New tire for the 900 at 6,000 miles & tire changer review.

[plasma blue]

My original Dunlop 404 is bald at 6000 miles, what a surprise to me that a tire only lasts 6 months.
Maybe I have a heavy throttle hand? LOL
Anyway local cycle shop closing down as owner is retiring so I bought tire there for 30% off. I decided to mount & balance tire myself. Got the $49 Harbor Freight tire machine with the $49 motorcycle adapter. They did not have the exact size I as original but there was a 170/80 15 that I thought would be a good fit.
Measuring the circumference of the bald tire I came up with 76 inches or so. The new tire came up to 79 inches. This should help to correct the faulty speedo. I measured width and seemed the same to me, no difference.
The tire is a Dunlop 404 like the stocker and I expect it to go another 6-7000, but for $80 I like it. Plus it has that extra 3 inches of rubber which is 4%!
The tire machine worked better than expected, easiest part of the whole ordeal. Mounting and dismounting on bike is way harder than just changing skins on the wheel.
I will post pics if anyone is interested, I left my disk at home.

[TVoyagerXII]

Originally Posted by plasma blue

My original Dunlop 404 is bald at 6000 miles, what a surprise to me that a tire only lasts 6 months.
Maybe I have a heavy throttle hand? LOL
Anyway local cycle shop closing down as owner is retiring so I bought tire there for 30% off. I decided to mount & balance tire myself. Got the $49 Harbor Freight tire machine with the $49 motorcycle adapter. They did not have the exact size I as original but there was a 170/80 15 that I thought would be a good fit.
Measuring the circumference of the bald tire I came up with 76 inches or so. The new tire came up to 79 inches. This should help to correct the faulty speedo. I measured width and seemed the same to me, no difference.
The tire is a Dunlop 404 like the stocker and I expect it to go another 6-7000, but for $80 I like it. Plus it has that extra 3 inches of rubber which is 4%!
The tire machine worked better than expected, easiest part of the whole ordeal. Mounting and dismounting on bike is way harder than just changing skins on the wheel.
I will post pics if anyone is interested, I left my disk at home.

You know better! We want pics!

[plasma blue]

Originally Posted by TVoyagerXII

You know better! We want pics!

I know, I know, I was planning on posting them but I diddn't realize my reader had the wrong disk untill I was pulling into my works parking lot. I will go home at lunch and get it ( good excuse for a ride) LOL

[CheriAnn]

Oh boy!!!! Another review!!!!
However, I start reading and get to the end and NO PICTURES!!!!!!! WTF?!!!!!

[plasma blue]

Originally Posted by CheriAnn

Oh boy!!!! Another review!!!!
However, I start reading and get to the end and NO PICTURES!!!!!!! WTF?!!!!!

Sorry,,, I do feel embarrased

[Spok]

Originally Posted by plasma blue

My original Dunlop 404 is bald at 6000 miles, what a surprise to me that a tire only lasts 6 months.
Maybe I have a heavy throttle hand? LOL
Anyway local cycle shop closing down as owner is retiring so I bought tire there for 30% off. I decided to mount & balance tire myself. Got the $49 Harbor Freight tire machine with the $49 motorcycle adapter. They did not have the exact size I as original but there was a 170/80 15 that I thought would be a good fit.
Measuring the circumference of the bald tire I came up with 76 inches or so. The new tire came up to 79 inches. This should help to correct the faulty speedo. I measured width and seemed the same to me, no difference.
The tire is a Dunlop 404 like the stocker and I expect it to go another 6-7000, but for $80 I like it. Plus it has that extra 3 inches of rubber which is 4%!
The tire machine worked better than expected, easiest part of the whole ordeal. Mounting and dismounting on bike is way harder than just changing skins on the wheel.
I will post pics if anyone is interested, I left my disk at home.

its the added weight of all that bling

[JacksonW]

Interested in the machine and adapter. Nice work! Did you still have UPS deliver everything to keep the rush going?

