Tires produces approximately 200,000 motorcycle tires per month.
Nothing WRONG with that, except that there are better tires on the market nowadays.
BUT, if money is an object, they may provide some savings, have to see what the treadwear is like.
hey bud well i think they good tyres i use the 005's and i get absulute shit about it but saying that the guys a ride with dont use them (brand snobs) i rate these tyres bud i ride em hard and every day on my ride to work avegring around 16thousand for a red and 19thousand up front not bad in my books never let go on me and had th eknee down a few time on my favrote hill
[image: View Post]keny, on Jul 17 2009, 06:14 PM, said:
The tires Shinko now make is (mostly) old Yokohama moulds but Shinko text on the sides. Dont know about rubber thro.
There is a now model (dont know numbers) that has a tread patern that looks like Michelins pilot sport.
A local gas station, that actually sells nearly anything, has them in stock, sure feels soft and sticky but not that mutch tread depth... Keep us posted what you like.
this is tru and they youse their resipe for ruber the think it's the 003 or the 005 your tanling about
Being divorced, youngest child w/ leukemia and loosing my job to a current job that pays me 110% less, I too am frugal and currently doing my own tire comparison. After having great luck w/ D220's (18k rear & 24-26k front) I switched to B021. I really don't like them, as I got 13.6K out of the front and will probably get 18k out of the rear. The front just wore very unevenly, just as friends ST1300 did. Today I put another 021 on the front but by Nov. will put a pair of Shinko 009 on just in time for the LA rainy season. After the Shinkos, I'll go to the Roadsmart and will post up a report. Currently ride about 16K a year with few canyons, little touring - mostly commuting on the worse freeway in the states - the 405.
When I change my tires, I can't ever remember the mileage I had on them, so I started writing the mileage on the inside of the tire(usually the rear) with a white paint marker pen so when I take the old off I have a exact number to work with, and my brain has one less this to keep track of ...anyone else do this too??
[image: View Post]Luvmyvfr, on Jul 17 2009, 08:57 AM, said:
When I change my tires, I can't ever remember the mileage I had on them, so I started writing the mileage on the inside of the tire(usually the rear) with a white paint marker pen so when I take the old off I have a exact number to work with, and my brain has one less this to keep track of ...anyone else do this too??
I prefer using an excel spreadsheet where I keep all my maintenance info updated. I just type in the mileage I have on the clock in the appropriate field, and it tells me what inspection / maintenance operation is due. That's how I keep track of my tire mileage as well.
Back to topic - I'm curious to see what the Shinko experiment will return. I just invested 352 CAN$ (and it was a pretty good deal) on a set of PR2, so I'm looking forward to hear how much tire you will get for such a low price. Keep us posted.
[image: View Post]francois_payen, on Jul 17 2009, 08:48 AM, said:
[image: View Post]Luvmyvfr, on Jul 17 2009, 08:57 AM, said:
When I change my tires, I can't ever remember the mileage I had on them, so I started writing the mileage on the inside of the tire(usually the rear) with a white paint marker pen so when I take the old off I have a exact number to work with, and my brain has one less this to keep track of ...anyone else do this too??
I prefer using an excel spreadsheet where I keep all my maintenance info updated. I just type in the mileage I have on the clock in the appropriate filed, and it tells me what inspection / maintenance operation is due. That's how I keep track of my tire mileage as well.
Back to topic - I'm curious to see what the Shinko experiment will return. I just invested 352 CAN$ (and it was a pretty good deal) on a set of PR2, so I'm looking forward to hear how much tire you will get for such a low price. Keep us posted.
Microsoft office 2007 has a spread sheet for maintenance quite handy I track all vehicle costs.
[image: View Post]Luvmyvfr, on Jul 17 2009, 07:57 AM, said:
When I change my tires, I can't ever remember the mileage I had on them, so I started writing the mileage on the inside of the tire(usually the rear) with a white paint marker pen so when I take the old off I have a exact number to work with, and my brain has one less this to keep track of ...anyone else do this too??
Interesting...... I keep a log on my computer, so all my bike info is in one place IE; Tyre milage/pressure ; Torque #s ;Suspention setting ; Maintenance Record ; Do's/don'ts ; How to's ; Etc.
After posting this I read that some of you use spreadsheets. I'll have to look into that, and see if I can figure out how to use one. Sounds like if it's set up right it will do a lot of the figuring for me..... Thx
Nice intro, SpiralGray. Looking forward to reading your observations/review sometime soon. http://www.vfrdiscus...tyle_emoticons/default/smile.gif
I usually buy tires when they're on sale, so I'm not dedicated to any one brand or model. I've been curious about Shinkos and almost bought a rear at a local shop last summer, but decided to wait a bit longer. Still might go with a set of them someday tho.
[image: View Post]Ryanme17, on Jul 16 2009, 10:15 PM, said:
Part of the reason people say to avoid Shinko is that they used to be awful and had nothing good. Perhaps they still are awful, or perhaps they have improved. But with something as important as your tires, I wouldn't be betting my life on it.
Did you actually read anything I posted or did you just see "Shinko" and trot our the same tired rhetoric? Some facts would be useful instead of a vague "they're awful."
Also, how do you define "used to be?" The reviews are dated:
05-19-2008 through 01-05-2009
03-11-2008 through 07-14-2009
05-28-2007 through 06-03-2007
07-01-2009 through 07-04-2009
And as I said in my original post, different models exist. Just because the Pinto was a bad car do you automatically say, "Don't buy Ford?"
However, if you've got a ton of money, have no fear of losing your job, and feel better with a brand name, go for it. Me, I'll save $100 to $150 and spend it on taking my wife out for a nice dinner.
