| Author | Message | ||
     Greg_e |
I did a quick search but didn't come up with an answer... What is a good tire size to run on the front of a 2003 XB9R? I know stock size is 120/70-17, but is there another size that I should consider? The bike I'm buying needs a front tire so I want to shop around before calling the dealer for a price. Seems the Mich. Pilots are popular, any Pirelli or Metzler or Bridgestone that is suggested? No Dunlops! | ||
| Slaughter |
DO NOT change front tire size!!! You CAN change the rear to a 190/55 if you have to, if you don't mind slower turn-in. | ||
| Jdemoxb9r |
the dealer that Im nearby NEVER had a reasonable price for tires or installation so I go elsewhere | ||
| Hangontight |
"The bike I'm buying....." sounds like you found your XB9R after all! congrats. | ||
| Greg_e |
Yeah, he is bringing it closer (now only half hour away from home) for an extra hundred. Beat $50 for a train ticket plus gas and tolls to drive it back. I would have done it, but this is a lot easier. His sister lives nearby which is where we are going to meet. | ||
| Greg_e |
I'll give the local guys one chance to get my business, they can get it or blow it with something as simple as a tire. I'm seeing prices around $144 plus shipping for the tire, should cost $25 to $50 to mount, balance, and put the wheel back on the bike. I'm the kind of jerk that would take a bad experience and just find a used tire balancer and then do everything myself from this point out. | ||
| Jdemoxb9r |
motorcycle-superstore.com has good tire deals usually. this is what i run and Im satisfied http://www.motorcycle-superstore.com/1/28/394/1239 5/ITEM/Pirelli-Diablo-Rosso-Front-Tire.aspx The website says free shipping on orders over $75 too if I recall correctly BUT i dont know if that includes tires (Message edited by jdemoxb9r on September 30, 2009) | ||
| Greg_e |
I'm sort of leaning in the Michelin Pilot Power 2CT direction, my commute currently has a lot of highway. Otherwise it will probably be a Pirelli. | ||
| Patrickmitchell |
Check Sportbike Track Gear. They have some AMAZING tire deals running. | ||
| Iamarchangel |
Might as well get the changer and balancer now then. Wait and see what the rear is like. That's usually the bad one. Or it looks like it's got meat but it's worn to the indicator. Should probably tell people where you're meeting so you can get local info. Loving the Conti Road Attacks on my 9R. | ||
| Greg_e |
We are meeting in the area I listed in my profile, that's where I work and his sister lives, just need to get it 30 miles south to home so not a big deal. If need be I can drop it at the dealership that morning while my brother is still around to give me a ride home. Going to leave the for the dealership in a few minutes, desperately need some new gloves before riding that thing home in the rain on Saturday. I'll get the low down then. If not the dealer then I'll probably go to an independent performance shop that works on all sorts of bikes but specializes in Harleys and machining and see what they will do for my. After that it would be off to the local Kawi/Suzuki dealership with wheel and new tire in hand and have them put the tire on and balance it so I can bring the bike back for inspection. Plenty of choices locally and plenty of online places to get parts, I'd like to think the dealer knows this and will treat me decently (even though I'm not buying a bike from them). I'll start looking for the tire machines I might want just because it would be nice to have. | ||
| Greg_e |
dealer price: Pirelli Corsa something $170, install 1 hour or $70. $35 if I bring the wheel in. I can live with the $35 I guess though I wish for the $170 it included mounting. As pointed out that same tire can be had for $150 with free shipping. They also have Dunlop, but I won't put a square tire on any of my bikes again. Have to think about it a little more and maybe get the Pilot Powers 2CT or one of the Battleaxe dual compound tires online. Should probably match the front to the rear when I get it, always best to have similar performance on both ends. DId the OEM rear with Pirelli Sport Demon front on my old Katana 600 and was not happy! The back end would slide when the front was grabbing nicely and made me feel insecure about corning. Might end up with two new tires on the XB, which is fine since I got it for $3000. Did get some Goretex insulated gloves at a good price and looked at the 08 and 09 bikes they had, the 1125R sure is a pretty thing, and only $8000 new right now. | ||
| Greg_e |
Ok, it has a Pilot Powers on the back... Would it be safe to put the Pilot Powers 2CT on the front? I'm thinking probably fine but thought I would ask before I order the tire. The back tire has almost no miles right now. | ||
| Iamarchangel |
If you have to ask, it's probably best to match. Couple of stores here won't install non-matched tires out of liability issues but you're doing the install anyway. I think the Powers are lower priced. Go with them and if you don't like them, upgrade next September when they're done. If you like them, you've saved some coin that's got a lot of places to go now. | ||
| Greg_e |
That was my next thought. Had to ask because I've been out of riding for too long and lots or tire things have changed, taking a while to get back up to speed. Haven't really ridden in about 10 years, hoping it isn't raining when I have to pick up my bike. | ||
| Greg_e |
Found a Pilot Power at the local independent shop so I'll just fork out the money once and have them do it and the state inspection. After that I'll probably just cart the wheels around. I expect the price to be around what the dealer would sell, if they had Michelins. $60 to have the tire changed is a lot and not something I'm likely to repeat, speed of getting it done is costing money at this point. I'll have to keep an eye out for extra wheels and just swap them when tire time comes around. | ||
| Rhun |
Just a note, as I have been told with the CT only the last inch (roughly) is the softer compound. So unless you are really hammering the corners a lot and dragging your knee you might want to save several dollars and get the regular single compound. At the track the CT over the regular is frequently under a second (Message edited by rhun on October 02, 2009) | ||
| Greg_e |
Yeah, I'm just getting the regular Pilot Power for now. I'll move back to Pirelli next summer when I burn these Pilots out, I don't want to have to buy two tires right now. Pirelli has always been my first choice in tires for cars and bikes. I'm sure the Michelins are good too, but I like the Pirellis. |
