Steve Kolenda Posted February 11, 2009 Share Posted February 11, 2009 I am looking to purchase a set of tires for my 2000 R1100RT to be mounted later this year. I have been running Michelin Pilot Road 2s and have gotten very good mileage. My only complaint is that the front tire sings when not dead strait-up and I find this very annoying. I don't have a problem mixing brands from front to back, so my question is, has anyone found a tire that will run quiet on the front or is that just the nature of the RT. Thanks in advance. Link to comment
Tony_K Posted February 11, 2009 Share Posted February 11, 2009 Ear protection ends this "annoyance" and is good for your ear health. Problem solved. Link to comment
GordonB Posted February 11, 2009 Share Posted February 11, 2009 You will find many brands of tires will sing as they wear, I kind of like it. But I have found Conti RA's to be more quiet than others. Link to comment
krussell Posted February 11, 2009 Share Posted February 11, 2009 I have run Z6s and PR2s. Both sing. :-( I'm about to mount roadsmarts. I expect them to sing too. I think it's the nature of the RT front end cupping. Like the previous poster, I run custom molded earplugs most of the time. Best $40 I've ever spent. Link to comment
Steve Kolenda Posted February 11, 2009 Author Share Posted February 11, 2009 I guess I expected the ear plug suggestion to come up. I have an Autocom system so that is not an option. Link to comment
marcopolo Posted February 11, 2009 Share Posted February 11, 2009 I guess I expected the ear plug suggestion to come up. I have an Autocom system so that is not an option. Yes, it's an option, even with an Autocom. I have an Autocom, but cut off the helmet speakers and use custom-molded ear buds in their place. They act like ear plugs, but also transmit sound such as intercom, iPod and GPS. Mine were made by Arizona Al (of this Board). He has many satisfied customers. Link to comment
Tony_K Posted February 11, 2009 Share Posted February 11, 2009 Of course it's a option. Custom audio ear molds or even ear buds cut down on dbl's and can be mated to a com system. My wife is uncomfortable with things in her ears (or so she thought) but after a 500 mile day she couldn't hear properly over the ringing. She got very concerned even after I mentioned several times about wind noise sneaking up on you. She now wears foam ear protection. She has in helmet speakers for our com system (I use custom molds) and is enjoying the ride much more while reducing the harmful high dbl's. Win win. Oh, and I have never heard tire noise... Link to comment
Steve Kolenda Posted February 11, 2009 Author Share Posted February 11, 2009 OK, so how do they work and where can I get them. Is it another wire that needs to be plugged into the bike somewhere or do they plug into the helmet? We have an older Pro M1 system. Link to comment
BFG Posted February 11, 2009 Share Posted February 11, 2009 After two sets of howling PR'S I switched to Metzeler 880's. Very quiet, "high" mileage, I'm on my 3rd set. Link to comment
krussell Posted February 12, 2009 Share Posted February 12, 2009 I guess I expected the ear plug suggestion to come up. I have an Autocom system so that is not an option. I have an autocom as well, and it works fine with my molded plugs in place. I did need to tweek the volume about a quarter turn compared to the naked ear. I think I hear the music better with the plugs in. I'm running the stock autocom speakers in a Nolan 102. Ideally, I'll get a set of iPlugz from EAR, Inc, but it hasn't gotten high enough on the list yet. Link to comment
Tom B Posted February 12, 2009 Share Posted February 12, 2009 Some people will remember our original 5 pin products, which although were loud enough to work at high speeds to over 180mph, (without earplugs) the volume suffered with high attenuation earplug. This all changed where we went over to 7 pin headset connectors where the volume was boosted to about 4 times, making them much better even with high attenuation earplugs. Most people found that the 2006 – 2008 product range worked well with the normal speakers supplied with most types of earplugs, but of course the ideal solution is in-ear-speaker plugs, if you don’t mind the cost and if you can tolerate them. The NEW 2009 range is now even better with earplugs, and the Logic and Logic Independence can deliver more than twice the volume of the pre 2009 products. I would suggest you try them first before deciding if in-ear speakers are really needed, remembering that not everyone gets on with them Autocom UK Tom Link to comment
Steve Kolenda Posted February 12, 2009 Author Share Posted February 12, 2009 Tom, Thanks for taking the time to reply. How does all of this fit with my Pro M1 system? I am guessing that it does not have the volume required to work with molded ear plugs. Link to comment
Deek Posted February 12, 2009 Share Posted February 12, 2009 "..You will find many brands of tires will sing as they wear, I kind of like it..." Many different bikes do it also. My VStrom did. I think it has something to do with the acoustic mechanics of the fairing "hole" channeling the tire sounds to the rider. Link to comment
marcopolo Posted February 12, 2009 Share Posted February 12, 2009 OK, so how do they work and where can I get them. Is it another wire that needs to be plugged into the bike somewhere or do they plug into the helmet? We have an older Pro M1 system. The in-ear speaker plugs have a wire which plugs into an optional Autocom helmet lead. That helmet lead has a small black box in line which accepts the plug from the in-ear speakers. I run the speaker wire down inside my riding jacket, out the bottom, then back up the outside of the jacket to the helmet lead. It sounds more complicated than it is. The optional Autocom helmet lead replaces whatever lead you're now using, though I have no idea whether it's compatible with your Autocom system. I bought my Autocom in 2007. As for the in-ear speakers/plugs themselves, I bought them from Arizona Al (his board name on this Forum). The first time I did it by "long distance" from here in Canada. I went to a local hearing aid supplier and had them make ear impressions. I then sent those impressions to a lab in Colorado (on Al's instructions) which then made the plugs and cored them (drilled holes in each for the sound tubes). The lab sent the plugs to Al (in Arizona) where he added the sound tubes/drivers/wire. He then shipped the completed set to me. Again, it's a lot easier than it sounds. I referred to sound tubes because the speaker drivers are not in the plugs, but down below at the "Y" junction where the sound tubes fro m the left and right sides merge. The tubes are hollow and the sound travels from the driver through the tubes and up to each ear. They work great. If you ever attend a Forum event like Spring, or Fall, Torrey (Utah), Al is generally there and you can have him make the ear plugs and have him incorporate the rest of the kit while you wait. It's a little cheaper that way since you don't involve the lab in Colorado. After purchasing my first set, I bought a backup pair of plugs (minus sound tubes/wiring etc.) and a set of plain ear plugs at last year's Spring Torrey. If you search for Arizona Al on the members' list on the Forum, you'll find his e-mail address there. Link to comment
Tom B Posted February 15, 2009 Share Posted February 15, 2009 Steve; the Pro M1 has 5 pin headset leads, so you are probably best to use in-ear speaker plugs as Mark suggests. Autocom UK Tom Link to comment
Douglas Arnold Posted February 20, 2009 Share Posted February 20, 2009 I've just installed the new Dunlop RoadSmart tires on my '04 R1150RT and am absolutely in love. Taking off the old Metzelers which felt greasy and I couldn't trust them and putting on these new Dunlop tires turned riding my bike into a love affair again. They haven't made any noise yet on different road surfaces so that makes me happy. Link to comment
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