How important is how long a tire lasts?

How important is "how many miles it lasts" when selecting a tire?

  • Very important. I select the longest lasting tire and squeeze every last mile down to the wear bars

    Votes: 3 6.1%
  • Important. I select a tire that wear is still more important than performance.

    Votes: 10 20.4%
  • Somewhat important. I select a tire that's performs ok but still gets decent mileage.

    Votes: 25 51.0%
  • Not important. My choice is the best performing tire as possible. Mileage is not a consideration.

    Votes: 10 20.4%
  • None of the above matters. I buy the cheapest tires I can find.

    Votes: 1 2.0%

  • Total voters
    49
B

ballisticexchris

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Hi guys, I did a search and could not find a poll on this. At least in my demographic I can say that neither myself or any of my riding buddies consider "how long a tire lasts" as a factor when choosing rubber. Whether off road, or road traveling it's all about the handling/performance characteristics.

The internet is a whole different story!! Time and time again whenever a certain tire is asked about, 90% or more of the replies are about "how many miles do they last"? Why is mileage so much more important than the performance of rubber? When all I have is 2 small patches of rubber holding me up I want the safest, grippiest tire possible.

I have had my fair share long mile rides (it's been quite a few years). I just planned ahead and had a tire of my choice waiting for me or purchased off the rack during my travels. Remember we are talking about the Super Tenere here. Even with my sport bikes it was never a big deal changing a tire on the road. The magic number on various forums seems to be 10,000 miles being acceptable.

I have started a few threads about certain brands of tires (here and other forums) I own. I always mention the importance how they grip, turn, the stopping distance, etc. Even if you have to change out a rear tire once every few weeks and front/rear every month. Whats the big deal? Heck I have spooned off and on paddle tires to knobby's twice a day on a weekend of combination dune/dirt trail rides. I'm by no means rich but I do include rubber as a huge part of my motorcycling budget. My sport bikes in the past were lucky to get more than a month or two of commuting on a set of rubber.

What is the thought process of the members here when it comes to choosing a tire?
 

EricV

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Not to be impolite, but you don't go anywhere so it doesn't matter. Many of my trips are longer than you get from a tire. Tires are a significant cost of riding when you ride a lot of miles. I have been at a point with mortgage and re-occurring monthly expenses that I had to choose between riding less or figuring out a better tire scenario.

I have also worn out a set of tires in two weeks, several times a year. And that's tires that last 10-12k for the rear.

The flip side is the fellow that got all in my face about how he changes his tires every season because it's a safety issue! When I asked, he averaged 4k miles a year. When I explained that I averaged 10 times that, he began to understand why my perspective was different from his.

All I'm saying is it's relative to our individual riding styles, habits and needs. There is no wrong, only what works for each individual. You've never ridden on the clock for days on end.

You're at a point in your life and your riding where it's no big deal to spend the time and money to change a tire every few weeks or every month. At $300 or more a set, that's a significant expense for many people. One that would limit the riding they could do. Thus the perspective for the appeal of tires that last longer.

While I can appreciate your desire for tires that have optimal grip, turn, stopping distance, the simple reality is if you think you're riding any set of tires to the limit of their potential, you are mistaken. As is anyone else who believes that on a bike ridden on the street. Most of us ride the envelope we have, and with a wide margin for error.

Not everyone is set up to change their own tires either. Most riders I know are not. Dealers charge anything form $9 to $60 for a tire change with the wheel off the bike. When it's on the high end, that stings more than a little for two tires and the mount and balance charges every month or when you want to change from knobbies to street tires. Most riders I know are not prepared to pull a wheel while traveling. I am, and don't know why more people are not, but that's what I have encountered.
 

Bokerfork

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I do change my own but don't relish the job. As Eric said, with modern tires most of us are not going anywhere near the safety limit/threshold. I ride within the tire's limits and feel quite comfortable saving a few bucks to get the most mileage in favor of safety I'm not going to use or need.
 

RCinNC

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Chris, you beat this same drum every time a thread about something like a Mitas E07 comes up. You seem defiantly obstinate to accept the reasoning that other members (including me) have given you on previous occasions why tire longevity is a deciding factor in the tires we choose. You've been positively dismissive of the reasons you've been given in the past, so why beat this horse all over again with a poll? Just accept the fact that a lot of riders don't view riding the same way you do, and a lot of riders have different needs than you do. Your previous posts on this topic, with your accusations of cheapness and your obvious contempt for riders who don't share your viewpoint, have pretty aptly demonstrated that you have no intention of trying to understand this other viewpoint, so why bother with a poll, unless you're goal is to just try to stir up the same pot again?
 

blitz11

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I did a 7,000 mile ride from MT to Maine and back. I took off a 1/2 worn set of Pirelli Scorpions, and mounted a new set of Battlewings for the trip. When I returned, i took off the battlewings (shot) and reinstalled the Pirellis.

