Print

Please login or register.
1 Hour 1 Day 1 Week 1 Month Forever
Login with username, password and session length

[dwjohnson]

 Hey Guys, anyone know of a good hook up tire for the late model 180-16 Dresser stock rear wheel??

[MightyTharg]

Do you mean best gripping?

Or most attractive looking and likely to excite potential clients?

I'll assume the former.

Between my 2013 FLHX and 2015 FLHXSE I've only tried the following:

 - Stock HD Dunlops - grip was rubbish  on cold wet roads
 - American Elites - only slight improvement on  the HD Dunlops
 - Metzeler ME880 made in Brazil - dangerous in the wet - I'm assured the German or Chinese made ones are good
 - Avon Cobra - best so far - but still not as good as decent touring / sport touring tyres that you could fit to a lighter bike (eg my previous BMW tourers).   Had the Cobras on the 2013 and a set is going on the 2015 next week.

Generally tyre manufacturers seem focussed on moving to harder (less sticky) compounds because cruiser ruiders will happily have their bike serviced every 5-6000 miles and advocate replacing lifters every 10k but somehow want their interface with the road to last 18k......  As a result Michelin Commander 2s are harder wearing than their predecessors and the Metz880 has been replaced by the 888 which is a harder compound.

If you search HD / cruiser forums and look for people complaining about how their tyres wore out too fast you may be on the right track to finding a grippier tyre. 

Tyres I'd like to try - if/when available in the right sizes:  Shinkos and the Pirelli Night Dragons. 

Cheers

[HUBBARD]

For what my opinion is worth, at high speeds Dunlops stick better than anything I've ever run, which has been limited to Metzler and Avon.  I had a high speed wobble in Ol' Maybelle, with the original tires, and a changed both front and rear to American Elites 1200 miles ago.  No more wobble at all, at any way I twist it.  I run 40 in the rear, and 38 in the front, Solo.  Sticks like a piece of chewing gum in a curve, too.  I have never gotten any wear or milage out of any tires.  These guys talking about 12-14K miles outta' tires is just unreal to me.  Don't doubt what they say, but it ain't never happened to Ol' Hub.  Later--HUBBARD

[Designflaw]

IMO    It is the Dunlop K591. I have run all variety of tires on all variety of bike since 1986. I always end back up at Dunlop. Not the cheapest, not the most expensive, but a good balance of traction and life.

[SDCVO]

For what my opinion is worth, at high speeds Dunlops stick better than anything I've ever run, which has been limited to Metzler and Avon.  I had a high speed wobble in Ol' Maybelle, with the original tires, and a changed both front and rear to American Elites 1200 miles ago.  No more wobble at all, at any way I twist it.  I run 40 in the rear, and 38 in the front, Solo.  Sticks like a piece of chewing gum in a curve, too.  I have never gotten any wear or milage out of any tires.  These guys talking about 12-14K miles outta' tires is just unreal to me.  Don't doubt what they say, but it ain't never happened to Ol' Hub.  Later--HUBBARD

Im with you Hubbard, I have never even got 5000 miles out of a rear tire before until I got Commander 2's. I currently have 6000 miles on mine and though close still going. Once warmed up they stick great. I will say before warmed up they can be a bit squirley though.

[dwjohnson]

 Sorry guys, should have been more clear. Looking for launch grip from a dead stop when racing. Limited to the stock wheel but can use any tire.
 Hubbard, what's this American Elite, I was thinking that was what came on my bike ( 2011 Limited) I have those high speed wobbles also with my Dunlop 180-16
 Thanks for the replies !

[HUBBARD]

Sorry guys, should have been more clear. Looking for launch grip from a dead stop when racing. Limited to the stock wheel but can use any tire.
 Hubbard, what's this American Elite, I was thinking that was what came on my bike ( 2011 Limited) I have those high speed wobbles also with my Dunlop 180-16
 Thanks for the replies !

Dumb-assed O'l Hub can't answer that question.  Ask Unbalanced.  He's the one that recommended I buy the Elites.  Later--HUBBARD

[ultrafxr]

Sorry guys, should have been more clear. Looking for launch grip from a dead stop when racing. Limited to the stock wheel but can use any tire.
 Hubbard, what's this American Elite, I was thinking that was what came on my bike ( 2011 Limited) I have those high speed wobbles also with my Dunlop 180-16
 Thanks for the replies !

The Harley branded OEM tires made by Dunlop can be sold only by Harley dealers.  The American Elite is a line of Dunlop tires designed for Harleys which can be sold by independent suppliers (non Harley dealers).  Some Harley dealers do carry or will order the American Elite version.

I've never run the American Elite instead preferring the Michelin Commander II vs the OEM tire.  The American Elite has a different tread pattern than the OEM tires and many users report better performance - traction, tread life, etc., with the American Elite vs the OEM tires

[Unbalanced]

Best hooking tire imo is the Shinko.  Beware though with the hooking comes the possibility of wheelies and belt breaking.  Expect a short tire life and to test your clutch.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[dwjohnson]

 Thanks all.
 Concerning the Shinko tire. which one are we talking. I run the 003 Stealth on my drag bike but that is a 17" wheel. My bagger runs a 180-16"

[Unbalanced]

180 - 18”

87-4005

[PFWiz]

For your purposes, nothing would come close to beating a car tire. Significantly more rubber on the road.

[Yellow09SERG]

Seen Avons mentioned but in the Cobra tire. I run the Avon Venoms on my old Street Glide and never one had a problem with the tire hooking. Would it break loose? Yes, it would break loose but when it did you were at the point where the front was unloaded and either the tire was going to break loose or a drive belt was. I prefered the tire too. Not sure if I ever had a rear make it 5000 on that bike. Thank god I got older....lol