Which Tire for 2001 R1100RT-P?

[Woodie]

As a follow-up to my flat tire thread...what should I get to replace my nailed/flat rear tire?

 

Mostly a commuter, ride ~9 months of the year. Not much canyon carving or track time (yet!). Would prefer more miles from tires (<10,000 miles/year) than stickiness. I have the CHP tires on now (Dunlop? or Avon?..not sure), and looking to replace just the rear tire.

 

I hope to buy at the after-market shop nearby, and have them mount it for me (I'll have to take the wheel off and bring it to them).

[Woodie]

Just got off the phone w/ the accessory place, they don't have a cross-reference for BMW bikes/tires. ????

 

So...come on you guys, what size/brand of tires do you recommend?

Do I have to match the replacement tire to the front?

[ShovelStrokeEd]

Woodie,

Match the size on the rear, I think its a 160/60 18 and get a Metzler ME 880. That will give you the best life and for all but the most agressive riding, more than enough traction both wet and dry.

 

Don't concern yourself overmuch about matching the front tire, when it wears, go ahead and add an 880 up there as well provided, that is, that you like the one on the back.

[Paul Mihalka]

IMHO: Matching the front tire is not essential. My preferences would be Metzeler ME880, Michelin Pilot Road, (these are high mileage), or Metzeler MEZ6 for best traction. Call your tire place before you go. Your rear tire size is 160/60x18. It is not a very common size.

[Woodie]

Thanks guys...I'm a bit confused now. I just got off the phone w/ A&S parts (I need to get this order moving!)

He said the "police" spec is for a Dunlop "SportMax A", 138/83 (?). He states that this tire is only available from a BMW dealer, and he also provided a part number.

 

Dunlops site recommends a D220 160/60 size 18 as well.

[ShovelStrokeEd]

Trust us, go with the ME 880 in the 160-60 18 size. You won't be disappointed. Parts guys in general don't know squat about tires and those numbers he gave you make no sense at all. Stick with the advise of those who use them every day.

[jrbldr]

Well, if it was A & S Cycles in Sacramento, they have had the northern Calif CHP fleet contract for years, so I would assume they know what they're talking about. It may be that they are a matched set. Certain tire models have different profiles, if viewed in cross section, triangular, rounded, etc, and it is usually preferred to have the profiles match for best handling. Actually, those numbers sound like a load rating of some sort.

 

Certainly the part number cross-references to a size - is it a 160/60-18? If so, I would probably go with the dealer recommendation, if you still have a lot of tread left in the front. So they are matched. If you'll be changing the front out soon, then go with whatever you want, and the 880 is a good choice for your application. Probably my next tire.

[Paul Mihalka]

Woodie, Just in case: does your bike have wire spoke wheels and not the common aluminum cast wheels? Some early police bikes had wire spoke wheels and those take a different size, on a 17" wheel. If you have the cast wheels, 160/60x18 is the size to go.

[DouglasR]

Dunlops site recommends a D220 160/60 size 18 as well.

 

Of all the tires I have run on my RT I liked the Dunlop D220 the least. I felt it wore out very quickly and wasn't the best for traction in any circumstances. The front cupped so badly in 5000 miles it felt like a knobby at low speed. I love my MEZ6's, fantastic gription and very even wear patterns, but only get about 6000 miles from the rear and 10,000 front.

 

I get my tires from SouthWest Mototires, best price I can find and free shipping if you get two or more, usu. takes about three days for them to land on my doorstep.

 

Ride well!

 

Doug

[Woodie]

Tire prices are really all over the place. I haven't done any tire shopping in some time.

 

I have the cast wheels...prices/availability range from: $140 (incl tax/mtg) for a Dunlop D220 ordered/mounted through store to $240 for Metzler 880 through the same shop! Several other websites in the middle, along w/ a dealership in the low $200s.

[SWB]

Tire prices are really all over the place. I haven't done any tire shopping in some time.

 

I have the cast wheels...prices/availability range from: $140 (incl tax/mtg) for a Dunlop D220 ordered/mounted through store to $240 for Metzler 880 through the same shop! Several other websites in the middle, along w/ a dealership in the low $200s.

 

Is that $240 a tire, or a set???

 

I just got a set of Metzeler Z6's from http://www.motorcycle-superstore.com/ for $222.00 (free shipping). The 880's are $256 a set. I'd have probably gone for the 880's, except the Z6's were so highly recommended (e.g. something approaching the Z4 handling and the 880's wearability).

 

(By the way, Metzeler has a buy one get one free promotion going on right now on the Roadtec Z6's, i.e. buy the rear tire and get the front for free.)

http://www.metzeler.com/index.html

 

Don't forget to match front and rear tires. If you have Dunlaps on the rear and are replacing the front (i.e. due to a casualty), you should replace both front and rear (perhaps sell the old Dunlap on Ebay if it's servicable) or replace the front with another Dunlap.

[rondob4]

A couple of months back I asked this same forum for tire advice, and ended up purchasing a set of Avon Azaro STs (AV45 &46) for my RT. Cost was about $210 for the pair, shipping included, from Southwest Moto Tires, a vendor mentioned in one of the responses to my post. (http://www.swmototires.com)

 

Having no BMW dealer here in Augusta, and unwilling to do the tire-iron kabuki dance at home, I first asked the local Honda dealer if he would install the tires. A rather terse "we only install what we sell" sent me off to the Big Dog dealer who gladly did the work for $70, including labor to pull & reinstall the wheels.

 

I've only put 1,000 miles on the Avons, but have no complaints whatsovever.

[Woodie]

I checked the Metzler site...the promotion is for Racetec, and you have to buy a rear 180 or 190...which won't fit for me.

 

I checked the other link...and I thought the prices were comparable to what I've been seeing.

 

The $high was for a BMW dealer mount/balance w/ exra gas to get there.

[leikam]

Here's another vote for picking up a pair of ME880s from

Southwest Moto Tires http://www.swmototires.com . Free shipping when you buy two and you'll eventually want the front, so get both at the same time.

 

As for changing tires, I found that a local independent shop would swap rubber and balance them for $25 a pop if I pulled the wheel and brought it and the tire to them. Two trips for both wheels, but that price still makes it awfully hard to justify doing myself.

[MattS]

I've only put 1,000 miles on the Avons, but have no complaints whatsovever.

Avons are great, I put a set on my 04RT after reading Dick Frantz's review of them mounted on his K-RS.

 

I was only getting 8K out of my ME880 fronts, so they were worth the switch. If your riding style is on the mellow side, then go with the ME880s -- a great tire, but as my parts guy says, 'orthopedic shoes'.

[SWB]

I checked the Metzler site...the promotion is for Racetec, and you have to buy a rear 180 or 190...which won't fit for me.

 

I checked the other link...and I thought the prices were comparable to what I've been seeing.

 

The $high was for a BMW dealer mount/balance w/ exra gas to get there.

 

I got nicked for $72 to mount and balance the set (I brought the bike in). The local BMW dealer wanted something like $95 or $125 (can't recall).

 

I also noticed the references to the "rear 180 or 190" on the site's pop-up, but I noticed other advertising that did not have the same "fine print". A free tire is a free tire, so I'd at least follow-up and ask Metzeler about the 160 (if I hadn't already just replaced them a couple of weeks ago).