My daughter's new KTM 790 burned through a rear tire by the UP (2,500 miles). Luckily, i found a shop with a Michelin CT+ rear tire. We pulled the wheel, and they installed the new tire. (they were too busy to pull the wheel for us, and they wouldn't let me use their machine, so we compromised. i told them that i'd pay their price to change if they'd let me use the machine. "insurance" was a problem.) Had a new front installed in Albany, NY at 4K miles. Made it back to MT no problem. THose Michelins wore like steel, but handled rain and high speeds w/o a problem.

I don't mind changing tires, but i prefer to do it at home where i have my "stuff." If i can get 7K miles out of a set of tires, I am happy. it does sting to pay someone to do something i can do myself, but if you're on the road, the trade off to have someone do it makes sense.

I did a trip to Dayton, OH, from MPLS. I had a set of tires which would make it to Dayton, but not back to MPLS. I arranged for a dealer to have the tires i wanted (continental classic attack on my old airhead). I pulled wheels, they did the tires in 30 minutes. Made it to the air force museum before it opened!

I am going to hit the road for July in its entirety this summer. I will probably ride for a while here out west, come home, change tires, and go back out. Or maybe arrange for a dealer to swap out tires if i change my mind. Given my short riding season, i'd rather ride than swap tires.
 
B

ballisticexchris

Guest
Not to be impolite, but you don't go anywhere so it doesn't matter.
**Post edited to keep poll on track**

How would you know? Do I need to brag to qualify? Do I need to document the many hundreds of thousands of miles I have ridden over my lifetime? Just because I don't have huge miles on my Super Tenere does not mean I have not peeled off miles on other bikes I have owned.

Why do I or anyone need to justify our choice of tires based only on the miles we ride? That was not the reason for the poll.

Chris, you beat this same drum every time a thread about something like a Mitas E07 comes up. You seem defiantly obstinate to accept the reasoning that other members (including me) have given you on previous occasions why tire longevity is a deciding factor in the tires we choose. You've been positively dismissive of the reasons you've been given in the past, so why beat this horse all over again with a poll? Just accept the fact that a lot of riders don't view riding the same way you do, and a lot of riders have different needs than you do. Your previous posts on this topic, with your accusations of cheapness and your obvious contempt for riders who don't share your viewpoint, have pretty aptly demonstrated that you have no intention of trying to understand this other viewpoint, so why bother with a poll, unless you're goal is to just try to stir up the same pot again?
This poll has zero to do with style of tire. I started this poll strictly to see how many members here in the Super Tenere community value performance vs mileage. I thought I made it clear with the choices in the poll. I assure you this is not stirring the pot. I was hoping we could get some constructive points of view. If you notice I put this subject in the tire forum and not the debate room.
 
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B

ballisticexchris

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Another thing that's convenient is the fact you can have a tire shipped almost anywhere. The drawback is you have to plan your trip. These days that's what I do when doing over 1000 miles.
 

EricV

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You demonstrated my point. When was the last time you traveled thru or in 3-5 states in a single day? You don't understand the reasons people want tire life, and that's fine, but you started this thread to attempt to prove your pre-conceived beliefs. Don't deny it, just state that to begin with. It's not a bad thing, it's just your perspective.
 
B

ballisticexchris

Guest
Please Eric, refrain from moving this thread to debating the ride length. Let's keep it on track to tire choice based on longevity of the rubber. Can you please play nice?
 

Cycledude

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Yes if mostly what i Did was short trips that take a year or more to wear out a set of tires I probably wouldn’t care much how long a tire lasts.
mostly Change my own tires at home with a homemade tire changer that works pretty decent, I even have extra rims so it’s pretty easy to get close to max life out of my tires. I have had to deal with changing tires while on a trip a few times, not really a big deal but it’s a lot more expensive than doing it at home myself and it’s just another hassle I simply prefer not to deal with.
Since you mentioned car tires yes I have ridden other bikes with car tires and didn’t like the handling but I’m sure I could get used to it, many folks claim a car tire is way safer than a motorcycle tire I really don’t know if it is or not. I’ve had 5-10 flats over about 800,000 miles and usually able to simply plug the tire myself without to much trouble, I have probably fixed more tires for other riders than for myself but it’s always a nice feeling to be able to help someone out.
Yes I always consider Tire life an important feature when buying tires But that’s certainly not the only thing to consider.
 

regder

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Any modern tire has more grip than I am likely to get to the limit of, that leaves longevity as the deciding factor. I'll regularly do a 1500 mile mini-trip on a weekend, or a 5000 mile 7-8 day trip once or twice a season. The last thing I want to worry about is if a tire is going to last through a trip, or stress out about changing a set of tires before or during a trip. My trips are generally very stretched for time, taking a day to change a set of tires is a 5-700 mile opportunity wasted.

There are two experiences that stand out in my mind.

- Put on a brand new set of Shinko 705's on my Strom before a 7 day, 4500 mile trip to Colorado. Half way through day two, at somewhere above 1000 miles in, the back tire was about half way through. Anxiety ensued for the rest of the trip, and seriously ruined some of the fun. Thankfully the wear slowed significantly at about 2500 miles, and 3-4mm wore to 1mm by the end of the trip. Definitely not pleasant.

