Radials okay to use?

[Monsta]

Seems the stock D404s I have on now are Bias ply. I've seen some mention that they use Elite 3's which are radials. I take it that's okay so long as I don't mix radials with bias?

Why do I seem to recall that I cannot use radials on a bike that calls for bias ply??

What are the Avon Venoms anyway? Radial or bias?

[Squidley]

I'm no expert on motorcycle tires but I do know that you dont mix the 2 (Biased and Radials) and if I'm not mistaken you shouldn't put Radials on a bike that was designed for Biased. The Avon Venoms are a biased tire and will work on all the Ventures.

If I'm mistaken in any of my statements....there will be someone here to correct me I'm sure :whistling:

[BOO]

Well I hope the Elite 3 is a Bias tire because I have one on the back and a Elite II on the front which I know is a Bias tire.

At any rate everything seems to work fine.

Jerry

[Tartan Terror]

You could use radials on anything as long as they are both radials, Monsta. They do not make the Elite 3 in the sizes you need in radials. Ive been researching myself on that one. no company makes Radials in the size the RSV needs. The Elite 3 is offered in both Radial and Bias and what type it is is depending on size. They offer it in sizes to fit VTX 1800 and Wings but not the RSV. I am interested though. I want to try try Elite 3s myself.

[Condor]

If I'm mistaken in any of my statements....there will be someone here to correct me I'm sure

Yep, tag you're it.... The Venom on the front is a radial, and the load bearing Venom on the rear is biased ply. Right now I'm running a venom on the front and a Dunlop Cruisemax on the rear. No problems with handling....MOF the handling is great. I wonder what it will be like when I get the back Venom on??.....:detective:

[Tartan Terror]

Yep, tag you're it.... The Venom on the front is a radial, and the load bearing Venom on the rear is biased ply. Right now I'm running a venom on the front and a Dunlop Cruisemax on the rear. No problems with handling....MOF the handling is great. I wonder what it will be like when I get the back Venom on??.....:detective:
What Venom is it? Im not sure you are right about it being Radial and If you are I would do some heavy research and I would get it off. You will never find any tire professional to tell you that is correct to do.

[Stoutman]

You could use radials on anything as long as they are both radials, Monsta. They do not make the Elite 3 in the sizes you need in radials. Ive been researching myself on that one. no company makes Radials in the size the RSV needs. The Elite 3 is offered in both Radial and Bias and what type it is is depending on size. They offer it in sizes to fit VTX 1800 and Wings but not the RSV. I am interested though. I want to try try Elite 3s myself.

I'll second this. I've been looking for about a year and have not found a radial in the sizes we need.

[Condor]

I'll second this. I've been looking for about a year and have not found a radial in the sizes we need.

Maybe not for you younger 2ndGens, but the Venom X I'm running on the front of my 1stGen is a radial.
Venum X, AM41, 120/90-18 71H A.T9R.
:cool10: :cool10: :cool10:

[venturejockey]

I've always wondered about this. Why can't you mix tires? Why do they need to be a matched set? I've mixed brands and never had a problem. Nor can I tell any difference in handling. So 'splain it to me.

[Stoutman]

Maybe not for you younger 2ndGens, but the Venom X I'm running on the front of my 1stGen is a radial.
Venum X, AM41, 120/90-18 71H A.T9R.
:cool10: :cool10: :cool10:


That is right, I've only been looking for the second gen tire size. Sizes I've looked for are are 150/80-16M/C 71H or MT90/16 front, and 150/90B15 rear.

[Tartan Terror]

Guys read this very carefully. I own a tire business and I know radials and bias on a bike are dangerous but here it is in writing right from avon!!

http://www.bikernet.com/avon/PageViewer.asp?PageID=986

[Tartan Terror]

Maybe not for you younger 2ndGens, but the Venom X I'm running on the front of my 1stGen is a radial.
Venum X, AM41, 120/90-18 71H A.T9R.
:cool10: :cool10: :cool10:
Hey jack, I did a little research and you are ok. You tire is not a radial. Your size is not avail in a radial and if it was it would be a Venom-R and not just a Venom. R would appear in the size just before the rim size Ex: 120/90R-18 would be radial and 120/90-18 would be Bias. Im still trying to figure where you got the T9R but the 71 is the load rating and the H is the speed rating which means its tested for a sustained period at 139 MPH.

[Condor]

Hey jack, I did a little research and you are ok. You tire is not a radial. Your size is not avail in a radial and if it was it would be a Venom-R and not just a Venom. R would appear in the size just before the rim size Ex: 120/90R-18 would be radial and 120/90-18 would be Bias. Im still trying to figure where you got the T9R but the 71 is the load rating and the H is the speed rating which means its tested for a sustained period at 139 MPH.