Guys,
These tires may be just fine, the price is fine,and if you are on a down turn or want to impress your wife with a meal that is fine too.....One poster remarked the technology was about 10 years out of date...nah its more like 20....Back in the day of the FZR400
a few of you may remember if not I understand Yokohama came out with these new fangled whiz bang tires that the mechanic /racer in a dealership I was doing parts in loved them....so we kept him a good supply......he liked them did fairly well on them,and the folks that were importing them had an exclusive on them coming into the USA....Yokohama didn't like that but contracts being what they are specially if its iron clad....well the tires went away but not Yokohoma...Over the years they did many an OEM tire for the big four...but those racing types were tied up in legalise til the patents ran out, in enters who ever bought them out...was it Nang Kang or Cheng Shin...???? I don't know or remember or care You can find their tires in the back of the JC whitney cataloge.....Free thought ,choice , where to spend your money is almost a right...I defend not nor do discredit the people making these tires today...If you want to run them and you like them...aint life grand......
Rod
[image: View Post]rodm850g, on Jul 17 2009, 10:21 AM, said:
Guys,
These tires may be just fine, the price is fine,and if you are on a down turn or want to impress your wife with a meal that is fine too.....One poster remarked the technology was about 10 years out of date...nah its more like 20....Back in the day of the FZR400
a few of you may remember if not I understand Yokohama came out with these new fangled whiz bang tires that the mechanic /racer in a dealership I was doing parts in loved them....so we kept him a good supply......he liked them did fairly well on them,and the folks that were importing them had an exclusive on them coming into the USA....Yokohama didn't like that but contracts being what they are specially if its iron clad....well the tires went away but not Yokohoma...Over the years they did many an OEM tire for the big four...but those racing types were tied up in legalise til the patents ran out, in enters who ever bought them out...was it Nang Kang or Cheng Shin...???? I don't know or remember or care You can find their tires in the back of the JC whitney cataloge.....Free thought ,choice , where to spend your money is almost a right...I defend not nor do discredit the people making these tires today...If you want to run them and you like them...aint life grand......
Rod
Every tire plant is different some have new tech. some don't when the conti plant I worked at was closed you should have seen some of the old Shit they sold to third world countries.They shipped most of the old tech. to plants in Mexico.
Every tire manufacture does the same better check where your tire comes from,the difference between state of the art tire machines and old trash is huge,if you could have seen the difference like I have you wouldn't believe how much difference there is.
Since no one has been to a Shinko plant who knows,buy a michelin from China,and hope they guy that worked in a rice patch last week does a good job.
[image: View Post]motogpfan, on Jul 17 2009, 11:07 AM, said:
[image: View Post]rodm850g, on Jul 17 2009, 10:21 AM, said:
Guys,
These tires may be just fine, the price is fine,and if you are on a down turn or want to impress your wife with a meal that is fine too.....One poster remarked the technology was about 10 years out of date...nah its more like 20....Back in the day of the FZR400
a few of you may remember if not I understand Yokohama came out with these new fangled whiz bang tires that the mechanic /racer in a dealership I was doing parts in loved them....so we kept him a good supply......he liked them did fairly well on them,and the folks that were importing them had an exclusive on them coming into the USA....Yokohama didn't like that but contracts being what they are specially if its iron clad....well the tires went away but not Yokohoma...Over the years they did many an OEM tire for the big four...but those racing types were tied up in legalise til the patents ran out, in enters who ever bought them out...was it Nang Kang or Cheng Shin...???? I don't know or remember or care You can find their tires in the back of the JC whitney cataloge.....Free thought ,choice , where to spend your money is almost a right...I defend not nor do discredit the people making these tires today...If you want to run them and you like them...aint life grand......
Rod
Every tire plant is different some have new tech. some don't when the conti plant I worked at was closed you should have seen some of the old Shit they sold to third world countries.They shipped most of the old tech. to plants in Mexico.
Every tire manufacture does the same better check where your tire comes from,the difference between state of the art tire machines and old trash is huge,if you could have seen the difference like I have you wouldn't believe how much difference there is.
Since no one has been to a Shinko plant who knows,buy a michelin from China,and hope they guy that worked in a rice patch last week does a good job.
I have a Spain made mich.pr2.... I just put on mine..... So I ordered another one to have when needed... This new one is a pr2, made in Thailand..... I will post the diff. if I can see any, when I get though both.....
[image: View Post]Monk, on Jul 17 2009, 10:36 AM, said:
[image: View Post]Luvmyvfr, on Jul 17 2009, 07:57 AM, said:
When I change my tires, I can't ever remember the mileage I had on them, so I started writing the mileage on the inside of the tire(usually the rear) with a white paint marker pen so when I take the old off I have a exact number to work with, and my brain has one less this to keep track of ...anyone else do this too??
Interesting...... I keep a log on my computer, so all my bike info is in one place IE; Tyre milage/pressure ; Torque #s ;Suspention setting ; Maintenance Record ; Do's/don'ts ; How to's ; Etc.
After posting this I read that some of you use spreadsheets. I'll have to look into that, and see if I can figure out how to use one. Sounds like if it's set up right it will do a lot of the figuring for me..... Thx
I don't mind sharing mine if you're interested. It's all in kilometers though, you'd have to play with it a little to convert the distances into miles (x 1.6). Just PM me with your email address and I'll send it to you as an attachment.
I now have about 2000 miles on my raven 009's on my ZX11 and they have been performing every bit as well as any other tire I have tried. I've also been riding them in the rain and fairly hard (I'm no daredevil--crashing hurts but I do like to exploit my power band now and then). They are great tires for the $$ and excellent for a commuter (me). Everyone has to buy what they like and are comfortable with but to be honest, I've been sick of buying nice tires that cost big bux and having them last not a long time. So far, the Shinkos are doing fine and they are easy on the wallet. They may be my tire of choice for the beast from here on.
[image: View Post]SpiralGray, on Jul 17 2009, 09:53 AM, said:
Did you actually read anything I posted or did you just see "Shinko" and trot our the same tired rhetoric? Some facts would be useful instead of a vague "they're awful."
Also, how do you define "used to be?" The reviews are dated:
05-19-2008 through 01-05-2009
03-11-2008 through 07-14-2009
05-28-2007 through 06-03-2007
07-01-2009 through 07-04-2009
And as I said in my original post, different models exist. Just because the Pinto was a bad car do you automatically say, "Don't buy Ford?"
