2025 Improved Sea to Sky Tires, how are they?

[troop]

Well, then you have that 'Smoak', or whatever his name is looking at a Spyder with non Kenda tires on it saying, "danger danger!"
He lost all credibility with me on that one!

While often informative, Smoak absolutely toes the company line. He basically has to, as he works at (owns?) the dealership.

 

[BajaRon]

Well, then you have that 'Smoak', or whatever his name is looking at a Spyder with non Kenda tires on it saying, "danger danger!"
He lost all credibility with me on that one!

Do you have a link to this? What reason does he give for his statement?

 

[Snoking1127]

Do you have a link to this? What reason does he give for his statement?

NOT GETTING sideways with BRP corporate line. Anyone who has tried better tires (AKA car tires) knows that they handle better, last longer, and balance easier (if they even need balancing).

 

[weeneil]

Well, then you have that 'Smoak', or whatever his name is looking at a Spyder with non Kenda tires on it saying, "danger danger!"
He lost all credibility with me on that one!

I have looked at the many opinions on the forum on tyres and as some know, I fitted a Vredestein on the rear recently. I honestly think it handles rough road surfaces better than the standard OEM tire, altho we have only covered about 150mls since fitting as the weather has been crap, but it feels ok.

 

[Jackhartjr]

Do you have a link to this? What reason does he give for his statement?

BajaRon, I saw it on a YouTube video probably 3 to 4 years ago. I remember specifically seeing and hearing him walking around a Spyder on a high lift, getting to the tires and saying, "danger danger, car tires!" That is a quote! I'll try to look for it tomorrow. It truly pissed me off!

 

[Mikey]

Well, then you have that 'Smoak', or whatever his name is looking at a Spyder with non Kenda tires on it saying, "danger danger!"
He lost all credibility with me on that one!

He does have some good info on his site now and then, but what kills me the most about him is that he hardly ever takes you through the project step by step, he jumps over all the good stuff, so you don't see his tricks. He defiantly TOWS the BRP line!!!

 

[BajaRon]

BajaRon, I saw it on a YouTube video probably 3 to 4 years ago. I remember specifically seeing and hearing him walking around a Spyder on a high lift, getting to the tires and saying, "danger danger, car tires!" That is a quote! I'll try to look for it tomorrow. It truly pissed me off!

That would be great! Thanks!

To be fair, there are more car tires out there that would also get my 'Danger, Danger' response than tires I would recommend. Just installing any old car tire that fits under the fenders isn't necessarily a good way to go. There are huge differences in performance with tires. Especially in the wet.

In my opinion, wet traction is critical on the Spyder. Oh, I know 'You never ride in the rain'. But never is a long time, and staying out of the rain can be easier said than done. Anyone who rides a good amount will probably get caught sooner or later. It only takes once.

I lived in sunny San Diego and as little as it rains there, I've had to deal with it from time to time.

 

[Snoking1127]

That would be great! Thanks!

To be fair, there are more car tires out there that would also get my 'Danger, Danger' response than tires I would recommend. Just installing any old car tire that fits under the fenders isn't necessarily a good way to go. There are huge differences in performance with tires.

In my opinion, wet traction is critical on the Spyder. Oh, I know 'You never ride in the rain'. But never is a long time, and staying out of the rain can be easier said than done. Anyone who rides a good amount will probably get caught sooner or later. It only takes once.

I lived in sunny San Diego and as little as it rains there, I've had to deal with it from time to time.

Yeah, on the last day of my 6 day repositioning ride in May 2024, moving my first 2018 Spyder from AZ to WA, I got rained on hard along the Washington Coast for several hours straight, with no choice but to continue to finish the ride.

 

[racoon]

I lived in sunny San Diego and as little as it rains there, I've had to deal with it from time to time.

I grew up in S. California, and it only rained a few weeks of the year, usually in January.
The first rain of each year was a nightmare from all of the oil and other lubricants dripped on the road surfaces, which made them very slick when they first got wet.

 

[weeneil]

That would be great! Thanks!

To be fair, there are more car tires out there that would also get my 'Danger, Danger' response than tires I would recommend. Just installing any old car tire that fits under the fenders isn't necessarily a good way to go. There are huge differences in performance with tires. Especially in the wet.

