mecsw500
Well-known member
So far mine seem to be an improvement in the stock ones I had in my 2021 RT LTD. It might be the extra tread that makes it feel a bit stiffer. The new tread pattern might be the reason it's much better in the wet. I think either the extra tread material is what stops it getting greasy in 100°F temperatures on really hot tarmac. I suspect there is some difference in chemistry though, they just feel different to the touch than the old ones.
I know they are better in the wet as I got caught in a torrential thunderstorm on the infamous Hogback section of Highway 12 in Southern Utah. The no barriers, 9,500 feet up narrow road with thousands of feet drops on both sides and at least an inch of water on it. I was in a hurry to get down as there was lightning all around, hail starting and I'm terrified of heights. I didn't aquaplane once and the rear never broke traction. The originals would have had me very scared indeed.
I've tried the new ones in the canyons back up behind my house, going from 5,000 to 9,500 feet. It's got some good bits and some lousy surface bits. I can definitely go faster now up or down when experimenting riding one up. Could I go faster on car tires/tyres, probably, but not by much I think before I get into lifting wheels and the nanny kicks in. In really tight stuff these new versions don't push the front like the old ones did. I've no idea how the Kanines or V-Rubber are as I've never tried them.
As for the longevity, I'm not really bothered about that so much. The bikes I stopped riding to migrate to the Spyder I was getting 3,000 miles off the back tire/tyre worst case, so anything more than that is a bonus. I'm sure the rear will balloon, perhaps a little less than before, but it will wear like that I'm sure.
I have no idea how either perform on a road covered in rabbits, but I'll defer to you on that. I've only seen the two bunnies that live in the bushes a few yards down behind me. I've not seen any offspring though.
Perhaps another factor is I'm not going as fast as you. I'm at 5,000 feet and up, so I'm already about 15% down on power. At 9,000 feet it's definitely considerably more than that. So I don't get the drive out of corners to arrive that fast at the next one that perhaps you will. I also tend to ride very Dave Moss of "Two Clicks Out" style. Brake, Turn, Power Out. That might suit the tire/tyre better than trail braking deep into the corner for a higher speed at the apex on a wider geometric track. For me, the corners are tight, the straights are either short, or long but steep uphill. We're going up the Mirror Lake Highway next week, and that goes over 10,000 feet and it's a nice road surface. I'll see how that works out. We are also going to do the Alpine Loop with a side run to Cascade Springs which is up there in altitude. It's much cooler up there. I might fight the heat and fit the sway bar tomorrow if the heat backs off a little bit. I'm too old for 95-100F in my garage. If I manage to fit it, I'll see how that works out with the current fitment or whether they start to underwhelm me.
I'm not an ultra fast rider anymore. The arthritis is just too painful to be hanging off and knee down on two wheels. However, I don't hang about and certainly keep up with my two wheel friends. The only place some of the bigger engined Harleys really leave me is on the freeway where 75 to 80 mph is a comfortable touring speed for me. I have a few friends who can leave me behind in the canyons, but they are younger, foolish, and some of them have a death wish I'm sure. Knee dragging on public roads on BMW S1000RR's, then banging off the rev limiter is not my scene any more. I have far fewer days ahead of me than behind me and I would love to be able to reverse that equation, not put a 0 in it.
So, I'll probably put car tires/tyres on it all round when the rear wears out. I've bought a Baja Ron Ultra Sway Bar to fit, but its 100°F in my garage right now so it will have to wait a bit. As for shock upgrades I was thinking perhaps Ikons as Koni Dial-A-Rides always worked well for me years ago.
Now, here in the US tire/tyre size options for R15 wheels are a bit limited. There's no decent 160/55R15 or 225/50R15 exact fitments. I think the closest is 165/60R15 and 215/55R15. Perhaps you have more selection in R15 sizes than we do in the US. The only exact size fitment I have found is in ultra cheap import rubbish and that hardly seems like an upgrade. Anyway, I'll cross that bridge when I come to it, but I'll have to find an independent shop who will fit and balance them as my local dealers won't do that for liability reasons (it's the US after all).
Good luck on the rabbits front.
I know they are better in the wet as I got caught in a torrential thunderstorm on the infamous Hogback section of Highway 12 in Southern Utah. The no barriers, 9,500 feet up narrow road with thousands of feet drops on both sides and at least an inch of water on it. I was in a hurry to get down as there was lightning all around, hail starting and I'm terrified of heights. I didn't aquaplane once and the rear never broke traction. The originals would have had me very scared indeed.
