Matts_12GS Posted July 1, 2013 Share Posted July 1, 2013 Many folks at the UN were asking me about these tires since I had just put them on before we headed up. I have to admit I was pretty skeptical when I first mounted them as I am a pretty die hard Tourance fan. Not the tourance next or tourance exp, but the good old fashioned regular Tourance. Budget made these look attractive so I took a chance on them. First impressions are pretty good, the tire has a pretty aggressive tread pattern compared to the latter versions of the Tourance and when mounting them, we found the sidewalls to be really, really stiff. The tires felt a little twitchy at first, and I attributed that to the lack of a "commuting flat spot" down the middle of them. I tried lowering the pressure to stock levels which is just a pound or two under what I normally ran my Tourances at. The handling mellowed a little, but still was different than I was used to. While riding two up at the UN, my girlfriend asked me what I thought of the new tires and asked if I was having to ride differently on them than I used to with the other tires. That was when it really hit me. The stiffer sidewalls seem to flex less laterally when cornering, causing the bike to "roll" onto the sides instead of giving that little "flex/slide" as you start and finish the turn. They transition smoothly and quickly and seem very planted when heeled over. Dry traction seems as good or better than the Tourance and wet traction seems very good as well. We had no slips in the wet during a couple rain showers and while we didn't get off road I think they'll be a pretty good gravel/hard pack tire. I can't see them being great in the sand on a big bike, but none of the dual sport tires really is. I have about 800 miles on the tires now and I'm pretty pleased. Wear seems negligible and now that I've gotten used to the changes in my cornering style to square the turns off a bit more I'm really happy with them. Motorcycle Superstore is doing them for about $200 a pair so I think they may be a really good alternative to the others. Link to comment
JR356 Posted July 2, 2013 Share Posted July 2, 2013 My experience mirrors your initial impression. I will be replacing my rear which has about 8k miles later this week,due to pending trip up to the MOA Rally and the Northwest,then out to Paonia,CO for the TOR Rally a week later.It still has probably a thousand miles left on it. The front still has at least a few thousand left. Just got the rear from Revzilla for $89 shipped. Also riding a 2005GS! JR356 Link to comment
jbr7t Posted July 6, 2013 Share Posted July 6, 2013 Matt and JR. Thanks for posting about the Shinkos. I had looked at them for my R bike. I've been very happy with Michelin pilot road 2's and couldn't make myself switch. However now that I'm on a GS I'm looking at all options. If you don't mind keep this post updated as you log more miles on the Shinkos. I'd like to get your opinions as they wear. Thanks for the product write up. Link to comment
Matts_12GS Posted July 9, 2013 Author Share Posted July 9, 2013 Quick update time. I am about 1200 miles in and I'm really starting to get the feel of these tires. Wear is negligible still and I still haven't found the edge of traction on them yet, mostly since I've been riding two up a lot. I am enjoying how the handling on the bike seems to have sharpened. I can only attribute that to the change of technique required by the stiffer sidewalls, but it is pretty darn nice. At one point during the UN, we were in tar snake Hell and I was finding myself able to thread through them mid corner at 30ish MPH without any feelings of instability. All in all, I'm a fan. Link to comment
jbr7t Posted October 9, 2013 Share Posted October 9, 2013 Hi Matt! Any update with some more mileage on the shinko's? Link to comment
Matts_12GS Posted October 9, 2013 Author Share Posted October 9, 2013 Hi James! I haven't been riding much lately, uncooperative weather with my schedule and all. I'm still a fan of the tire, with about 3500 miles on them they're not showing much wear at all. Link to comment
SinNH Posted October 9, 2013 Share Posted October 9, 2013 I ran two pairs of the 705's on my KLR a few years back and was happy with the preformance on the pavement and on gravel roads. I could push pretty hard on the paved roads. Back then the price was very reasonable, think both delivered to your door was about 150 for the KLR, 90/90 and 140/60 I think. The milage I got was terrible, first rear was gone in less than 4k, when the second was the same, I switched to the Distanzia which has great feel,longer life but of course,, with a price. Link to comment
jbr7t Posted October 9, 2013 Share Posted October 9, 2013 Thanks for the update Matt. I've got Tourance's currently. I ride almost everyday for my commute and put a lot of miles on (5000 since july) So, handling and mileage life are important. I think I may give the Shinko's a try on the next go around since they are about have the price of other brands! Link to comment
Matts_12GS Posted October 18, 2013 Author Share Posted October 18, 2013 Ok, I think I'm onto something here... Another 2 tanks of gas through them, and I think this was the key... I had to tighten up the damping on suspension. Once I did that the bike felt like it just came all back together. No more wandering, no more feeling unsettled. It's like it was. I am just over 3500 miles now, tires look great. I see about 5-6K more in them. Link to comment
Huzband Posted October 30, 2013 Share Posted October 30, 2013 Suspension is everything. After that it's all cake. Link to comment
jbr7t Posted October 31, 2013 Share Posted October 31, 2013 Matt- I just ordered a 705 for the rear of my 04 GS. Going to put it on at Keith's this weekend. Looks like you've had good success with them so far and I got it for $85 so I figure its worth a shot. Link to comment
Matts_12GS Posted October 31, 2013 Author Share Posted October 31, 2013 Matt- I just ordered a 705 for the rear of my 04 GS. Going to put it on at Keith's this weekend. Looks like you've had good success with them so far and I got it for $85 so I figure its worth a shot. Price is certainly right. I am going to take them offroad here in the next few weeks and do the transflorida offroad route RoadScholar game me. Should be a hoot! Link to comment
