Ishrub
That's my name ....built like a truck
- Joined
- Feb 18, 2016
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- 8,956
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- Duffy, Canberra, ACT, AUSTRALIA
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- 2x2010 ABS Roadsters, Sprint ST 1050 ABS, 3x250s
Roadster Front Tire Wear
- Thread starter Claviger
- Start date
-
- Tags
- front tire roadster
Claviger
Aspiring Student
- Joined
- Jul 25, 2014
- Messages
- 6,934
- Location
- Olympia Washington
- Ride
- '21 Z H2, '14 R3R, '02 Daytona 955i
Just finished inspection a ME880 on the front of a Victory Hammer. Totally different size, totally different geometry, EXACTLY the same wear pattern.
EasTexRIII
Living Legend
I guess the Victory frame is out of tolerances in the EXACT same place as your Rocket...........................
1olbull
Riding Motor Since 1950
I guess the Victory frame is out of tolerances in the EXACT same place as your Rocket...........................
Now don't be mean you Texican!
EasTexRIII
Living Legend
1olbull
Riding Motor Since 1950
James Bond was a saint???
Claviger
Aspiring Student
- Joined
- Jul 25, 2014
- Messages
- 6,934
- Location
- Olympia Washington
- Ride
- '21 Z H2, '14 R3R, '02 Daytona 955i
I just picked up the R3R with a 140/75R17 67V instead of the 150/80R17 Metz.
OH MY GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOD IT'S A WHOLE NEW BIKE!!!!!!!!!!!!
I would go so far as to say the stock ME880s are a MAJOR safety Hazard!! No ****, every single behavior from the front end that upset the bike's stability or was a "quirk" of it's handling I didn't like is G O N E. Not reduced, not minimized, I mean G O N E.
Head shake when striking a bump mid corner - GONE TOTALLY.
Ability to lock the front brake on a sharp input with just 2 fingers - GONE TOTALLY.
Loose feeling from the front, like head bearings are ill adjusted - GONE TOTALLY.
Steering effort mid-corner to make corrections feeling like the front was going to wash out - GONE TOTALLY.
As a tire that will let you drive the bike from point A to point B, I guess the Metzler works. ANY scenario outside that, NOPE. I would go so far as to say, if I were to wreck my bike today, and buy another R3 tomorrow, I would tell the dealer to take the brand new ME880s off and put AVONs on before I'd take deliver, they are that much better. I WOULD THROW THAT $550 in the trash before putting metzlers on my bike again.
To detail the difference in feeling:
Initial turn in, like the first fraction of a second is actually more effort as it's much stickier, but then as soon as the Avon gets off center, it takes up a much lighter feeling, but still obviously much gripier. Mid corner corrections are nothing, super easy, effortless. It's a much quieter tire, and my bar has much less vibration. I didn't even notice I had a vibrating bar before, but its smoother now than the bike has ever been, from day one of ownership until now. There is now a tendency, like sport bikes, to over steer, and enter a corner at TOO sharp an angle. You don't so much muscle the bike into the turn, as gently guide it into the turn. The off center feeling is truly that of a sport bike, not a cruiser. Bear in mind, I do have longer Wilbers out back, wider than stock bars with better leverage, and higher rate front springs, but as a system, the Cobra is a flawless match to the suspension as it's set. I would NEVER have thought a R3 could feel this good!
My Gentle ride home:
If you look, when pulling into my spot, I TRY to lock it up, big hard front brake input...nothing
OH MY GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOD IT'S A WHOLE NEW BIKE!!!!!!!!!!!!
I would go so far as to say the stock ME880s are a MAJOR safety Hazard!! No ****, every single behavior from the front end that upset the bike's stability or was a "quirk" of it's handling I didn't like is G O N E. Not reduced, not minimized, I mean G O N E.
Head shake when striking a bump mid corner - GONE TOTALLY.
Ability to lock the front brake on a sharp input with just 2 fingers - GONE TOTALLY.
Loose feeling from the front, like head bearings are ill adjusted - GONE TOTALLY.
Steering effort mid-corner to make corrections feeling like the front was going to wash out - GONE TOTALLY.
As a tire that will let you drive the bike from point A to point B, I guess the Metzler works. ANY scenario outside that, NOPE. I would go so far as to say, if I were to wreck my bike today, and buy another R3 tomorrow, I would tell the dealer to take the brand new ME880s off and put AVONs on before I'd take deliver, they are that much better. I WOULD THROW THAT $550 in the trash before putting metzlers on my bike again.
To detail the difference in feeling:
Initial turn in, like the first fraction of a second is actually more effort as it's much stickier, but then as soon as the Avon gets off center, it takes up a much lighter feeling, but still obviously much gripier. Mid corner corrections are nothing, super easy, effortless. It's a much quieter tire, and my bar has much less vibration. I didn't even notice I had a vibrating bar before, but its smoother now than the bike has ever been, from day one of ownership until now. There is now a tendency, like sport bikes, to over steer, and enter a corner at TOO sharp an angle. You don't so much muscle the bike into the turn, as gently guide it into the turn. The off center feeling is truly that of a sport bike, not a cruiser. Bear in mind, I do have longer Wilbers out back, wider than stock bars with better leverage, and higher rate front springs, but as a system, the Cobra is a flawless match to the suspension as it's set. I would NEVER have thought a R3 could feel this good!
My Gentle ride home:
If you look, when pulling into my spot, I TRY to lock it up, big hard front brake input...nothing
Last edited:
mully95
Living Legend
Post a picture of that tire on your bike so I can see what it looks like on the beast Claviger.
Does anyone know of a website that compare motorcycle tire sizes like someone can with automotive tires?
Does anyone know of a website that compare motorcycle tire sizes like someone can with automotive tires?
Claviger
Aspiring Student
- Joined
- Jul 25, 2014
- Messages
- 6,934
- Location
- Olympia Washington
- Ride
- '21 Z H2, '14 R3R, '02 Daytona 955i
I use this mully: Tire Size Comparison
But, we are lucky with bikes, the manufacturers provide overall height stats. The Cobra I put on is 25.2" OD, stock is 26.5" OD. When you compare the avon rear to the metz rear, its slightly shorter too, meaning the ABS wheel speeds still play nice, my ABS still works, tested it on the way home.
Here are two captured images from my GoPro, you can see the slight difference in gap between the tires and the fender at the fender corner:
METZ:
AVON:
But, we are lucky with bikes, the manufacturers provide overall height stats. The Cobra I put on is 25.2" OD, stock is 26.5" OD. When you compare the avon rear to the metz rear, its slightly shorter too, meaning the ABS wheel speeds still play nice, my ABS still works, tested it on the way home.
Here are two captured images from my GoPro, you can see the slight difference in gap between the tires and the fender at the fender corner:
METZ:
AVON:
Last edited:
mully95
Living Legend
Wonder how that tire would act with the 240/55/16 Bridgestone on the rear? Or is that what you're running?
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