Tire Choice

Thanks, Bob, I heard that too. It sounds like anybody's tire + rain groves = wiggly. :umm: Some are just worse than others. I'm open to suggestion. I've got plenty of time, since the last thing I'm buying is tires, and "The Basketcase" has a looooong way to go before it's road-ready. :shrug:
 
It sounds like anybody's tire + rain groves = wiggly. :umm:

Well actually , no, that’s what I was referring to about modern tread design. I’m running Michelin Pilot Active tires on my ‘77D and they are completely unfazed by rain grooves.
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Forum member GLJ is running Continental Go tires and he swears by them.
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It’s something about the way modern tread designs are cut that makes them handle the rain grooves. It’s the ribbed designs that get squirrelly.
 
Cafephil and I rode 12 miles of deep, soft sand road, he was On a 1000 concours me on a BMW K1200LT My GPS took us there, the paved way around was about 80 miles. He'll never let me forget that. An eel wiggles less than us on that "road".
About half way through they had watered the sand made it a lot better, the foreground road is like what we rode the first half. It's a haul road for logging trucks.
 
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Cafephil and I rode 12 miles of deep, soft sand road, he was On a 1000 concours me on a BMW K1200LT My GPS took us there, the paved way around was about 80 miles. He'll never let me forget that. An eel wiggles less than us on that "road".
About half way through they had watered the sand made it a lot better, the foreground road is like what we rode the first half. It's a haul road for logging trucks.

I can’t get the video to play. :unsure:
 
While we’re talking about squirrelly tires. Has anyone ridden over a steel bridge? Or steel grate? That’s some squirrelly stuff. Very scary until you get used to it.
Yup - did this 8 years ago going northbound across the Mackinac Bridge that links the upper and lower peninsulas of Michigan on a trip around the north shore of Lake Superior. It's one long damn bridge; 45 mph limit in good weather; so had plenty of time to squirm. I was on an XV1100 Virago, it did pretty good.
 
...I've been looking at the Avon Speed Master and Safety High Mileage (front and rear, respectively) tires for "The Basketcase". They are an old-school, classic design, and reviewed very highly. If anyone has heard otherwise, let me know, and I'll start looking all over again... :shrug:


G'day Tebo,

On my '76C I have Pirelli Route MT66 tyres. They are allegedly good on mileage and also grip.

I use Pirellis on my machines because they stick like shit on a shovel and when you need that stiction it is there.

Sure some of them wear out early but by Jesus they hang on when you need it.

GeeDubYa
 
Cafephil and I rode 12 miles of deep, soft sand road, he was On a 1000 concours me on a BMW K1200LT My GPS took us there, the paved way around was about 80 miles. He'll never let me forget that. An eel wiggles less than us on that "road".
About half way through they had watered the sand made it a lot better, the foreground road is like what we rode the first half. It's a haul road for logging trucks.
Another example of rider skill pushing beyond a bike's design limitations...pucker factor must've been high ..12 miles...? I'm not following you...LOL
 
Cafephil and I rode 12 miles of deep, soft sand road, he was On a 1000 concours me on a BMW K1200LT My GPS took us there, the paved way around was about 80 miles. He'll never let me forget that. An eel wiggles less than us on that "road".
About half way through they had watered the sand made it a lot better, the foreground road is like what we rode the first half. It's a haul road for logging trucks.
I made that mistake once in the UP. Took a "seasonal" road from one town to the next. 23 miles of sand. Woopde-dos and all. Would have been great fun on my KTM not so much On my R100RT. Worse than a road in WI that is called rustic.
 
While we’re talking about squirrelly tires. Has anyone ridden over a steel bridge? Or steel grate? That’s some squirrelly stuff. Very scary until you get used to it.

Hi Gator,
I was told of a great place for breakfast "just across the Mackinac Bridge"
Crossing it combined my dislike of riding on steel grating with my morbid fear of heights
into a terror tour,
(You can see through that steel grating to see the gulls flying under it and tiny little lake boats on the water!)
Yes, it was a great breakfast place.
Alas that I had to cross the Mackinac Bridge again or take a 1,000 mile detour.
 
You got dirt on minton mods? Dish!
These were done when I opened them. I'd have to recheck the maintenance book but removed air caps, installed "Sportster springs", new seals and reassembled.
Far as I can tell they work as well as "Mike's" cartridge emulators.
no dirt, just seems like i mean, what tiny increment could it possibly improve it for the effort
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Law_of_triviality
 
Hi Gator,
I was told of a great place for breakfast "just across the Mackinac Bridge"
Crossing it combined my dislike of riding on steel grating with my morbid fear of heights
into a terror tour,
(You can see through that steel grating to see the gulls flying under it and tiny little lake boats on the water!)
Yes, it was a great breakfast place.
Alas that I had to cross the Mackinac Bridge again or take a 1,000 mile detour.
At least you got across it safely, not like that poor lady in the Yugo that got blown over the side some years back.
 
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