The Street Triple is about ready for a new rear tire. Thinking I'll go to the Bridgestone Battlax S20. It currently has Michelin 2CT's on it. These two tires are pretty much the same in their style/focus.
In any case, the front tire is doing just fine. Will I have issues if I run different tires on the front and rear? Should I just order another 2CT for the rear, let that run down, and replace them both together next time, since the rear wears faster?
Also... looks like stock tire size is 180/55/17, and the bike currently has a 190/50/17 on it. I suspect I'll end up being happier when I go to the stock size.
I've mixed and matched motorcycle brands front to rear with abandon and without incident.
About the closest thing I've come to is having one good traction tire and one poor traction tire. That's not particularly pleasant.
Cotton
SuperDork
5/30/13 2:57 p.m.
I've done it...no big deal. Currently the k1200s has a pilot road 2 on the front and 3 on the rear. Once the front is due it will get a pilot road 3 as well.
I suspect those guys ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ are right, since they've actually done it...
If it were me, just for peace of mind, I'd probably have a quick google to see if I could find anyone who'd run those particular tires in combination just to make sure they don't have wildly differing cross-section shapes that'd make the bike feel funny...
I'm running a Continental on the front and a Shinko on the back of my SV650. The front will be replaced with a Shinko when it's useful life is up.
In the >80K miles on my bike, I've had matching tires for maybe 20-30K.
I don't think it matters at all. A lot of tire manufacturers run completely different compounds front to rear with the same name (dual compound rear single compound front) I'm commuting on the RC with a battlax up front and a conti rear and it handles great, no strips and no slips.
My favorite front tire is a Metzler. I used to run Mezlazers, but I think they changed the name to Lazertec or something. I have them on the Sportster now. I've run them on my Dresser, but the back tire doesn't last that long on the big heavy bike. Really corners well, though, with them on there. I have a Metzler on the front now, one of their touring tires, and a Dunlop on the back to try to get some mileage out of it.
You mean you're supposed to run matched tires?
Don't think I've ever had matching tires on a motorcycle. Except maybe the enduro I had in high school.
