Got another 1000 miles to go before I will likely need a new rear tire on my Breakout. Metzeler makes both a 240 and 250. Just wondering how replacing the stock 240 with a 250 will affect the ride and handling. Any ideas?

 

The 250 will look fuller and fatter than the 240. Double check with this, but it should fit your stock fender. Tight, but that will make it look NICE. It's a subtle change, but I like the look of a 250 vs a 240.

Disadvantage is everything to do with handling. It will offer a plusher ride due to the larger contact patch, but you have to lean harder into turns, etc. The larger contact patch also leaves you more prone to hydro planing in wet weather.
However, all in all. Any ride differences should be fairly negligible if you're used to a 240.

 

Thanks Doc J! At least the good news is that if I end up not liking the ride I can always go back to a 240 when I hit 20K. The other issue I have is that Metzeler is unlikely to have a tire for the 21" front until early part of 2014. How bad would it be if I had tires from different manufacturers with differing tread patterns? Safety issue?

 

Not really. Some tires play together better than others though. I ran a Michelin rear with a Dunlop front for a year, didn't have any problems, but I did notice a difference when I put a matching tire on the front.

 

I have a Dunlop on the back and a Pirelli in the front, and it's fine. The original equipment Dunlops on the front and back of the Rocker weren't what would normally be considered a good match anyway, with the rear being a radial and the front being a bias-ply.

 

Either the Sons 07 Deuce or 09 NT was the same way when new.


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The only other problem is that nobody makes that same tire yet. Dunlop keeps pushing that tire back saying backorder. They need to get on the ball. Dunlop made that tire size specifically for the Breakout. There is no other 130/60 B21