Hey Guys/Gals,
I need a new tire on the back but the front still has a good 2000 miles of tread left in it. Idon't want to go back with the same brand...but ifI switch brands, it means doing them both at the same time,since you aren't supposed to mix brands ( or so they say). And I really don't want to just get rid of the front one since it still has life in it, seems like a waste of money to me.
Anybody mixed tire brands before? And what kind of performance results did you get? And could you really tell the difference in having two different brands on the bike?
Thanking you in advance for your replys and advice.
Ride Safe

 

I cannot imagine that having different brand back and front tires aregoing to make any real difference. They aren't like car or truck tires where if they are different sizes or brand they will affect performance. You aren't going to rotate them from front to back and left to right. I would have to say that not having different brand front and rear tires on a motorcycle would have to be superstition more than anything. If you get two tires from the same company, they still aren't the same tire.

 

I've got a Metz on the back and a Dunlop on the front, no problems .

 

Let me guess, the people who are telling you that you are not supposed to mix brands are the same people who want to sell you 2 new tires instead of the 1 that you need.

You have a street cruising Harley not some million dollar race ready ride.Mixxing tire brands will have no affect on your ride.

 

Mixed brands can affect the 'feel' of the bike in a very noticable way-sometimes good, often times bad. However, with cruisers, it may be less noticable as these bikes are rarely operated at it's limits. For me, I would keep the tires matched, and most certainly on my sporbikes. Ask anyone who has roadraced....

 

I'm running an Avon on the back and the stock Dunlop on the front. It actualy rides better now. But I will be swapping out the front soon.

 

I ran a Dunlop Elite 3 on the front and an Avon AM 42 Venom X on the back for about10K and had great results. Really liked the way my bike handled, in fact, I liked that combination better than having both Avons I have now. Also ran the Elite 3 with the OEM rear tire and had no problem.

 

Take it for what it's worth, but I've been told to NOT put a softer (sticky) tire in the back when you have a hard tire in the front. For instance, Avon in the rear and a hard dunlop in the front. Reason bein, when you hit a tight corner the *** end of your bike will grip and stick and the front will want to "glide" and you could loose control.
That being said, when my wife got a shovel it had an avon on the back and dunlop in the front, and we both rode it for a few hundred miles with no problems. The avon caught a nail that wasn't fixable, so I bought new matching tires.
I also just switched to avon this summer on my night train, and my new front was on before my rear, and I didn't have any problems. probly rode 400 miles like that. once I got avon on both ends it handles awsome.

 

Changed the rear tire on my '96 to a Metzeler 880, but still have theDunlop 402 on the front. Have put over 3500 miles on the "mixed" combination with no ill-afects. I do have a new Metzeler for the front waiting patiently under my pool table, but at the time of purchase the front Dunlop stillhad miles left in it. I have felt no problems with handling or stability with the mixed set.

Remember to use the correct air pressure for whatever tire you choose. Different brands and sizes may requiredifferent pressures than what you are used to running.

Later,
BK

 

last time I changed both tires i put metzlers on both the past week I put a new dunlop on the front and had the metzler on the back this weekend I'm switching the metzler on the back to a dunlop to match them back up it is all good. I go thru 2 backs and a front every year and won't change them both at the same time I wait tell there wore out then change.