The Tire Thread / Answers Questions / Gives Options / Use at your own risk.FYI - ONLY

[Mike in Ar]

I've owned (& ridden for myself) a '97 Tourer & a '98 Triked Standard. I also re-habbed (bought/repaired/sold) four others. Every one of them had the same speedometer discrepancy. Even when dark-sided, I never went short enough on the tire to make much difference.

I just had to learn to ride, figuring in the 5 mph fast reading.

I either heard or read about something that could be added to the speedo to set or adjust it to the right speed. Or maybe I dreamed it. lol I do figure the 5mph fast when riding, but it makes it a little harder to figure out what kind of gas mileage I am getting. I am just trying to get some ideas on maybe a different tire that is closer to the oem, or something else. Thanks for the reply.

[Gold Rush]

I either heard or read about something that could be added to the speedo to set or adjust it to the right speed. Or maybe I dreamed it. lol I do figure the 5mph fast when riding, but it makes it a little harder to figure out what kind of gas mileage I am getting. I am just trying to get some ideas on maybe a different tire that is closer to the oem, or something else. Thanks for the reply.

There is a unit called yellow box speedo recalculatior (GOOGLE IT) that is suppose to do the job. There are other recalibrators out there also..

[Mike in Ar]

There is a unit called yellow box speedo recalculatior (GOOGLE IT) that is suppose to do the job. There are other recalibrators out there also..

Thank you for information. After reading several articles about these type of units, I think I am going to pass on them. I am looking at a Metzeler Me 880 Marathon 150/80/17 in a bias ply tire. That is the oem size, just not a radial. It should correct my speedometer problem.

Thanks for all the responses.

Mike

[Gold Rush]

Thank you for information. After reading several articles about these type of units, I think I am going to pass on them. I am looking at a Metzeler Me 880 Marathon 150/80/17 in a bias ply tire. That is the oem size, just not a radial. It should correct my speedometer problem.

Thanks for all the responses.

Mike

You are correct Mike. I didn't look to see what you were riding. Since the speedometer is driven off your front wheel, you have options GL1800 owners do not. You can even play with different size tires as long as they will fit.

Good Luck!!

[cinjeff]

Great information here. My two cents worth is had Dunlop elite 3 on my 07 Wing with 2015 Roadsmith and could only muster about 5000 miles on Ky backroads. Went to the Michelin back tire for Wing and have right at 13000 miles on it. This tire is now cupping and will need replacement soon so this time I will try the Avon tire. I hope to do even better after reading some reviews. The Michelin seemed to be a very hard ride so hope the Avon provides a much smoother ride.

[triwinggirl]

ANYONE USING THIS TIRE YET?

Avon AV71 Cobra Trike Tires

or any other front trike tire

[Gold Rush]

ANYONE USING THIS TIRE YET?

Avon AV71 Cobra Trike Tires

or any other front trike tire

Many of us are now running the AVON Cobra Trike tire and love it. Use the forum search function and feast you eyes on all the chatter.

[rodekyll]

I see a lot of reference to running radials on the rear and a bias ply on the front. I see nothing about the opposite -- radial on front and bias on the rear. I currently run all bias, but am looking ahead to my next front tire change. I'm toying with the idea of the 18" Avon trike tire on front (it fits), but will it give me problems with the 19" bias m/c tires on the rear?

Comments welcome!

[triwinggirl]

thank you I see that, wow cant wait to get one. I hate the back tire thing it wears good but rides horrible

[6X3]

Many of us are now running the AVON Cobra Trike tire and love it. Use the forum search function and feast you eyes on all the chatter.

I was at my dealer today and he just took off a Cobra Trike tire with 20,366 miles on it. I have 10K on mine, and it looks pretty much new.

[cinjeff]

Since putting on the Avon tire, I have noticed that my trike is much more responsive in the twisties and the ride is much smoother than the bias ply tire I was using. If the wear factor is good, I will put this tire back on again.

[jeads1]

I have tried two Avon Trike Tires in the past 9 months on my 2010 Honda Goldwing with a Hannigan Trike Kit. The first one lasted 6500 miles and the second one lasted 4500 miles. I ride mostly back roads in Tennessee, Virginia and North Carolina. I liked the way the tire rode and handled but not the mileage. I just went back to the Michelin Pilot Activa tire that I have used in the past and got anywhere from 15K TO 20k out of. The Michelin is also a lot cheaper.