However, if you've got a ton of money, have no fear of losing your job, and feel better with a brand name, go for it. Me, I'll save $100 to $150 and spend it on taking my wife out for a nice dinner.
Geeze, I'm agreeing with you here that you should try them. I'm not insulting your choice. I am genuinely curious if they have improved.
I'm merely saying that Shinko's have a horrible reputation. There is no disputing that. I have not used them in a sport bike, only my old CB750--and yes, they were awful. I had a Shinko rear tire with zero traction, part of the reason I sold that bike was touching the rear brake locked the rear tire. This was a year ago, but the "brand new" tire was no better than what the bike would have came with in 1978. I tried to save a few bikes and ended up regretting it.
Which is why I say that tires are extremely important. They are the cheapest form of insurance. $50 extra dollars for a part of Conti Road Attacks or Roadsmarts is a lot cheaper than fixing a bike. Or spending time in the hospital. A few extra dollars spent wisely can prevent a lot of costs later. Choosing tires is a safety issue. Would you refuse to buy a helmet to save money?
However, as I said in my original post, perhaps these tires are much better now, and you should try them so we can find out.
Getting good data about tires is a crap shout at best.what really gets me is that a PR2 cost $180 rear and I can buy a full set of tires for my miata at the exact cost.The cost seems a bit out of whack.
There should be a better way to judge tires in the real world,other then some guy says that THEY STICK LIKE GLUE AND WEAR LIKE STEEL
If someone would like to pay me to test tires pm me :blush:
Seemed like a lot of weight to balance the rear, but I didn't look at what was on there originally for the OE tires either.
Unfortunately I didn't have any time to ride with them on the weekend. Put on a whopping 19.8 miles of around-town riding on Sunday while running some errands. They definitely feel different than the Metzlers, but I can't put my finger on what it is. It's not bad, just different. I'm guessing it's because of the flatter/rounder profile. After looking at the Metzlers and Shinos side-by-side the Metzler front had a pronounced triangular profile to it compared to the Shinko.
I've always been slightly terrified of new tires because of the dire warnings the shops always give you (and remember my philosophy, "crashings hurts") so I'm an especially big sissy when riding on new tires for the first hundred miles or so. That being said, I didn't feel any sign of slippage on the corners I did go through. I rode some surface streets and some freeway, did some sweeping curves and some right angle corners (all at conservative speeds) and the tires were fine the whole time.
Planning a couple hundred mile ride this weekend, and then a 1300 mile road trip the following weekend, so should have more news after that.
[image: View Post]motogpfan, on Jul 17 2009, 11:05 AM, said:
what really gets me is that a PR2 cost $180 rear and I can buy a full set of tires for my miata at the exact cost.
Hey, I've got one of those too (a 2006). I do love the look of those AEs though, great interior color combo on them.
Anyway, auto tires are really no different though. If you want to put a set of Toyo T1-Rs on you're probably looking at $700 - $800 for a set, but if you go with, say, the General UHP you're going to pay a third of that. I just went to tirerack.com and they show 22 tires in the stock size for the '06. I excluded run-flats so as not to skew the results too much, but the prices range from $207 each (Pirelli PZero System) to $90 each (General Exclaim UHP).
That is a lot of weights for me but then I try to keep from adding any weight(Yes...Anal). The mounter could have broke the bead on the tires and spun them around to get fewer weights most likely. I doubt any dealer is willing to go to the extra hassle. I also like to put the weights just inside the spoke opening so they aren't very obvious. Turn in will initially feel slower due to the flatter profile of the tire but after a while you should adjust to it.
I retired from conti-general tire I pay $45 for the above tires :fing02: ,and the wheel weights on the rear tire question is the red dot located at the valve stem?That is where it should be.I have seen several michelin rears that have had the same.
But about the generals, Falken tires are a better performance tire.
Try different tires and find many sets that you like...I have many options and am not brand specific...yes, I really like the michelin PP 2ct thats on the rear now but I paid $215 installed as was on the road and cords showing. I buy tires on ebay, my goal is $200 per set f and r and I have a stack in the garage. Strange stuff like a BT-056 and bt-057...guess what, these are great tires, oem on a busa, I will buy another set and conti road attacks, great tires at a great price..,..I have sets of bt-20s that people hate, well are fine by me at $150 per set is better than that $215 rear PP I bought. I would try shinkos, unless you live in TN/5 miles from the gap or in a riding mecca then these supersoft tires hit your wallet hard...buy an extra wheel, put a PP on it and swap out when are in the twisties. The VFRS sss is ideal for that quick change. Just burning up money $$$ running soft compound tires in a straight line IMO.
Wow, thats a lot of weights on those wheels....are you sure the changer is good? I would be pretty upset with my wheels back and that much lead...and I dont think its the shinkos either.
[image: View Post]DougFromIndy, on Jul 20 2009, 10:17 PM, said:
Wow, thats a lot of weights on those wheels....are you sure the changer is good?
The shop is a well-respected race tuning shop in the area that comes highly recommended by a number of people. <shrug>
If one were doing it himself, one would try balancing the bare wheels alone and see how far out they were, then try balancing the wheels WITH tires, mounting dot correctly aligned as per the tiremaker's spec.
IF they were needing a bunch of weight, debead the tire, rotate as required on the rim, reinflate and rebalance.
Lather, rinse, repeat until you have the least amount of weight possible to acheive proper balance.
BUT, in today's "You want Fries with that?" world, you ain't gonna get that level of service from any shop, period.
[image: View Post]francois_payen, on Jul 18 2009, 12:48 AM, said:
[image: View Post]Luvmyvfr, on Jul 17 2009, 08:57 AM, said:
When I change my tires, I can't ever remember the mileage I had on them, so I started writing the mileage on the inside of the tire(usually the rear) with a white paint marker pen
I prefer using an excel spreadsheet where I keep all my maintenance info updated.
[image: View Post]Monk, on Jul 18 2009, 01:36 AM, said:
Interesting...... I keep a log on my computer, so all my bike info is in one place IE; Tyre milage/pressure ; Torque #s ;Suspention setting ; Maintenance Record ; Do's/don'ts ; How to's ; Etc.
