| Author | Message | ||
     Berkshire |
They were probably dry-rotted. I bought a van with "almost new" tires on it. They were almost new in the sense that they had very little mileage on them, but two of them were old and dried out and blew out within a few weeks. Beware discount sneakers for the same reason - "brand new" items that were manufactured years ago. Regular use seems to keep rubber & plastic items tough & flexible, but leave them alone too long and something changes. | ||
| Toniportray |
The whole ordeal still has me puzzled even a year later. The tire pressures were where the Saturn specifications inside the door said they should be. The car itself wasn't purchased new, though I did buy it from a stealership. I think the dry-rot theory is the most plausible. I have no idea how old the actual tires were (the car is a 1998), but they had nearly a full tread on each. Apparently the tires blew because the sidewall gave out. I had driven those tires for at least 8k miles around town before I made that long trip. Maybe that has something to do with the failure. That was the first time I had driven the car somewhere for more than an hour at a time. The sidewalls must have been weakened from age and couldn't handle the longer than normal ongoing stresses of driving that 16 hour trip. Aside from that experience I've always been puzzled why motorcycle tires don't have the endurance of car tires (60k+ vs 10k+). Is it the bias belting vs radial or are they just made of some sort of longer lasting rubber? | ||
| Berkshire |
actually, you can get radial tires for most MC's - but not in Blast sizes. I read somewhere the difference is partly in how MC's use the tire (leaning vs. laying it down flat) but mostly contact patch - a car puts WAY more square inches of rubber on the road... something along those lines. | ||
| Tackepj |
OK--newbie question, so go easy on me! I have about 10k miles on my Blast, with the original front Dunlop and my third rear Dunlop. The rear is just about toast again. Thanks to this site it looks like I have a choice in Avon or Pirelli, but my front still has tread on it. Here's my question--is it OK to have a different brand tire on the front and rear? I can (easily) finish the season on my Dunny front but not on the rear, and I'd rather just buy one for money reasons right now. Then, at the start of next season, get the new tire for the front to match the new rear. Is that a good idea? | ||
| Johnnymac |
Tackepj, you should be just fine with the stock front and a new rear. I'm currently running the Avon VS 140/70 in the rear of mine with the original Dunlop in the front and it's just fine. I have my new 110/70 Avon waiting for the front but with the hassle it will be to change it I'm in no hurry until the Dunlop wears out. I'm almost at 6k miles and the Dunlop isn't half worn yet. I had 4500 on my Original rear tire and could have gotten more out of it but it didn't feel right. With the larger Avon now having almost 1500 miles on it the handling is MUCH improved along with the overall ride. I'm curious what it will feel like with the Avons front and rear but for now it's riding and handling just fine. Go ahead and swap the rear while keeping the original front. No harm will come of it.  | ||
| Mytripb |
I don't understand why everyone drops the Dunlops, what's so bad about them? | ||
| Ezblast |
Note: Though done, I and others don't recommend mixing profiles - also the Avon 63's work exceptionally well as a set, as do the Pirelli - that Dunlop will track on rain groves, lock on wet, and is basically an unsafe tire - these are not cars and you add extra risk to your riding unnecessarily by mixing profiles - especially using the Dunlop - its your life - but don't say you haven't been warned. EZ | ||
| Zane |
The handling characteristics of the Dunlaps is for crap compared to the Avon or the Pirellis. Plus single cylinder bikes like the blast are very hard on rear tires. The Dunlaps have very little life span. It's not that Dunlaps are bad tires, it's just that Pirelli and Avon are better tires. | ||
| Mytripb |
I love my Dunlops, I got 4,200 miles out of the rear and I beat the crap out of the bike (and it still loves me back). I heard Avons are scooter tires - that's what kept me away from those. I haven't checked Pirellis because I didn't need a front tire yet, so I stuck with the Dunlops. They've kept me rubber side down through all the peg scraping and unseen sand traps! (Message edited by mytripb on August 21, 2008) | ||
| Ezblast |
Then you do not know what you are missing, but what I said about their safety issues still stands. EZ | ||
| Fast1075 |
 Listen To EZ...or listen to me...if your tires have anything less than the best possible adhesion, you butt is on the line...I would run slicks if I could get away with it...you might plunk along for a million miles and never need good tires...but that ONCE when the drunk idiot cager moron decides to play tag...and you lowside under his car cause the rear tire just locked up... | ||
| Swampy |
When you change to Avons, you will never go back to the Dunlops, it is like night and day. You may like the Dunlop but they just are a poor choice for the Blast compared to the Avon or Pirelli. I have mixed the Kenda 140/70/16 and the stock front Dunlop. But All I have on right now is the Avons. The wider front just makes the Blast handle much better. But what ever you do DO NOT turn your front fender around so the arrow points backwards! | ||
| Thumpe |
