Budget Tyres

As part of the prove you're a spaz and make room in the workshop
initiative I'm putting one of my part stripped, non running, 150cc spares
machines on the road. Possibly for foreign climes.

I have set a budget of £100. This will cover new tyres, MOT, tax,
original purchase cost, a battery and whatever bits it needs. So less
what I paid for it I have £85 to spend. By my reckoning leaves about £8
for parts...

Sooo, I need cheap, but not shitty, tyres. Of the budget makes what are
the better ones? Remakes of older Michelin, Continentals and the like.
Prices, availability, avoids etc..?

The required sizes are F: 2.75-18 R: 3.00-18

 

Kenda are OK. Cheng Shins OK in the dry.

Anything else cheap is pretty crappy. As a rough rule of thumb, the
longer the name runs round the sidewall, the lower the quality. So
anything with a name like Grand High Speed Super World Sports Tour De
Luxe Racing Mark Two is to be avoided.

 

The Older Gentleman said....

Wot he said, but personally I'd go with the Cheng Shins.

--
Lozzo : Old enough to know Champ
ZZR1100D, GPZ500S, CB250RS x3
BOTAFOT#57/70a, BOTAFOF#57, two#49, MIB#22, TCP#7, BONY#9,
ANORAK#9, DIAABTCOD#14, UKRMT5BB, IBW#013, MIRTTH#15a/16,
BotToS#8, GP#2, SBS#10, SH#3, DFV#14.
Url for ukrm newbies : http://www.ukrm.net/faq/ukrmscbt.html
http://www.glfuk.com/ for MJK Leathers in the UK.

 

The Older Gentleman wrote
False economy IMHO.

I know I know but nevertheless it is.

Where dry means more than two years since rain last fell in measurable
quantities.

Cheng Shins are utter crap. Dunno about the others.

Avon's ain't that dear are they and they still enjoy a reasonable
reputation right?

 

steve auvache said....

Must have been a while since you bought new Cheng Shins, they're OK now.
The Maxxis (Cheng Shin) Barracudas I have on my Honda are excellent
tyres in the wet or dry. At 78 quid a pair and fitted with new tubes,
I'd recommend them to anyone.

 

Lozzo wrote

Nobody ever buys new Cheng Shins more than once. There is no
opportunity, the kin things never wear out.

Mind you that is hardly surprising considering they are made of pure
Teflon and where there is no friction there is no wear.

Last tyres I bought were BT45's.

 

steve auvache said....

I rate these Maxxis Barracudas as equal to the BT45s I've championed for
so long, and imo they are better in the wet. BT45s aren't available in
sizes to fit alot of older light/middleweight bikes, the sizes tend to
be geared more towards newer sizings. The Barracudas fill a gap in the
market for bikes like RD250/350/400 AC and LC, CB250/N/G5/K4/RS,
KH/Z250/400, GS/GSX250/400/425 etc etc

 

Madness. Cheng Shins are lethal in the wet.

Can't suggest an alternative cos I've not tried them, however Vee
Rubber seems to be a possibility. What're they like in the wet Loz?

--

Vince.

ZX9R, CBR250
Ex-SKoGA#3, YTC#13
BONY#47, SBS#22, BOTAFOF#26, BOTAFOT#102, MRO#23.
MIRTTH#19

"Vince: more repulsive than Ginge"

 

Vince was seen penning the following ode to ... whatever:

How do you know, did you try them recently? Didn't know you could get
Internet access up there.

TBH, AFAIR Lozzo has had them on several bikes; if he rates them
higher than BT45s then I'm inclined to believe him.

Why suggest something that you didn't try yourself? I know, this
hasn't stopped anyone here before...

 

It was the Barracuda he rated higher than the BT45 (and yes, I know this
is made by Cheng Shin)

Why??? well for one thing it gives you something to type and for another
it makes you sound informed. You rather blow it when you admit to it
though.

 

Timo Geusch wrote

I been thinking about this and the only Cheng Skins I have ridden on,
which are lethal in the fucking dry never mind the wet, have been
factory originals nearly as old as my vinyl collection. I have not been
on any new ones.

Still biased agin 'em mind.

 

Vince said....

Listen, twat who's never tried them, the bloke is looking for cheapo
tyres, none of them will grip like 010s or Azaro 3s in either wet or dry
OK.

However, the Cheng Shins were good enough for me to lose Steve H and
Phil Cave on a botafot in pouring rain. Nowadays they are alot better
than their previous reputation would have you believe. I liked them so
much, I bought another pair for the CB250RS and I'm no slower in the wet
as I am in the dry.

I wouldn't touch Vee Rubber with a bargepole, wet or dry. Of all the
budget tyres the Cheng Shins are the best value for money and grip
better than their rivals.

 

steve auvache said....

I admit that Cheng Shins of a few years ago were lethal tyres, but they
have invested millions in tyre technology and rubber compounds since
then. Cheng Shin produce something like 5 million tyres a week at their
factories, 80% of all new scooters sold in the UK are fitted with Cheng
Shin or Maxxis tyres, Cheng Shin sell more tyres worldwide than any
other manufacturer. Du Pont have also invested millions with Cheng Shin
over the past few years. This is far more than any other budget tyre
manufacturer can say about their products.

You ought to try the later ones like the Hi-Max or Barracuda, they are
very good tyres.

 

Timo Geusch said....

I was talking about the Maxxis (Cheng Shin) Barracudas I had fitted to
the CB250RS, before those I had a budget, commuter style, ribbed Cheng
Shin on the front, which was actually a good tyre for the money. There
was a Metzeler ME77 on the rear which was less grippy than the new
Maxxis, especially in the wet, and didn't last anywhere near as long as
I'd have hoped.

 

Lozzo wrote

Given that tyre technology seems to be about the fastest developing bit
of bikes at the moment I think I will be looking at the whole of the
market when next I have to buy them.

 

Had them. About 10 years ago on a DTsomething-or-other. They were fine
in the dry but slung me into a hedge in the wet.

Furry muff, that's what I was looking for.


--

Vince.

ZX9R, CBR250
Ex-SKoGA#3, YTC#13
BONY#47, SBS#22, BOTAFOF#26, BOTAFOT#102, MRO#23.
MIRTTH#19

"Vince: more repulsive than Ginge"

 

Vince said....

No, *you* slung the bike into the hedge, the tyres possibly contributed.

Having watched you ride 10 years later and with more experience, you
must have been *really* *totally* and *absolutely* fucking shit back
then, so I wouldn't blame the tyres if I were you.

 

One of my two "accidents", and the [some] near-misses where
I've taken a corner too quickly etc. have all been my fault.
Rider error. Not the bike's fault, not the tyres. Mine.

Blaming the bike/rear shock/road is just passing the buck,
imho.

(And the other accident could/would have been avoided by
someone with more experience.)

 

....diesel...

 

Maybe. I've never crashed on it though, so couldn't say...