Got 10,000 miles on the sportster 48 and need some new treads. The stock dunlops are a bit hard and don't grip well when it is damp or foggy out. We have a lot of steep hills and I've slid to a stop going down hill and spun my tire trying to go uphill in town. I ride year round unless it is below freezing or rainy. I want a softer compound tire that grips well. Looking for one of the classic or retro tires from coker, shinko or Avon. I don't know what makes a tire grip better the tread or the rubber compound. Also, I noticed most of the tires I've looked at online are bias ply. I thought tires were steel belted radials now a days. I'm not dragging pipes and pegs when I go around corners although I like to get on the throttle sometimes. Just looking for a good tire. It's hard to find a place that has a large selection of motorcycle tires in stock to look at and feel the rubber. Any suggestions would be appreciated.

 

Coker/Becks do grip well in dry and wet. Very well actually. However, expect to change the rear every 3-4K miles. When my 3rd rear needed replaced I went back to a M/C tire

 

one of the guys in england uses these ...Avon Safety Mileage MK11 in size 5.00 x 16

They are very nice indeed, excellent grip.

That is what he said .. i am trying to get them , went to bogota last week and searched high and low and found nothing.

 

Thanks guys. Rog is 3-4K under normal riding conditions?

 

Well I do go the mountains once in awhile, and 2 up once in awhile. And its not that they become bald. But the rear becomes flat (profile not psi). Ill see if I can find a pic of one.




Now that tire is not mounted but the profile is about the same. Just too flat for my liking.

 

Some of those soft compound tires only make it to 3 or 4k, they have silica crystals in the mix that REALLY grip well in the rain, some say they're better wet than dry.

 

Shinko 777's are the best tire I've ever ran in the rain. Very god traction on wet or dry, very sticky so they did wear somewhat quick after I killed a rear in 4500mi on a honda shadow 750.

I've also found ANY motorcycle tire will spin on wet pavement if you goose it, so it all about throttle and clutch control to prevent that.

 

I'm sold on Pirelli Night Dragons. A hard compound tire would be pointless on my bike.

 

I was hoping this tire would work for me, too, but I learned it doesn't fit a '14 48.

 

Thanks guys for the input. I definitely need to go with the softer compound with out regard to tire life. We have some steep hills here. Not as bad as San Francisco but bad enough. Part of the problem is it's hard to find a place that stocks them. I will try one of the above mentioned tires. I guess I will order from JP Cycles unless someone has a better idea.