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Longest Lasting Tire Review

35K views 78 replies 31 participants last post by  amattox 
#1 · (Edited)
Lotsa talk about tires. Let's put the facts to it, to see if one tire consistently lasts longer than another.
1) Describe your bike (i.e. '01Heritage, '02 Fatboy, '03 Road King).
2) Type of riding (i.e. 1 or 2 up)
3) Area of the country you ride most in (i.e. Southeast, Midwest)
4) Do you ride mostly 2 lane, Interstate, or combination.
5) State the tire(s) you used, air pressure run, and the milage you got.

I've got an '02 Heritage, 1 up riding in the Southeast and ride combination.

Front tire is original Dunlop D402F, 36psi, still running @ 16,200 miles with 3.5/32" tread still on tire. Original tread depth was 5/32"

Rear tire - original Dunlop D402R, 36 psi, replaced at 8,400 miles with...
Dunlop K491 Elite II. Looks like I'm going to get pretty close to the same milage as the original D402R

I think I'm going to try Avon Venom X next
 
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#52 ·
seems like the Heritage tends to get less milage from a tire than the rest. Also seems like they must use a tire grinding mixture in the asphalt, here in the South. A friend of mine has a Heritage and says he's been getting around 3,000 miles more out of Avon Venom X's, over the Dunlops. May be worth trying one on the next tire change.
 
#53 ·
1. flstf fatboy
2. mostly solo
3. upstate ny
4. around town-maybe 25% travel miles
5. original dunlops-40 psi rear 36 psi front
6. 195#
7. dont know if i got the order correct
original rear lasted 7500 miles-probably could have nursed another 1000-1500 but it was getting into wet season. front still going strong at 10300 miles. happy with performance/wear especially considering the amount of stop and go riding.
harley feels the tires the vehicles are equipped with are a good mathc for the suspension/steering characteristics. with todays legal climate i dont blame them for recommending sticking with the originals.
 
#54 ·
2003 Ultra
90 percent two up riding
P.S.I front=34/35, rear=40/42
Me=220 L.B.S.
Wife=175 L.B.S.
Tires are Dunlop 402s, wide white walls
As of now, I have 11,568 miles on them. I know good and well that I could get two thousand more miles out of the rear but I am geting a new one put on, on Friday the 13th :eek: So, by that time , I should have another thousand on them. I am staying with the Dunlops again
 
#55 ·
1200 Sportster, Tubeless Dunlop 401s. I will be changing the rear tire to an Avon in a couple of weeks will have around 6000 on it. Front tire still looks real good. I drive 2 lane and some 4 lane roads, also have 1 1/2 of gravel road to get to the pavement.

I have been told that sportsters don't get as good a tire milage as the bigger bikes do because they tend to slip the back tire quite often, due to the power to weight ratio, or tork or whatever.
 
#56 ·
03 FLSTFI (stock tires)
lots of 2-up for the first 5K, now mostly solo
36F/39R
Hawaii riding (glasphalt blacktop, hell on tires) concrete freeways with holes, rain grooves, etc.
Me-270lbs, wife- 120lbs on a bad day
13,100 miles, ready to replace the rear this week, front was replaced @ 8K, due to other damage
 
#58 ·
1. FLSTS Heritage Springer '01
2. mostly 1up.
3. Around Spain and South of France.
4. 25% Highway,75% roads with good asphalt as twisties as possible.
5. two changes original Dunlops 402 Wide White Wall-40 psi rear 36 psi front
6. 85 Kgs.
7. around 13,000 miles rear and 13-15,000 front.

Next weekend I'll put my first rear Metzeler ME880 White Wall.
Size will be 140/90-16 instead of stock size 130/90-16...We'll see.

BTW you have good luck with tire prices over there :)

Here ONE Original Dunlop costs around 300$ and 880 around 200$! (both in White Wall)


Regards

Twin Cam
FLSTS '01
 
#61 ·
Quick update, Heritage 2001 FLSTCI, changed to a Metzler 880 on my last rear tire change out. It lasted 5000 miles and the flat of the tire was slick as a babies butt. Had to change it early due to too much slipping and sliding. Metzlers handle well and hang onto to the asphault but they do NOT last. Just went back to a Dunlap Elite, thats the best tire I have found to date that handles well and lasts. Anyone running Avon's on a Heritage I would be glad to hear from.
 
#62 · (Edited)
'02 FLHT E-Glide is about to get a change of the of rear tire, unless I missed something it looks like the Dunlop 402 is the only tire out there with the narrow stripe whitewall. Metzeler says it does not recommend using their tire unless both ends get one. I would like a 140 width for a little fatter tire, but the clearance to the belt is only 1/4" now.
Anyway:
Stock D402 Dunlops
9600 miles
Front has some wear but ok
Rear is quite worn (don't see wear bars though, where located?)
200# rider 160# passenger
36# front/ 40# rear
Nebraska: city and backroads riding.
 
#66 ·
OK I'll type this slow for you guys:rolleyes:

The triangle marks where in the tread area the wear bar will be. Find the traingle (or other mark) then look at the tread in that area, you will find the wear bar.
 
#70 ·
i could have used sidewall wear bars in my sportbike days. seems the center lasted much longer than the edges on those tires. hmmmm...then there was the 1500-2000 mile replacement intervals. coulda bought a lot of chrome with that money.
 
#71 ·
D402 mileage update



I had a D402 WWW=MU85B16 installed on June 13th, so far the rear tire has 16,904 miles on it It goes in this Saturday to get replaced. By the time Saturday gets here, it will have over 17,000 miles on it I am very happy with the miles that this tire gave me. Well over 95 percent two up riding.


__________________
2003 Harley Davidson Ultra Classic Electra Glide
Gunmetal, I brought her home Saturday:02-01-03
Life is soo good !!!!!!!
2003 quest-12,000 miles on bike by years end.
-------(So far-29,342) Going for ??????-------

2001 Dodge Ram 2500,4x4,short bed,
quad cab,Cummins,auto,red,sport.

---------For Sale=$13,000---------
1969 Cuda convertible,auto,360 Magnum.
Best so far-13.35@103
www.MoparStyle.com=Nice peopleThe best Mopar
site, hands-down



http://www.picturetrail.com/gallery/view?username=markcuda
 
#74 ·
So far, I am still on the original brake pads, I may have the dealer put on the back ones, just to have it done with.
 
#75 ·
I had a new rear tire put on today by my selling dealer.

It was another D402 Dunlop. MU85B16 WWW . The same tire come off and the miles on it was a grand total of=17,254. I was very happy with them miles :)
 
#76 ·
Longest Lasting Tires?...Help!!!

1. FLSTNI
2. 1 Up
3. Southwestern United States but all over
4. Anywhere
5. Metzler 880 Marathon WWW 150/80-16 rear and 130/90-16 front.
6. 240 lbs
7. Ride 9000 miles per year average

I am troubled by the low miles I get on my rear tires 5000 to 8000 max. About double that on the front. The rear tire wears flat on the center with tons of side tread left. Would love to find a tire that gets considerably better wear with comparable handling. I can get a bit aggressive on some turns and I love the way the Metzler's handle. Any suggestions would be great appreciated.
 
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