upflying Posted October 31, 2013 Share Posted October 31, 2013 Except for faster wear, I heard good things about Shinkos. But if they are replaced twice as often the cheap factor becomes moot. Link to comment
jbr7t Posted November 2, 2013 Share Posted November 2, 2013 Except for faster wear, I heard good things about Shinkos. But if they are replaced twice as often the cheap factor becomes moot. True. I'm hoping I can get close to the same mileage. I figure its worth the try. If they don't last ill go back to one of the name brands. We'll be mounting the 705 tomorrow. Link to comment
jbr7t Posted November 2, 2013 Share Posted November 2, 2013 Got the 705 mounted today. Good shakedown run. Feels pretty good so far. Link to comment
jbr7t Posted November 17, 2013 Share Posted November 17, 2013 Got a little over a thousand miles on the Shinko. So far I'm very happy. Feels great on the road. Appears to be wearing as expected. Link to comment
drtnsnw Posted November 17, 2013 Share Posted November 17, 2013 I am running the 705's on my KLR. After a really sketchy break in where they were way squirrely they have really done well. Wear seems on par with the Pirrelli Scorpions I have ran for years at about half the cost. They are the ones I will keep running on her. Chris Link to comment
Foxy Posted November 21, 2013 Share Posted November 21, 2013 I have them on my 09 Triumph Scrambler. They have improved handling of an already good bike. All pavement so far except for. Lille of quick spins around the back yArd. The Scram is really not a dirt/trail bike but I hope to test them soon on some gravel & dirt roads. Will update then. But so far rally like them for the road. Foxy Link to comment
GMC Posted February 5, 2014 Share Posted February 5, 2014 I've run a few 705's through my Cagiva Gran Canyon, and won't be using any other tire any time soon, unless I plan a more serious off road trip with little to no pavement, in which case I'd mount a set of TKC's (or similar). I say that, but never have actually bothered to change, as the 705's have not let me down for the kind of "off road" riding the Gran Canyon does, which is mainly fire-road, and for that there are zero issues. Had several thousand miles on first rear tire when it got punctured off the pavement (fire road), with a piece of wood of all things (weird...), and since it was around half life at that point, i just replaced it with new. Front tire is around 6000 miles and going fine, with lots to go. Link to comment
Matts_12GS Posted May 1, 2014 Author Share Posted May 1, 2014 I've run a few 705's through my Cagiva Gran Canyon, and won't be using any other tire any time soon, unless I plan a more serious off road trip with little to no pavement, in which case I'd mount a set of TKC's (or similar). I say that, but never have actually bothered to change, as the 705's have not let me down for the kind of "off road" riding the Gran Canyon does, which is mainly fire-road, and for that there are zero issues. Had several thousand miles on first rear tire when it got punctured off the pavement (fire road), with a piece of wood of all things (weird...), and since it was around half life at that point, i just replaced it with new. Front tire is around 6000 miles and going fine, with lots to go. I agree, enough so that I just ordered a new rear tire. I think I'll stick with these and see how they hold up against the Karoo 3 that Huzband just spooned on. Link to comment
Huzband Posted May 6, 2014 Share Posted May 6, 2014 I agree, enough so that I just ordered a new rear tire. I think I'll stick with these and see how they hold up against the Karoo 3 that Huzband just spooned on. Which are about to be replaced with a set of Tourance's. These are intolerably loud. Link to comment
ThomasJ Posted July 4, 2014 Share Posted July 4, 2014 I have been running 705's for the past 60k mi (the first set were the bias ply's) with the exception of a michelin 2CT put on at the Chief Joseph Raley to get me home.....the fronts seem to last upwards of 15k while the all the back ones end at 10k. I found this out before taking the bike to work today..... Been thinking about maybe some street only types, as with 80k mi on the odo only about 50 mi were off the tarmac....but its tough to beat the <$90 price delivered of the 705 rear....anyone had experience with any other Shinko street specific models or maybe the Avon AM26 Roadrider (my favorite on-line store has a sale going on em) thanks tom Link to comment
Matts_12GS Posted July 6, 2014 Author Share Posted July 6, 2014 That's scary Tom, glad you weren't riding when that happened. I'm a fan of the shinkos but other than that, I've only ever run Tourances on my GS. FOOT on here ran a set of PR3s on his GS, but I don't know of many others doing that. Link to comment
jbr7t Posted July 7, 2014 Share Posted July 7, 2014 I've seen a couple people run the Mich. PR's on the GS. From what I've heard they do well as far as handling. Obviously not gonna do you much good off pavement. Not sure what kind of mileage they are getting. Link to comment
FlyingFinn Posted July 14, 2014 Share Posted July 14, 2014 I have a 705 in the front and a Anakee 2 in the back of my 1200GS. While the 705 does seem to work fine when leaned over, in straight line the tire makes the the front-end pretty nervous. There's constantly some small handlebar movements and it just seems there's something little wrong with the bike. Feels like low tire pressure or something such. More rebound damping in the front seems to have made it better. But not good. Hopefully it will bet getter with more miles, but after this one is gone I'm going back to Anakees. Link to comment
Matts_12GS Posted July 14, 2014 Author Share Posted July 14, 2014 I had that at first with them, I think it was a difference in how they felt compared to the tourances I was used to. I dropped the air a pound and added a little damping and they were fine. Link to comment
Recommended Posts
Archived
This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.