I've tried the new ones in the canyons back up behind my house, going from 5,000 to 9,500 feet. It's got some good bits and some lousy surface bits. I can definitely go faster now up or down when experimenting riding one up. Could I go faster on car tires/tyres, probably, but not by much I think before I get into lifting wheels and the nanny kicks in. In really tight stuff these new versions don't push the front like the old ones did. I've no idea how the Kanines or V-Rubber are as I've never tried them.
As for the longevity, I'm not really bothered about that so much. The bikes I stopped riding to migrate to the Spyder I was getting 3,000 miles off the back tire/tyre worst case, so anything more than that is a bonus. I'm sure the rear will balloon, perhaps a little less than before, but it will wear like that I'm sure.
I have no idea how either perform on a road covered in rabbits, but I'll defer to you on that. I've only seen the two bunnies that live in the bushes a few yards down behind me. I've not seen any offspring though.
Perhaps another factor is I'm not going as fast as you. I'm at 5,000 feet and up, so I'm already about 15% down on power. At 9,000 feet it's definitely considerably more than that. So I don't get the drive out of corners to arrive that fast at the next one that perhaps you will. I also tend to ride very Dave Moss of "Two Clicks Out" style. Brake, Turn, Power Out. That might suit the tire/tyre better than trail braking deep into the corner for a higher speed at the apex on a wider geometric track. For me, the corners are tight, the straights are either short, or long but steep uphill. We're going up the Mirror Lake Highway next week, and that goes over 10,000 feet and it's a nice road surface. I'll see how that works out. We are also going to do the Alpine Loop with a side run to Cascade Springs which is up there in altitude. It's much cooler up there. I might fight the heat and fit the sway bar tomorrow if the heat backs off a little bit. I'm too old for 95-100F in my garage. If I manage to fit it, I'll see how that works out with the current fitment or whether they start to underwhelm me.
I'm not an ultra fast rider anymore. The arthritis is just too painful to be hanging off and knee down on two wheels. However, I don't hang about and certainly keep up with my two wheel friends. The only place some of the bigger engined Harleys really leave me is on the freeway where 75 to 80 mph is a comfortable touring speed for me. I have a few friends who can leave me behind in the canyons, but they are younger, foolish, and some of them have a death wish I'm sure. Knee dragging on public roads on BMW S1000RR's, then banging off the rev limiter is not my scene any more. I have far fewer days ahead of me than behind me and I would love to be able to reverse that equation, not put a 0 in it.
So, I'll probably put car tires/tyres on it all round when the rear wears out. I've bought a Baja Ron Ultra Sway Bar to fit, but its 100°F in my garage right now so it will have to wait a bit. As for shock upgrades I was thinking perhaps Ikons as Koni Dial-A-Rides always worked well for me years ago.
Now, here in the US tire/tyre size options for R15 wheels are a bit limited. There's no decent 160/55R15 or 225/50R15 exact fitments. I think the closest is 165/60R15 and 215/55R15. Perhaps you have more selection in R15 sizes than we do in the US. The only exact size fitment I have found is in ultra cheap import rubbish and that hardly seems like an upgrade. Anyway, I'll cross that bridge when I come to it, but I'll have to find an independent shop who will fit and balance them as my local dealers won't do that for liability reasons (it's the US after all).
Good luck on the rabbits front.
I'd even go so far as to suggest that I feel the lack of other tires labelled with those OEM sizes may have played a fairly significant part of the consideration at BRP back when they were choosing to specify those sizes - ie. It was probably a deliberate choice made at least partially to limit the alternatives available unless owners are prepared to do the research to find 'close &/or similar' sizes that will work instead of simply sticking with the OEM sizing! And I'm pretty sure that overall, we have LESS of a range/selection in R15 sizes than you do in the US, again, due to the smaller market! 
So I briefed them on the 'DO NOT AVOID' method of driving that we prefer here, and then halfway thru our very enjoyable evening (after we'd all largely finished eating), I took them out and demonstrated how easy it is to 'catch and humanely despatch' more than just a few rabbits in a very short space of time on our pitiful remnant of a small front lawn!! I've even hadta start spraying the undersides of all my vehicles with... errm, let's just say 'a releasing agent', so that the guts etc of any rabbits we might encounter whilst driving won't stick quite so much to the underbody components - but I haven't figured out how to keep said guts off all the hot bits, and I guess all the locals have a similar issue - you can tell 'at the first sniff' which car is owned by a local who has recently driven thru this area, cos the odour of cooked rabbit guts is rapidly becoming somewhat over-powering every/anywhere vehicles gather! 
