Let me say up front, I haven't even seen a Commander II yet. Intuitively if a tire is load rated high enough for a touring bike, it should be strong enough for the job. If the side walls were significantly softer than the Dunlops, I would expect that people would be crashing and dying each time a Michelin got low on air. As I have seen no adverse rider reports yet, I suspect your guy wouldn't score as big a commission on the Michelins so he was trying to sell the others.

As far as I know, the 402 and the Elite 3 fit the older machines, (08 and earlier), there is no E3 which will fit the wider rear wheel on the newer machines. For those, Dunlop makes the American Elite, which is supposed to be the same tire Harley installs at the factory MINUS the "expensive" Harley name embossed on the sidewall. I believe the Commander II is available in sizes to fit both the older and the newer machines.

 

Thanks, you're right, I haven't heard of blowouts either. As far as that guy, he just puts the tire on, he didn't sell me the tire. Actually, he really is just an idiot! But I'll put on any tire with the proper load and speed rating if the price is right. Hell, for years I bought used tires at the swap meet with holes in them. Just patched them up, and I never had a blowout with them either!

 

I've got 3k on a set of the C-IIs (on a Roadie Ultra)... they handle quite well. I like them so far. Tread wear? They look like they just got installed yesterday, even though it was last month.

 

except for the street glides and road glide customs. the commander IIs do not come in an 18'' front wheel size, yet. don't know if they plan to or not. but for those of us with the larger front wheel, one of our options is to go with the american elite in the rear, with an e3 on the front. the load rating is right, and the dunlop rep told me there would be no incompatibility with the tread design between the 2.

 

I installed Michelin Commander II on my Night Train this summer. They handle well buy I only got 7000 miles out of them. Very disappointing.

 

Great review

 

i have a 2011 ultra limited with 51000 miles i ride a lot all year long, i have been getting about 25000 on the rear tires and i change both at the same time the front ones have always had more miles to go but bike rides better with both new ones, li am thinking of trying the michelins next time around. also i do not ride slow.
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