[Bullishwwd]

Does anyone mount their front tire on a trike to roll in opposite direction than specified? My Honda dealer suggested that it rides and performs best if mounted backwards (opposite direction of travel) ... anyone else ? Also, insisted that I run a minimum of 41 lbs of air on front and as little as 20 lbs on rear tires. What do others run? I have a 2003 Goldwing 1800 with a Roadsmith Trike kit.

[rhino 2]

Welcome to Trike-Talk, Wallace...

And Yes there are a lot of people that reverse the rotation of the tire...Do a search on and you'll find tons of info on that...

Again welcome....

[Bullishwwd]

I am new to TRIKEs and don't understand the logic of putting a 'rear tire on front' of Trike, 'reversing tire direction' and running 41 psi in front tire while only 20 psi in the big rear tires. Can you explain so that a newbie can grasp 7 understand? My Honda Dealer had suggested this and I agreed. My 2003 Honda 1800 Goldwing with a Roadsmith Trike kit is set up this way now. The Pirelli Sport Demon - 30 / 70H X 18 - Bias Ply Rear Tire is what I run now.

I really appreciate your posting on tires, sizes, etc and all the research required. Excellent job mate. Thank you.

Wally

As I had another day with my foot up I thought to make use of it with a little computer time , so here is what I have found on tires...

Below is a List of Bias Ply Rear Tires available in 130 / 70H X 18 to fit the front of a GL1800 Trike - these are listed in no certain order but with correct tire spec numbers as I just typed:

Pirelli Sport Demon - 130 / 70H X 18 - Bias Ply Rear Tire

Michelin Pilot Activ - 130 / 70H X 18 - Bias Ply Rear Tire

Bridgestone BT45H Sport - 130 / 70H X 18 - Bias Ply Rear Tire

Kenda K671 Cruiser ST - 130 / 70H X 18 - Bias Ply Rear Tire

Metzler Lazertec Sport - 130 / 70H X 18 - Bias Ply Rear Tire

Contiental Conti Go - 130 / 70H X 18 - Bias Ply Rear Tire

IRC RX - 01 Road Winner - 130 / 70H X 18 - Bias Ply Rear Tire

Avon AM 26 - 130 / 70V X 18 - Bias Ply Rear Tire

Pirelli Night Dragon - 130 / 70B x 18 - Bias Ply Front Tire (also avail as a Radial 130 / 70R x 18)

Contiental Milestone - 130 / 70B X 18 - Bias Ply Front Tire (also avail as a WhiteWall 130 / 70BWW X 18)

Now for you BT45 Bridgestone guys & gals on the Bridgestone site if you want a Front Radial in 130 / 70 X 18 they show (2) tires available for that size the G851 and the G709 no BT45 is listed as a Radial / All BT45 tires on the Bridgestone site are shown as Bias Ply Rear Tires in this size.

I have also posted the Tire Designation Chart:

There are about 10 different Radial Tires available in 130 / 70R X 18, nearly all Bias Ply Tires use the H (Designation) now for Bias Ply

I have tried to verify all information by checking numerous sites to verify, not just taking one sites word for it...

remember when you are ordering tires be specific and direct with what you want, tell them Bias Ply or Radial and give them the correct number not just tell them to put a tire on like what you have. It's your money, use it wisely!! I know of no bike shop that will not mount a tire that you bought elsewhere ( Motorcycle Superstore, Bike Bandit, Revzilla, Etc) they may charge a little more but they are working for you, if you want it mounted Reversed they are not liable (BS) these are mostly Bias Ply tires and they will go either direction. For those of you that are old enough to remember nearly all automotive tires years ago where Bias Ply construction and when you got a rotation it was mix & match not front RH to rear RH that only started when automotive tires started going to radial construction. Now Radial tires are fronts & rears and only go on in tire arrow direction, you reverse them and you will get even less mileage and possibly unravel the bonded directional tread... if you can't read down this far then you didn't get all the information. I'm not hear to preach, that occurs on that other board, just providing mfgr. information. I hope you find it of some use, print it and save it for later.... JUST FYI.....

Bob

[KYBubblehead]

Having just gone from a GL1800 (2 wheel) to a Motor Trike conversion, I have a general question:

Are radials, generally speaking, softer/smoother riding than bias ply tires? I was a dark sider on my 2 wheeler, liked the run flat Michelin I had...

Thanks!

JohnFTCS(SS)

USN Ret.

[Burnerboy]

thank you........ Just copied for my own knowledge...........

Ronnie

[CrystalPistol]

Since putting on the Avon tire, I have noticed that my trike is much more responsive in the twisties and the ride is much smoother than the bias ply tire I was using.