I tell you what! I love these Avons but do you have to let off the throttle to get some mile out of them  I got 1200mi. on them running 30.5 F&R an there almost down to the wear bar already on the rear!! Man this can end up being an expensive relationship!! (Message edited by thumpe on August 23, 2008) | ||
| Johnnymac |
30.5 for the rear is WAY too low. No wonder it's wearing out so fast! LOL...might be good for track days but on the street try running it with 35 in the rear. The ride and handling are still awesome and it will last up to several thousand miles. BTW, what size are you running? Stock or 140/70? | ||
| Thumpe |
140/70's | ||
| Ezblast |
I get about 3000 running 30.5 f&r in the Avons - am happy with the 3000 vs the 2000 Pirelli stockers, you could easily go up to 34, but if your hitting the twisties, I'd bring it down - lol EZ | ||
| Thumpe |
I don't know if I can get another 1800mi.on this tire!!  (Message edited by thumpe on August 23, 2008) | ||
| Ezblast |
Your kidding right - I change mine when the tread disappears - looks like you have a ton of tread left. EZ | ||
| Thumpe |
Here's a bigger pic the center line is thin plenty tread on the sides! It won't come off till it's gone lol! I'll keep posting the miles. It's all them dam strait roads to get to the twisted!!  | ||
| Swampy |
Thumpe, Run it till the cords show. | ||
| Ezblast |
Still a lot of meat on there for a Cali guy - unless you where approaching the rainy season I'd leave em on till good and bald - lol EZ | ||
| Gearheaderiko |
Some points I'll mention: The higher the rear tire pressure the easier the rear will lock up, under even light braking (especially on the Blast). Running the tires bald is fine, unless you hit water. Then the smallest of puddles can dump you and you dont need to be going that fast either. Front tire traction is extremely important. Gathering from what I've read over the years, the front tire locking up (or sliding) is what causes many Blasts to go down. 'Good enough' just doesnt cut it on the front. EZ's pretty much covered all this, but it bears repeating.  | ||
| Indybuell |
Where's a cheap online joint to get some of the stock pirelli's shipped to me? | ||
| Swampy |
I just ordered an Avon AM26, it arrived in three days for $70.00 including shipping. The Big Kid said he couldn't get it for that price at the store he works at through Parts Unlimited. Here is another place I have used with good results: http://www.tiresunlimited.com/default.htm and http://www.chaparral-racing.com/Chaparral/assets/h tml/homepage.asp?gclid=CJ_pqLzNr5UCFRJ4xgodHG1jaw& URLCheck=1 and JP cycles of course. | ||
| Toniportray |
Luke_sidewalker, What was your experience with the GBC tire? How long did it last? I'm approaching the point at which I need to buy 2-3 tires for the rear (bulk saves $$) and I'm debating whether I should try that GBC or just resort to the Avon Strykers. If your recent experience with the GBCs indicate they last less than 4k miles, then I'll likely venture over to the Avon's. The Avon's are only $16 more than the GBC's and it may be worth the extra mileage I get from them. I've been getting 8k+ from the stocks so I expect to get closer to 10k with how well people rate the Strykers here.. | ||
| Luke_sidewalker |
Toniportray, I've got about 1500 miles on the GBC right now, and it is wearing better than the Pirelli. The rubber compound is a little harder, so wet weather traction is an issue. With the current tropical storm season in Florida, I do my fair share of wet weather driving, so if you do go with the GBC, use caution when braking with the rear. I have a brand new Pirelli MT75 on the front which is working quite well for me. If I were to give a recommendation for inexperienced drivers in wet climates, I'd say don't buy the GBC. If you live in Southern California, New Mexico, Arizona, or dry climate, I'd say you'd get much better mileage out of the GBC! | ||
| Thumpe |
OK avon am63 update at 1606 miles now total since august. I got enough left to finish the season here in NY lol !! But next spring the new one sitting in the garage will be on there !  (Message edited by thumpe on October 13, 2008) | ||
| Johnnymac |
Hey, Thumpe! I just replaced my rear AM63 after 4k miles. Spots on it looked almost as good as the pic you posted above from August and other spots had 6 inches of cord showing. LOL. Most of it looked like your pic above from yesterday. I'm trying out the Pirelli ST66 on the rear now in a 140/70S. I have pics I need to post of the tires. They are super beefy but seem to take a little longer to warm up compared to the Avons. I will keep updates on how they wear and handle. So far so good. I installed an AM63 on the front the same day (which I had purchased with my old AM63 rear as a set), replacing my original Dunlop with 8700 miles on it. The ST66 felt stickier than the AM63 with the finger and nail test before I mounted them. I have to say I really like the handling of the 110/70 front tire and unlike some folks, I don't find them to be the least bit twitchy or difficult. Highway speeds are stable and I feel like I could do brakies if I wanted to. They are just a royal PITA to install!  | ||
| Ezblast |
What made them hard to install? I'm doing my own tires next time and would like to know. EZ | ||
| Swampy |
With the wider tire, sometimes the tire springs out in the center so far that as you are trying to put the outside bead on the inside bead slips off the wheel on the other side. Lots of extra hands are nice, and oh yeah, you live in California, you get more sunny days than the rest of us so you could just set the tire out in the sun for a little while to get it to loosen up a little before installing it. |