:blink:
I have NO idea how long anything lasts on my bike, apart from gas. I figure I have to replace the tyres every 18 months or so, and the chain'n'sprockets every three years.
As for Shinkos, my VFR750 had them fitted when I bought it in 1999, and while they weren't bad, they didn't inspire confidence either (unlike the Storms fitted to the VFR800). So far, those Shinkos were the worst tyres I've used in the last 10 years, with BT020s being the next worst.
For me, it's not worth the risk swapping to an untried tyre. Thank goodness for forums like VFRD, where you can find out stuff like "what's a good tire?" before you buy! :cool:
[image: View Post]veefer800canuck, on Jul 21 2009, 02:33 PM, said:
If one were doing it himself, one would try balancing the bare wheels alone and see how far out they were, then try balancing the wheels WITH tires, mounting dot correctly aligned as per the tiremaker's spec.
IF they were needing a bunch of weight, debead the tire, rotate as required on the rim, reinflate and rebalance.
Lather, rinse, repeat until you have the least amount of weight possible to acheive proper balance.
BUT, in today's "You want Fries with that?" world, you ain't gonna get that level of service from any shop, period.
I'd do that for you in my shop! I do it for my own tires...when I have time!!
I've received a couple of inquiries about tread depth of the tires. I don't have a tread depth measuring do-hickey, and as you may recall from the first post on this thread, I'm a cheap S.O.B., so buying one just to use this once is not an option.
I did take some pictures with a penny in the tread at various spots though.
[image: View Post]SpiralGray, on Jul 26 2009, 11:27 AM, said:
I've received a couple of inquiries about tread depth of the tires. I don't have a tread depth measuring do-hickey, and as you may recall from the first post on this thread, I'm a cheap S.O.B., so buying one just to use this once is not an option.
I did take some pictures with a penny in the tread at various spots though.
A penny is the perfect tread measuring device! The tread depth looks good. :laugh:
And with that many weights on the rear, it's obvious he didn't line the heavy spot on the tire up with the heavy spot on the rim correctly, you'd have to break the bead and spin the tire, then rebalance to fix it, but why bother?
Just my .02, but I had set of Shinko Ravens mounted on my VFR about a month ago. Since then I've put around 500 miles on them and haven't noticed any difference from my Conti's.
In that 500 miles I've ridden some Southern Ohio twisties, straight-up slab, and wet rainy weather. I've not noticed any slipping or loss of traction. I've taken the rear from edge to edge and it felt comfortable. One difference I've noticed is that I have to try a little harder to roll into a turn. My previous tires were a little more oval whereas these are rounder.
So far great tires...and it cost me $155 for a front and rear.
I have now been looking at the shinkos just for curiosity sake and have my eye on the slicks....thinking about using them every other saturday when I ride with the Ducati guys here. I know they are not "legal" but as long as it's not raining what is the chance of a LEO actually noticing that there are no grooves. Besides they loud exhaust laws here are completely forgotten about http://www.vfrdiscus...tyle_emoticons/default/wink.gif Everyone has loud pipes!
[image: View Post]SpiralGray, on Jul 21 2009, 09:09 AM, said:
[image: View Post]DougFromIndy, on Jul 20 2009, 10:17 PM, said:
Wow, thats a lot of weights on those wheels....are you sure the changer is good?
The shop is a well-respected race tuning shop in the area that comes highly recommended by a number of people. <shrug>
If the installer is good than that is a sign of a poorly built/quality controlled tire IMO. :blink:
Where as Michelin tires need little to no weight when installed. :laugh:
Would like to get your long term report of these tires! :laugh:
[image: View Post]Ryanme17, on Jul 26 2009, 09:21 AM, said:
And with that many weights on the rear, it's obvious he didn't line the heavy spot on the tire up with the heavy spot on the rim correctly
I double-checked and it looks like the spot on the tire is not lined up with the valve stem. I suppose I should take the wheel back and have them do it again, but I've not noticed any vibration or other problems, so they seem to be properly balanced.
[image: View Post]Baileyrock, on Jul 26 2009, 03:18 PM, said:
If the installer is good than that is a sign of a poorly built/quality controlled tire IMO. :laugh:
Where as Michelin tires need little to no weight when installed. :laugh:
For $160 (vs $320) I'll take a few weights on the rim.
[image: View Post]Baileyrock, on Jul 26 2009, 05:18 PM, said:
[image: View Post]SpiralGray, on Jul 21 2009, 09:09 AM, said:
[image: View Post]DougFromIndy, on Jul 20 2009, 10:17 PM, said:
Wow, thats a lot of weights on those wheels....are you sure the changer is good?
The shop is a well-respected race tuning shop in the area that comes highly recommended by a number of people. <shrug>
If the installer is good than that is a sign of a poorly built/quality controlled tire IMO. :huh:
Where as Michelin tires need little to no weight when installed. :cool:
Would like to get your long term report of these tires! :dry:
I think the only way we will ever know is for Baileyrock to put on a set, then run his infamous 400 mile route at his usual warp speed. If Kevin comes back alive and not banged up, they're good tires. If he doesn't come back....well, bad idea.....nevermind.... :laugh: :wheel:
Went for a 225 mile ride today that covered sweepers, 20 mph corners, and some straight stuff.
Just to summarize:
old guy (47)
crashed once, it hurt, don't want to do it again
never touched down a peg feeler, let alone a knee
cheap
Started out the day very tentative as the tires are new and I keep hearing stories like, "those new tires slipped out on me before I knew what was happening and I wasn't going fast or leaned over that far or nothin'." With each corner I'd lean over a little farther than the last one. By about 30 minutes into the ride I wasn't babying it anymore. The tires never slipped or gave me any cause for concern the entire day.
One section we did was this bit of highway heading towards the coast. It doesn't look like much on the map, but it's a series of mostly 20 mph corners that are banked just perfectly. I was going through them at about 35 - 40 (which I know is nothing compared to what some of you probably ride, but that's my normal pace through this section) and I wasn't worried at all, the tires stuck to the pavement just fine.