That's enough alone for me .... even if wear is only nearly as good as iron hard MPA.

[Retired Army]

The Motorcycle Safety Foundation two wheel beginners course teaches the principals of traction (amount of tire contacting the road) and gyroscopic precession (tendency of a wheel to maintain a straight line). Changing the direction of two wheels requires leaning and a curved side wall to aid in maintaining contact patch during the turn. Adding a third wheel to the mix changes the dynamics by eliminating the lean and holding the machine in the turn. Tire size of the front wheel is a product of distance between the forks. I am of the opinion the tire that provides the best contact patch is the one to have on the front of a trike.

[Solidbob]

As has been said many times and will continue until time ends... the Tire Thread... OH BOY !!!

GL1800 2 wheelers use a radial tire as they are a leaning machine and due to that the contact patch wraps around the tire generally up some portion of the sidewall and are run at the tire manufacturer's recommended pressure. There's lots of choices out there now so it's not so much the Highest must be the best, that never seems to be correct and the needle keeps moving as manufacture's continue making new products. Just because you see big banners at a Road Event those tires flying around the track have little or no tread unless its raining so make your choices based on other riders knowledge that you ride with or know they will tell you mileage, once you find the style and thread Pattern you like give them a try. You can always change them next set, don't ask the bike shop as they will sell what they have and they may be old dryed stock, who wants that. Shop online, I use Motorcycle Superstore they have always had fresh inventory, fair pricing, no problem warranty handling and prompt deliver generally ON SALE and FREE Delivery My tire choice when on two was Michelin ME880's but that has been a while. So shop around...



Some folks out there (Darksiders) thru the years have found that running smaller car tires will improve rear tire mileage but at first care needs to be taken as these tires are designed to be flat on the contact patch to make best contact with the pavement or road surface. Some car tires designed for specific road racing or rally cross may have a slight sidewall design that will provide some bite to the sidewall. As they are radial tires with steel belts they are ridgid in turns so they do not like to roll to their sidewall, to a new rider going Dark this riding on the edge feeling is strange as if your tire falls over off it's square stance. It's not for everyone and takes getting used to. Tire Pressures vary by rider and as I was more a leaner in turns on two wheel's from racing it wasn't for me....

Next we go to Trikes, not to many years ago Bridgestone Battleax BT45 and the Michelin Pilot Activ were and for many me included still are the go to front tire choice in a Bias Ply tire. But with a trike we throw a wrench in the computer because this next part doesn't compute for most folks. Your trike can or can't be raked or have extended forks, possibly have air shocks on the rear or not and guess what with your trike it didn't matter we still used the same tire up front. The correct rear wheel size 180/60-16 but wait we said up front so that's a 130/70-18 but we want to use a Rear Sport Bike Tire and you say WHY / here you go, your trike tire still rotates but now no matter how far you turn the contact patch is now like a car tire FLAT as a trike does not lean for the most part this is why the rear sport bike tire as long as its a rear tire and a Bias Ply tire your good. Rear sport bike Bias Ply tires are made for the burnout boys on the rear wheels passing you on the highway or doing smoke rings in the street or parking lot and they being rear tires have a larger and thicker contact patch hence you get more miles to the tire or burn to the tire. Now there are two schools of thought on airing these fronts up, thought one is keep them close to mfgr pressure then there air then to 41 PSI Plus... I'm in the middle... my trike sports AK20 Traxxion Shock Cartridges and generally ride like a Caddy at most all speeds... so I want my front tire at close to mfgr at Cold Reading so its tighter as I ride, when I hit rain it cools down and the contact patch gets bigger if it starts to snow I let even more air out but always keeping the tires shape. So remember Bias Ply tires are made to roll slightly as the side wall is thinner than the belted radial tire that is ridgid. That's why most people max out their air pressure on this type of tire.

Now for the next wrench that has within the last 3 years in the newest thing from Avon for the front of your trike. And this has caused much confusion in the market from many people that don't know the difference. Avon makes different tires with the same name - NEARLY... you have to be on your toes and check those tires. AV71 Cobra are not trike tires unless it says Avon AV71 then 180 degrees Cobra / Trike on the sidewall and has a MFGR #90000020646

They are rated at 149 MPH and they are a Radial so air to recommended spec on the tire. Remember its a radial so they ride hard, track true and seem to give great mileage. Again shop around as they are now more available but verify sidewall numbers and marking as some dealers think an Avon Is A Avon!! That's all for now hope that helps....