[59791]

I'm looking to pick up some new tire's for my sporty. Doing my research on the net it looks like the bridgestone bt-45V is a popular choice front and back. Where i live any motorcycle tires i buy are going to be a special order so i might as well order them off the net.

So who do you guys recommend i order from? I would prefer someone that ships USPS because ups and dhl have it in their head that I'm international and charge literally hundreds of dollars to ship something the size of a couple of tires.

also if anyone has any other recommendations on tires for a sporty let me know.

 

[seruzawa]

I used to get them from Tires Unlimited and Affordable Discount Motorycle Tires - Metzeler Avon Dunlop Bridgestone Michelin Pirelli Maxxis. However by the time I got a local shop to mount and balance them it ended up costing about as much. My last set (Michelin Pilot Roads) cost me about $320 mounted and balanced and road hazard warranty at Cycle Gear. Another shop, Wrights offers free mount/balalnce with purchase but they wanted $350 for the two tires.

Unless you have the ability and equipment to mount and balance them yourself I don't think you save any money by mail order in the long run.

Oh, wait a second. A sporty won't go fast enough for the balancing to matter. So just get a set of good tire irons and go for it. (joke, okay?)

 

[59791]

hehe yeah at the speeds its capable of i suppose i could just wind the rims with twine and ride on that.

made a few calls to all the tire shops around here.. none carry, order or mount motorcycle tires.. there must be someone in the local motorcycling community with the tools then.. i'll have to ask around.

 

[The_AirHawk]

Unless you have the ability and equipment to mount and balance them yourself I don't think you save any money by mail order in the long run.

Oh, wait a second. A sporty won't go fast enough for the balancing to matter. So just get a set of good tire irons and go for it. (joke, okay?)

I've only started bothering with balancing since my Wife bought me a Marc Parnes balancer. If you have a light-enough bike (such as a Hawk), or don't plan on extended stints over 75-85mph, I've found it to be nearly superfluous to balance today's tires.

It all really depends on the bike and the tires, though. I would definitely balance a set of cheap Cheng-Shen's, or Dunlops, or if you had a heavy-arse Goldwing, or a chopper with a raked-out girder fork, or rode the latest Literbike at supra-legal speeds everywhere.

I rode my FZ6 from Southwest MO to Key West and back. And all over several states in-between - all without balancing the Tomahawk's I spooned onto it. Probably an extra 125lbs of gear. I've now got close to 18k on the front, and probably 8500 on the back tire, and am changing to yet another set of "retreads". I'll balance this set, but only because I have the balancer now - not because they really need it at the speeds I normally go.

 

[50682]

Here's a couple of recommended places.

swmototires.com Free shipping when you buy 2 or more tires. Good prices and selection. These guys will get a set of tires to you very quickly. It's almost like they're standing outside your door.

Also motorcycle-superstore.com Free shipping on orders over $100 and good prices.

On Seruzawa's post Tires Unlimited seems to have decent prices, but I have no experience with them. Affordable Discount Motorcycle Tires are neither affordable nor discounted. Their quote should be changed to "The Tires You Need, At The Prices We Want"

The BT-45s will be fine for the Sporty and the H rated ones will be more than adequate. You'll probably be surprised at the handling improvement. I run them on my K100LT and my wife's Nighthawk.

And if you put them on yourself, the other posts are correct: Don't worry about balancing them. They've never been out of whack enough to tell on the K and Nighthawk and you'd never know on the Sportster.

 

[SmokeU]

I typically order from Motorcycle Accessory Warehouse Online, or through one of their catalogs.

 

[64749]

Americanmototire.com

- American Motorcycle Tire is where I bought my tires. I use Metzler Marathon 880. Road in the rain several times, not by choice, and they stick to the road like it was dry.

 

[K9000wner]

AMT nice others should allow search that way..thanx

 

[pushrod]

Not that we tend to hijack threads or anything, but...

'Hawk, how has/did the Tomahawk tires hold up?

And findangle, where the heck do you live, anyway? Nobody messes with bike tires?

 

[sarnali2]

I just take the wheels off and run them down to Cycle Gear, they have the best prices I've seen and as Seruzawa says they road hazzard what they sell for $20

 

[The_AirHawk]

Not that we tend to hijack threads or anything, but...

'Hawk, how has/did the Tomahawk tires hold up?

And findangle, where the heck do you live, anyway? Nobody messes with bike tires?

I'm on like my 6th or 7th set in a row, for the FZ6. T3 "Sport" compound is what I use.

If you're a trackday-junkie, that's where buying these would really save you some coin - they've got Race-compound DOT's and slicks, somewhere around 1/3 to 1/2 the price of typical new ones. NOT for street use, as you'll probably never get 'em up to temp.

The only real drawbacks to the Tomahawk tires is, they're a bit heavier than others, but not excessively-so. And they only make a limited number of sizes.

Cold-weather performance is acceptable, but cold & wet they can be a little scary - they stick, but the bike does not "feel" planted. Sorta like the last set of Avon's I had on the FZ - only the Avons didn't stick at all...........

I have no experience with the coloured tires they make - I can only assume the quality is just as good with those, but have heard the rubber compound is not quite as "sticky" - but that is hearsay.

 

[68933]

I've always ordered through Tire Express: Motorcycle, ATV, Tires, Tubes, Wheels, Suspension, Exhaust, Acessories

They also have free shipping on orders over $100, and they have package deals

 

[Kenneth_Moore]

I just take the wheels off and run them down to Cycle Gear, they have the best prices I've seen and as Seruzawa says they road hazzard what they sell for $20

Roger that. However, the local shop guy who gets his prices undercut by 30% by Cycle Gear says "they buy stale tires that are not the current production run. That's why they're cheap."

 

[The_AirHawk]

Roger that. However, the local shop guy who gets his prices undercut by 30% by Cycle Gear says "they buy stale tires that are not the current production run. That's why they're cheap."

I don't buy tires from any of the local shops because they still have stuff like a couple of Avon Azarro-1's and 3 or 4 BT50's with 1998 datecodes on their shelf............... (for $215 plus M&B)

And it's typical for every shop in this area - unless it's ATV tires or a 230mm+ tire for the back of some "Choppa".

 

[69317]

After talking with my dealer in most cases he can come within 5-10 bucks a tire on catalog prices. According to him the more inventory he moves through his shop the more credit he builds with his distributors. So he's willing to deal as long as he mounts and balances at 30.00 a tire and he keeps the old rubber. "most dealerships around here charge for tire disposal." When I do order out I use Bike bandit 10% off for AMA members
and chaparral 10 bucks to ship a tire. A lot of the free shipping claims do not include tires. So ask your dealer if he's willing to deal. If that doesn't work you gotta go shopping. As far as what tires, my 90 sporty sucked with Dunlops on it, especially over rain grooves and grated bridges."more than hair raising many times". I had much better success with Avons and I think Metzlers.

 

[69937]

Anyone Use Bikebandit .com

 

[71134]

I tried motorcycle-superstore.com. My friend referred that to me and it has free shipping too if you have orders more than $100. I like the quality of their service too.

 

[BrentC]

Great place to buy tires

Motorcycle Superstore - Motorcycle Accessories and Motorcycle Gear
I have bought from them before. Prompt service, good pricing, and free shipping. Need I say more?

 

[poorboyspost]

Internet really is very useful in looking for the desired things that we want specially for our bike.

Pimp my RIDE

 

[thunderhousecycles]

You can try J&P Cycles.com, denniskirk.com or motosport.com