We're heading out on a ~1300 mile trip on Thursday, so I'll have another report when we get back from that. Heading through northern Washington state, up into the B.C. Okanagan, across to Vancouver and then back around the Olympic Peninsula.
I have 7k miles on my 009 ravens so far. The rear looks like it is about 50% wore so far and the front still looks fairly new. About 1500 miles ago I noticed the front did start to cup a little bit, so now I have the 45 to 55 head shake. Since about 50 to 75% of my riding is hwy they did flatten out a bit. They handle good in the rain and even when there is 2"+ on the road. If I am tight for cash when these are finished I would probably buy another set. If I can afford it I would try a different set just to see the difference, probably a power/road2 set up. I have had the rear slip 2 times, both times it was from too much throttle on a exit of a turn. They slid maybe a inch and only for a second. I did not have to do anything to stop the slide or even really worry about it it was gentle and slow and they recovered nicely on their own.
Love to hear how long yours last and handle after some wear on them.
Up until about 6k mine looked new you could not tell they had that many miles, I rode with the wife a couple times one weekend and after wards that is when it looked like they were at 50% so not sure how well they can handle the extra weight when they start getting some miles on them. Does not look like it has wore any more since then and that was 1000 miles ago.
A couple of weeks ago some buddies and I did a trip through Washington and B.C. Over four-and-a-bit days we covered 1600 miles that included freeway, hairpins, sweepers, and everything in between. The pavement we encountered went from fresh, black asphalt to tar-snaked old stuff to pitted and shaled ancient stuff. Temperatures ranged (according to the bike's dash) from mid-60s to just over 100. You can read about the trip here if you want.
The tires didn't falter or slip once. They still look like new. I was able to ride at the limit of what I'm comfortable riding (see post #1 for a bit about how I ride). Some folks have reported head shake during deceleration, but I didn't notice it a bit (although, to be fair, most of those reports are after the tires have a few thousand miles on them).
Obviously I won't know for sure until the tires have a few thousand more miles on them, but at this point I'd definitely buy another set. I think they offer a great balance of price and performance for my needs.
Very well written and reasoned thread. Enjoyed reading it. I remember when I too went to great lengths to get the most value out of every dollar I spent and not to waste it on overpriced products that don't fit my personal requirements.
My biggest gripes against sport touring tires Macadams, D-205, B-020 and Strada have been uneven wear, cupping and road feed back. I found the bridgestones by far the best of this lot for sport riding/commuting. Less likely to flatten as long as you flogged them in the canyons every weekend or so. Mac were truck tires, dunlops lasted but grip diminished at about 50% of tread wear. Strada gripped well but wore out after about 2k miles. Biggest gripes against sport tires is they wear out so fast. Gets expensive.
I've been running mostly sport and track day left overs lately and am reluctant to buy a set of sport touring tires for no good reason apparently. I'm sure they offer all the performance I need for real world riding but once you sample the roll in quality, hard braking feel, and side grip of a good sport tire it's hard to mentally go back.
Then comes the next delema. I don't want to waste good sport rubber on the fwy and certainly not on a long trip.
My solution is to buy a complete extra set of wheels for the canyons/track and a set for the sport touring. Cheaper than buying two complete bikes. Guess I'm still a cheap bastard afterall.
Better yet, I could try the Pilot Road 2/pilot 2ct combo and see if that is as good as some (BR) says.
post some pictures of the tires as they wear. I'd be interested to see some visual clues as to what they look like after a hard canyon ride.
[image: View Post]SpiralGray, on Jul 21 2009, 09:09 AM, said:
[image: View Post]DougFromIndy, on Jul 20 2009, 10:17 PM, said:
Wow, thats a lot of weights on those wheels....are you sure the changer is good?
The shop is a well-respected race tuning shop in the area that comes highly recommended by a number of people. <shrug>
None of the automated balancers do a good job , I always static balance the front on my own. The rear they always double dose the weight, I remove half, works great.
The best in the business and an auto mated balancer , can not provide the post 100 smoothness I can get with a simple static balance
Sounds like they're decent tires. At least if you're not burning up the back roads or doing a track day.
I better keep with the Pilot Powers. I want something pretty sticky. Must. Open. Throttle. Wide. :laugh:
Expensive, but I've got better mileage than with the sporting Dunlops and Pirellis.
my current PR2 has about the same amount of weight. no biggie.
i'm pretty sure when this set of tires is toast i'll be just shy of 15,000 kilometres.
glad you're posting info about these tires. i'll certainly give them a try next time.
[image: View Post]SpiralGray, on Jul 21 2009, 02:09 PM, said:
[image: View Post]DougFromIndy, on Jul 20 2009, 10:17 PM, said:
Wow, thats a lot of weights on those wheels....are you sure the changer is good?
The shop is a well-respected race tuning shop in the area that comes highly recommended by a number of people. <shrug>
[image: View Post]superfunkomatic, on Aug 16 2009, 12:59 AM, said:
my current PR2 has about the same amount of weight. no biggie.
i'm pretty sure when this set of tires is toast i'll be just shy of 15,000 kilometres.
glad you're posting info about these tires. i'll certainly give them a try next time.
[image: View Post]SpiralGray, on Jul 21 2009, 02:09 PM, said:
[image: View Post]DougFromIndy, on Jul 20 2009, 10:17 PM, said:
Wow, thats a lot of weights on those wheels....are you sure the changer is good?
The shop is a well-respected race tuning shop in the area that comes highly recommended by a number of people. <shrug>
I associate a carefully manufactured tire with a decreased need for balancing lead. I have fun, but am not a racer, don't often push the limits of traction. Rate of wear would be more important to me. I am noticing that my Dunlops are starting to look like they are flattened in the center.
[image: View Post]spud786, on Aug 15 2009, 01:02 PM, said:
[image: View Post]SpiralGray, on Jul 21 2009, 09:09 AM, said:
[image: View Post]DougFromIndy, on Jul 20 2009, 10:17 PM, said:
Wow, thats a lot of weights on those wheels....are you sure the changer is good?