In my opinion, wet traction is critical on the Spyder. Oh, I know 'You never ride in the rain'. But never is a long time, and staying out of the rain can be easier said than done. Anyone who rides a good amount will probably get caught sooner or later. It only takes once.

I lived in sunny San Diego and as little as it rains there, I had to deal with it from time to time.

Where I live, if you buy for dry weather, save your money or get a genie!

 

[Jackhartjr]

That would be great! Thanks!

To be fair, there are more car tires out there that would also get my 'Danger, Danger' response than tires I would recommend. Just installing any old car tire that fits under the fenders isn't necessarily a good way to go. There are huge differences in performance with tires. Especially in the wet.

In my opinion, wet traction is critical on the Spyder. Oh, I know 'You never ride in the rain'. But never is a long time, and staying out of the rain can be easier said than done. Anyone who rides a good amount will probably get caught sooner or later. It only takes once.

I lived in sunny San Diego and as little as it rains there, I've had to deal with it from time to time.

About 45 years ago, I was coming out of LA in a big truck, when it started raining cats and dogs! I picked up my CB Mike and said to No one in particular, "I thought the song said it never rains in California!" A big voice came back across the radio, "That's liquid sunshine, son!" One of those memories that just hang with you!

 

[McClendons]

BajaRon, I saw it on a YouTube video probably 3 to 4 years ago. I remember specifically seeing and hearing him walking around a Spyder on a high lift, getting to the tires and saying, "danger danger, car tires!" That is a quote! I'll try to look for it tomorrow. It truly pissed me off!

Smoak has talked about the issue in several videos and at differing depths. I tried to find the best videos, but they range over many years as well, from 2019 to last year I've heard him mention the issue. I did a Chat GPT search for the reasons he says it is "danger danger", and the results are below. Suffice to say, there are a few flaws in the logic he provides IMHO. I find many of his videos informative, but as with many people, he can have unique opinions that do not have a basis in engineering, physics, or ..... He very much follows the BRP line...

I will note, CHAT GPT ingests videos, then produces a summary of what has been said/done etc. The text below is not necessarily his exact wording, but from the several videos where I've seen him talk about the issue, it's a pretty good summary of his discussions.

=============CHAT GPT Summary of His Reasoning==========================

Short version: because car tires aren’t designed for how a Can-Am Spyder works, and they can mess with safety systems and handling -and Shawn Smoak is very conservative about safety and liability.

Longer, clearer breakdown

Shawn Smoak (Spyder YouTuber/dealer-adjacent voice) usually argues against putting car tires on a Spyder for a few main reasons:

1. Car tires are built for:​

• A flat, wide contact patch
• Minimal lean
• Four-wheel stability

A Spyder:

• Leans slightly in turns
• Relies on very specific sidewall flex
• Depends on tire shape to work with its suspension geometry

A car tire’s stiff sidewalls and square profile can change how the Spyder turns and reacts mid-corner.

2. The Spyder’s:​

• ABS
• Traction control
• Stability control

are calibrated around motorcycle-specific tires.
A car tire can:

• Trigger stability intervention earlier or unpredictably
• Confuse wheel-speed sensors
• Cause odd braking or power cut behavior

Shawn’s big thing is predictability—and car tires reduce that.

3. Even if a car tire fits the rim size:​

• The bead profile is different
• Seating may not be ideal under load or hard cornering

That’s a worst-case safety risk he doesn’t want people normalizing.

4.​

This is a HUGE part of his stance:

• BRP (Can-Am) does not approve car tires
• Dealers won’t install them
• If something goes wrong, insurance and warranty can be affected

Shawn doesn’t want to be responsible for encouraging a mod that:

• Isn’t manufacturer-approved
• Could expose riders to legal or financial trouble after an accident

5. Plenty of Spyder owners do run car tires and swear by them (especially for mileage).​

Shawn’s counterpoint is basically:​

“Just because you can doesn’t mean you should - especially when advising thousands of riders.”