[plasma blue]

Originally Posted by JacksonW

Interested in the machine and adapter. Nice work! Did you still have UPS deliver everything to keep the rush going?

Not everything, I got the tire machine locally!... LOL

[Spok]

Originally Posted by plasma blue

Not everything, I got the tire machine locally!... LOL

when you bought locally, i noticed a matching drop in the stock price of UPS..


they really need you

[plasma blue]

MOTORCYCLE TIRE CHANGER ATTACHMENT


Change motorcycle tires in no time flat. Excellent timesaving device for all auto shops. Includes assembly hardware. For use with Motorcycle Tire Changer, Item 34542.
Rim capacity: 22'' maximum
Weight:31 lbs.

[plasma blue]

Originally Posted by Spok

when you bought locally, i noticed a matching drop in the stock price of UPS..


they really need you

It feels good to be needed!

[CheriAnn]

Originally Posted by Spok

its the added weight of all that bling

Originally Posted by Spok

when you bought locally, i noticed a matching drop in the stock price of UPS..


they really need you

ROFLMAO!!!!

Just lost my lunch laughing so hard....

[N3FOLN3FOL]

6K miles on your tire? You must be drag racing all the time. I know, a D404 Dunlop with size 180/70-15 is hard to find. Majority of tire online companies out there carry the 170/80-15 D404's. Since I wanted to stick to the original size tire, I opt to purchase Metzlers instead.

Anyway, I'm glad that everything worked out on your part. Having the ability to mount and balance your own tire is a plus and saves you $. For $80 bucks, that is a deal.

[CycleDude]

Originally Posted by Spok

when you bought locally, i noticed a matching drop in the stock price of UPS..


they really need you

Originally Posted by CheriAnn

ROFLMAO!!!!

Just lost my lunch laughing so hard....

Too funny....

[plasma blue]

Originally Posted by N3FOLN3FOL

6K miles on your tire? You must be drag racing all the time. I know, a D404 Dunlop with size 180/70-15 is hard to find. Majority of tire online companies out there carry the 170/80-15 D404's. Since I wanted to stick to the original size tire, I opt to purchase Metzlers instead.

Anyway, I'm glad that everything worked out on your part. Having the ability to mount and balance your own tire is a plus and saves you $. For $80 bucks, that is a deal.

I wanted the 200 ME880, but I setteded for this. They do have a ME880 170 I might grab for $126...

[N3FOLN3FOL]

Originally Posted by plasma blue

I wanted the 200 ME880, but I setteded for this. They do have a ME880 170 I might grab for $126...

Don't get it. I got my 180/70-15 ME880 Metzlers for $123 from AmericanMoto. (original size tire) You might consider...

[plasma blue]

Originally Posted by N3FOLN3FOL

Don't get it. I got my 180/70-15 ME880 Metzlers for $123 from AmericanMoto. (original size tire) You might consider...

Thanks, I will check it out.
That's where I was going to get the ME880 200 from for $179

[N3FOLN3FOL]

They do carry ME880 130/90-16 for the front of my classic for a good price. I see that you have a 900 custom, so your size may be different...

[plasma blue]

Originally Posted by N3FOLN3FOL

They do carry ME880 130/90-16 for the front of my classic for a good price. I see that you have a 900 custom, so your size may be different...

Yeah, it's a 21"

[rod2625]

Originally Posted by plasma blue

My original Dunlop 404 is bald at 6000 miles, what a surprise to me that a tire only lasts 6 months.

It is really hard for me to understand those tires only lasting that long. I have 7500 + miles on my VN900 and have a tad under 3mm on the front and 3.5mm on the rear. I have been running at 34/38 lbs. The MOMs says they are good at 1mm on the front and 2mm(less than 80mph) 3mm(greater than 80) on the rear. And thank goodness, the only time I run greater than 80 mph is going to Red Lodge....