Current Front Tire Mileage King?

[cota95]

I'm not much help to you for making a tire choice, as I've always gotten more than 12k miles out of my fronts. However, if you happen to be in NW Ohio and need to change a tire, we can make that happen easy enough and it'll only cost you about an hour of riding time. I've got all the tools to change and balance them.

Thanks, I'll keep your offer in mind. Lots of time between now and then to make decisions.

Another thing to consider is to find a guy that changes his own tires along the way (like me). I always have a used tire or two available to donate to get you home. I typically put a new set on for a trip and will change out the current tires with 4-5k left on them. George

 

[Old Guy]

I'm not much help to you for making a tire choice, as I've always gotten more than 12k miles out of my fronts. However, if you happen to be in NW Ohio and need to change a tire, we can make that happen easy enough and it'll only cost you about an hour of riding time. I've got all the tools to change and balance them.

Thanks, I'll keep your offer in mind. Lots of time between now and then to make decisions.

Another thing to consider is to find a guy that changes his own tires along the way (like me). I always have a used tire or two available to donate to get you home. I typically put a new set on for a trip and will change out the current tires with 4-5k left on them. George

Good post. I change my tires as a set and usually have a front tire lying around with a few more miles in them. I've given more than one of 'em away

 

[gmwalk]

I bought my 2014 in May and I have put on 10,000 miles. The rear still looks fine and the front is completely gone. I am replacing it this week. Is this normal? The service guy said they usually replace almost two rear tires for each front.

George

 

[Old Guy]

Normal, sort of.

A lot of people here go through a front first.

If you run a lot of crooked roads and use the front brake a lot, it can wear more quickly. If you run the 36psi that Yamaha recommends in the front tire, it can wear more quickly.

If you've gotten 10,000 out of the rear, you're not a hard charger out of corners. Maybe you're a late braker that just puts more wear on the front.

My fronts usually outlast the rear but not twice as long. Probably half to 2/3 of my FJR miles are on the interstate just cruising along at 75mph. I may go 200 miles between gas stops and never touch the brakes. The front gets about as much wear as your average trailer tire

I do play on Arkansas twisties a lot too, but that's divided about equally between the two bikes.

 

[mophead]

Front ME880 120/70VB-17 Blackwall Tire - 0966700
Part #: 540241

I normally get two rears for one front so in total I get 18,000 on the front. It is a BIAS tire. It does not cup until right at the end and nothing like a radial. Every front radial I have ever tried to use just cups like a bastard and wears out before the rear.

Pretty sure everyone here will tell you that you can't run a bias on the front and a radial on the back. My FJR just can't seem to tell the difference. Since I am 250 miles from any mountain roads I go for mileage tire combos. When I get to the mountains the bike still goes around corners, can drag a peg if needed, and are pretty comfortable without all the front tire whine.

That front tire will work fine for you and they are around $150.

I run the 170/60-17 ME880 on the rear and get around 8/9000 miles. It is a radial. If you prefer bias on both ends use the ME880 160/70-17. It is made for the Beemer K1200LT. It is a little more narrow but will work fine. Should get 10/11000 out of one of those.

Have fun on your trip.

 

[900gc]

Front ME880 120/70VB-17 Blackwall Tire - 0966700Part #: 540241

https://www.denniskirk.com/metzeler/front-me880-120-70vb-17-blackwall-tire.p540241.prd/540241.sku
I normally get two rears for one front so in total I get 18,000 on the front. It is a BIAS tire. It does not cup until right at the end and nothing like a radial. Every front radial I have ever tried to use just cups like a bastard and wears out before the rear.

Pretty sure everyone here will tell you that you can't run a bias on the front and a radial on the back. My FJR just can't seem to tell the difference. Since I am 250 miles from any mountain roads I go for mileage tire combos. When I get to the mountains the bike still goes around corners, can drag a peg if needed, and are pretty comfortable without all the front tire whine.

That front tire will work fine for you and they are around $150.

I run the 170/60-17 ME880 on the rear and get around 8/9000 miles. It is a radial. If you prefer bias on both ends use the ME880 160/70-17. It is made for the Beemer K1200LT. It is a little more narrow but will work fine. Should get 10/11000 out of one of those.

Have fun on your trip.

Sounds like you found a good front match for the 'Dark Siders' crowd too.

I had a Cagiva Gran canyon with a 19" bias ply front and 17" radial rear (factory setup) and it handled great. Hey, if people can run a car tire on the back, why not?

 

[Bill Lumberg]

I just broke 4k. The stock front won't make it until 5. Going to try a PR4GT.