---

The vibe difference in the community​

• DIY/long-distance riders → often pro car tire
• Dealers/instructors/safety-first voices → anti car tire

Shawn is firmly in the second camp.

If you want, I can:

• Explain why some Spyder riders love car tires anyway
• Break down front vs rear tire arguments
• Help you decide what actually makes sense for your riding style

Just say the word

 

[BajaRon]

Thank you for providing this, McClendons.

This is long, but I feel it is important. Everything I say references a good quality aftermarket car tire suited to the Spyder's needs. Much of the statements from Smoke input are based on the Spyder being a motorcycle, which it is not. It is a 3 wheeled car with motorcycle controls and seating.

I assure you that I don't make any statement to sell you something you don't need or isn't going to do the job for you. Most people I advise about tires get them from Tire Rack or elsewhere because for me to ship a tire isn't cost effective. We do install them here at the shop. But honestly, if the Kenda OEM tire was a good quality product, I'd be promoting and selling them.

As always, this is just my opinion. The Gospel is reservice for God's Word.

Smoak has talked about the issue (Tires) in several videos and at differing depths.

Shawn Smoak (Spyder YouTuber / dealer-adjacent voice) usually argues against putting car tires on a Spyder for a few main reasons:

1. Car tires are built for:​

• A flat, wide contact patch (All automotive type suspended vehicles, including the Spyder, want a 'Flat, Wide Contact Patch'. Just consider the size of the rear tire that comes on your Spyder. BRP could have gotten away with a much narrower tire if a wide, flat, stable contact patch is a bad thing.)
• Minimal lean (So, is BRP admitting that their product leans too much?)
• Four-wheel stability (3 wheels will receive the same benefits in stability that 4 wheels get from a better quality tire. Again, we are not riding a motorcycle folks.)

A Spyder:

• Leans slightly in turns (Slightly is a relative term. What is the difference between 'Minimal' and 'Slightly'? The Spyder leans, but the tire does not. So, it makes little difference to the tire. However, it definitely matters with a real motorcycle where the tire experiences steep lean angles requiring a rounded design. I would submit that there are a lot of people who would not characterize the lean on a stock Spyder as 'Slight'.)
• Relies on very specific sidewall flex (Sidewall flex on a too weak tire causes the tread to roll off the pavement reducing traction and stability. Which is what occurs on the front of a Spyder in spirited riding. Is BRP saying this is a good thing?)
• Depends on tire shape to work with its suspension geometry. (The 'Tire Shape' of the Kenda is a Car Tire Shape. The argument is ridiculous. Does this mean that the tire needs to be out of round and hard to balance with construction so weak that the tread wears in the middle and the sidewall rolls under on hard cornering? They are right that you're not going to find these features in a quality 'Car' Tire.)
  A car tire’s stiff sidewalls and square profile can change how the Spyder turns and reacts mid-corner. (The Spyder comes with a square car tire profile, so I am not sure what is meant by that statement. But they are correct that changing to a good quality Car tire will affect mid-corner handling and much more. A good quality car tire will improve virtually every handling and control aspect of the Spyder, typically reducing, not increasing, the need for VSS intervention,)
  

