Metzler rear tires

2Hozhoni

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Jun 6, 2007
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I have just logged 19,540 miles on my 2006 R111 Classic Triumph in 1 1/2 years, and I am going to replace the rear tire next week for the second time. I replaced the original Metzler at 8,600 because of a screw in the tire and I decided to get it replaced then. No, it wasn't ready for replacement at that time, but I was in the shop and got it done as I felt it would have needed it by another month and 1,000 more miles.

Very pleased with the service that the tires have given me. I ride almost daily on these great Arizona roads. I don't race every one that pulls along side of me, and I don't try to jump to 6o miles per hour in 3.6 seconds at all traffic lights. I have made it a habit of checking tire pressure at least twice weekly.

Hope to write a like comment at 30,000 miles about my good fortune with Metzler.

Looking forward to anyone else that has had like experience with Metzler.

Paul (2Hozhoni )
 
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VERY GOOD:bch: I too had above average miles on the rear skin; 8100 at time of replacement. I will admit though that I was fretting that last ride. Some road construction had rock debris scattered in a few areas. I was on borrowed may-pop any-time:eek:

I'm going over to the dark-side next. It's just a matter of choices. Do you know the number of choices? It's huge! If Bridgestone would offer a BattlAx with DTC tread I'd be happy and still be less special. And with this latest TB Tune download I expect a fat boy before the New Year. That's the equivalent a full round of skins for the Silverado that'll last for 80,000 if I do another Metz in the course of one year of Rocket III stellar bliss. I think I'll feel the same with a fat boy darkside rubber. I'd expect 30k miles minimum; and it wouldn't be an issue twice a year :)

BUT, back to your post: You replaced the tire 3 times or you've had 3 tires in 19K miles?? If you got 8K out of the first one you must have ben sceered :D And are feeling mid-life mental-pause after the first change.
 
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My stock Metz is wearing really good. I've got 6K on it and it really shows no wear but I'll go to a dark side tire when the inevitable happens anyway. I'll do the Eagle like Gunshots did. I've already talked to the tire shop that mounts the cage tires and they will mount it and do a nitrogen fill. I'll have a green valve cap to boot.

I've got nothing against the Metz (sounds like I'm not a New York fan which I'm not) but no one seems to get more than 10K and I want to install a tire that gets more miles per dollar than 10/200. I'd like 25/150. That sounds a lot better.

Rocky....Ron Paul's gonna wind up in my checked box too.:D
 
Brain Pause

When I posted message re: my tire change coming up next week, I meant to say second time on the Metzler tire replacement, not third. I wasn't ever good in math.
:cool: 2Hozhoni
 
Summation of going to the "dark side"

FYI: (A long read, sorry, just trying to cover all issues).

I bought a '05 Triumph Rocket III a little over two years ago and was appalled at the cost of keeping tires on the bike, (changed every 5-6K at a cost of $300+). This began a web search of everyone who had an R3 and had gone to the "dark side". When I saw the CTOW, (car tire on Wing), video and saw it didn't ride upon the actual sidewall, I was convincined to try it. NOTE: the R3 and rider weighs about 1000 pounds. I have not tried a car tire on any other of my bikes, nor will I. The lighter bikes may or may not have enough weight to force the car tire to flex and the tread stay on the ground.

It seems that two tires stand out for this application. 1) the F1 Eagle by Goodyear and 2) the Hydro-edge by Michelin. Due to availability, I ordered the Michelin in 235/60R16. This tire is a little over 1 inch larger in diameter and about the same width as the original bike tire. The speedometer was 8% fast witht the bike tire. With the larger car tire, it is less than 2% off. My RPM's are about 450 rpm's less at highway speeds.

Problem: the independant bike shop wouldn't mount the car tire citing liabiliy reasons -- that's ok -- it's his call and his shop. A used tire shop where I take my farm equipment mounted it for $10. (the standard rate for mounting any tire). He had no way of balancing the tire, so I just took off all previous weights. After trying it out, the imbalance speed was WAAAY about 100mph, so the tire is still unbalanced. Please note: It is smooth as silk up to triple digits.