The shop is a well-respected race tuning shop in the area that comes highly recommended by a number of people. <shrug>
None of the automated balancers do a good job , I always static balance the front on my own. The rear they always double dose the weight, I remove half, works great.
The best in the business and an auto mated balancer , can not provide the post 100 smoothness I can get with a simple static balance
Hi. I was just wondering why you aren't balancing your rear as well if you have a balancer?? Sounds like you need an adapter! :cool: There is a harbor freight version for about $10 works great for a static balancer with a 1/2 rod! http://www.harborfre...temnumber=65079
I've been bad about updating this thread, but truth be told there wasn't much to update. I did a few days rides after our trip last year and the bike has been parked during the rainy months.
The tires now have 2479 miles on them and I snapped a few new pictures to show the wear (or lack thereof) on them. The pictures didn't turn out as well as the first batch I took, but it's probably good enough to get the idea. If you want to see the larger version for more detail they're in my picasa album. You can compare these to the pictures in post #34 when the tires were new.
Hi. I was just wondering why you aren't balancing your rear as well if you have a balancer?? Sounds like you need an adapter! fing02.gif There is a harbor freight version for about $10 works great for a static balancer with a 1/2 rod!
My rear 009 raven shinko went 10.5k before it wore out the center since I do a lot of highway riding. I just replaced the front with 15k on it and it still had 30% left but had cupped. The wife gave me the go ahead for new tires so I am trying the PR2's front and rear. I put a 006 podium on the rear after the 009 wore out. It still had about 30% left after 5k. Depending on the life and feel of the PR2's I might go back to the shinko 009 for the rear and maybe something a little softer in the front. I felt more confident on the ravens then the PR2's but I only have about 500 miles on them so far and yet to hit any twisties. I do know the ravens did not mind the cold at all, the PR2 needs a lot more time warming up, the front likes to slide a little as I slow down and enter the turn about quarter mile from my house.
Keep the reports coming. Always interested in another VFR option.
After an exhaustive reveiw of possible KLR tires I am going with Shinkos for my 2010 Alaska ride. The 705s seem to be good balance between price and performance/wear.
Keep the reports coming. Always interested in another VFR option.
After an exhaustive reveiw of possible KLR tires I am going with Shinkos for my 2010 Alaska ride. The 705s seem to be good balance between price and performance/wear.
I think I ordered the 770's for the wife's KZ550 but yet to get the bike running to go get them mounted.
My rear 009 raven shinko went 10.5k before it wore out the center since I do a lot of highway riding. I just replaced the front with 15k on it and it still had 30% left but had cupped. The wife gave me the go ahead for new tires so I am trying the PR2's front and rear. I put a 006 podium on the rear after the 009 wore out. It still had about 30% left after 5k. Depending on the life and feel of the PR2's I might go back to the shinko 009 for the rear and maybe something a little softer in the front. I felt more confident on the ravens then the PR2's but I only have about 500 miles on them so far and yet to hit any twisties. I do know the ravens did not mind the cold at all, the PR2 needs a lot more time warming up, the front likes to slide a little as I slow down and enter the turn about quarter mile from my house.
The most I have ever gotten out of VFR rear tire is about 6.5K with Roadsmarts. How does your Raven mileage compare to other tires you have had?
I've had a set of 009 Ravens on my 2000 VFR for about a year. For the most part I was pretty happy with them. Did some spirited riding through Southern Ohio and West Virginia and the tires gripped well. They seemed to b wearing well until a recent trip to Glacier. For about 600 miles I experienced constant heavy wind gusts that caused me to lean to the left while riding. It caused my front tire to cup badly on the left side which caused a lot of head shake between 35-45mph. I have to be honest and say that I don't know if this is common with all tires, just that I've experienced it with my Shinkos. We don't usually encounter such constant and strong wind gusts in Ohio.
I've got about 7k on the set right now but need to replace both. They've both got plenty of tread left (probably another 2k on the rear and 5k on the front) but the front is cupped and the back is squared off because of the large number of miles on straight roads.
For my next set I'm trying Pilot Powers. Found a great deal on them and have heard good things.
It's been a while, but in case anyone is still following this thread, here's an update.
My buddy and I just got back from a 3930 mile trip through Oregon, Washington, Idaho, Montana, Wyoming, Colorado, Utah, and Nevada (photos from the trip can be seen on this Picasa album.
The Shinkos now have performed admirably for 7607 miles on them. We encountered great pavement, so-so pavement, rain, gravel, tar snakes, and construction. Based on the amount of tread left, I think I've got at least a couple thousand miles left on the tires (the rear might be questionable). High-res pictures of the tires are on this other Picasa album.
When these need to be replaced I'm absolutely going to look for another set. For the price and mileage they can't be beat.
Try different tires and find many sets that you like...I have many options and am not brand specific...yes, I really like the michelin PP 2ct thats on the rear now but I paid $215 installed as was on the road and cords showing. I buy tires on ebay, my goal is $200 per set f and r and I have a stack in the garage. Strange stuff like a BT-056 and bt-057...guess what, these are great tires, oem on a busa, I will buy another set and conti road attacks, great tires at a great price..,..I have sets of bt-20s that people hate, well are fine by me at $150 per set is better than that $215 rear PP I bought. I would try shinkos, unless you live in TN/5 miles from the gap or in a riding mecca then these supersoft tires hit your wallet hard...buy an extra wheel, put a PP on it and swap out when are in the twisties. The VFRS sss is ideal for that quick change. Just burning up money $$ running soft compound tires in a straight line IMO.
