20,000 miles and still have OEM front tires

[vito1943]

I don't know if I am unusual, but my 2021 RT has 20,000 miles, and while I had the rear tire replaced at about 17,000 miles, the front two still look and ride fine. I read about how unhappy so many are with the stock Kenda tires, but I have no reason to even try to find anything else when I will have to replace them as I did the rear tire. I will admit that I have not had to ride very much at all in the rain lately, and maybe the front tires might well feel a bit squirrelly if I get caught in a downpour, but right now they are doing as well as they did when brand new. And its not as if I ride super gently or conservatively. I routinely push the RT to 100 mph or so on some safe local roads, just for the adrenaline rush, and like to take curves are seemingly pretty high speeds.

 

[Mikey]

Like said MANY times before, it's all about the way you drive the road surface in your area, ect, 20,000 miles on the front would not be uncommon in my book, and if you got 17,000 on the rear, you're a rock star. Buy another set fast before they go!! To each their own!!! We can drag you to water, but you don't have to drink.

 

[baxter]

I am with you Vito 1943.

 

[BajaRon]

Pretty typical, actually. 25k on OEM front tires is not unusual. It's the rear that goes away quickly.

Many times it has more to do with not knowing what you are missing than anything else.

 

[Snoking1127]

Pretty typical, actually. 25k on OEM front tires is not unusual. It's the rear that goes away quickly.

Many times it has more to do with not knowing what you are missing than anything else.

My little shakedown ride early this morning reminded me on how much I like the handling of my 2018 with Elka Stage 1 shocks (installed by the original owner), Vredestein front tires, General tire out the back, and of course your sway bar. Lots of fun for an 81 year old kid at heart. Of course I snowmobiled for years, so I was a bit pre trained.

 

[troop]

Who I'd like to hear from are those that went from Kenda > car tires > back to Kenda. I'm one of those guys, but not by choice. PIA rubbing from Vredestein 165/60's (well chronicled) led me to try Kanines. They're coming off over the winter. I'm going to give the Conti 155/60's a try. If you've never tried a car tire up front, you have zero idea of what you're missing.

 

[BajaRon]

The 165's work for most, but not all. Sometimes, if you look for the rub, it can be something easily moved or modified (like a tie down) to eliminate the problem.

Because Vredestein's can be hard to get at times, I have been trying other tires. I am very impressed with the Continental ContiPro. I've had more than 1 opportunity to run them in the rain and they are very good. It's hard to compare to Vredestein's head to head because of the logistics involved for doing this. But my impression is that they are comparable. They don't look as cool, but they are rotatable because they are not directional. Not a big deal with the Spyder because honestly, the only reason to rotate the front tires is if your alignment is off and wearing your tires unevenly.

 

[troop]

The 165's work for most, but not all. Sometimes, if you look for the rub, it can be something easily moved or modified (like a tie down) to eliminate the problem.

Because Vredestein's can be hard to get at times, I have been trying other tires. I am very impressed with the Continental ContiPro. I've had more than 1 opportunity to run them in the rain and they are very good. It's hard to compare to Vredestein's head to head because of the logistics involved for doing this. But my impression is that they are comparable. They don't look as cool, but they are rotatable because they are not directional. Not a big deal with the Spyder because honestly, the only reason to rotate the front tires is if your alignment is off and wearing your tires unevenly.

Well ... They do make the Winterprocontact in a 155/60R15. Looks like a Vredestein. Heck.. The Vredestein has a snow flake rating. But, alas, not recommended for temps above 45°

 

[Snoking1127]

Well ... They do make the Winterprocontact in a 155/60R15. Looks like a Vredestein. Heck.. The Vredestein has a snow flake rating. But, alas, not recommended for temps above 45°

View attachment 251894

I have been riding on Vredesteins in hot AZ weather without an issue.

 

[jcthorne]

Come back when your front tires have 75000 miles and still have great wet and dry traction and run smooth as silk. THEN you can compare them to other quality tires.

 

[troop]

I have been riding on Vredesteins in hot AZ weather without an issue.

I hear ya. I ran a 215/60R15 Goodyear Winter Ultra Grip tire on the back of my past F3S. It had 8K miles on it when I sold the Spyder. It was an awesome tire, with great stick. I used that tire after running the Ultra Grips year round on my squad cars for many years without issues. I'd likely guess that the Winter Conti's would do OK, with the much lower load that the Spyder would put on them.

 

[troop]

The 165's work for most, but not all. Sometimes, if you look for the rub, it can be something easily moved or modified (like a tie down) to eliminate the problem.