  2. The Spyder’s:​

  • ABS
  • Traction control
  • Stability control
    are calibrated around motorcycle-specific tires. (The Spyder DOES NOT use a 2 wheel Motorcycle Tire! It uses a very light duty Car Tire that would be dangerous if installed on a car. Not because of the bead as it would seat perfectly. But because the Kenda is too light duty to carry the weight of a full size car. Nor would you EVER want to mount a Kenda Spyder tire on a 2 wheeled motorcycle. Now that would be dangerous!)
  A car tire can:
  • Trigger stability intervention earlier or unpredictably (Maybe a very poor choice car tire could do this. But in the thousands of miles I've traveled on several different 'Car' tires, I've honestly experienced just the opposite. My experience is pretty much universal with everyone I've spoken to. And you can imagine how many people I have been able to interact with over the years.)
  • Confuse wheel-speed sensors (Wheel speed sensors have no idea what tire you are running. As long as the diameter is reasonably close to OEM, you're fine. Getting a slightly larger rear tire diameter actually increases speed readout accuracy. We have never had a issue with this.)
  • Cause odd braking or power cut behavior (We have never experienced this. But again, we are not talking about cheap knockoff Chinese tires)
    Shawn’s big thing is predictability—and car tires reduce that. (Car tires will, if anything, increase predictability as they won't be bouncing down the road, vibrating, or rolling under on hard cornering.)
  • 3. Even if a car tire fits the rim size:
  • The bead profile is different (Absolutely not true and everyone in the industry knows this. Beads are identical on the Spyder and every American car with standard wheels.)
  • Seating may not be ideal under load or hard cornering (Again, absolutely not true. It disappoints me that this is even mentioned. You should never lie to a customer. Or anyone else, for that matter.
    That’s a worst-case safety risk he doesn’t want people normalizing.
  • 4. This is a HUGE part of his stance:
  • BRP (Can-Am) does not approve car tires (The Spyder comes with car tires. Albeit, of extremely poor quality and weak construction that would be unsafe on a car for these reasons. What they do not approve of is that you would buy a tire from someone else.)
  • Dealers won’t install them (Some will. But don't tell anyone or they may have to quit.)
  • If something goes wrong, insurance and warranty can be affected (Anything is possible, I suppose. I'm not going to say it couldn't happen. But the reality is, I've never heard of a single instance of this. And how many miles are you willing to put on inferior rubber just in case you might be the first one to have a warranty issue in 17 years?)
    Shawn doesn’t want to be responsible for encouraging a mod that:
  • Isn’t manufacturer-approved (Unfortunately, manufacturers do things that are best for them, not necessarily for you, the owner. It is important to know which is which.)
  • Could expose riders to legal or financial trouble after an accident (Again, anything is possible. But as far as I know it never has. Nor, in my non-binding opinion, would it be with a quality tire.)
    The vibe difference in the community
  • DIY/long-distance riders → often pro car tire (These are usually people who have done their homework and separated fact from fiction)
  • Dealers/instructors/safety-first voices → anti car tire (These are people in the industry who cannot afford to do anything outside the box. They are not going to advise you to do anything that isn't manufacturer approved. Both have their reasons, which leaves the owner a basis for choosing what they want to do.) Shawn is firmly in the second camp.

 

[Jackhartjr]

Smoak has talked about the issue in several videos and at differing depths. I tried to find the best videos, but they range over many years as well, from 2019 to last year I've heard him mention the issue. I did a Chat GPT search for the reasons he says it is "danger danger", and the results are below. Suffice to say, there are a few flaws in the logic he provides IMHO. I find many of his videos informative, but as with many people, he can have unique opinions that do not have a basis in engineering, physics, or ..... He very much follows the BRP line...

I will note, CHAT GPT ingests videos, then produces a summary of what has been said/done etc. The text below is not necessarily his exact wording, but from the several videos where I've seen him talk about the issue, it's a pretty good summary of his discussions.

=============CHAT GPT Summary of His Reasoning==========================

Short version: because car tires aren’t designed for how a Can-Am Spyder works, and they can mess with safety systems and handling -and Shawn Smoak is very conservative about safety and liability.

Longer, clearer breakdown

Shawn Smoak (Spyder YouTuber/dealer-adjacent voice) usually argues against putting car tires on a Spyder for a few main reasons:

• A flat, wide contact patch
• Minimal lean
• Four-wheel stability

A Spyder:

• Leans slightly in turns
• Relies on very specific sidewall flex
• Depends on tire shape to work with its suspension geometry

A car tire’s stiff sidewalls and square profile can change how the Spyder turns and reacts mid-corner.

• ABS
• Traction control
• Stability control

are calibrated around motorcycle-specific tires.
A car tire can:

• Trigger stability intervention earlier or unpredictably
• Confuse wheel-speed sensors
• Cause odd braking or power cut behavior

Shawn’s big thing is predictability—and car tires reduce that.