- Went on a last minute trip to Deals Gap on the S10 in the fall. Bridgestone A41's worn to 2-3mm which is where I normally change them, but was procrastinating. No local shop had a set in stock at a remotely reasonable price so I decided to wing it. No shop had a set in stock anywhere along the general route either. Even though for once I wasn't in a time crunch as I wasn't working, I was riding with someone who was. Amazingly the tires lasted through the 2500 mile trip, the tread just starting to disappear as I pulled into the driveway.

One last thing, your darkside comment is pretty condescending. While I haven't made the plunge, many have without any bad experiences coming to mind. In fact, many riders much better than me and likely you rave about how well they grip under spirited riding.
 

Kyle_E

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I ride 25-30,000 miles a year. I really like a tire that lasts around half a year. If it lasts 10 instead of 15 that's fine but around 12 would be better.

Bikes to me are appliances (really fun ones). I want to hit the key and go. I don't want to change tires twice a month? Why would you do that?
I want to spend 5 mins a week giving the bike a good once over for issues and checking fluids. If I wanted to spend my time in the garage Id be driving something with a chain not a shaft.
 
R

RonH

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Most tires work fine for my riding on the Tenere. Contrary to the poll indicating car tires are an unsafe option, I enjoy a car tire on the GL1800 for just the opposite, riding a straight line at 75-80mph which I mostly do on the goldwing, virtually no fear of overloaded tire, delamination ect, from riding hours on end at 75-80mph in hot weather. How you ride and what you are riding I suppose dictate tire choice. I ride real easy, and don't care of off road or even wet road grip too much on the Tenere, lasting long is more important. On the GL1800 I worried of overheat and blow outs and went over to the car tire and as a side benefit get 25,000 miles now out of the rear instead of 8,000.
 
B

ballisticexchris

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Interesting opinions for sure. I do not consider it rude at all to change a tire on a trip when riding with a group. As long as it's done at the end of the day should not be an issue at all. When riding sweep on our clubs annual charity ride, I have actually had a flat that required all of us to stop and fix. It ended up being a team effort that took all of about 15 minutes to fix. Good times!!

One of my personal indicators for a well performing tire is the stopping distance. My OEM Bridgestone's stopped pretty darn good in dry pavement. Not so good in the loose stuff. My Wilds stopping distance is just a hair farther on dry pavement and much shorter in loose dirt.

I'm willing to bet that a sticky soft compound tire will have amazing braking performance on the Super Tenere. I know the old soft compound Dunlops I used to run on my KZ's would not last worth a crap. But boy they would put you over the bars.

The last thing I would do is stress about tires wearing out during a trip. I have a smart phone that can order any tire of my choice and have it delivered to a hotel I plan on staying in.
 

OX-34

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Another thing that's convenient is the fact you can have a tire shipped almost anywhere. The drawback is you have to plan your trip. These days that's what I do when doing over 1000 miles.
You demonstrated my point. When was the last time you traveled thru or in 3-5 states in a single day?
Please Eric, refrain from moving this thread to debating the ride length........ Can you please play nice?
I thought I read somewhere that these big Tenere bikes were for touring*. To be fair, that implies long distance and makes daily tire changes a drag, no matter how much you like good times spooning with your club buddies.

*
........ the bikes themselves are made for long distance
 

gv550

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No one is going to vote dark sider when it has a condescending insult attached, please remove that.
Everyone that I know who runs a car tire (plenty on the Goldwing forum) feel it is safer than bike tires.
Myself, I use bike tires and durability is important, as is grip and handling. Right now I am running near the wear bars but I’m doing local day rides and roads are dry, new tires are already on hand but i feel no urgency to install them until a road trip or rainy spell is forecast.
 

EricV

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This is the Super Tenere Forum. So Chris, how many tires have you spooned on the Super Tenere wheels at a hotel stop during a trip?

You're talking like this is a dirt bike with tubes and tire changes with spoons and a side stand from another bike to break the bead is just no big deal. I very much doubt most of the people reading this forum would be very excited to get stuck having to change a tire in a hotel parking lot with only the tools they had with them. I've seen it done on a big street bike, but it was with three people helping and it wasn't much fun. Solo, I'm not sure it would have occurred.

I'm sorry you can't ride right now, but please don't start threads with a pre-conceived belief that you want affirmation for. You're just stirring the pot. In this case, that you even asked the question in this venue shows that you don't understand the answers. And the phrasing of your questions shows the lack of experience you truly have. You can learn a lot if you open your mind and listen to what people that actually have experience share.

You falsely believe that performance equals safety. That's simply not true at all. The rider dictates safety. You can toss out extreme examples where this isn't true, (and you usually do), but the point is that we ride the envelope of what we have. Ignoring that is unsafe. Your preference for a tire that stops faster in loose dirt Vs on the street is far less common for Super Ten riders, IMHO.

That you order a tire ahead if you're going over 1000 miles on a trip is great planning on your part. It would get you laughed out of the room among many groups. We all choose what we feel is the best compromise for our needs. Performance, cost, longevity are all factors.

I have told you in the past that you can't apply your dirt bike values to the Super Ten. The equations don't work. It's like asking what size paddle do you prefer on a Cruise ship forum.
 
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