Now to the point of this post... How does it handle?

Contrary to what seems logical, the slower you go, the worse it handles. The engineer in me has come up with a probable reason for this. Remember the bike tire is, for all practical purposes, a ROUND tire. If you run over slightly uneven terrain, the bumps and ruts simply push the bike straight up. The car tire, however, is almost eight inches across. Thus, when you run over irregularities, the bike is still pushed upward, but if the bump is "off center", it also pushes the bike to one side. With an eight inch wide tire, that is almost vilolent in action and thus the re-action has to be very firm. It would be like trying to lift the bike up with a jack mounted 2 to 4 inches off center.

When cornering, the tire flexes and stays on the ground until you are leaning over to the extreames. The tire then flexes in the middle of the tread and still stays firm with NO "squirming" or slippage that can be felt. The Vice President of our chapter has rode behind me in town, on Interstates, and sharp curves and hills. He reported that even under extreme leans, there was more tread on the ground that with the bike tire.

Now about countersteering. You HAVE to countersteer every curve, bump, and irregularity to keep it in control at all times. Thus, riders who "lean" their bikes to turn, absolutely cannot handle a wide car tire.

Our Road Captain is quite aggressive and rides a 1400cc Kaw ****** Rocket. Let me state we were NOT racing. Coming down to Mena, Ark. from Willimena mountain, he got on it and we reached speeds of just over 100mph and took curves roughly 2X faster than the caution speed signs said. I felt that there was at least 10-15% more speed in curves the bike would have handled. Again, we wern't racing just expelling the myth you can't corner with a car tire.

In Conclusion: There are pluses and minuses to everythning. You have read most of the minus side, here's the plus side. 1) Longer tire life. This tire now has about 4K on it and I would now be saving up for another bike tire. The Michelin shows little or no wear. 2) Tho I rarely use the rear brake, I have learned to rely on its greater stopping power. 3) Behind large trucks on the Interstate, the bike tire was "mushy" feeling, but with the car tire, it's much more stable. 4) Likewise,when the bike is loaded with a trailer and passenger and misc. stuff, it is much more stable. 5) And lastly, I get a kick out of people who have never tried a car tire telling how it can't possibly work. It's sorta like when I trusted Jesus as my savior, I got all kinds of feedback telling me I was going crazy and that there was nothing to "religion". But I've tried the car tire as I've tried Christianity and it works! :)
 
Darron:

That's a good independent summation. Back in the early 60's other than Brit bike tires, the only tires available for bikes were Firestone for HD's and they were 'square' with whitewalls of course. I take it you still have the Metzler up front? I'm wondering how the automobile tire on the back is affecting the motorcycle tire on the front.
 
Met on front, Flip

Havn't changed the front nor will I... It gets 14K, not too bad. And since I'm leaning the same on the same corners, the wear seems to be progressing normally on the front.
Thanks for asking.
 
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I replaced my rear metz at 3600 miles (thats disgusting) with the Eagle F1 and was running the front metz at 32psi per Triumph specs. At 4500 mi. I noticed a cup starting in the front and bumped the air to 40 psi per Metz maximum specs. I now have 11,000 on the bike. the goodyear shows little or no wear and the cup has come out of the front. It is due for replacement probably in the spring when I take it in for the 10,000 vasiline job. 11,000 on the front and 7400 on the rear so far. I don't think the flat rear and increased steering input required to muscle it into the curves at speed have taken any toll on either tire. My observations are almost to the letter as Darron's summation. "Try it ......You might like it.;)
 
Tire pressure

Gunshots,

I'm running 40 in the front metz, and 37 in the rear Hydro edge.

My front is new having been put on about 1K before the Hydro edge and shows no abnormal wear whatsoever.
:D

PS: And thanks for the support. So many have been against this to the point it seems if they are calling me a liar. (And I try to be as factual, (thus truthful), as possible in my communications with others in everything).
 
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