Because Vredestein's can be hard to get at times, I have been trying other tires. I am very impressed with the Continental ContiPro. I've had more than 1 opportunity to run them in the rain and they are very good. It's hard to compare to Vredestein's head to head because of the logistics involved for doing this. But my impression is that they are comparable. They don't look as cool, but they are rotatable because they are not directional. Not a big deal with the Spyder because honestly, the only reason to rotate the front tires is if your alignment is off and wearing your tires unevenly.

Hey Ron,
Any chance you tried a 155/60 Conti, or the 165/60 ? Thx

 

[Knizar]

Hey Ron,
Any chance you tried a 155/60 Conti, or the 165/60 ? Thx

Troop, we have set of the Continental 165/60 on the front of a 2021 RTL with/OEM rims, NO problems with any rubbing.

 

[BajaRon]

Hey Ron,
Any chance you tried a 155/60 Conti, or the 165/60 ? Thx

I'm running the 165/60R15's. We've had bikes that we could not easily make the 175's work. But we've not seen a Spyder that wouldn't take the 165's. Some need just a slight modification of a small tie or something easily fixed. Mostly on the 2020 and later models. The earlier models seem to take the 175's with no problem.

 

[troop]

I'm running the 165/60R15's. We've had bikes that we could not easily make the 175's work. But we've not seen a Spyder that wouldn't take the 165's. Some need just a slight modification of a small tie or something easily fixed. Mostly on the 2020 and later models. The earlier models seem to take the 175's with no problem.

Just looking at Tire Rack specs between the Vredestein 165/60 and Conti 165/60, the Conti has both a distinctly wider section width and tread width. They'd likely rub even more than my Vredesteins did. On the next rainy day, I'm going to add a 3rd M8 washer to each fender support (I have two each now). Already have low profile screws underneath the fenders. I'll, again, ponder a 165/60 Vredestein. My last Vredesteins were the last generation Quatrac 5. At this point though, I'm heavily considering the 155/60 Conti. We shall see???

https://www.tirerack.com/tires/Comp...17&sortCode=null&rearSortCode=&tireIndex=null

 

[Peter Aawen]

Just looking at Tire Rack specs between the Vredestein 165/60 and Conti 165/60, the Conti has both a distinctly wider section width and tread width. ...

Just remember that those 'specs' and the sizes printed on the tire sidewalls are nominal sizes, and don't necessarily reflect the true physical dimensions of the tires as they are actually constructed nor the 'in use' size that they end up at when fitted to your rims and they're mounted on your vehicle, let alone before taking into account any of the size differences that can be induced due to any differences in the air pressure they are run at &/or any of other variables change, like the ambient temps etc - altho admittedly, those differences should be relatively minor/a matter of just a mm or two, but aren't always, especially not for any of the more lightly constructed tires (like the OEM Kendas &/their clones/derivants), which can vary somewhat more in size in response to minor pressure or temp changes.

So if you really want to compare the actual tire sizes as they are constructed, you really need to basically ignore the sidewall sizes and get the 'as produced' tire size specs from the tire manufacturers data sheets; or you can physically measure them once they're set up & installed on your vehicle; and you shouldn't bet the farm on info from places like Tire Rack or any generic Internet tire size comparison site. Those places are good for general/broad brush type size comparisons and can help with your initial tire selection process, but the proof will always and only ever be when they are finally fitted to your rims, set to the pressures you'll run them at, and the wheels are fitted onto your vehicle.

Just Sayin' - again!

 

[troop]

Just remember that those 'specs' and the sizes printed on the tire sidewalls are nominal sizes, and don't necessarily reflect the true physical dimensions of the tires as they are actually constructed nor the 'in use' size that they end up at when fitted to your rims and they're mounted on your vehicle, let alone before taking into account any of the size differences that can be induced due to any differences in the air pressure they are run at &/or any of other variables change, like the ambient temps etc - altho admittedly, those differences should be relatively minor/a matter of just a mm or two, but aren't always, especially not for any of the more lightly constructed tires (like the OEM Kendas &/their clones/derivants), which can vary somewhat more in size in response to minor pressure or temp changes.

So if you really want to compare the actual tire sizes as they are constructed, you really need to basically ignore the sidewall sizes and get the 'as produced' tire size specs from the tire manufacturers data sheets; or you can physically measure them once they're set up & installed on your vehicle; and you shouldn't bet the farm on info from places like Tire Rack or any generic Internet tire size comparison site. Those places are good for general/broad brush type size comparisons and can help with your initial tire selection process, but the proof will always and only ever be when they are finally fitted to your rims, set to the pressures you'll run them at, and the wheels are fitted onto your vehicle.

Just Sayin' - again!

I understand this. Most of the time, you're at the mercy of manufacture info. Conti and Vredestein certainly won't share their data sheets. We just buy and take our chances