Rear tyre selection

robs ss

robs ss

VIP MEMBER
Joined
Aug 16, 2016
Messages
3,259
Country flag
Question for a friend with a MkIII 850 - currently has K81 rear - 19", due for replacement soon.
What do members think the best dedicated rear is for his bike?
Cheers
 
Lots, and lots of discussion on this very topic.


"Dedicated 19" rear"
 
I've not found any dedicated 19" rear.
The K81s have a fairly good tread depth but the consensus was that they do not provide handling on par with the Avons.
For good handling we are stuck with using the short life Avon RR 100/90/19 universal.
A nice 2.5" x 18" rear rim is a good option, one day I'll make the change.
 
I just went through the "What rear tire and why" on my commando. I decided to go with the Battlax 46 in 110/90/18. (I have and 18 x 2.15 rear rim) I was switching from the Avon RR after wearing it out in 2 or 3 seasons. The Avon is definitely softer and stickier than the Battlax,.... but the Battlax has a deeper tread than the Avon universal. I've been riding the Battlax around, adjusting the pressure to change the feel a bit and I'm getting more confident with it's feel at 30psi. I have inspected my chicken strips (unworn tread on the outside of the tire) and they are getting narrower every time I come back from a ride as I get more comfortable with the battlax tires...

I'm starting to wonder if the best tire possible extends the performance of a mediocre rider, or do you have to have a racer level skill set to get that extra performance out of the best tire. I really found the Avon RR very confidence inspiring, and when I switched over to the battlax, I noticed the difference immediately, but the more I ride it, the more familiar it feels. I'm not sure if I'm riding less aggressively to compensate for a less sticky tire. The wear patterns of both tires are comparable, but they are slightly different shaped tires so it's hard to judge if I am backing off on the battlax. At this point, I don't dislike the Battlax at all. It seems good enough for my skill set. The avon is stickier, but I think it wears out pretty quickly as a result. It's hard to say if good is good enough, or if the better performance is worth the quickness with which that tire wears out...
 
Last edited:
o0norton0o said:
I just went through the "What rear tire and why" on my commando. I decided to go with the Battlax 46 in 110/90/18. (I have and 18 x 2.15 rear rim) I was switching from the Avon RR after wearing it out in 2 or 3 seasons. The Avon is definitely softer and stickier than the Battlax,.... but the Battlax has a deeper tread than the Avon universal. I've been riding the Battlax around, adjusting the pressure to change the feel a bit and I'm getting more confident with it's feel at 30psi. I have inspected my chicken strips (unworn tread on the outside of the tire) and they are getting narrower every time I come back from a ride as I get more comfortable with the battlax tires...

I'm starting to wonder if the best tire possible extends the performance of a mediocre rider, or do you have to have a racer level skill set to get that extra performance out of the best tire. I really found the Avon RR very confidence inspiring, and when I switched over to the battlax, I noticed the difference immediately, but the more I ride it, the more familiar it feels. I'm not sure if I'm riding less aggressively to compensate for a less sticky tire. The wear patterns of both tires are comparable, but they are slightly different shaped tires so it's hard to judge if I am backing off on the battlax. At this point, I don't dislike the Battlax at all. It seems good enough for my skill set. The avon is stickier, but I think it wears out pretty quickly as a result. It's hard to say if good is good enough, or if the better performance is worth the quickness with which that tire wears out...
Click to expand...
Confidence is king when it comes to tires IMHO.

Your Battlax comments are interesting and no doubt helpful to many… but what would be really interesting is your thoughts and feedbacks if you now went back to RRs…!
 
Fast Eddie said:
Confidence is king when it comes to tires IMHO.

Your Battlax comments are interesting and no doubt helpful to many… but what would be really interesting is your thoughts and feedbacks if you now went back to RRs…!
Click to expand...
Yup.

Skid marks bad.
 
worntorn said:
And skid marks bring more skid marks. The laundry cost goes up, so might as well put that money toward the Avons.
Click to expand...
AZACKLY!

Rode with a new group of co-workers years ago, I was clownin' around, overcooking corners to "fill up mirrors", and one was close, 10" of drop off beside the asphalt. Rode it through (on a Victory Touring Cruiser).
At the next stop sign, a guy on an R90 boxer pulls a tablespoon out of his tank bag. "Need this?"

What for?


"To clean out your skivvies..."
 
Last edited:
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top