• The bead profile is different
• Seating may not be ideal under load or hard cornering

That’s a worst-case safety risk he doesn’t want people normalizing.
This is a HUGE part of his stance:

• BRP (Can-Am) does not approve car tires
• Dealers won’t install them
• If something goes wrong, insurance and warranty can be affected

Shawn doesn’t want to be responsible for encouraging a mod that:

• Isn’t manufacturer-approved
• Could expose riders to legal or financial trouble after an accident

“Just because you can doesn’t mean you should - especially when advising thousands of riders.”

---

• DIY/long-distance riders → often pro car tire
• Dealers/instructors/safety-first voices → anti car tire

Shawn is firmly in the second camp.

If you want, I can:

• Explain why some Spyder riders love car tires anyway
• Break down front vs rear tire arguments
• Help you decide what actually makes sense for your riding style

Just say the word

Thanks for the research sir! I tried to find the specific video I had seen to no avail.
I will say this. Just about EVERYTHING he has said is wrong!

 

[Mikey]

Thanks for the research sir! I tried to find the specific video I had seen to no avail.
I will say this. Just about EVERYTHING he has said is wrong!

When your towing the line you only have one end on that rope!

 

[Peter Aawen]

When your towing the line you only have one end on that rope!

And it does mean that you are probably pulling something... not sure what, tho?!

But in this instance, Smoaks is more likely to be 'toe-ing the (company) line'. (see the link)

Toe the Line vs Tow the Line: What’s the Real Difference? 2026

Toe the line vs tow the line explained clearly. Learn the correct meaning, usage, examples, comparison table...

crrcet.com

 

[McClendons]

Thanks for the research sir! I tried to find the specific video I had seen to no avail.
I will say this. Just about EVERYTHING he has said is wrong!

I watched 4 of his videos where he talked about the issue in researching, and still could not find the most detailed one I remember. That said, I thought the Chat GPT was a fair summary of everything he said in Chat's words. I do not believe that Smoak intended to mislead people, he's been through extensive BRP and dealer training. We all know training can be wrong, and can contain corporate bias.

Thank you for providing this, McClendons.

This is long, but I feel it is important. Everything I say references a good quality aftermarket car tire suited to the Spyder's needs. Much of the statements from Smoke input are based on the Spyder being a motorcycle, which it is not. It is a 3 wheeled car with motorcycle controls and seating.

I assure you that I don't make any statement to sell you something you don't need or isn't going to do the job for you. Most people I advise about tires get them from Tire Rack or elsewhere because for me to ship a tire isn't cost effective. We do install them here at the shop. But honestly, if the Kenda OEM tire was a good quality product, I'd be promoting and selling them.

As always, this is just my opinion. The Gospel is reservice for God's Word.

Thanks for the detailed response on each point BajaRon... I got a kick on the discussion of leaning in the original text from Chat GPT. One because it is so wrong on the physics/dynamics level, but also because for anyone that has added a sway bar (I have your ultimate) knows first hand what a HUGE improvement it is to better control the contact patch and Spyder lean/roll. Plan to upgrade the shocks soon, but debating just fronts or also the rear.

 

[BajaRon]

Thanks for the detailed response on each point BajaRon..... I got a kick on the discussion of leaning in the original text from Chat GPT. One because it is so wrong on the physics/dynamics level, but also because for anyone that has added a sway bar (I have your ultimate) knows first hand what a HUGE improvement it is to better control the contact patch and spyder lean/roll. Plan to upgrade the shocks soon, but debating just fronts or also the rear.

My intention is not to call Smoaks out. I don't know the man and I have not watched his videos. I only hope to lay some fact down so that people can make their own mind up. The owner is the one paying for and riding the machine. They deserve straight answers.

I understand the corporate perspective. In this litigious world, I suppose they are financially obliged to say things, true or not, in an attempt to keep people from doing foolish things.

As for the shocks. Get the fronts and see what you think. If you're considering our product, I'm not quite finished with the rear shock anyway.

 

[Mikey]

Sometimes you have to sift through the sand to get the BS out of it to make concrete!

 

[BajaRon]

Sometimes you have to sift through the sand to get the BS out of it to make concrete!

You're exactly right, no matter the subject. There is fact, and there is opinion. It's important to know the difference. The problem comes when a person thinks these two are the same thing.

Everyone is wrong sometimes. Just own up to it, get it right, and move on. It's not a crime.