Thats where I live. I have run 009's on the DRAGON, after they heat up there OK. I like the idea of a combo maybe 009 rear and a Angel ST front
I know you have stated multiple times that crashing hurts and so you are a slightly conservative rider. Your original set of tires tells a different story. I have yet to scrub my rear out to the edges and I consider myself to be a rather spirited rider. I can't tell if the Shinko's have been scrubbed out to the edges as your original Metzlers were and I'm just wondering why that is. I also ran a 009 rear on my bike and never got them scrubbed all the way out (probably still had about 1/2" to go on either side). I was also running mis-matched as the PO had replaced the rear for me when I bought the bike cause the old one was wore out. In the Shinko's defense I only had the rear slip on me in low speed hard over turns (coming off red light, stop sign, end of a U turn). Just curious as to if they didn't inspire good feel for you with a matched set or if you felt like you were starting to get slippage and didn't lean any farther. Also, what cold PSI are you running front and rear, I weigh considerably less than most (130lbs) and am running stock reccomended PSI (36 front 42 rear)
Shinko tires are great. I recently went through a set of 009s on my 4th gen ($155 a set delivered from Chaparral) and took them off at 12,300 miles. The rear was just getting into the wear indicators and the front had at least a few thousand miles to go. I found these tires to perform as good or better than other tires I have gone through on this bike, including name brand tires costing more than twice the price. I am quite particular about my tires and have removed and replaced tires that I just did not like or feel comfortable with. The Shinko 009s give great feedback, turn in nicely, wear evenly and perform well in the rain. I am now 3000 miles into a set of 006s and am happy with them also, though they will not last as long as the 009s did if current wear rate is any indicatrion. When these are done I will go back to the 009s. They are good tires, regardless of the price.
These are not "untried" tires as others have said. I have tried them and they are a great tire.
Shinko tires are great. I recently went through a set of 009s on my 4th gen ($155 a set delivered from Chaparral) and took them off at 12,300 miles. The rear was just getting into the wear indicators and the front had at least a few thousand miles to go. I found these tires to perform as good or better than other tires I have gone through on this bike, including name brand tires costing more than twice the price. I am quite particular about my tires and have removed and replaced tires that I just did not like or feel comfortable with. The Shinko 009s give great feedback, turn in nicely, wear evenly and perform well in the rain. I am now 3000 miles into a set of 006s and am happy with them also, though they will not last as long as the 009s did if current wear rate is any indicatrion. When these are done I will go back to the 009s. They are good tires, regardless of the price.
These are not "untried" tires as others have said. I have tried them and they are a great tire.
How is the 006 front wear? I found the 009 front lasted almost 2 times longer then the rear, but I would rather change both at the same time. I was thinking of going back to a 009 rear and try the 006 front. Once these crappy PR2's wear out. Or maybe I might try the new shinko's 011 Verge.
I too have 009's on my 93 VFR. I have had great results with them.
Those red dots are supposed to line up with the HEAVY spot on the rim, which is not necessarily the valve stem. I take the wheel w/o a tire on it and balance it on a static balancer. I mark that spot and I always put the red dot at THAT spot, not the valve stem. I mount and balance my own tires, so my QC is better than most.
My rear just took ONE 1/4 ounce weight and my front took THREE 1/4 ounce weights for balance.
009's rock and are definitely worth the price. I don't get the mileage that some get...about 5k out of a rear and double that out of a front, but I like hard launches and abuse the throttle out of turns. And, I'm a bit on the heavy side, plus I haul stuff on trips, so my mileage is not as good as others.
The 009 front did outlast the rear by a long ways. From the way my current 006s are wearing I would say these will do the same. I typically change my tires as a set, but not always. At 12,000 I figure I have gotten more than my monies worth out of the pair. I have not tried the 011s, though I am sure the performance and mileage will be on par with the 006s.
Just never know exactly what you're going to see on here. PR2 seems to be a bit of a standard with some folks here.. can you elaborate?
They are very unpredictable. I can only push them 40% of what I could the 009's because I need so much safe cushion. The front likes to slide a little as you slow for corners and as you enter a corner. Going through a corner they will not hold a constant turn, like I am moving the bars back and forth but I am not. On the highway you can feel the bottom of the bike acting like it is getting pushed around by the wind even when there is none. The rear is just as bad downshifting they like to lock up and skid no matter how easy I am letting the clutch out. and god forbid if I use the rear brake. There is nothing wrong with the rims or wheel bearings (which are only a year old), I changed the Steering Head Bearings to see if it changed the feel and still the same. I have tried all different pressures from 30 to 37 in the front and 32 to 44 in the rear. My bike is a 4th Gen 95' I weigh 230lbs and use it to ride every day for work and every weekend for fun, I quit riding weekends because of these tires. When I got the bike it had a Metz on the front and a dunlop on the rear with no life left and they were better tires then these PR2's. I had a set of 009 shinko's and when the rear wore out I put a 006 on the back. I then swapped to the PR2 about 4k ago. Maybe I have a bad set maybe they all are like this I will never know as I will never buy a PR2 again. I have had 3 shinko's and had no issues and they performed awesome. Right now I have to pretend I am always riding with sand on the road because I never know what the tires are going to do, which sucks.
I know you have stated multiple times that crashing hurts and so you are a slightly conservative rider. Your original set of tires tells a different story. I have yet to scrub my rear out to the edges and I consider myself to be a rather spirited rider. I can't tell if the Shinko's have been scrubbed out to the edges as your original Metzlers were and I'm just wondering why that is. I also ran a 009 rear on my bike and never got them scrubbed all the way out (probably still had about 1/2" to go on either side). Also, what cold PSI are you running front and rear, I weigh considerably less than most (130lbs) and am running stock reccomended PSI (36 front 42 rear)
I just took another look at the pictures of the original tires. The rear shows a pretty distinct line about 1/4 to 1/2 inch from the edge of the tire. I just went out to the garage and the 009s show signs of having been leaned over to the edge a few times. I was hitting the 20-25 mph corners on Beartooth and Rattlesnake Grade pretty hard this trip so it wouldn't surprise me to have gotten them over to the edge a few of times.
I put Shinkos on my old Kawy years ago and never had any problems with them although a buddy rode it one time and got the to slip, this guy can ride like hell though and will push his limits just slightly. I'm probably one of the few that run Maxxis on my current VFR and love them, although I get about 7k out of the front I've only got about 4500 ona rear. They stick well for my ability, and are a little more cost friendly. I'm looking for a brand change though as I've become a little more relaxed rider over the last couple of years, plus I live in Nebraska, land of the straight and mostly flat roads! Thanks for a solid write-up of a good value tire.