OK Scott, you're right on and I'm just plain dumb... :8: I just got off the phone with AVON and the tire is not a Radial. I could have sworn that when I discussed the tire for warantee they had said it was. Anyway getting back to the danger part, they were non-comittal. They just stated that it was against the law to run radials with biased plys. So I'd like to apologize to all, and want to say...listen to Scott, forget about what I said.

[Squidley]

Scott,

Thanks for following through with your research, this is important info for folks who want to get tires. :happy34:


Jack,

Your not dumb....just goofy :rasberry: but this is why we love you like we do :whistling:

[Tartan Terror]

OK Scott, you're right on and I'm just plain dumb... :8: I just got off the phone with AVON and the tire is not a Radial. I could have sworn that when I discussed the tire for warantee they had said it was. Anyway getting back to the danger part, they were non-comittal. They just stated that it was against the law to run radials with biased plys. So I'd like to apologize to all, and want to say...listen to Scott, forget about what I said.

Sorry if I came on strong. owning a tire shop Im in the middle of all this stuff all day but we all have our areas where we are real strong. Im the passenger world I see so may cases of misapplication and nor following load ranges and to tell you the truth most failures come from this whether the car is new or someone just wants to put on something cool. Jack it not a about dumb or smart its about learning and now you all know what I have learned. Dont call me manic Jr! LOL Just glad I could help and contribute. I feed off all the great knowledge of those here in the areas Im "Dumb" in. Thanks Guys

[Monsta]

no company makes Radials in the size the RSV needs.

Interesting. I didn't get that far in my research. Glad to know that I cannot make a mistake inadvertantly.

[Sgtglenn]

The Dunlop Elite 3 is available as radials or bias ply. Sizes for the RSV are only available in bias ply. I run them and am very happy.:thumbsup2:

[flb_78]

There are no problems with mixing radials and bias ply, there are no problems with mixing different brands of tires.

[Rick Butler]

Guys,

If you are looking at any tire in a 90 aspect ratio 130/90 16 or 120/90 18, it's a bias ply tire. You have to get down to a 70 series or less before you start seeing radials and they are always denoted with an R at the end (120/70 ZR 17).

Radials have the plies going from one side all the way to the other and can't have deep sidewalls because they inherently they have no sidewall strength. To get the stiff sidewall that motorcycles require, they put plastic stiffners in the sidewall stiff. I would not want to be on a bike with car like radials where the sidewalls flex to give you more traction. And most m/c radials are only 2 ply where most of our tires are like a 5 ply with a 3 to 4 ply sidewall. And if you have been around some of the sport touring bikes with radials, they change tires about the same as they change oil. I'll stick with bias ply or belted tires on my big bikes.

Hope this helps,

Rick

[BuddyRich]

Have to tell you I don't think a radial would have handled this very well.
Noticed a low speed wobble in the bike last week. Front tire looked kinda low.
So yesterday while I was out ridin I stopped and checked it. It was 10 psi hot which would have been like 7psi cold. And I had just been runnin 75 and 80 for an hour or more that day and 2 up doin 75 for a couple of hours Saturday. think I'll stick with the bias...

Man these things sure turn a lot easier at low speed with air in the front tire. :doh:

[Monsta]

Wait, wait, wait...you mean to tell us that you were riding around with 7PSI in your front tire and you lived to tell us about it!? :eek:

Ever seen one of these things? :whistling:

http://www.automotive-technology.com/contractor_images/jin-dai/5-D-JD-3212.jpg

:hihi::hihi::hihi::hihi::hihi:

[Orrin]

Scott and Rick, thanks for "splainin it so well". Learn a lot from you guys.

[BuddyRich]

http://www.automotive-technology.com/contractor_images/jin-dai/5-D-JD-3212.jpg[/IMG]

:hihi::hihi::hihi::hihi::hihi:

I seen them thar things before. But none of them has the number 46 or 42 on them so I couldn't use them :rotf:

[Buzzard1]

Heres what I was told------Check the owners manual for what came on the bike---if it calls for bias tires replace with bias--if it calls for radial --replace with radials.
Dont change====Dont mix===!!!!!!!!
Thats the information I got the first time I replaced tires on my first Honda---Buzz

[Tartan Terror]

There are no problems with mixing radials and bias ply, there are no problems with mixing different brands of tires.
You are very wrong with that. Dont get hurt over ignorance.

I cant believe we have this old thread back from the dead!