Mixing tires?

['73 H1 Triple]

Originally Posted by Particle Man

This. I've replaced fronts first and vice versa with same brand and profile though it's rare for the front to go first

The previous two owners went thru fronts faster than rears. Maybe it's the nature of the bike or all three of us use the front brake heavily.

Originally Posted by derf

I'll tell you from experience that using vastly different tires on the front and back can have devastating consequences on handling. A few years ago, possibly 02 or 03 I had a pair of DOT race tires on my ninja, the front tire was fine and I was broke so I replaced the rear with the cheapest decent tire I found in the right size with the expectation that in a few months I would be able to afford the $300 Dot race rear. The tire I put on wasnt a no name brand tire, if I remember correctly it was a dunlop sport touring tire.

The handling was super sketchy, it felt like the back end would way over rotate in every corner, almost like it was washing out on me. the bike would twitch, become unstable jerk around and became very unpredicatble. I was told by others that it would wag back and forth a 6 inches in either direction mid turn. I thought it was just the new tire curse and took it easy for a while, but it never went away. Basically the bike was next to unrideable.

I wound up asking online and the general consensus was to dump one of the tires and put on a matching tire. So I dumped the front for a matching tire and was fine.

Now this is a very extreme example, super grippy up front and long lasting and harder in the rear, two tires with vastly different profiles. To say it was just plain dangerous is an understatement. It was a big lesson learned and since then I have always put on matching tires. But i have heard of people who put on similar performance and profile tires and been fine, but my experience was bad, and it was a stupid thing to try on my part.

Thanks derf. I'm thinking in addition to different styles ( race vs sport touring ) you may also have been mixing radials and bias. Doing that in any vehicle ( two or four wheels ) makes for an interesting (ie, butt puckering ) experience.

Originally Posted by Captain Morgan

Key here is that it's the same brand/profile. I think derf highlighted this best. I'm about due for a new rear tire. Stock front is still okay, but I don't want to stay with the stock tires. May buy another stock rear just to get me through till next tire change, though. But I really want a better tire, both front and rear.

There are same brand and profile. I'll need to check more but I think the BT 021 was replaced by the BT 023

[derf]

Originally Posted by '73 H1 Triple

Thanks derf. I'm thinking in addition to different styles ( race vs sport touring ) you may also have been mixing radials and bias. Doing that in any vehicle ( two or four wheels ) makes for an interesting (ie, butt puckering ) experience.

yeh it was almost a decade ago so my memory is shot on this one, but it sucked, just regular riding was very difficult, anything spirited was downright impossible.

It was also a good lesson on how much tires actually slide around on the road

[tommymac]

Originally Posted by derf

yeh it was almost a decade ago so my memory is shot on this one, but it sucked, just regular riding was very difficult, anything spirited was downright impossible.

It was also a good lesson on how much tires actually slide around on the road

what were you doing with dot race tires on a street bike anyway?

[derf]

At the time I was operating under the mindset that I needed the biggest and baddest tires around. Turns out its a waste of money and they suck going to and from the store, they also have a tendancy to flat spot pretty fast

[tommymac]

Originally Posted by derf

At the time I was operating under the mindset that I needed the biggest and baddest tires around. Turns out its a waste of money and they suck going to and from the store, they also have a tendancy to flat spot pretty fast

Gotcha, Thats like at the track seeing guys in beginner group running tire warmers and that sort of stuff. I am stilll using pilot powers and not any issues.

[derf]

yep thats pretty much it

[101lifts2]

Originally Posted by tommymac

Gotcha, Thats like at the track seeing guys in beginner group running tire warmers and that sort of stuff. I am stilll using pilot powers and not any issues.

Try running in 95 degree heat at a upper intermediate pace...those PPs will get greasy real fast and start sliding around. Yes riding at the street track pace is probably OK.

And yes warmers IMO are a waste unless you're racing. Two track days and most race tires are going to someone who wants takeoffs.

[No Worries]

I have one bike with bias-ply tires (and tubes), and one with radials. I don't think anyone here would mix the two. I think the problem with mixing brands is the difference in tire cross-section. Some are round and some are triangular. Mixing these types could cause a problem.

[tommymac]

Originally Posted by 101lifts2

Try running in 95 degree heat at a upper intermediate pace...those PPs will get greasy real fast and start sliding around. Yes riding at the street track pace is probably OK.

And yes warmers IMO are a waste unless you're racing. Two track days and most race tires are going to someone who wants takeoffs.

Almost have done that, just the upper intermediatre pace up at loudon on a set of the michelin 2cts and they started spinning on me later in the day but I was also running with advanced guys and trying to keep pace with soem of them.

For me dot's are a waste on the street since we have to travel a lot of miles just to get to the good twisties, plus the priller is about 70-80% commuting now.

[101lifts2]

Originally Posted by tommymac

what were you doing with dot race tires on a street bike anyway?

I only run DOT race tires on the street...but I don't go puttin around either and never commute. I've tried running street tires and under the heat they get greasy and slide around; not to mention they will spin up on corner exit. Granted, we run a 3.5mile street course..which is like our own little track (cept there are cars, cliffs and mountains lol).