I know you have stated multiple times that crashing hurts and so you are a slightly conservative rider. Your original set of tires tells a different story. I have yet to scrub my rear out to the edges and I consider myself to be a rather spirited rider. I can't tell if the Shinko's have been scrubbed out to the edges as your original Metzlers were and I'm just wondering why that is. I also ran a 009 rear on my bike and never got them scrubbed all the way out (probably still had about 1/2" to go on either side). Also, what cold PSI are you running front and rear, I weigh considerably less than most (130lbs) and am running stock reccomended PSI (36 front 42 rear)
I just took another look at the pictures of the original tires. The rear shows a pretty distinct line about 1/4 to 1/2 inch from the edge of the tire. I just went out to the garage and the 009s show signs of having been leaned over to the edge a few times. I was hitting the 20-25 mph corners on Beartooth and Rattlesnake Grade pretty hard this trip so it wouldn't surprise me to have gotten them over to the edge a few of times.
I've been running 36/42 for pressure as well.
If you compare a Shinko 009 or an 003 profile with a contemporary tire, say an Avon Storm or Dunlop or any other popular tire, you will find that the Shinko's have a much flatter curve, plus the edges of the tire do not go all the way down to the sidewall in a 90 degree angle like others do. It's very easy to get to the edge of a Shinko tire, but not because of how teriffic the tire is...it's all profile.
Compare the rear look of a Shinko-shod bike with any other tire...you'll see a big difference.
If you compare a Shinko 009 or an 003 profile with a contemporary tire, say an Avon Storm or Dunlop or any other popular tire, you will find that the Shinko's have a much flatter curve
Absolutely. The Shinkos (at least the 009) have a very curved profile as opposed to the triangular profile of many other tires. I like that about them, the lean is very progressive rather than a sudden "flop" like I feel with other tires. It does take a little getting used to of course (maybe 100 - 200 miles).
I too have 009's on my 93 VFR. I have had great results with them.
Those red dots are supposed to line up with the HEAVY spot on the rim, which is not necessarily the valve stem. I take the wheel w/o a tire on it and balance it on a static balancer. I mark that spot and I always put the red dot at THAT spot, not the valve stem. I mount and balance my own tires, so my QC is better than most.
My rear just took ONE 1/4 ounce weight and my front took THREE 1/4 ounce weights for balance.
009's rock and are definitely worth the price. I don't get the mileage that some get...about 5k out of a rear and double that out of a front, but I like hard launches and abuse the throttle out of turns. And, I'm a bit on the heavy side, plus I haul stuff on trips, so my mileage is not as good as others.
That post was from August 16th. I have just put another new rear and a new front on the bike tonight for a trip. Two 1/4 ounce weights in front to perfectly balance, only ONE 1/4 ounce weight in the rear to perfectly balance.
Again, I do my own and I take the time to...well, you can read the post above.
These Shinko's are the best-kept secret in motorcycling.
Ryanme17And with that many weights on the rear, it's obvious he didn't line the heavy spot on the tire up with the heavy spot on the rim correctly
I double-checked and it looks like the spot on the tire is not lined up with the valve stem. I suppose I should take the wheel back and have them do it again, but I've not noticed any vibration or other problems, so they seem to be properly balanced.
BaileyrockIf the installer is good than that is a sign of a poorly built/quality controlled tire IMO. :huh:
Where as Michelin tires need little to no weight when installed. :cool:
For $160 (vs $320) I'll take a few weights on the rim.
the reason, they mount the dot with the stem, is because , its assumed thats the heaviest part of the rim(dot equals light spot of tire), its totally in accurate, If i have the dot if there is one, i mount180 gree from the stem. Cause my vfr rim is light on the stem side.
But if you always end up with weight in the same area, thats where the rim is light
but the automated balancers suk imo, they get the weight in the correct are, but its normally double whats needed
the reason, they mount the dot with the stem, is because , its assumed thats the heaviest part of the rim(dot equals light spot of tire), its totally in accurate, If i have the dot if there is one, i mount180 gree from the stem. Cause my vfr rim is light on the stem side.
But if you always end up with weight in the same area, thats where the rim is light
but the automated balancers suk imo, they get the weight in the correct are, but its normally double whats needed
That's why I have always balanced the WHEEL assembly without a tire on it first, to find the actual heavy spot. Mark that spot, then mount the tire with the dot at the actual heavy spot.
These Shinkos only take 1-2, maybe 3 tops 1/4 ounce weights and I have mounted 4 rears and 2 fronts this year alone.
This is the final update on this thread as the Shinko 009s that I put on in July 2009 came off today. The rear was down to the wear bars in the center. The front probably had a bit of life left in it, but it was getting pretty cupped.
I put the tires on at 6477 miles. The bike now has 16286 on it, so I got 9809 miles out of the tires. My hope was to get 10000 and I probably could have done it by doing a short day-ride before swapping the tires, but with another trip coming up I didn't want to cut it close just to prove a point.
I rode them on boring, straight-as-an-arrow roads (like west from Salt Lake City) to super twisty stuff, from 100+ degree weather to 40 and pouring rain. They performed well in all conditions, I never felt like I needed to baby the bike because I couldn't trust the tires.
My total investment in 2009 when I put them on was $202.70, so I paid about $0.02 per mile over the life of the tires.
What did I replace them with? Another set of 009s. The prices have gone up a tiny bit (tires were about $6 more and mount/balance was about $10 more), so total investment this time around was $218.76. Still a whole lot better than the $350-ish that a set of Michelins would run me (with mount and balance).
Thank you for the update, Your experiment has helped me :biggrin: I appreciate your sharing. I have only put about 1100 on the oo9's but have put 2500 on the 712's on my commuter. Great tires at a great price :fing02:
I've had no problems with my Shinko Apex models. The rear even balanced out without any weights. I know I wrote down my starting mileage somewhere. I've got to find it.
This is timely, as I'm about to start looking into replacing my tires, and price is definitely a factor. I was wary of the Shinkos a couple of years ago, when I had to replace the rubber on my R6. But now, I'll definitely consider them.
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